Earth
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Earth
A hidden danger lurks beneath Yellowstone
A volcanic eruption at Yellowstone is unlikely anytime soon, but evidence is growing that a violent hydrothermal, or steam, explosion is possible.
By Douglas Fox -
Climate
As the Arctic tundra warms, soil microbes likely will ramp up CO2 production
Experiments in mini greenhouses show how the tiny organisms lurking underground in a "sleepy biome" could be a contributor to climate change.
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Environment
A new approach to fighting wildfires combines local knowledge and AI
Land managers in the western United States are using potential operational delineations, or PODS, to prepare for — and take advantage of — wildfires.
By Nikk Ogasa -
Climate
A ruinous hailstorm in Spain may have been supercharged by warming seas
Giant hail that pummeled northeast Spain in August 2022 could not have formed without climate change, computer simulations suggest.
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Animals
Ximena Velez-Liendo is saving Andean bears with honey
By training beekeepers, biologist Ximena Velez-Liendo is helping rural agricultural communities of southern Bolivia coexist with Andean bears.
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Climate
Three reasons why the ocean’s record-breaking hot streak is devastating
Ocean warming enhances hurricane activity, bleaches coral reefs and melts Antarctic sea ice. That warming has been off the charts for the past year.
By Nikk Ogasa -
Climate
Will stashing more CO2 in the ocean help slow climate change?
Research is needed on how ocean carbon removal methods — such as iron fertilization and direct capture — could impact the environment.
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Climate
A rapid shift in ocean currents could imperil the world’s largest ice shelf
Roughly the size of Spain, the Ross Ice Shelf stabilizes major glaciers along Antarctica’s coast — and is at risk of retreating, a new study finds.
By Douglas Fox -
Health & Medicine
A new U.S. tool maps where heat will be dangerous for your health
The daily updated HeatRisk map uses color coding to show where the health threat from heat is highest and offers tips on how to stay safe.
By Nikk Ogasa -
Earth
Polar forests may have just solved a solar storm mystery
Spikes of carbon-14 in tree rings may be linked to solar flares, but evidence of the havoc-wreaking 1859 Carrington event has proven elusive until now.
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Space
During the awe of totality, scientists studied our planet’s reactions
Earth’s atmosphere was a big area of focus for scientists studying the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
By Adam Mann -
Environment
Heat waves cause more illness and death in U.S. cities with fewer trees
There are usually fewer trees in neighborhoods with higher populations of people of color. Planting trees could save hundreds of lives every year.
By Jude Coleman