Earth

  1. Ecosystems

    Tracing Tahitian vanilla

    The discovery of Tahitian vanilla’s heritage could set off a custody battle between nations.

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  2. Agriculture

    Dirt Is Not Soil

    Probing the distinction in what you call the stuff that mud is made of.

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  3. Climate

    Hydrogen economy sustainable in 15 years

    Hydrogen fuel cells can eventually replace the combustion engine, but meanwhile a wider range of technologies will be needed to reduce carbon emissions.

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  4. Agriculture

    The Good Earth

    The Smithsonian is out to share the "secrets" of soil.

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  5. Oceans

    Death by magma

    Widespread extinctions in the world’s oceans millions of years ago may have been triggered by massive underwater volcanic eruptions that created much of the Caribbean seafloor.

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  6. Chemistry

    The Goop in Our Air

    Emerging data indicate that tiny and toxic particles polluting urban air chemically morph from hour by hour, depending on what other pollutants these particles encounter during journeys that can run hundreds of miles.

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  7. Climate

    Another climate ailment

    Global warming may turn out to be more than just a pain in the neck: Rising average temperatures could trigger an increased prevalence of kidney stones.

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  8. Chemistry

    CO2: Only One Flavor

    Federal climate policymakers should have a grounding in basic chemistry.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    One Downside to Sushi

    Uncooked fish can host detectable concentrations of potentially toxic chemicals — pollutants that cooking can make disappear,

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  10. Humans

    Toxic yes: Toxins? No

    Yet another news story baits us with the promise of reading about noxious toxins – and doesn't deliver.

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  11. Animals

    Not-OK Coral

    First big species audit finds coral extinction risks severely under-reported

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  12. Earth

    Recipe for an avalanche

    The start of an avalanche is more about the snow than the slope.

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