60-Second Earth

Who's Paying the Price for Global Warming?

Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:08 -0500

U.S. taxpayers have so far borne the brunt of climate change costs. David Biello reports

Moon Base Work Yields Clean Steel Process

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:00:08 -0500

A new method to make steel using electricity rather than flame could produce virtually no carbon emissions. David Biello reports

Remember the BP Oil Spill? Malformed Fish Do

Sun, 5 May 2013 09:00:08 -0500

A new study shows that sediments fouled with oil from the blowout in the Gulf of Mexico caused problems for fish embryos. David Biello reports

Air Gun Blasts Shatter Undersea Tranquility

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 09:00:08 -0500

Proposals to open the U.S. east coast for oil and gas exploration mean an increasingly noisy neighborhood for marine life. David Biello reports

Is Sustainability Even Possible?

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 10:00:08 -0500

More than 40 years after Earth Day, human civilization is still far from the ideal of sustainability. David Biello reports

Cut Soot to Stave Off Sea Level Rise

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:01:08 -0500

Reducing certain kinds of air pollution could limit the rise of ocean waters and buy time to address CO2 emissions. David Biello reports

Penguin Species Could Be Climate Winner

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 10:39:08 -0500

Although climate change will cause massive disruption, it could benefit some species, such as the Adelie penguin. David Biello reports

Extinction May Not Be Forever

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 09:00:08 -0500

The tools of synthetic biology offer hope for the resurrection of extinct species. David Biello reports

Can a Pope Change the World?

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 09:00:08 -0500

New Pope Francis I called for protecting the environment, but it remains to be seen how that might happen. David Biello reports

Life Abides, Even in the Deep

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 14:01:08 -0500

An analysis of the deepest spot in the oceans finds signs of microbial life. David Biello reports

Chavez's Death Could Affect Oil Prices, Production and Pollution

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 09:00:08 -0500

Hugo Chavez's death may have an impact on the global oil market--and thus on the global climate as well. David Biello reports

Will There Be Enough Water?

Sun, 3 Mar 2013 10:00:08 -0500

Water demands continue to inch up year after year even as climate change queers supply. Can civilization cope? David Biello reports

How Skynet Could Help Save the Planet

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 07:01:08 -0500

Machine-to-machine communication offers an opportunity to make the modern world more energy efficient. David Biello reports

Insurance for Global Catastrophes, Whether Asteroids or Climate Change

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:00:08 -0500

Spend a little more time observing meteors or combating climate change, spend a little less time worrying about global catastrophes. David Biello reports

Roses Raise Environment Concerns

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 11:09:08 -0500

From water use to carbon emissions, raising and distributing roses has an environmental impact worse than many other crops. David Biello reports

Earthworm Invaders Up Soil Greenhouse Gases

Sun, 3 Feb 2013 23:33:08 -0500

The earthworm invasion of North America is increasing carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions from the soil. David Biello reports

Communication Towers Pluck Birds

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:33:08 -0500

Almost seven million birds are killed each year when they fly into communication towers. David Biello reports

Obama Pledges to Address Climate, Energy

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:02:08 -0500

In his second inaugural address, Pres. Barack Obama said the U.S. must respond to the threat of climate change and lead the development of sustainable energy

Electric Cars Need a New Sound

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:45:08 -0500

Federal guidelines will dictate that electric vehicles start making more noise at low speeds. David Biello reports

Oil Harvesting Goes to Extremes

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 12:19:08 -0500

The grounding of a drilling rig in Arctic waters illustrates the risks of pushing the boundaries of oil exploration and recovery. David Biello reports

We Look Back Earthily at 2012

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 08:00:08 -0500

Superstorms, electric cars, alternative fuels and Arctic sea ice all made environmental news in 2012. David Biello reports

Maya Civilization Provides a Real Apocalyptic Lesson

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Research shows that what laid low Mayan society was climate change, which brought prolonged drought. David Biello reports

Leaked Report Confirms Human-Induced Climate Change

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:30:08 -0500

The world is on track for warming of at least 2 degrees Celsius, according to a leaked draft of the next IPCC report. David Biello reports

Trouble and Toil Has Not Slowed the Boil

Sun, 9 Dec 2012 13:00:08 -0500

As climate change negotiations drag on, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, fulfilling scientists' predictions. David Biello reports

Sunlit Nanoparticles Turn Water to Steam

Sun, 2 Dec 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Heated grains of coated sand turn water to steam without having to boil the whole pot. David Biello reports

What to Expect from Climate Negotiations

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 00:00:08 -0500

As the world gathers in Doha, is progress being made in reducing greenhouse gas pollution? David Biello reports

Advanced Biofuels Hope to Change the Climate for Transportation

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Fuel from algae is being sold in California, a first step toward a future of advanced biofuels. David Biello reports

Global Warming Means Culture Change

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 13:01:08 -0500

Climate isn't the only thing global warming will change. David Biello reports

Who Were the Greenest Presidents?

Mon, 5 Nov 2012 16:54:08 -0500

A survey of environmental groups finds that Teddy Roosevelt was the president with the highest environmental cred, followed by Richard Nixon. David Biello reports

What Does It Take to Make a "Frankenstorm"?

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 14:00:08 -0500

The U.S. east coast is enduring what's been dubbed a "Frankenstorm" for its combination of multiple different types of weather systems. David Biello reports

Human Thirst Makes Earth Quake

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 13:01:08 -0500

Man-made earthquakes are a real and growing phenomenon. David Biello reports

Can the City That Never Sleeps Forgo Nuclear Power?

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 03:00:08 -0500

The bright lights of the big city currently rely on fission, but a new study suggests efficiency and renewables could do the job instead. David Biello reports

How the Great Barrier Reef Is Disappearing Right before Our Eyes

Sun, 7 Oct 2012 10:00:08 -0500

A new analysis reveals that coral cover on the world's largest biological construct has declined by more than 50 percent since 1985. David Biello reports

Candidates Mum on Climate Change

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 14:00:08 -0500

How can we break the ice and get a political conversation started about climate change, David Biello asks

Prime Time Fox News and WSJ Editorial Climate Coverage Mostly Wrong

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 19:17:08 -0500

An analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientsts finds that 93 percent of climate info on Fox News prime time and 81 percent on The Wall Street Journal opinion pages is misleading. Steve Mirsky reports

Bird Seed Poisons Wild Birds

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 12:00:08 -0500

To improve shelf life, Scotts Miracle-Gro used a pesticide toxic to birds in its bird seed. David Biello reports

How Humans and Tigers Can Coexist

Sun, 9 Sep 2012 09:00:08 -0500

One way to help save tigers would be to cede the night to them. David Biello reports

How Much Life Is There on Earth?

Sun, 2 Sep 2012 11:00:08 -0500

New estimates decrease the likely number of microbes beneath the sea, but the truth is that we still don't really know. David Biello reports

Energy Hits the U.S. Presidential Campaign Trail

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 10:00:08 -0500

Romney wants "energy independence," Obama prefers an "all of the above" approach. What's the difference? David Biello reports

Fukushima Radiation Damages Butterflies, but Not People--Yet

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Scientific analyses are beginning to unravel the biological consequences of the radioactive particles released during the Fukushima meltdowns. David Biello reports

Drilling for Offshore Oil Comes to the Arctic

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 09:00:08 -0500

As Shell prepares to drill for oil in the Chukchi Sea, what are the risks? David Biello reports

UV Gives Fish Skin Cancer

Sun, 5 Aug 2012 20:06:08 -0500

Fifteen percent of a sample of 136 trout caught near the Great Barrier Reef showed evidence of melanoma, with UV exposure the likely culprit. Christopher Intagliata reports

Greener Olympics Mean Cleaner Air

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 09:16:08 -0500

A new analysis shows how the summer Olympics helped clear the air in Beijing--and combat climate change. David Biello reports

Marijuana Farms Poison Wildlife

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Pathologists have found the first evidence of wildlife poisoned by a cash crop--and not in a traditional agricultural area. David Biello reports

Could Geoengineering Stop Heat Waves?

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Scientists explore whether artificial volcanoes might beat the heat. David Biello reports

35 Years of Renewable Energy

Sun, 8 Jul 2012 10:00:08 -0500

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has been working for 35 years to make solar power and other technologies a reality. David Biello reports

Are Western Forests Doomed to Burn Away?

Sun, 1 Jul 2012 10:00:08 -0500

Climate change may not only unleash fiercer wildfires but also ultimately replace Western forestland with grasslands. David Biello reports

Warming Oceans Will Follow Laws of Physics

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Warmer waters mean higher sea levels, but how high? David Biello reports

For Sustainability, Go Beyond Gross Domestic Product

Sun, 17 Jun 2012 10:31:08 -0500

The widely used economic measure grossly distorts the environmental and social costs of some growth, David Biello reports

Are We Pushing the Planet to the Brink of Irreversible Environmental Change?

Sun, 10 Jun 2012 01:41:08 -0500

The human transformation of the planet is now bigger than the end of the last ice age. What does that mean for the planet? David Biello asks

How Climate Change May Impact Electricity Supplies

Sun, 3 Jun 2012 00:00:08 -0500

Fossil-fuel burning power plants aren't only causing climate change, they're likely to suffer from such global warming. David Biello reports

Another Casualty of War?: The Environment

Sun, 27 May 2012 09:00:08 -0500

From lingering pollution to feeding soldiers on bushmeat, war can be tough on the environment. David Biello reports

Why Tariffs on Chinese Photovoltaics Are Bad for the Planet

Sun, 20 May 2012 09:00:08 -0500

The U.S. has placed tariffs on Chinese solar panels in a bid to protect American solar companies. David Biello reports

Wasted Food No More

Sun, 13 May 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Massachusetts may ban big institutions from discarding food in the trash in a bid to cut down on the methane from landfills. David Biello reports

How to Adapt to Climate Change

Sun, 6 May 2012 10:00:08 -0500

As the globe warms, communities across the world are providing examples of how to adapt. David Biello reports

L.A. Needs to Stop Being Such a Cow Town

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 09:00:08 -0500

New research suggests that the waste from dairy farms may be a bigger source of smog in Los Angeles than the region's millions of cars. David Biello reports

Happy Earth Day! Welcome to the Anthropocene

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Scientists are suggesting that the present day is part of a new era in the planet's history. David Biello reports

Take Me Out to the Renewably Powered Ballgame

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Baseball teams across the country are investing in renewable power for their stadiums. David Biello reports

It's Not Dead, It's Resting

Sun, 8 Apr 2012 00:00:08 -0500

There are a wide variety of life forms that can come back to life. David Biello reports

135 Years of Records Reveals Deep Ocean Warming

Sun, 1 Apr 2012 17:02:08 -0500

The ocean surface is warming. Using records going back more than a century to the British Challenger expedition, researchers calculate that the deep ocean is experiencing its own temperature rise. David Biello reports

How Industrial Noise Helps and Hurts Plants

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 10:00:08 -0500

By encouraging and discouraging certain animals, human noise has an effect on vegetation. David Biello reports

Global Energy Hunger Leaves Little Room to Displace Dirty Fuels

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:01:08 -0500

One of the promises of renewable energy is its ability to displace polluting fossil fuels, but is it fulfilling that pledge? David Biello reports

Fukushima: We Listen Back

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:00:08 -0500

Newly released audio takes us through the first week of the nuclear meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi on this first anniversary of the crisis. David Biello reports

Living Plastic Eats Spilt Food

Sun, 4 Mar 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Researchers impregnate layers of plastic with fungus to produce a living--and self-cleaning--material. David Biello reports

How Raindrops Calm the Wind

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 09:00:08 -0500

New research suggests the drag on falling precipitation helps slow atmospheric circulation. David Biello reports

Is the Keystone Pipeline a Shortcut to Catastrophic Climate Change?

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:00:08 -0500

The Keystone XL pipeline wouldn't be a major environmental calamity, but oil addiction is. David Biello reports

What Does a Coup in the Maldives Mean for Climate Change?

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:00:08 -0500

The fate of an island chain's president may mean more--or even less--progress to combat climate change. David Biello reports

How to Make Electricity Using Plants and Sunshine

Sun, 5 Feb 2012 09:00:08 -0500

A new system combines the power of plants and photovoltaics to make solar power cheap and durable. David Biello reports

How Much Energy Do You Waste Charging Your Cell Phone?

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Battery chargers are everywhere these days, wasting electricity. California aims to change that. David Biello reports

Worried about Air Pollution? Don't Hide Indoors

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Scientists are uncovering more and more evidence that the air in buildings can be bad for you. David Biello reports

Gee Whiz, Why Not Recycle Urine for Drinking Water?

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:32:08 -0500

The U.S. can no longer afford to ignore sewage as a source of drinking water, scientists argue. David Biello reports

Michael Mann Defends Climate Computer Models

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:27:08 -0500

Penn State climate modeler Michael Mann talks about what computer models can tell us--and what they don't need to. David Biello reports

Welcome to the Year of the Lightbulb

Sun, 1 Jan 2012 09:00:08 -0500

Get ready to buy lightbulbs by lumens rather than watts. David Biello reports

What Are the Chances of a White Christmas?

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 09:00:08 -0500

Climate change is also messing with cherished holiday dreams. David Biello reports

Should the Media Pay for Nature Conservation?

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 09:00:08 -0500

Given the profits made from filming the natural world, can a scheme be worked out to pay for this ecosystem service? David Biello reports

Durban Deal May Bring Climate Change Action into 21st Century

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 10:16:08 -0500

As time ran out on the latest international climate change negotiations, an agreement was reached that includes all significant countries in the effort to reduce greenhouse gases. David Biello reports

Simmering Planet Keeps Heating

Sun, 4 Dec 2011 13:00:08 -0500

Despite decades of warnings, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, warming the world. Can such pollution peak this decade? David Biello asks

Give Thanks for Methods to Cut Back on Wasted Food

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:00:08 -0500

The world wastes more food than all of sub-Saharan Africa produces. Can that be stopped? David Biello reports

Oceans Teem with Tiny Plastic Particles

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 09:00:08 -0500

Washing machine wastewater carries tiny pieces of plastic to the oceans, where they wind up in sea life. David Biello reports

Flying on a Wing and Oil from Plants

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 10:00:08 -0500

A new era in aviation dawned this week in the U.S. with the first flights powered by biofuels. David Biello reports

Buried in Coal Ash?

Sun, 6 Nov 2011 10:00:08 -0500

After yet another coal ash spill, is there anything that can be done to deal with the toxic waste? David Biello reports

Halloween Chocolate: More Trick Than Treat?

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 09:00:08 -0500

Chocolate has a dark side--child slave labor. David Biello reports

Why Is the CIA Keeping Climate Change Secret?

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 09:00:08 -0500

The Central Intelligence Agency is working on climate change, but you'd never know it. David Biello reports

Disc Spins Its Way to $1-Million Oil Spill Cleanup Prize

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:00:08 -0500

Is there a better way to clean up the next oil spill disaster? David Biello reports

How Steve Jobs Tried to Make Apple Green

Sun, 9 Oct 2011 09:00:08 -0500

The environmental and social impacts of all our gadgets are not insignificant. David Biello reports

World's Largest River Restoration Project Begins

Sun, 2 Oct 2011 09:00:08 -0500

The removal of two dams on the Elwha River will help restore once-abundant salmon runs. David Biello reports

Fukushima Fallout in Japan

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 09:00:08 -0500

The melted down reactors are stabilizing, but the real work of repair has yet to begin. David Biello reports

Can the World Handle Chinese Cars?

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 09:00:08 -0500

The first car mostly made in China has arrived for sale in the U.S. David Biello reports

Need a Break? Try Nature

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 10:00:08 -0500

A growing body of research suggests nature walks may be more restorative than traditional stimulants like caffeine. David Biello reports

Need Rain? Try Lasers

Sun, 4 Sep 2011 09:00:08 -0500

New experiments show that firing lasers into the air might help induce or reduce rain. David Biello reports

How Much Life Does Earth Host?

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:00:08 -0500

The number of species currently alive is a best guess at best. David Biello reports

Why Environmentalism Is Conservative

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 09:00:08 -0500

Have conservatives abandoned their roots as environmental leaders? David Biello investigates

Bringing Birds Back to Regrowing Forests

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 09:00:08 -0500

Once fragmented forests are growing back together, do tropical birds follow? David Biello reports

What If the Smart Grid Isn't So Smart?

Sun, 7 Aug 2011 09:00:08 -0500

New analyses show that equipping consumers with real-time information about electricity prices could crash the grid. David Biello reports

Eating the Lionfish

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 09:00:08 -0500

The answer to an invasive fish species in the Atlantic and Caribbean may just be overfishing. David Biello reports

Feeding the Grid with Sunshine at College

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:00:08 -0500

Butte College in California hosts a massive solar array, which allows it to produce more electricity than it uses. David Biello reports

Absence of Top Predators Brings Unanticipated Changes

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:00:08 -0500

Ecologists document the negative ripple effects of removing top predators from ecosystems. David Biello reports

Electric Cars May Need Noisemakers

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 21:31:08 -0500

Whisper-quiet electric and hybrid cars may need an artificial sound boost to let pedestrians know they're there. David Biello reports

The Buzz on Beer and Soda Fizz

Wed, 6 Jul 2011 08:35:08 -0500

A look at the environmental burden of our favorite summer beverages. David Biello reports