Why Hurricanes Harvey and Irma won’t lead to action on climate change
For the first time in years, Americans are acutely aware of the perils of extreme weather, but don't expect views on climate risks to shift overnight.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Natural disasters
Should the US put power lines underground?
Would putting power lines underground avoid hurricanes knocking out electricity service for millions of people? The answer is not as straightforward as it seems.
Rebuilding after disasters: 5 essential reads
As Texas and Florida rebuild after Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, they should plan for future climate change and design infrastructure that can respond to and recover from extreme events.
6 rules for rebuilding infrastructure in an era of ‘unprecedented’ weather events
After extreme weather events like Hurricane Harvey, city planners need to think about the smartest way to rebuild. Here are some no-regrets infrastructure investment ideas.
Analysis and Comment
Do hurricanes feel the effects of climate change?
What scientists know – and don't know – about the linkage between climate change and hurricanes.
Even when it’s sitting in storage, coal threatens human health
A recent study shows that large piles of coal produce measurable quantities of fine particulate air pollution within a 25-mile radius. Covering coal trains and storage piles could reduce the problem.
The world is facing a global sand crisis
Overuse of sand for construction and industry is harming the environment and fueling violence around the world. Scientists explain why we need international rules to regulate sand mining and use.
A deadly herpes virus is threatening oysters around the world
Oysters grow in seawater and filter their food from it, so how do you shield them from waterborne diseases? Scientists are working to develop strains that are resistant to a fast-spreading herpes virus.
How a tiny portion of the world’s oceans could help meet global seafood demand
A new study shows that sustainable fish farming in deep ocean waters could produce as much seafood as all of the world's wild fisheries, in a space the size of Lake Michigan or Africa's Lake Victoria.
Americans are confused about food and unsure where to turn for answers, survey shows
When the United States was settled, nearly everyone was a farmer. Today only 2 percent of Americans live on farms, and many of us are illiterate about where food comes from or what kinds are healthy.
‘Cajun Navy’ rescuers in Hurricane Harvey show vital role of volunteer boats
Ad hoc boat rescues have become critical parts of disaster response efforts, a trend first responders have officially embraced.
Do coal and nuclear need a helping hand? 5 essential reads
The Department of Energy's review of the electricity grid finds natural gas, rather than renewables, has hurt coal and nuclear power. But that's only half the story of the changes underway.
As climate change warms the Northeast, some snowshoe hares stay brown all year
Snowshoe hares in warmer zones have thinner fur, and some are not turning white in winter. As climate change warms the Northeast, will this species adapt?
Here’s a better vision for the US-Mexico border: Make the Rio Grande grand again
Instead of building a wall on the US-Mexico border, a landscape architect calls for restoring the Rio Grande and turning its course into an international park – an idea first proposed in the 1930s.
Why is climate change’s 2 degrees Celsius of warming limit so important?
More and more research shows that we are likely to pass the 2 degree Celsius temperature limit much of the world has agreed on. Where did that limit come from, and what if we miss it?
Curbing climate change: Why it’s so hard to act in time
Why is it so hard to reach consensus about how to slow climate change? Multiple time lags get in the way: some make it hard to convey the risk, while others prolong the search for solutions.
For many in Puerto Rico, ‘energy dominance’ is just a new name for US colonialism
In Puerto Rico the Trump administration's 'energy dominance' policy echoes colonial practices by fast-forwarding fossil fuel projects over community resistance.
Harvard study strengthens link between breast cancer risk and light exposure at night
Study uses satellite data to add to growing evidence that nighttime light exposure raises risk of breast cancer, with the strongest link among young women.
Bait and switch: Anchovies eat plastic because it smells like prey
A new study shows that anchovies – key food for larger fish – are attracted to plastic trash because it smells like food. This suggests that toxic substances in plastic could move up through food chains.
Red team-blue team? Debating climate science should not be a cage match
Why assembling two teams to debate climate change is all about political spectacle and sowing doubt – and has nothing to do with actual climate science.
How safe is chicken imported from China? 5 questions answered
China has started exporting cooked chicken meat to the United States. Is it safe to eat? An agriculture extension specialist discusses possible concerns about food safety and contamination.
Why the withering nuclear power industry threatens US national security
Nuclear power plants don't just pump out steady, carbon-free electricity; they also help produce the people the US needs for nuclear weapons inspections.
Thinking beyond Trump: Why power companies should be investing now in carbon-free electricity
When utilities plan investments, they think decades ahead. A recent study shows why power companies should be spending more on renewables despite the Trump administration's tilt toward fossil fuels.
Climate gloom and doom? Bring it on. But we need stories about taking action, too
An experiment in getting people to care about climate change uses slick videos, charismatic scientists and calls to action.
Disasters can harm older adults long after storms have passed
New research shows that older people are especially at risk during and after natural disasters, and may need medical help or other support well after relief operations end.
Learning new tricks from sea sponges, nature’s most unlikely civil engineers
Bio-inspiration takes cues from natural structures that do certain things very effectively. One example: the strong but flexible fibers that sea sponges use to anchor themselves to the ocean floor.
If we keep subsidizing wind, will the cost of wind energy go down?
If history is a guide, policies that promote wind power expansion will lead to lower prices – potentially beating fossil fuels in the US by 2030.
Nutrient pollution: Voluntary steps are failing to shrink algae blooms and dead zones
Nitrogen and phosphorus are polluting US waters, creating algae blooms and dead zones. New research confirms that voluntary steps are failing in the Gulf of Mexico and unlikely to work in Lake Erie.
Is your drinking water safe? Here’s how you can find out
America's drinking water infrastructure is aging and needs billions of dollars in upgrades. Two extension educators urge consumers to monitor their water and have it tested if they suspect problems.
One way to promote green infrastructure in your city
The US wants to invest in more infrastructure to handle our rainfall and melted snow. Stormwater credits could help cut costs and protect the environment.
Why shifting regulatory power to the states won’t improve the environment
Trump administration officials argue that states can regulate more effectively than the federal government. But without leadership from the top, federalism may allow red states to avoid acting.
Measuring up US infrastructure against other countries
The American Society of Civil Engineers gives US infrastructure a D+. What is it that we're doing wrong?
Stranded in our own communities: Transit deserts make it hard for people to find jobs and stay healthy
Many Americans live in transit deserts – areas where demand for transit exceeds the supply. To fix these gaps, we need to find and map them so agencies can add transit options in the right places.
How electric vehicles could take a bite out of the oil market
Shifting to plug-in cars wouldn't be enough to max out global oil consumption by 2040. But it could help make that happen if cities pitch in and ride-sharing doesn't crowd out public transportation.
History shows that stacking federal science advisory committees doesn’t work
Can federal agencies stack advisory panels with friendly members? Some have tried, but a scientist who has advised many administrations says they will produce bad policies that lack broad support.
The Georgia peach may be vanishing, but its mythology is alive and well
The peach looms large in Georgia history and lore. Today the Georgia peach crop is dwindling, but its history remains deeply entwined with Southern history, politics and culture.
Human noise pollution is disrupting parks and wild places
A recent study finds that noise from human activities is intruding into many parks and other protected areas. Creating quiet zones and noise corridors can help reduce impacts from noise pollution.
Women still carry most of the world’s water
According to a new UN report, more than two billion people around the world do not have access to clean, safe water in their homes. Most of the work of getting water falls to women and girls.
Is a healthy environment a human right? Testing the idea in Appalachia
Are all people entitled to live in a clean and healthy environment? A legal scholar says yes, and argues for using this principle to address damage from polluting industries in Appalachia.
The next step in sustainable design: Bringing the weather indoors
Research shows that bringing nature indoors, in the form of movement created by light, wind and water, makes occupants calmer and more productive. It also could promote interest in sustainable design.
Cleaning up toxic sites shouldn’t clear out the neighbors
Cleaning up and reusing contaminated sites, known as brownfields, can create jobs and promote economic growth. But it also can drive gentrification that prices out low-income residents.
Is energy ‘dominance’ the right goal for US policy?
The Trump administration has set a new national policy: energy dominance. But can the US really dominate other countries through fossil fuel exports?
If we stopped emitting greenhouse gases right now, would we stop climate change?
Set aside the politics. If by some miracle we turned off carbon emissions immediately, how would the climate respond?
Energy wonks have a meltdown over the US going 100 percent renewable. Why?
How fast can the US transition to clean energy and with what energy sources? Here's why an impassioned debate among energy wonks matters to the rest of us.
Ocean life: 5 essential reads
The world's oceans are home to innumerable life forms, from sponges to sea lions, and scientists have many creative ways of studying them.
New data set explores 90 years of natural disasters in the US
As the rich move away from disaster-prone areas, the poor may be left behind.
Urban nature: What kinds of plants and wildlife flourish in cities?
In an urbanizing world, people increasingly are seeking out nature in cities. Research shows that diverse species of animals, plants and insects can thrive in areas that humans have altered.
Even ugly animals can win hearts and dollars to save them from extinction
Must the money raised to save wildlife always aid the most popular animals? New research suggests that marketing can persuade donors that northern hairy-nosed wombat lives matter too.
Government action isn’t enough for climate change. The private sector can cut billions of tons of carbon
Without the private sector cutting carbon emissions – rather than just lobbying the government for action on climate – the world will never reach the temperature targets of the Paris Agreement.
Climate change is shrinking the Colorado River
The Colorado River supplies water to millions of people and irrigates thousands of miles of farmland. New research warns that climate change is likely to magnify droughts in the Colorado Basin.
Silent partners: Are earthworms creating pathways for invasive plants?
Most of the earthworms in the US Northeast and upper Midwest are nonnative species. Scientists are finding increasing evidence that invasive worms and invasive plants may help each other.
Cities can jump-start climate progress by plugging in their vehicles
More than 200 mayors have committed their cities to stick with the Paris climate deal no matter what the US does. Electric vehicles offer a promising route to making good on that pledge.
When politicians cherry-pick data and disregard facts, what should we academics do?
Scientists typically stay out of public policy debates, but an academic makes the case that they need to push back against politicians who distort research.
US exit from Paris climate accord makes discussing how and whether to engineer the planet even harder
It's increasingly likely that at some point, the world's nations will need to broach the fraught discussion of geoengineering. The UN climate accord was a natural forum to do it.
Hurricane Harvey
Why social media apps should be in your disaster kit
Social media apps are becoming as important as water, food and batteries when communities face natural disasters. One key function is helping people connect with neighbors and support each other.
In cities and on ranches, planning is key to protect animals during disasters
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, some people died rather than evacuating without their pets. Now emergency managers are required to include animals in their response plans.
What made the rain in Hurricane Harvey so extreme?
An expert in extreme weather events explains why the rain – and thus flooding – associated with Hurricane Harvey has been 'unprecedented.'
Infrastructure
Want to fix America’s infrastructure? Build in the places that need help the most
How do you prevent urban sprawl? Researchers look to a program in New Mexico for an answer.
One way to promote green infrastructure in your city
The US wants to invest in more infrastructure to handle our rainfall and melted snow. Stormwater credits could help cut costs and protect the environment.
The old, dirty, creaky US electric grid would cost $5 trillion to replace. Where should infrastructure spending go?
Stranded in our own communities: Transit deserts make it hard for people to find jobs and stay healthy
Measuring up US infrastructure against other countries
Is your drinking water safe? Here’s how you can find out
Food security
Healthy soil is the real key to feeding the world
Conventional wisdom says we need industrial agriculture to feed the world. Not so, says geologist David Montgomery: Practices that focus on creating healthy soil can transform agriculture.
Mind the gaps: Reducing hunger by improving yields on small farms
How can we feed a growing world population while protecting the environment? One key strategy is to improve yields on small farms, which produce much of the food in the world's hungriest countries.
Public lands
Trump’s plan to dismantle national monuments comes with steep cultural and ecological costs
Trump wants to scale back national monuments on federal lands in the name of boosting the economy. But this would undo decades of investments to manage our cultural and ecological resources.
Can Ryan Zinke balance conservation and development as interior secretary?
If US Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana is confirmed as interior secretary, he will face difficult choices about balancing extractive activities like energy production with conservation on public lands.
Malheur occupation is over, but the war for America’s public lands rages on
A geography professor reports from the front lines of the Malheur occupation. Despite strong local opposition to occupiers, he foresees more conflicts to come.
National monuments: Presidents can create them, but only Congress can undo them
President Trump has ordered a review of national monuments protected by his predecessors, and may try to abolish or shrink some. But four legal experts say that only Congress has that authority.
Hurricane Season
Research and Expert Database
Editors’ Picks
Why farmers and ranchers think the EPA Clean Water Rule goes too far
President Trump signed an executive order to roll back the 2015 Clean Water Rule. Two water experts explain why the rule alarms farmers and ranchers concerned about over-regulation.
I was an Exxon-funded climate scientist
A new study confirms what many already know: Exxon for years sowed uncertainty and doubt about climate change in the public. Should scientists reject certain funding sources?
Heat waves threaten city dwellers, especially minorities and the poor
Climate change is making heat waves more frequent and intense around the world. Cities are hotter than surrounding areas, so urban dwellers – especially minorities and the poor – are at greatest risk.
Cities need more than air conditioning to get through heat waves
How can cities protect residents during heat waves? There's no single solution, but expanding air conditioning, installing passive cooling features in homes and planting shade trees all can help.
How hot weather – and climate change – affect airline flights
Major airports around the world will see more frequent flight restrictions in the coming decades because of increasingly common hot temperatures.
‘Sharkathon 2017’ is here: How to watch it like a scientist
As the Discovery Channel and National Geographic Wild unleash a week of dueling shark programs, a biologist advises viewers to take what they see with a large grain of sea salt.
To restore our soils, feed the microbes
Healthy soil teems with bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms that help store carbon and fend off plant diseases. To restore soil, scientists are finding ways to foster its microbiome.
Can ocean science bring Cuba and the United States together?
Cuban and US scientists are forming partnerships to protect coral reefs and fisheries in both countries. But President Trump may soon announce steps to slow or reverse the US opening to Cuba.
Why killing coyotes doesn’t make livestock safer
The US Department of Agriculture kills thousands of predators yearly, mainly for attacking livestock. A conservation biologist explains why this policy is ineffective and ecologically harmful.
Are solar and wind really killing coal, nuclear and grid reliability?
Energy Secretary Rick Perry wants to know if wind and solar are compromising the reliability of the grid and hurting coal power. The answer lies in his home state of Texas.
Red state rural America is acting on climate change – without calling it climate change
With little action at the national level on climate change, state and city officials are taking the lead – but by emphasizing local benefits.
Earthquakes triggered by humans pose growing risk
A new project tracks earthquakes accidentally induced by human activity. It suggests the problem is bigger than some scientists thought.
How can we predict the hottest year on record when weather forecasts are so uncertain?
For the third consecutive year, it's the hottest year ever. A climate scientist explains how these predictions are made and why they're completely different from forecasting the weather.
For endangered species, the road to recovery can be winding and bumpy
Critics say the Endangered Species Act does not work because only about 1 percent of protected species have officially "recovered." Two biologists explain why recovery is so hard to define.
Why politicians think they know better than scientists – and why that’s so dangerous
Scientists are concerned that politics will trump evidence in the new administration. A researcher of political psychology explains why these worries matter far beyond questions of science.
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