Weather
How Hurricane Season Went from Quiet to a ‘Powder Keg’
For nearly two months, the Atlantic had no hurricane activity. Then September arrived with a flurry of storms
Stories by Andrea Thompson
Climate Change
This Hot Summer Is One of the Coolest of the Rest of Our Lives
Heat waves broke temperature records around the world this past summer, but it will still be one of the coolest summers of the next few decades
Policy
What Scientists Say about the Historic Climate Bill
Climate experts praise the Inflation Reduction Act for focusing on emissions, clean energy and environmental justice but caution that much work remains
Climate Change
Risk of Dangerous Heat Exposure Is Growing Quickly in Cities
Population growth, climate change and the urban heat island effect are combining to put more people at risk
Climate Change
Heat and Humidity Are Already Reaching the Limits of Human Tolerance
Events with extreme temperatures and humidity are occurring twice as often now as they were 40 years ago
Conservation
Meet the Giant Sequoia, the ‘Super Tree’ Built to Withstand Fire
Mammoth redwood trees have evolved along with fire, but humans are disrupting that delicate balance
Climate Change
Act on Climate Emergency Now to Prevent Millions of Deaths, Study Shows
The human toll of carbon emissions will vastly magnify climate change’s economic costs
Climate Change
How Climate Change Will Hit Younger Generations
A new analysis shows that people born later will experience vastly more severe weather events
Climate Change
Global Warming Causes Fewer Tropical Cyclones
But those that do form have a greater chance of becoming intense storms
Pharmaceuticals
Common Drugs Pollute Rivers on Every Continent
A global look reveals contamination by antibiotics, antidepressants and other medications
Conservation
How Conserving 30 Percent of U.S. Land by 2030 Could Work
Achieving the 30x30 goal, as it is known, requires much more than declaring more national parks
Climate Change
Climate Report Offers Some Hope, but the Need for Action Is Urgent
Sustained emissions reductions and the rapidly dropping costs of renewables were some positive notes in the latest IPCC installment
Climate Change
Double Disaster: Wildfires Followed by Extreme Rainfall Are More Likely with Climate Change
These events can cause devastating landslides and flash floods
Energy
The Risks of Russian Attacks near Ukraine’s Nuclear Power Plants
Commercial plants have built-in safety systems but aren’t designed with warfare in mind
Policy
The Pandemic Showed the Promise of Cities with Fewer Cars
Residents learned what was possible. Some politicians fought to keep it that way
Climate Change
Winter Olympic Sites Are Melting Away because of Climate Crisis
As greenhouse gas emissions rise, more venues will face conditions that professional athletes consider unfair or unsafe
Natural Disasters
Ash Blanketing Tonga after Volcano Eruption Creates Health Concerns
Short exposure should not be too harmful, but residents should take precautions where they can
Ecology
Plants Are Stuck as Seed-Eating Animals Decline
Their ability to track climate change is being squeezed on all sides
Climate Change
The Five Biggest Climate Stories of 2021
Climate-fueled disasters raged around the globe while international action fell short of ambitions
Animals
The Best Fun Science Stories of 2021: Rhythmic Lemurs, a Marscopter and Sex-Obsessed Insect Zombies
Check out the weird and wonderful stories that delighted us this year
