Environment(Page 76)

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

We need to stop letting our pets get fat

We need to stop letting our pets get fat We need to stop letting our pets get fat

By Deborah Linder/The Conversation

How do fireflies power their blinking butts?

How do fireflies power their blinking butts? How do fireflies power their blinking butts?

By Nicole Wetsman

This week, it was colder in Florida than it was in Alaska

This week, it was colder in Florida than it was in Alaska This week, it was colder in Florida than it was in Alaska

By Eleanor Cummins

Can it be too cold to snow?

Can it be too cold to snow? Can it be too cold to snow?

By Eleanor Cummins

Does all this cold weather mean there will be fewer mosquitoes next summer?

Does all this cold weather mean there will be fewer mosquitoes next summer? Does all this cold weather mean there will be fewer mosquitoes next summer?

By Mary Beth Griggs

Hold onto your butts: Don’t let dogs get stoned on your leftover weed

Hold onto your butts: Don’t let dogs get stoned on your leftover weed Hold onto your butts: Don’t let dogs get stoned on your leftover weed

By Eleanor Cummins

Six volcanoes to watch in 2018

Six volcanoes to watch in 2018 Six volcanoes to watch in 2018

By Ralf Gertisser, Katie Preece, and Sylvain Charbonnier/The Conversation

This is the most powerful moment in Olympic sport

This is the most powerful moment in Olympic sport This is the most powerful moment in Olympic sport

By Claire Maldarelli

WATCH: Bill Nye on science media, politics, and the feature film he wants to make

WATCH: Bill Nye on science media, politics, and the feature film he wants to make WATCH: Bill Nye on science media, politics, and the feature film he wants to make

By Jason Lederman

This is how a molten salt nuclear reactor works

This is how a molten salt nuclear reactor works This is how a molten salt nuclear reactor works

By Ellen Airhart

Jupiter’s moon could hide life.

The most uplifting science stories of 2017 The most uplifting science stories of 2017

By Rachel Feltman

What to do if your dog eats your Christmas chocolates

What to do if your dog eats your Christmas chocolates What to do if your dog eats your Christmas chocolates

By Claire Maldarelli

Greek yogurt creates a ton of wheyst—but wheyt! There may be a whey forward for all that whey.

Greek yogurt creates a ton of wheyst—but wheyt! There may be a whey forward for all that whey. Greek yogurt creates a ton of wheyst—but wheyt! There may be a whey forward for all that whey.

By Claire Maldarelli

Pinecones could help make buildings more energy efficient

Pinecones could help make buildings more energy efficient Pinecones could help make buildings more energy efficient

By Marlene Cimons

Four ways natural history museums can skew reality

Four ways natural history museums can skew reality Four ways natural history museums can skew reality

By Jack Ashby/The Conversation

New York City isn’t ready for the catastrophic floods in its future

New York City isn’t ready for the catastrophic floods in its future New York City isn’t ready for the catastrophic floods in its future

By Kate Baggaley

Yes, monkeys are having sex with deer. Why would they do that?

Yes, monkeys are having sex with deer. Why would they do that? Yes, monkeys are having sex with deer. Why would they do that?

By Rachel Feltman

Corals grow in patterns, even if we can’t always see them

Corals grow in patterns, even if we can’t always see them Corals grow in patterns, even if we can’t always see them

By Kate Baggaley

California’s wildfires are affecting the oceans—and these researchers are the first to study it California’s wildfires are affecting the oceans—and these researchers are the first to study it

By Nicole Wetsman

Road salt is actually pretty terrible for the planet

Road salt is actually pretty terrible for the planet Road salt is actually pretty terrible for the planet

By Jamie Summers and Robin Valleau/The Conversation

Icicles on branches.

Scientists are enrolling trees in a wet bark contest to understand the effects of ice storms Scientists are enrolling trees in a wet bark contest to understand the effects of ice storms

By Marlene Cimons

Now we know why Hurricane Harvey’s rainfall was so intense

Now we know why Hurricane Harvey’s rainfall was so intense Now we know why Hurricane Harvey’s rainfall was so intense

By Mary Beth Griggs

The world’s fastest shark is no match for a sack of flaccid hagfish skin

The world’s fastest shark is no match for a sack of flaccid hagfish skin The world’s fastest shark is no match for a sack of flaccid hagfish skin

By Sara Chodosh

Anti-smoking tactics might help us fight climate change

Anti-smoking tactics might help us fight climate change Anti-smoking tactics might help us fight climate change

By Simon Dalby/The Conversation

Interstate 95 Traffic Jam In Miami

Air pollution can make kids behave badly Air pollution can make kids behave badly

By Nicole Wetsman

This tiny South Pacific Island should be dead by now, but it’s still alive and kicking This tiny South Pacific Island should be dead by now, but it’s still alive and kicking

By Mary Beth Griggs

This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about

This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about

By Rachel Feltman

a woman at a switchboard listening

Earth’s most mysterious hums, ranked Earth’s most mysterious hums, ranked

By Rachel Feltman

We’re scientists who turn hurricanes into music

We’re scientists who turn hurricanes into music We’re scientists who turn hurricanes into music

By Mark Ballora and Jenni Evans/The Conversation

The U.S. health care industry could learn a lot from India’s doctors

The U.S. health care industry could learn a lot from India’s doctors The U.S. health care industry could learn a lot from India’s doctors

By Marlene Cimons

Humans may be scaring narwhals to death

Humans may be scaring narwhals to death Humans may be scaring narwhals to death

By Kate Baggaley

Reconstruction of the amphibious bird-like dinosaur Halszkaraptor

This new, duck-like dinosaur is so wacky scientists thought it was fake This new, duck-like dinosaur is so wacky scientists thought it was fake

By Rachel Feltman

Cuddling up may keep red-bellied lemurs healthy

Cuddling up may keep red-bellied lemurs healthy Cuddling up may keep red-bellied lemurs healthy

By Claire Maldarelli

Local knowledge can save endangered animals Local knowledge can save endangered animals

By Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, Benjamin L. Jones, and Richard K.F. Unsworth/The Conversation

These aquatic creatures eat in seriously strange ways These aquatic creatures eat in seriously strange ways

By Sara Chodosh

You have to admit that this horseshoe crab looks just like Darth Vader

You have to admit that this horseshoe crab looks just like Darth Vader You have to admit that this horseshoe crab looks just like Darth Vader

By Mary Beth Griggs

Cecil the Lion’s infamous death didn’t actually do much to change trophy-hunting laws

Cecil the Lion’s infamous death didn’t actually do much to change trophy-hunting laws Cecil the Lion’s infamous death didn’t actually do much to change trophy-hunting laws

By Kate Baggaley

Preventing deforestation might be expensive, but it will cost us more if we don’t

Preventing deforestation might be expensive, but it will cost us more if we don’t Preventing deforestation might be expensive, but it will cost us more if we don’t

By Marlene Cimons

Tesla actually built the world’s biggest battery. Here’s how it works.

Tesla actually built the world’s biggest battery. Here’s how it works. Tesla actually built the world’s biggest battery. Here’s how it works.

Turkey poop could help save us from ourselves

Turkey poop could help save us from ourselves Turkey poop could help save us from ourselves

By Marlene Cimons

We spend most of the year eating really, really old apples. Why do they taste so good?

We spend most of the year eating really, really old apples. Why do they taste so good? We spend most of the year eating really, really old apples. Why do they taste so good?

By Sara Chodosh

Rats have been in New York City since the 1700s and they’re never leaving

Rats have been in New York City since the 1700s and they’re never leaving Rats have been in New York City since the 1700s and they’re never leaving

By Ellen Airhart

Hospitals are scrambling to solve their air pollution issue Hospitals are scrambling to solve their air pollution issue

By Nicole Wetsman

Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears

Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears

By Sara Chodosh

What Meghan Markle’s engagement ring can teach us about Southern Africa’s ancient continental crust

What Meghan Markle’s engagement ring can teach us about Southern Africa’s ancient continental crust What Meghan Markle’s engagement ring can teach us about Southern Africa’s ancient continental crust

By Ellen Airhart

Ranking the Types of Bear Species Ranking the Types of Bear Species

By Dan Nosowitz

Volcanic eruptions are incredibly hard to predict. Here’s why. Volcanic eruptions are incredibly hard to predict. Here’s why.

By Mary Beth Griggs

Light pollution is getting worse

Light pollution is getting worse Light pollution is getting worse

By Rachel Feltman

two children walking outside

Here’s even more evidence that you need to spend time enjoying nature Here’s even more evidence that you need to spend time enjoying nature

By Marlene Cimons

Wild turkeys are in trouble

Wild turkeys are in trouble Wild turkeys are in trouble

By Kate Baggaley

The lake is basic. The slippery, scuba-diving fly that lives there is not.

The lake is basic. The slippery, scuba-diving fly that lives there is not. The lake is basic. The slippery, scuba-diving fly that lives there is not.

By Mary Beth Griggs

The Keystone pipeline just spilled another 210,000 gallons of oil The Keystone pipeline just spilled another 210,000 gallons of oil

By Mary Beth Griggs

Whatever your weather’s been like this week, you can probably expect the opposite for the rest of winter

Whatever your weather’s been like this week, you can probably expect the opposite for the rest of winter Whatever your weather’s been like this week, you can probably expect the opposite for the rest of winter

Chronic wasting disease takes years to kill deer, but it’s always terminal.

A fatal disease is spreading among U.S. deer, but there may be a new way to detect it A fatal disease is spreading among U.S. deer, but there may be a new way to detect it

By Ellen Airhart

ford factory roof

Companies are realizing that renewable energy is good for business Companies are realizing that renewable energy is good for business

By Ellen Airhart

This weather pattern could complicate your Thanksgiving travel

This weather pattern could complicate your Thanksgiving travel This weather pattern could complicate your Thanksgiving travel

By Kate Baggaley

Stop pretending that all Americans could ever go vegan

Stop pretending that all Americans could ever go vegan Stop pretending that all Americans could ever go vegan

By Sara Chodosh

Chimps can gesticulate with the best of them Chimps can gesticulate with the best of them

By Sara Chodosh

blue marble Earth image

Should we try to fix global warming with fake volcanic eruptions? TBD. Should we try to fix global warming with fake volcanic eruptions? TBD.

By Mary Beth Griggs

The skyscrapers of the future could be built with the garbage of today

The skyscrapers of the future could be built with the garbage of today The skyscrapers of the future could be built with the garbage of today

offering daisies

From an evolutionary perspective, does it make any sense to be nice? From an evolutionary perspective, does it make any sense to be nice?

By Eva M. Krockow, Andrew M. Colman, and Briony Pulford for The Conversation

stuffed frill shark head

Yes, the frilled shark is really freaky. But there are other ‘living fossils’ that are just as weird. Yes, the frilled shark is really freaky. But there are other ‘living fossils’ that are just as weird.

By Rachel Feltman

After a brief pause, carbon emissions are back on the rise After a brief pause, carbon emissions are back on the rise

By Mary Beth Griggs

Hurricane Matthew

The 2017 hurricane season is finally fading away. But what comes next? The 2017 hurricane season is finally fading away. But what comes next?

By Dennis Mersereau