Earth

Climate

‘On the Move’ examines how climate change will alter where people live

Journalist Abrahm Lustgarten explores which parts of the United States are most vulnerable to the effects of global warming and how people's lives might change.

Animals

Eavesdropping on fish could help us keep better tabs on underwater worlds

Scientists are on a quest to log all the sounds of fish communication. The result could lead to better monitoring of ecosystems and fish behavior.

Earth

Earth’s oldest known earthquake was probably triggered by plate tectonics

Billion-year-old rocks in South Africa hold evidence for the onset of plate tectonics early in Earth’s history.

Earth

Climate change is changing how we keep time

Polar ice sheets are melting faster, slowing Earth’s spin. That is changing how we synchronize our clocks to tell time.

Environment

How air pollution may make it harder for pollinators to find flowers

Certain air pollutants that build up at night can break down the same fragrance molecules that attract pollinators like hawk moths to primroses.

Climate

Waterlogged soils can give hurricanes new life after they arrive on land

New studies show that the long-hypothesized “brown ocean effect” is real, helping to refuel 2018’s Hurricane Florence and other storms after landfall.

Plants

Ancient trees’ gnarled, twisted shapes provide irreplaceable habitats

Traits that help trees live for hundreds of years also foster forest life, one reason why old growth forest conservation is crucial.

Agriculture

Mixing up root microbes can boost tea’s flavor

Inoculating tea plant roots with nitrogen-metabolizing bacteria enhances synthesis of theanine, an amino acid that gives tea its savoriness.

Agriculture

Could a rice-meat hybrid be what’s for dinner?

A hybrid food that combines rice, animal cells and fish gelatin could one day be a more sustainable way to produce meat.

Animals

Migratory fish species are in drastic decline, a new UN report details

The most comprehensive tally of how migrating animals are faring looks at more than 1,000 land and aquatic species and aims to find ways to protect them.

Animals

Here’s how many shark bites there were in 2023

The chance of being bitten by a shark is still incredibly slim, according to a new report from the Florida Museum of Natural History.

Earth

Where are U.S. earthquakes most likely? A new map shows the hazard risks

Updates to the National Seismic Hazard Model have elevated the average ground shaking hazard across the country.