Earth
- Physics
Explainer: What is thundersnow?
Wacky weather produced lots of thundersnow during New England’s recent winter storms. Some scientists now suspect Mother Nature got some human help.
- Environment
Household products can really pollute the air
Auto exhaust isn’t the only major sources of air pollution, indoors and out. A new study finds a laundry list of household products can — when used by millions — match the contributions of traffic.
- Environment
Fish get pooped living in polluted water
Living in polluted water can tire fish out, a new study finds. This can make it harder for them to find food and avoid being eaten, themselves, by predators.
- Climate
Super-tiny pollutants may help fire up fierce storms
Tiny pollutant particles floating in air may help create clouds and wind, strengthening storms.
- Agriculture
New ‘tattoo’ could lead to drought-tolerant crops
Scientists create stick-on 'plant tattoo.' It measures how efficiently crops use water, a key to better identifying breeding stock for more drought-resistant crops.
- Animals
Rising carbon dioxide could leave tiny lake dwellers defenseless
Rising carbon dioxide in freshwater lakes may change how predators and prey interact.
- Chemistry
Chemists look to mine silver from laundry wastewater
Recovering silver from wastewater could prevent the metal from ending up in lakes, rivers and the ocean, where it could poison wildlife.
- Climate
Climate change threatens future Winter Olympics
Higher temperatures, less snow mean many former Winter Olympics sites soon will no longer qualify to host future games, concludes a new analysis.
- Agriculture
How to grow a cacao tree in a hurry
Chocolate is made from the pods of the cacao tree. To reproduce this plant quickly for research, scientists use clones.
- Earth
Pollution from new technologies threatens astronomy
Pollution from new technologies will make it harder to observe the night sky, astronomers say.
- Agriculture
Robots will control everything you eat
Robots are now being introduced into all phases of how food is grown and prepared. In the future, though, they will be common.
- Climate
A meteor explodes over Michigan
Here’s how scientists tracked down the source of a heavenly explosion over rural Michigan, last week.
