All Environment
The ExplainerOfficial climate reports pile up. But do they connect with the public?What do IPCC reports on climate change really mean? Their acronyms can overwhelm, but the message from their scientific consensus is important.
Puerto Rico seeks clean-energy revolution. It is getting blackouts.After Hurricane Maria upended its electricity grid, Puerto Rico has a huge clean energy ambition 鈥� but ongoing power outages, too.
Points of ProgressOcean surprises: Get out your microscope and headphonesIn our progress roundup, scientists used sound to confirm a healthy coral reef, found two new phytoplankton, and tested an anti-malaria mosquito net.
Meet the nurdle hunter combing the beach for hidden pollutionMark McReynolds鈥� nurdle hunters scour the sands for a tiny pollutant most beachgoers don鈥檛 even know exists.
Grounded, and loving it. Can giving up air travel bring joy?A small but growing number of people have given up flying because of climate concerns. What surprised them, they say, is the joy they gained from the journey.
Cover StoryDemand for oil is spiking. So why are North Dakota rigs lying idle?Demand for oil is surging, but rigs in North Dakota are lying idle as聽the U.S. tries to figure out the future of its energy supply.
How a war in Europe brings climate urgency homeClimate scientists now look to individuals to limit their carbon emissions. Many Europeans say they are ready to start by doing without Russian gas.
FocusHow Navajo are turning on taps 鈥� even in remote, dry areasTaking a severe toll on the Navajo Nation, the pandemic also highlighted how many residents lack running water 鈥� spurring ingenuity-based solutions.
Roads broke up an endangered monkey's habitat. Can bridges fix it?Jo Leen Yap鈥檚 upcycled canopy bridge has helped thousands of animals cross the road safely, including the dusky langur.
First LookEarth needs climate action, not climate 'doomism,' scientists sayThe latest report from U.N. climate experts shows that without drastic action soon, the Earth could become unlivable in many places. But many scientists are pushing back on the idea that the planet is doomed, saying there is still room for hope.聽
Points of ProgressHome again: Bison in Oklahoma and anteaters in ArgentinaOur progress briefs include species reintroductions, restitution for Latvian Jewish communities, and an overturned anti-transgender law in Kuwait.
Ice shelf collapse: 鈥楿nknown鈥� Antarctica still holds surprisesAntarctica holds mysteries with big implications for Earth鈥檚 environment. A recent ice breakup is just one sign of larger climate changes underway.
Quest for nuclear fusion is advancing 鈥� powered by scientific gritRecent breakthroughs make energy from nuclear fusion look increasingly achievable. But it鈥檚 a tale of decadeslong persistence with hurdles still to come.
FocusIs Texas Hill Country in danger of being 鈥榣oved to death鈥�?In the Hill Country, Texas鈥� fastest-growing region, questions about how to manage growth 鈥� from water supply to school commutes 鈥� are rising.
Points of ProgressSmall actions add up to benefit ocean habitats and animalsProgress roundup: Women in Indonesia are replanting mangrove forests, fishers in Baja California tested LEDs on nets to reduce bycatch, and more news.
Difference MakerA secret town鈥檚 renewal, from radioactive cleanup to recycling jobsNorthern Estonia once fueled the USSR鈥檚 nuclear arsenal. T玫nis Kaasik cleaned up the radioactive waste and created jobs for the Russians left behind.
Can Europe give up Russian energy and still go green?The war in Ukraine sharpened European thinking about the need to cut off Russian energy. But it may also mean a short-term cost to green goals.
Volunteers step up to clean up France鈥檚 dirtiest cityResidents in Marseille are volunteering to clean up garbage after a recent strike, part of a broader citizen-led effort to beautify a grimy city.聽
First LookIs hydropower the future of green energy? Why some say yes.After years of criticism from environmentalists over water quality concerns and impacts on species like salmon, hydropower companies say that with innovation to tackle their dams鈥� problems, they can play an important role in the transition to green energy.
The ExplainerClean energy depends on lithium. Can California supply it?The world is clamoring for lithium. With minimal environmental damage, California could supply much of that sought-after resource from its vast brine reservoir.聽