Earth
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EarthMining metals amidst seafloor animals
Miners may need to get their feet — and everything else — wet as they carefully seek out loads of copper and other valuable natural resources.
By Sid Perkins -
AnimalsSharks become science helpers
Jaws may scare beachgoers. But sharks bring a smile to some environmental scientists, who are using the toothy fishes to collect data on the ocean.
By Beth Mole -
MicrobesArctic thaw is spreading wildlife diseases
Polar animals are encountering new, killer parasites as melting ice unlocks their access to new hosts.
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EnvironmentOil harms fish hearts
Oil spills in the ocean can perturb the beating of heart cells.
By Beth Mole -
AnimalsFirst living fish leaves ‘endangered’ list
Twenty-one years ago, a minnow facing a high risk of extinction was placed on the U.S. Endangered Species List. With help from scientists, the fish appears to have largely recovered. It’s the first ‘listed’ fish to do so.
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EnvironmentDoes lightning sculpt mountains?
A new study sparks debate about how much rubble on a mountainside has been blasted loose by powerful bolts from the sky.
By Sid Perkins -
ClimateMapping our carbon footprints
Population density can determine how much of an impact modern communities have on the climate.
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EarthTowering mounds: Can gophers be to blame?
Scientists may have unearthed the source of Mima mounds, mysterious bumpy landscapes found on every continent except Antarctica.
By Beth Geiger -
AgricultureHow to limit the need for pesticides
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests taking steps to limit children’s exposure to pesticides.
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AnimalsWhy are bees vanishing?
Scientists find evidence that pesticides, disease and other threats are devastating bees. And that could hurt farmers big time.
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ComputingCool Jobs: Paid to dream
Some visionaries use science and engineering to see what our world could — and should — become
By Kellyn Betts -
EarthEnergy companies triggered quakes, study says
Injecting carbon dioxide underground seems like a good way to slow down global warming. A new study shows, however, that the process could trigger earthquakes.