Earth
- Physics
Radioactive cigarettes
Polonium remains an underappreciated factor in the lung-cancer risk posed by cigarettes.
- Earth
Arctic ice more vulnerable than ever
Ocean’s ice cap is smaller than long-term average and thinnest yet as melt season begins.
- Chemistry
Leaden blood hikes granny’s heart risks
Featured blog: Even low concentrations of lead circulating in blood may pose lethal heart risks, a new study finds.
- Ecosystems
Exxon Valdez: Tidal waters still troubled
From birds and clams to herring, many species continue to show persistent impacts of an oil spill that occurred two decades ago.
- Tech
Urban Heat: Recycling waste heat
In the United States, only about one-eighth of the fuel people burn is converted into useful work. Recycling such wasted heat could be one of the best solutions to problems posted by growing cities.
- Earth
Tallying emissions in ports and at sea
Ships are major contributors to acid rain and ground-level ozone concentrations in some parts of the world.
- Ecosystems
Exxon Valdez killed future for some killer whales
An Alaskan oil spill disrupted family structure in killer-whale groups, with lasting and dramatic repercussions.
- Earth
Exxon Valdez 20 Years Later
March 24 marked the 20th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The effects are still obvious today. A series of blogs from senior editor Janet Raloff describes the continuing aftermath.
- Humans
Otters and oil: Problems remain
The behavior of Alaska's southern sea otters may unwittingly expose them to toxic oil-spill residues.
- Chemistry
Exxon Valdez oil lingers, as does its toxicity
Even 20 years after a major oil spill, barely degraded pockets of the oil persist within some intertidal beaches, research shows.
- Agriculture
Fighting fungal weapons, not fungi
Scientists have engineered several compounds that target an enzyme that blackleg and black spot fungi use to thwart plant defense systems. The selective compounds are designed not to harm beneficial species while still protecting valuable crops.
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