Earth

  1. Oceans

    Shallow reef species may not find refuge in deeper water habitats

    Coral reefs in deep-water ecosystems may not make good homes for species from damaged shallow reefs.

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  2. Animals

    New ‘Poké Ball’ robot catches deep-sea critters without harming them

    A machine that gently catches and releases animals underwater could help researchers take a more detailed census of the deep sea.

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  3. Paleontology

    An ancient swimming revolution in the oceans may have never happened

    Swimmers may not have suddenly dominated the oceans during the Devonian Period after all: New analyses suggest they took over much more gradually.

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  4. Health & Medicine

    ‘The Poisoned City’ chronicles Flint’s water crisis

    A new book examines how lead ended up in Flint’s water and resulted in a prolonged public health disaster.

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  5. Environment

    Wildfires are making extreme air pollution even worse in the northwest U.S.

    America’s air is getting cleaner — except in places that are prone to wildfires.

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  6. Ecosystems

    Bird poop helps keep coral reefs healthy, but rats are messing that up

    Eradicating invasive rats from islands may help boost numbers of seabirds, whose droppings provide nutrients to nearby coral reefs.

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  7. Particle Physics

    Readers ask about proton pressure, wearable tech and more

    Readers had questions about the pressure inside a proton, wearable tech safety and the effects of global warming on insects.

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  8. Climate

    Bloodflowers’ risk to monarchs could multiply as climate changes

    High atmospheric carbon dioxide levels can weaken the medicinal value of a milkweed that caterpillars eat, and high temperatures may make the plant toxic.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    Air pollution is triggering diabetes in 3.2 million people each year

    A new study quantifies the link between smoggy air and diabetes.

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  10. Animals

    Why humans, and Big Macs, depend on bees

    Thor Hanson, the author of Buzz, explains the vital role bees play in our world.

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  11. Earth

    Kilauea’s spectacular pyrotechnics show no signs of stopping

    Watch some of the most striking videos and images of the strange, fiery beauty of the Hawaii volcano’s ongoing eruption.

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  12. Earth

    Earth’s rivers cover 44 percent more land than we thought

    A global survey of rivers and streams based on satellite data suggests that these waterways traverse about 773,000 square kilometers.

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