Earth
- Climate
Tropical forests have flipped from sponges to sources of carbon dioxide
Analyses of satellite images suggest that degraded forests now release more carbon than they store.
- Environment
The way poison frogs keep from poisoning themselves is complicated
Gaining resistance to one of their own toxins forced some poison dart frogs to make other genetic tweaks, too.
- Earth
Plate tectonics started at least 3.5 billion years ago
Analyses of titanium in rock suggest plate tectonics began 500 million years earlier than thought.
- Earth
Plate tectonics started at least 3.5 billion years ago
Analyses of titanium in rock suggest plate tectonics began 500 million years earlier than thought.
- Earth
Intense storms provide the first test of powerful new hurricane forecast tools
From Harvey to Maria, this year’s powerful hurricanes are giving scientists’ latest forecasting tools a trial by fire.
- Environment
The list of diseases linked to air pollution is growing
Air pollution levels have come down since the 1970s, but smog is being linked with a growing list of diseases, including dementia, obesity, diabetes and even Parkinson’s.
- Microbes
Now we know how much glacial melting ‘watermelon snow’ can cause
Algae that give snow a red tint are making glacial snow in Alaska melt faster.
- Agriculture
‘Big Chicken’ chronicles the public health dangers of using antibiotics in farming
A new book takes a hard look at the chicken industry for its role in fostering antibiotic resistance.
- Earth
How hurricanes and other devastating disasters spur scientific research
Hurricanes such as Harvey, Irma and others have been devastating, even deadly, yet they drive our desire for scientific discovery.
- Environment
Air pollution takes a toll on solar energy
Dust and other tiny air pollutants can reduce solar energy output by as much as 25 percent in parts of the world.
- Climate
Rising temperatures threaten heat-tolerant aardvarks
Aardvarks may get a roundabout hit from climate change — less food.
- Earth
North America’s largest recorded earthquake helped confirm plate tectonics
Henry Fountain’s 'The Great Quake' mixes drama and science to tell the story of the 1964 Alaska earthquake.
