All Environment
How lowly termites save grasslands for lions, elephants, and peopleNew research shows how termite mounds aerate the soil, helping to buffer grassland from the effects of climate change and slow the pace of desertification.
What a North American oil slowdown means for global supplyThe most important thing you need to understand about the coming oil production cutbacks is where they are going to come from, namely Canada and the United States.
Why cheap oil is bad news for banksBanks financed much of the US oil boom and are now faced with significant challenges as drillers run short of cash. Major, multinational banks are relatively insulated from any shocks, but smaller, regional banks 鈥� especially in Texas and North Dakota 鈥� are facing a much bigger problem.
California's driest January on record: Is more water conservation needed?Last month, parts of California received just 47 percent of average rainfall for this time of year. In some places, snowpack is at just 12 percent of the long-term average.- How 'giant rabbits' took over an entire neighborhood in N.D.Puppy sized jackrabbits are descending on Fargo N.D. by the hundreds causing problems for local residents.
How one bacterium could help ease reliance on food crops for biofuelA lowly bacterium, once sidelined in biofuel production, may help reduce production costs in converting crop residue and other non-crop plants into fuel.- New NASA eye in the sky tracks floods and droughtsA new NASA satellite was launched Saturday to track the amount of water locked in soil, which may help residents in low-lying regions brace for floods or farmers get ready for drought conditions.
Super Bowl XLIX: Super bad for the environment?Like any event its size, the Super Bowl requires a huge amount of power. But with LED lights, energy-efficient stadiums, and renewables, the National Football League is trying to rein in its carbon footprint.
EIA chief: Cheap oil won鈥檛 last foreverThe recent fall in oil prices may be dramatic, but don't count on oil staying cheap forever, says Adam Sieminski, head of the US Energy Information Administration. Predicting exactly where prices will go from here is not unlike trying to predict the weather, Mr. Sieminski said at a Monitor event.
Solar parking lots sound like a great idea. Why aren鈥檛 they catching on?Solar canopies over parking lots would help reduce energy costs and work toward ending urban island effect. What is preventing this practical application of solar energy from becoming mainstream?- Natural Gas: Think Big on InfrastructureAs blizzard conditions bear down on the Northeast, Marty Durbin, President and CEO of America鈥檚 Natural Gas Alliance, offers a look at the shale gas revolution that is transforming the US economy, enabling record emissions reductions and fueling our nation鈥檚 emergence as the world鈥檚 leading producer of natural gas.
Germany's clean-energy turning point [Recharge]Saudi Arabia's new king pledges no change in oil policy; Republicans and Democrats vote on climate change; Germany's Energiewende has a big year.聽Catch up on global energy with Recharge.聽
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 101: three questions on where things standThe proposed designation of Alaska鈥檚 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness is an important symbolic gesture in a debate over ANWR that has been going on for more than three decades.
Cities may be leaking more heat-trapping methane than previously thoughtA new approach to measuring methane leaks revealed that the Boston area alone lost enough natural gas during one year to fuel 200,000 homes.
After King Abdullah, will Saudi oil stay secure?The passing of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah caused a brief spike in oil prices, but his successor, Crown Prince Salman, has pledged continuity in energy policy. Broader security issues could roil oil markets down the road.
What are Republicans going to do about climate change?It's two years until the 2016 presidential race, but debate over the Keystone XL pipeline is pushing some GOP presidential hopefuls to go on the record about an issue they might rather not discuss: climate change.聽
Scientists race to identify goop on birds along San Francisco Bay shorelinesTwo hundred birds have died, and 315 more have been coated with a gray, sticky, and odorless substance. The affected birds began turning up on San Francisco Bay shorelines about a week ago.
Iraq shrugs off low oil prices, boosts oil output to record levelsDespite a steep decline in oil prices and violence that descended upon Iraq last year, the country is聽producing oil at record levels.聽
Spain mulls fracking after offshore drilling comes up drySpanish oil giant, Repsol, has decided to cancel its highly controversial oil drilling project near the Canary Islands. It comes after a decade conducting tests and amid local protests.
Oregon teens sue state: Can local government be held accountable for climate change?Two teenage plaintiffs take on the State of Oregon raising the legal question: Does the state bear responsibility for addressing climate change?聽
