Earth

Climate

Readers question dark fusion, Antarctic ice melting and more

Readers had questions about Antarctic ice melting, dark fusion and greenhouse gas emissions.

Earth

Global dimming may mitigate warming, but could hurt crop yields

Injecting a veil of tiny particles into the atmosphere might reduce global warming, but it could also lower crop yields.

Earth

Rare blue diamonds are born deep in Earth’s mantle

Rare blue diamonds are among the deepest ever found, and hint at possible pathways for recycling of ocean crust in the mantle.

Health & Medicine

Pediatricians warn against chemical additives in food for kids

Common food additives found in meats, plastic packaging or metal cans may contain chemicals that harm children’s health.

Earth

The giant iceberg that broke from Antarctica’s Larsen C ice shelf is stuck

A year ago, an iceberg calved off of the Larsen C ice shelf. The hunk of ice hasn’t moved much since, and that has scientists keeping an eye on it.

Earth

You’re living in a new geologic age. It’s called the Meghalayan

The newly defined Meghalayan Age began at the same time as a global, climate-driven event that led to human upheavals.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.