Earth

  1. Climate

    20th century sea level rose at fastest rate since founding of Rome

    Sea levels rose more rapidly in the 1900s than during any other century in at least 2,800 years, with global warming causing at least half that rise.

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  2. Earth

    ‘Eruption’ looks back at devastating Mount St. Helens blast

    In Eruption, a science writer recounts the societal, economic and geologic forces that contributed to the Mount St. Helens disaster.

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  3. Agriculture

    FDA to test foods for controversial herbicide

    Amid controversy and conflicting studies, the FDA will test food for glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the world.

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  4. Environment

    Vaping linked to host of new health risks

    Animal studies and analyses of gene activity point to broad range of potential new health risks from vaping affecting everything from sperm to heart and immunity to mental health.

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  5. Earth

    New app puts an earthquake detector in your pocket

    Smartphone app MyShake uses motion-sensing accelerometers to detect nearby quakes. The app could provide early warnings of incoming tremors, its creators say.

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  6. Astronomy

    In all sorts of circumstances, life finds a way

    Editor in Chief discusses the new marine habitats formed by human pollution and the alarming rise of the Zika virus.

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  7. Environment

    Urban heat islands exist even in the Arctic

    Arctic cities are a source of warming in the far north. Unlike midlatitude heat islands, poorly insulated buildings — not the sun — are a primary source.

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  8. Earth

    Ocean’s plastics offer a floating fortress to a mess of microbes

    Microbes take up residence on ocean plastics, potentially causing changes in ocean environments.

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  9. Agriculture

    Plants trick bacteria into attacking too soon

    Scientists have discovered that a plant compound interferes with bacterial communication.

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  10. Science & Society

    ‘GMOs’ isn’t a four-letter word, but it is hard to define

    The definition of what constitutes a genetically modified organism is a challenge to those tasked with developing standards for labeling foods that contain GMOs.

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  11. Climate

    Forest management not so hot at fighting warming

    Forest management practices in Europe have slightly worsened climate change, new research shows.

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  12. Earth

    Ancient tectonic plate blocks magma plume at Yellowstone, simulation shows

    A rising plume of hot rock from Earth’s mantle may not be responsible for the Yellowstone supervolcano, new research suggests.

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