Environment
- Climate
Is Hurricane Florence one sign of new climate trend?
Despite making landfall as a mere Category 1 tempest, Hurricane Florence proved a beast. And there were warnings it would be as it rapidly strengthened at sea.
- Environment
Wildfires worsen extreme air pollution in U.S. northwest
America’s air is getting cleaner — except in places prone to frequent wildfires.
- Earth
People are changing which parts of Earth get more (or less) water
Human activities have been reshaping the planet’s water map. Some changes created new lakes. Others caused lakes to disappear.
- Chemistry
‘Thirdhand’ smoke can hitchhike to non-smoking sites
Harmful “thirdhand” smoke — the type that attaches to surfaces — can hitch a ride on airborne particles or clothes and travel into non-smoking buildings.
- Earth
Scientist tackles water pollution with epic swims
German chemist Andreas Fath swam the entire Tennessee River — in record time. The reason was not to win a place in the Guinness Book of Records. He wanted to raise awareness about water pollution.
- Animals
Explainer: DNA hunters
Snippets of DNA can be left behind by a passing organism. Some researchers now act as wildlife detectives to identify the sources of such cast-off DNA.
- 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.
- Ecosystems
Scientists Say: Bog
Bogs are a type of wetland in which partially decayed plants sink down and form peat.
- Climate
Tropics may now emit more carbon dioxide than they absorb
Analyses of satellite images suggest that degraded forests now release more carbon than they store.
- Animals
Night lights have a dark side
Artificial light at night not only affects our view of the night sky, but also has the ability to impair animal behaviors — and probably our health.
- Climate
Hunting the mysterious source of a global illness
Doctors and scientists around the world are scouring the environment for the elusive cause of Kawasaki disease, a harmful childhood illness.
- Environment
Is your home chilly? This might just be healthy
Feeling mildly cold (or a bit too warm) forces the body to adjust what it’s doing to maintain a healthy temperature. And that can do a body good, data now show.
