Environment(Page 12)

The changes and wonders of the natural world—and how human interaction influences animals, the ocean, and the rest of the environment.

Latest in Environment

A new evolutionary theory could explain the mystery of shrinking animals

Environment

A new evolutionary theory could explain the mystery of shrinking animals A new evolutionary theory could explain the mystery of shrinking animals

By Lauren Leffer

Water skimmer inspired robot atop water

Technology

These micro-robots were inspired by mini-bugs and water striders These micro-robots were inspired by mini-bugs and water striders

A blizzard with brutally cold temperatures hit Iowa and neighboring states on Jan. 12, 2024.

Environment

Extreme cold still happens in a warming world Extreme cold still happens in a warming world

By Mathew Barlow/The Conversation

Dead elephant seal pups in the front line with an adult male carcass contrasting in size, and another adult individual in the background. The beach in Argentina is empty of living seals that should be thriving in the area at this time of the year.

Environment

Seal pup die-off from avian flu in Argentina looks ‘apocalyptic’ Seal pup die-off from avian flu in Argentina looks ‘apocalyptic’

By Laura Baisas

A colorized view of the DOLCE structure finalizing its uncoiling process, as seen from the boom camera, over Antarctica, on August 22, 2023.

Technology

The first-ever space solar power tests are finished after a year in orbit The first-ever space solar power tests are finished after a year in orbit

An octopus hatchling emerges from a group of eggs at a new octopus nursery. This nursery was first discovered in June 2023 at Tengosed Seamount off Costa Rica.

Environment

Four new octopus species discovered in the deep-sea vents off Costa Rica Four new octopus species discovered in the deep-sea vents off Costa Rica

By Laura Baisas

John Deere 8R Autonomous Tractor in field

Technology

John Deere and Starlink partner to provide satellite internet for rural farmers John Deere and Starlink partner to provide satellite internet for rural farmers

The cost of freeing drinking water from ‘forever chemicals’

Environment

The cost of freeing drinking water from ‘forever chemicals’ The cost of freeing drinking water from ‘forever chemicals’

By Charles Schmidt / Undark

An Eastern dwarf tree frog covered in seeds.

Environment

These Australian frogs get absolutely covered in seeds These Australian frogs get absolutely covered in seeds

By Ethan Freedman

Check out some of the past year’s best close-up photography

Technology

Check out some of the past year’s best close-up photography Check out some of the past year’s best close-up photography

Four of the best small humidifiers side by side on a plain white background.

Gear

The best small dehumidifiers for 2024 The best small dehumidifiers for 2024

By John Alexander

A pink hummingbird sits on a perch inside of a tunnel. Green and black stripes are projected on the walls of the tunnel.

Environment

How hummingbirds switch gears at breakneck speeds How hummingbirds switch gears at breakneck speeds

By Laura Baisas

Team France in action during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Giant Slalom on February 25, 2023 in Palisades Tahoe, USA.

Environment

Tahoe avalanche: What causes seemingly safe snow slopes to collapse? Tahoe avalanche: What causes seemingly safe snow slopes to collapse?

By Nathalie Vriend / The Conversation

An artist’s impression of a group of G. blacki within a forest in southern China. Four of these giant apes sit on the grass near a stream, while an orangutan hangs from a tree branch. They are brown with yellow-ish manes around their faces.

Environment

These extinct, nearly 10-foot-tall apes could not adapt to shifting seasons These extinct, nearly 10-foot-tall apes could not adapt to shifting seasons

By Laura Baisas

Fruit bats hanging on tree branches in daylight in Bangladesh on November 6, 2023.

Science

Why fruit bats can eat tons of sugar without getting diabetes Why fruit bats can eat tons of sugar without getting diabetes

By Laura Baisas

Microscopic view of Oikopleura dioica

Science

This tiny sea creature builds a ‘snot palace’ to capture food This tiny sea creature builds a ‘snot palace’ to capture food

Dragonflies mating - Azure damselflies

Environment

The bizarre sex lives of insects The bizarre sex lives of insects

By Emmanuelle Pouydebat / MIT Press Reader

Mendenhall Glacier

Environment

In Juneau, Alaska, a carbon offset project that’s actually working In Juneau, Alaska, a carbon offset project that’s actually working

By Taylor Kate Brown / Grist

Data visualization of all maritime activity in the North Sea

Technology

AI and satellite data helped uncover the ocean’s ‘dark vessels’ AI and satellite data helped uncover the ocean’s ‘dark vessels’

An illustration of the pelagic ecosystem and the organisms fossilized in Sirius Passet, revealing how Timorebestia was one of the largest predators in the water column more than 518 million years ago.

Environment

Extinct ‘terror beasts’ were some pretty formidable worms Extinct ‘terror beasts’ were some pretty formidable worms

By Laura Baisas

A Matabele ant tends to the wound of a fellow ant whose legs were bitten off in a fight with termites.

Environment

Matabele ants might be able to diagnose and treat infected wounds Matabele ants might be able to diagnose and treat infected wounds

By Laura Baisas

A Jackery solar generator on a plain background arranged in a brick pattern

Gear

Prepare for any storm ahead with 37% off this Jackery solar generator Prepare for any storm ahead with 37% off this Jackery solar generator

A lineup of four of the best mosquito traps

Gear

The 6 best mosquito traps for 2024 The 6 best mosquito traps for 2024

Levoit P350 Air Purifier next to a black dog on the floor.

Gear

The best air purifiers for pets in 2024, tested and reviewed The best air purifiers for pets in 2024, tested and reviewed

By Abby Ferguson

Salmon fishing in Alaska, fisherman in gloves handling fish in net on a boat

Environment

As salmon disappear, a battle over Alaska Native fishing rights heats up As salmon disappear, a battle over Alaska Native fishing rights heats up

By Max Graham/Grist

A jellyfish Cladonema pacificum with multiple branched tentacles.

Environment

These fingernail-sized jellyfish can regenerate tentacles—but how? These fingernail-sized jellyfish can regenerate tentacles—but how?

By Laura Baisas

Three feral hogs in grass. One is black and standing while grazing. The middle is gray and sitting. The third is brown and also sitting.

Environment

Wild ‘super pigs’ from Canada could become a new front in the war on feral hogs Wild ‘super pigs’ from Canada could become a new front in the war on feral hogs

By Marcus Lashley / The Conversation

Five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs have been identified

Environment

Five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs have been identified Five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs have been identified

By Laura Baisas

A small brown frog standing on leaves at the water’s edge.

Environment

This tiny ‘leaf-nester’ is the smallest known fanged frog This tiny ‘leaf-nester’ is the smallest known fanged frog

By Laura Baisas

Morel mushrooms growing in a greenhouse in central China's Hubei Province. The mushrooms have long brown caps and white stems.

Health

Mysterious morel mushrooms at center of food poisoning outbreak Mysterious morel mushrooms at center of food poisoning outbreak

By Keely Larson / KFF Health News

The Best LED Grow Lights

Gear

The best LED grow lights for 2024 The best LED grow lights for 2024

By Sarah Horaczek

An aardvark with a long nose sits in grass.

Environment

Why scientists are studying aardvarks’ poop Why scientists are studying aardvarks’ poop

By Laura Baisas

Lessons from Lake Tanganyika’s scale eating fish

Environment

Lessons from Lake Tanganyika’s scale eating fish Lessons from Lake Tanganyika’s scale eating fish

By Jeffrey McKinnon / MIT Press Reader

A reindeer stands on snowy ground with hills in the distance.

Environment

Reindeer can see UV light—and we may know why Reindeer can see UV light—and we may know why

By Laura Baisas

Top: Beans at the CIAT gene bank in Colombia, which has just sent its latest consignments of seeds for conservation at the Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway.

Environment

In the face of extreme weather, scientists look to adapt crops In the face of extreme weather, scientists look to adapt crops

By Lourdes Medrano/Undark

The Wakayama Soryu was about the size of a great white shark and lived more than 72 million years ago.

Environment

This ‘blue dragon’ sliced through the ancient Pacific with paddle-like fins This ‘blue dragon’ sliced through the ancient Pacific with paddle-like fins

By Laura Baisas

A lineup of the best automatic cat feeders on a plain background

Gear

The best automatic cat feeders for 2024 The best automatic cat feeders for 2024

A bearded seal swimming in Arctic waters in Svalbard, Norway. Their name comes from the long and sensitive facial whiskers that they use to find food.

Science

Arctic seals have special noses Arctic seals have special noses

By Laura Baisas

Environment

The public lands and the energy transition conundrum The public lands and the energy transition conundrum

By Jonathan Thompson / High Country News

A bird called a green honeycreeper stands on a tree branch. It has blue male plumage on its left side and green female plumage on its right.

Environment

Rare bird with half male and half female plumage photographed in Colombia Rare bird with half male and half female plumage photographed in Colombia

By Laura Baisas

A man holes a 14-inch goldfish removed from the Niagara River.

Environment

Releasing pet goldfish into the wild has serious consequences Releasing pet goldfish into the wild has serious consequences

By Laura Baisas

New Zealand’s quest to save its rotund, flightless parrots

Environment

New Zealand’s quest to save its rotund, flightless parrots New Zealand’s quest to save its rotund, flightless parrots

By Rina Diane Caballar / Knowable Magazine

In Alaska, preparing for tsunamis is no small feat

Environment

In Alaska, preparing for tsunamis is no small feat In Alaska, preparing for tsunamis is no small feat

By Christian Elliott / Undark

Thick smoke from a wildfire in the tundra in Alaska.

Environment

Wildfires are thawing the tundra Wildfires are thawing the tundra

By Kylie Mohr / High Country News

Paleontologist Martin Lockley sits in front of a rock with dinosaur claw marks and shows how dinosaurs must have clawed into the rock during a mating ceremony where they made pseudo nests for potential mates.

Science

Why dinosaur footprints inspired paleontologist Martin Lockley Why dinosaur footprints inspired paleontologist Martin Lockley

By Laura Baisas

Illustration of biofiber within cracked concrete

Technology

Bacterial ‘blood’ could heal cracks in concrete Bacterial ‘blood’ could heal cracks in concrete

Even lab mice are getting VR headsets now

Technology

Even lab mice are getting VR headsets now Even lab mice are getting VR headsets now

‘Forever chemicals’ found in freshwater fish, yet most states don’t warn residents

Environment

‘Forever chemicals’ found in freshwater fish, yet most states don’t warn residents ‘Forever chemicals’ found in freshwater fish, yet most states don’t warn residents

By Hannah Norman / KFF Health News

A circular grey fossil with long linear grooves on it.

Environment

Fossil first identified as plant is actually a baby turtle Fossil first identified as plant is actually a baby turtle

By Laura Baisas

Waves on the ocean.

Environment

Warming oceans could thaw trapped ‘fire-ice’ Warming oceans could thaw trapped ‘fire-ice’

By Laura Baisas

NeRmo mouse robot standing against blue background

Technology

Meet NeRmo, the mouse robot with backbone Meet NeRmo, the mouse robot with backbone

A sample of baboon skulls dating back 2,500 to 2,800 years in southern Egypt.

Environment

Ancient Egyptians likely kept baboons in captivity—and mummified them Ancient Egyptians likely kept baboons in captivity—and mummified them

By Laura Baisas

Multiple cows standing in an industrial barn.

Environment

What would happen if everyone stopped eating meat tomorrow? What would happen if everyone stopped eating meat tomorrow?

By Max Graham/Grist

A dark-furred mouse looks into a mirror.

Science

Mice may be able to recognize their own reflections Mice may be able to recognize their own reflections

By Laura Baisas

Glowing blue lights of the tiny ostracods move in sync with one another.

Environment

Watch the mucus-filled, synchronized mating dance of bioluminescent ‘sea fireflies’ Watch the mucus-filled, synchronized mating dance of bioluminescent ‘sea fireflies’

By Laura Baisas

A dinosaur called poposaurus walks near some trees. The dinosaur comes from a group of extinct relatives of the crocodile known as Poposauroidea.

Environment

Tracing the crocodiles’ curious evolutionary family tree Tracing the crocodiles’ curious evolutionary family tree

By Laura Baisas

A mosquito encased in yellow-hued amber.

Science

Millions of years ago, male mosquitoes may have been blood suckers too Millions of years ago, male mosquitoes may have been blood suckers too

By Laura Baisas

Completed JT-60SA experimental nuclear fusion facility in Japan

Technology

The world’s largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor is up and running The world’s largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor is up and running

A red-tailed hawk with a broken wing at the New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, Mass.

Technology

Digitized records from wildlife centers show the most common ways that humans harm wild animals Digitized records from wildlife centers show the most common ways that humans harm wild animals

By Tara K. Miller and Richard B. Primack / The Conversation

1-guilla eel robot without casing

Technology

Watch this eel robot effortlessly glide underwater Watch this eel robot effortlessly glide underwater

A white axolotl in a tank. Axolotls are sometimes called the ‘Peter Pan of amphibians’ since they do not go through a traditional metamorphosis and keep larval traits like their signature gills.

Environment

Go (virtually) adopt an axolotl, the ‘Peter Pan’ of amphibians Go (virtually) adopt an axolotl, the ‘Peter Pan’ of amphibians

By Laura Baisas

A cicada sitting on a green leaf. The insect has bright orange eyes and large wings. Cicadas live underground for 13 or 17 years, before emerging to mate.

Environment

Fiber optic cables can pick up cicadas’ droning din Fiber optic cables can pick up cicadas’ droning din

By Laura Baisas

US military says national security depends on ‘forever chemicals’

Health

US military says national security depends on ‘forever chemicals’ US military says national security depends on ‘forever chemicals’

By Patricia Kime / KFF Health News

A French bulldog standing in a pile of leaves.

Health

An unknown respiratory illness is sickening dogs in the US, but ‘don’t panic’ An unknown respiratory illness is sickening dogs in the US, but ‘don’t panic’

By Laura Baisas