Earth
- Animals
Insects may undermine trees’ ability to store carbon
Insects eat more leaves on trees grown in carbon dioxide-rich environments than those grown without the extra CO2. That may undermine forests as carbon sinks in the future.
- Earth
Volcanic lightning forges tiny glass balls from airborne ash
The lightning that crackles through volcanic plumes can melt ash into tiny glass beads.
- Plants
Plant growth patterns changing on much of Earth’s surface
More than half of Earth’s land surface has seen major changes in factors such as leaf-on date and how much vegetation grows in a season.
- Climate
Coastal Los Angeles losing fog to urban sprawl
Fog in parts of Southern California has become significantly less frequent due to urban warming.
- Plants
Beetle RNA makes crops a noxious meal
When beetles munch plants bearing their RNA, genes the bugs need to survive are turned off.
- Climate
Scientists confirm amassing CO2 heats Earth’s surface
Rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide increase the amount of thermal radiation striking Earth’s surface.
- Earth
Water’s unclear origins, shaky solutions to climate change and more reader feedback
Readers discuss the pitfalls of carbon storage, whether a recent movie got Alan Turing's story right and more.
- Oceans
‘Ocean Worlds’ chronicles the story of water on Earth and across the cosmos
Jan Zalasiewicz and Mark Williams recount the history and predict the future of Earth’s oceans.
- Oceans
Glassy blue iceberg goes belly up
A photographer snaps a rare picture of a recently overturned iceberg near Antarctica.
- Earth
Steam bubbles carry gold and sulfur up from Earth’s depths
Dense blends of metals and sulfur get a ride to the surface on water vapor bubbles.
- Environment
A coast-to-coast picture of America’s cacophony of sounds
The National Park Service mapped noise across the United States.
- Health & Medicine
E-cigarettes may be gateway to addiction for teens
Teenagers are using e-cigarettes more than any other tobacco product and for many, it’s the first time they’ve tried a tobacco product at all.
