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Environment + Energy – Articles, Analysis, Opinion

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Hurricane Beryl hit the island of Carriacou, Grenada, on July 1, 2024, with 150 mph sustained winds. NOAA

Hurricane Beryl’s rapid intensification and Category 5 winds are alarming: Here’s why more tropical storms are exploding in strength

Beryl’s strength and rapid intensification set records for so early in the year. It’s alarming in what’s expected to be a very active Atlantic hurricane season, as a meteorologist explains.
Staghorn coral spawns near North Key Largo, Fla. Liv Williamson/University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science via AP

The world’s fourth mass coral bleaching is underway, but well-connected reefs may have a better chance to recover

Coral reefs share genetic material across wide areas, with help from ocean currents. This ability is especially important during episodes like the mass bleaching currently occurring.
Plastic water pipes may be cheaper, but they also come with risks. Mark Bernard/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Lead water pipes created a health disaster in Flint, but replacing them with cheaper plastic − as some cities are doing − carries hidden costs

Durability and the risk of chemicals being released when pipes heat up are just 2 concerns about plastic pipes.
The bamboo coral Isidella displaying bioluminescence in the Caribbean in 2009. Sönke Johnsen

From glowing corals to vomiting shrimp, animals have used bioluminescence to communicate for millions of years – here’s what scientists still don’t know about it

Dozens of animals, some on land but many in the ocean, can produce light within their bodies through chemical reactions. Scientists are still trying to understand when and why this trait developed.
Roads divide what once was a larger wetland into four smaller pools in east-central North Dakota. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

The US is losing wetlands at an accelerating rate − here’s how the private sector can help protect these valuable resources

The Supreme Court drastically reduced federal protection for wetlands in 2023. Two environmental lawyers explain how private businesses and nongovernment organizations can help fill the gap.
Rooftop construction at a high-rise building undergoing conversion to apartments in Manhattan’s financial district in New York City, April 11, 2023. AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews

Cities with empty commercial space and housing shortages are converting office buildings into apartments – here’s what they’re learning

Turning excess office space into apartments isn’t a panacea for the housing shortage, but it’s producing thousands of new units yearly and is more sustainable and economical than new construction.
Fertilizer is a leading source of emissions of nitrous oxide, a planet-warming greenhouse gas. pixdeluxe/E+ via Getty Images

Food has a climate problem: Nitrous oxide emissions are accelerating with growing demand for fertilizer and meat – but there are solutions

The most comprehensive assessment yet of a powerful greenhouse gas shows which countries are driving the increase, and which ones are successfully cutting emissions.
Ice on Lake Erie provides winter light for algae thriving below. Sue Thompson

Losing winter ice is changing the Great Lakes food web – here’s how light is shaping life underwater

In winter 2023-24, the Great Lakes’ ice cover was near record lows, peaking at just 16%. Researchers explain how diminishing ice could have consequences for fisheries, and how species are evolving.
Warm water expands, raising sea levels, which worsens storm surge during hurricanes. It’s only one risk from warming oceans. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

The warming ocean is leaving coastal economies in hot water

Global ocean temperatures have been at record highs almost daily for over a year, and economies are feeling the heat.
Black-crowned night herons perch on rocks in the Los Angeles River in Los Angeles. Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Cities contain pockets of nature – our study shows which species are most tolerant of urbanization

Even in a concrete jungle like Los Angeles, wild species show up in surprising places. New research identifies the types of wildlife that best tolerate urban development.