Science
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The Dazzling Ocean Reefs Hidden Beneath Oil Rigs
The 2010 BP oil spill dumped more than 200 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, where it killed billions of fish. Had things gone as planned, that oil
Are We Screwed On Climate Change?
If you are a climate scientist, you are likely to hear the same question, again and again, from inquiring minds at weddings, bar mitzvahs, birthday parties and cocktail hours — are we screwed? It’s
Methane Levels Reach an All-Time High
A preliminary estimate from NOAA finds that levels of atmospheric methane, a potent heat-trapping gas, have hit an all-time high. Methane is roughly 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, and while
Coronavirus Shows How to Fight Lies About Climate Change
With both coronavirus and climate change, misconceptions abound. In each instance, people have downplayed the impact or blamed China, and many believe that news outlets are exaggerating the threat. But with coronavirus,
Thawing Permafrost Is Letting Scientists Study Long-Dead Diseases
For decades, the Inuit woman, a victim of the 1918 Spanish flu, lay buried in a mass grave under six feet of Alaskan permafrost. But when the frozen ground began to thaw
As California Forests Heat Up, Birds Are Flocking to Higher Ground
Forests are critical to slowing climate change because they soak up huge amounts of heat-trapping carbon dioxide. Birds help keep forests healthy by eating insects that spread tree-killing diseases. Birds also scatter
Scientists Use Underwater Speakers to Lure Fish to Dead Reefs
A healthy coral reef sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies in milk. Snap. Crackle. Pop. “Thousands of invertebrates make this constant crackling, sizzling, static-like sound as … shrimp snap their claws and
Worsening Weather Could Make Life Miserable for Lupus Patients
Rheumatologist George Stojan says that many of his lupus patients know their joints are going to swell or go stiff when the weather shifts, particularly when the temperature or humidity changes. It
Climate Change Could Mean Shorter Winters, But Longer Flu Seasons
The flu has a paradoxical relationship with the weather. In the United States, the flu thrives in the winter, when the air is cold and crisp, and then ebbs in the spring,
Air Pollution Could Literally Cause You to Lose Your Hair
There is no question that air pollution poses a serious health danger. It exacerbates asthma, especially in children, and shortens lives. It’s also linked to diabetes, cognitive decline and birth defects, as
Environmental Scientists Want Help Coping With Their Grief
Scientist Tim Gordon studies how rising temperatures are damaging corals in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, where intense cyclones and warm waters have caused extensive damage in recent years. What he sees brings
How Your Prescription Drugs Could Kill You During Heat Waves
One day during the summer of 2018, Nita Sweeney, a 58-year-old retired lawyer-turned-author from Upper Arlington, Ohio, set off for a 7-mile run — a normal distance for an avid runner. It was warm
Scientists Use the Dark of Night to Generate Clean Energy
Scientist Aaswath Raman long has been keen on discovering new sources of clean energy by creating novel materials that can make use of heat and light. And lately, he has focused on
What Climate Change Will Do to Three Major American Cities by 2100
By Nexus Media in collaboration with Teen Vogue Climate change is already here. It’s not something that can simply be ignored by cable news or dismissed by sitting U.S. senators in a
Century-Old Ship Logs Show How Much Ice the Arctic Has Lost
When retired Canadian meteorologist Michael Purves transcribes the handwritten notes from an ancient ship’s log, he finds himself transported back in time a century, imagining he is on board an old cutter,
Meager Rainfall Is Stunting Kids’ Growth
Matthew Cooper witnessed the heartbreaking effects of malnutrition on young children, first as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kissa, a village in southern Mali, and later as a graduate student doing research
Key Fish in Coral Reefs Could Perish as Their Favorite Foods Disappear
The colorful parrotfish is special. Over its lifetime, it can change its hue — making it a sought-after vision for scuba divers — and even its gender. It poops fine white sand that washes up on