Green and cool (reflective) roofs are effective tools for cooling overheated cities. Research in Chicago shows that their impacts depend on local conditions, so planners should site them carefully.
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Environment + Energy – Articles, Analysis, Opinion
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Why do so many people take safety risks or abuse wild animals for the sake of a photo with them? In one researcher’s view, scientists may encourage this trend by sharing their own wildlife selfies.
Lawmakers reach a deal on national labeling rules for foods that contain GMOs, but if passed, it won’t give consumers what research has shown consumers want.
The Senate has just reached an agreement for a national system to label foods with genetically modified ingredients. What do consumers actually want from GM food labeling?
Making expanded fossil fuel production the core of U.S. energy policy, as proposed by Donald Trump, and backing out of climate agreements would cost the U.S. economy billions and transform the planet.
Genetic analysis shows that marine bacteria broke down much of the oil from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill. These findings could lead to more effective cleanups after future spills.
The grizzly bear of Yellowstone is expected to be delisted from the Endangered Species Act. But a survey of grizzly bear researchers finds flaws in how wildlife experts evaluate scientific data.
The American Medical Association (AMA) issued guidelines for communities to reduce harmful effects of LED streetlights. A medical researcher explains what can go wrong.
Congress has passed a long-overdue update of a key law regulating hazardous chemicals. But a legal scholar says the new law does not go far enough to reduce chemical exposure risks.
More people in the U.S. and world will be exposed to the disease-carrying mosquito Aedes aegypti, not just because of warmer temperatures but global population changes as well.
The release of the movie ‘Finding Dory’ comes with renewed calls to leave fish in reefs – a good idea in this case – but catching some ornamental fish can have a positive impact on reef communities.
Lakes contain most of the fresh water on Earth’s surface. Recent research at Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains shows that climate change could alter lake chemistry, threatening these sources.
Storing waste CO2 in rock? Results from a test site at a geothermal plant in Iceland show that CO2 mixed with water can be turned into minerals in locations with basalt volcanic rock.
Hillary Clinton has elevated environmental justice to a high level as a presidential nominee, but as the Flint water crisis demonstrates, the deeper problem lies in ineffective government agencies.
A combination of factors – pollution, disease and overfishing – is harming corals but scientists have found clues to effective treatment by studying corals’ microbiome.
The 1906 Antiquities Act gives presidents unilateral power to protect land as national monuments. The law has saved important places, but has also fueled intense conflicts over land control.
The shooting death of Harambe the gorilla has once again raised concern for the well-being of zoo animals. But animals in zoos may be fated by the very institution we have created to protect them.
Can we predict where in the world will be water-stressed? Using a more fine-tuned model, researchers find there is no global water crisis, just local ones.
The death of Harambe the gorilla has sparked outrage and raised questions over the adequacy of zoos, but protecting some animals through legal personhood is flawed and dangerous, says legal scholar.
Advocates have argued for years about whether genetically engineered crops are safe to grow and eat. Plant pathologist and geneticist Pamela Ronald calls for a more nuanced discussion.
As Atlantic hurricane season opens on June 1, eastern U.S. cities can prepare by updating laws, codes and ordinances that hamper rebuilding after storms.
Rehydrating the Florida Everglades is the largest ecological restoration project in the world. Ecologist Peter Frederick explains why this massive effort is worth its multi-billion-dollar cost.
Restoring forest landscapes through active thinning and letting fires burn in order to minimize fire damage has proved harder and less effective than advocates believed, says historian of fire.
Growing enough food to feed 9 billion people by 2050 will require huge amounts of energy and water. Using nanoparticles to boost plant growth and yield could save resources and reduce water pollution.
Honey bees, which pollinate many valuable crops, are threatened by parasites, pesticides and development. But selective breeding, more benign pesticides and better nutrition could help turn the tide.