All Environment
First LookBlue skies in Beijing: China's air quality shows improvementA decade ago, the world condemned China鈥檚 notorious air quality as smog regularly blanketed the nation鈥檚 capital city. Today, the skies are clear enough for athletes at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics to see nearby mountains, a result of China鈥檚 ambitious anti-pollution efforts.
First LookCount of the penguins: Scientists get climate clues in AntarcticaPenguins aren鈥檛 just Antarctica鈥檚 most emblematic inhabitants. They are also giving scientists important clues about how climate change is impacting the southernmost continent.
Shell offered South African villagers jobs. They chose their heritage instead.Villagers in South Africa defended their ancestral fishing grounds from the oil company鈥檚 bid to use seismic exploration methods.
First LookShrinking Great Salt Lake has new group of allies: GOP lawmakersAs the Great Salt Lake continues to dry up, reaching its lowest level ever recorded, Republican lawmakers are taking action. GOP-led proposals aim to prevent the environmental and economic devastation that would result if the lake turns to dust.
First LookAre underground coal fires responsible for Western blazes?The source of Colorado鈥檚 Marshall Fire is still being investigated, but history shows at least two blazes in the past 20 years could be blamed on coal mine fires that spread to the surface. Experts say coal mine fires are a growing threat around the globe.聽
In Pictures: Sea turtle rescuers race against coldGood neighbors help community members in need. On Cape Cod in Massachusetts, residents carry that a step further to include sea turtle neighbors too.
Keepers of the flame vs. climate change reduction: Gas bans worry cooksNatural gas bans passed in new construction in New York City and dozens of other towns, worrying those who love gas cooking.
The ExplainerThey shrink. They grow. The tricky politics of national monuments.Underneath the tug of war over the designation of national monuments lie questions about presidential power, checks and balances, and enduring change.
First LookUphill climb: Ski resorts grapple with snow droughtClimate change induced drought has caused ski resorts to use snowmaking techniques to sustain their business and ski-town economies. But manmade snow uses a lot of energy and water, so resorts are now trying new, environmentally friendly technology.
Everyone鈥檚 least favorite climate fix? Nuclear power gets fresh look.New technology and聽a rising group of climate pragmatists may be changing long-held wariness of nuclear power as a fossil fuel alternative.
First LookCoral reef, found deep in the pacific, untouched by climate changeOff the coast of Tahiti, scientists found a 2-mile rose-shaped coral reef unaffected by climate change or human activities. Between 2009 and 2018, coral reefs were depleted by 14% globally. Scientists hope to unlock this pristine reef's secret to climate resilience.聽
Tackling climate change is art, not just scienceArtists often help people make sense of the world. As climate change impacts daily life, art is more often raising awareness and offering support.
First LookSnowy owl, on a bird's eye tour of DC, captivates urban watchersNative to the Arctic, a snowy owl has been spotted in Washington D.C.鈥檚 Capitol Hill neighborhood. Snowy owls seldom migrate south of the Great Lakes.聽
Cover StoryMeet the scientist moms fighting climate change for their childrenAmid climate 鈥渄oomerism,鈥� what can be done to fight global warming? A lot, it turns out. And female scientists are at the forefront.
Difference MakerGrowing shade: An epic quest to plant a tree for every home in SenegalTree-planting projects come with big promises that prove hard to keep. One activist has found a recipe for success by taking it one tree at a time.
First LookFlorida-sized glacier is melting. Scientists ask, how fast?On Thursday, 32 scientists will set sail on a research ship headed for Antarctica. As part of the crew, robot ship聽Boaty McBoatface will explore beneath聽Thwaites. Studying the widest glacier in the world could help the team predict the rate of global sea rise.- Coyote-like golden jackal is laying claim to Europe. Why now?The golden jackal was once found mostly east of the Balkans. But now it is appearing across Europe, including Italy, and ecologists aren't sure why.
Save at-risk owls by culling rivals? Tough choices in US Northwest.Spotted owl populations have continued to decline in the Pacific Northwest as the invasive barred owl becomes more prevalent in old-growth forests.
First LookWhy it takes a Mexican village to bring a fish back from extinctionWith the help of a Mexican community, scientists have succeeded in reintroducing a small, extinct fish, called the 鈥渢equila splitfin,鈥� into its native habitat.聽
The ExplainerDon鈥檛 pitch those peels, recycle them: California鈥檚 new food-waste lawIn January, California will require food waste to be recycled. Instead of going into聽landfills, it must be composted or made into biofuel or energy.
