Environment

Climate

Scientists Say: Glacier

Glaciers are massive ‘rivers of ice’ that move slowly over land. But climate change is shrinking them.

Animals

Australian fires have imperiled up to 100 species

As massive wildfires consume huge swaths of Australia’s bush, untold species — many of them found nowhere else — are now threatened with extinction.

Environment

Don’t toss that vape!

Plenty of people talk about potential risks of vaping. But this teen habit also saddles schools with lots of trash — some of it quite toxic.

Environment

Scientists Say: Nutrient

Nutrients provide living things, from bacteria to animals, with the energy and materials to grow. But too much of a nutrient can sometimes cause harm.

Chemistry

Scientists look to hack photosynthesis for a ‘greener’ planet

Photosynthesis turns sunlight into energy for plants. Scientists want to know more about it, imitate it — even improve it.

Agriculture

Groundwater pumping is draining rivers and streams worldwide

Excessive groundwater use could push more than half of the regions that depend on water pumped up from underground aquifers past an environmental tipping point by 2050. That could threaten aquatic ecosystems around the world.

Climate

Record heat is burning the Arctic and melting Greenland’s ice

High temperatures are melting Greenland’s ice. They’re also fueling Arctic wildfires that are pumping record amounts of carbon dioxide into the air.

Climate

Explainer: Why some clouds glow in the dark

A surprise space rock lit up the night sky over California — and left behind a rare type of cloud. Such glowing beauties may become more common with climate change.

Climate

City living makes trees grow fast but die young

Many cities plant trees to absorb carbon dioxide. But city trees grow fast and die young, which means they absorb less carbon dioxide than forest trees do.

Climate

Could climate change worsen global conflict?

Famine, natural disasters and sea-level rise can all disrupt societies. These can add pressure to unstable regions — sometimes to the point of prompting wars.

Chemistry

Studies show how homes can pollute indoor air

Cooking, cleaning, applying makeup or deodorant and other activities may sometimes leave indoor air as polluted — or worse — than outdoor air, new research suggests.

Earth

Microplastics are blowing in the wind

Tiny pieces of plastic are traveling through the air, a new study shows. A remote mountaintop saw just as much plastic deposited per day as falls on downtown Paris.