EnvironmentAugust 1, 2019
Humans Have Significantly Interrupted the Free Flow of Rivers
Dams are the single biggest impediment to river connectivity, which is crucial to maintaining healthy ecosystems
Stories by Andrea Thompson
Andrea Thompson is senior desk editor for life science at Scientific American, covering the environment, energy and earth sciences. She has been covering these issues for nearly two decades. Prior to joining Scientific American, she was a senior writer covering climate science at Climate Central and a reporter and editor at Live Science, where she primarily covered earth science and the environment. She has moderated panels, including as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Media Zone, and appeared in radio and television interviews on major networks. She holds a graduate degree in science, health and environmental reporting from New York University, as well as a B.S. and an M.S. in atmospheric chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Follow Thompson on Bluesky @andreatweather.bsky.social
Natural DisastersJuly 12, 2019
Tropical Storm Barry’s Dangers Will Reach Far Inland
Rains from the system will prolong the already historic flooding along the Mississippi
EnergyJuly 1, 2019
Utility-Scale Energy Storage Will Enable a Renewable Grid
A roadblock to sustainable energy solutions is coming unstuck
Public HealthJune 1, 2019
People of Color Breathe More Than Their Share of Polluted Air
Black and Hispanic people in the U.S. are exposed to more emissions than whites and consume less from the industries responsible
PolicyMay 10, 2019
U.N. General Assembly President Sets Her Sights on Plastic Pollution
María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés is pushing internal action as well as changes within the U.N.
EnvironmentApril 15, 2019
Microplastics Are Blowing in the Wind
Atmospheric currents are transporting plastic pollution into remote, pristine areas, showing the global nature of the problem
EnergyMarch 11, 2019
Radioactive Glass Beads May Tell the Terrible Tale of How the Fukushima Meltdown Unfolded
The microscopic particles unleashed by the plant’s explosions are also a potential environmental and health concern
EarthJanuary 30, 2019
Here's How Much Ice Antarctica Is Losing—It's a Lot
The world’s southernmost continent is jettisoning six times more ice now than it was four decades ago
PolicyJanuary 9, 2019
Another Casualty of the Government Shutdown: Hurricane Preparedness
Weather models are not being updated and training sessions might be canceled during the budget standoff
EnvironmentDecember 24, 2018
Western Drought Ranks among the Worst of the Last Millennium
As temperatures warm, it becomes more likely the drought will match past “megadroughts” for length as well
Climate ChangeDecember 3, 2018
Here’s How Much Climate Change Could Cost the U.S.
Warming could exact a major economic toll, but reducing emissions and adapting to changes can alleviate those costs
EnvironmentNovember 16, 2018
From Pine Cones to Hobbit Holes, Mimicking Nature Can Help Humans Adapt to Wildfires
Looking to fire-adapted trees and animals could reduce the impacts of California’s deadly blazes
PollutionNovember 12, 2018
Solving Microplastic Pollution Means Reducing, Recycling—and Fundamental Rethinking
New practices, and new chemistries, are needed to end the scourge
Public HealthOctober 24, 2018
Microplastics Have Been Found in People's Poop—What Does It Mean?
Suspicions humans are consuming tiny plastic particles have been confirmed, spurring future work into the possible health impacts
Climate ChangeOctober 17, 2018
What’s in a Half a Degree? 2 Very Different Future Climates
A new IPCC report shows the impacts in the near future that can be avoided by limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius instead of 2 degrees C
Climate ChangeOctober 11, 2018
Why Did Hurricane Michael Rev Up to Category 4 So Quickly?
Scientists have made major strides in recent years in understanding why storms rapidly intensify
Natural DisastersOctober 3, 2018
Indonesian Tsunami Was Powered by a Deadly Combo of Tectonics and Geography
The magnitude 7.5 earthquake that touched off the tsunami occurred amid a complex puzzle of tectonic plates
EnvironmentSeptember 19, 2018
Mosquitoes Could Carry Plastic Particles into the Food Chain
Microplastics stay in the insects’ bodies from larva to adulthood
WeatherSeptember 12, 2018
Extreme Flooding from Florence Likely, Due to a Convergence of Threats
Compound flooding can exacerbate the impacts from storm surge and rain
EnvironmentSeptember 4, 2018
From Fish to Humans, A Microplastic Invasion May Be Taking a Toll
Tiny bits of plastic have seeped into soil, fish and air, posing a threat to animal and human health
Natural DisastersAugust 16, 2018
This Scientist Chases Wildfires to Better Predict Fire Behavior
To know what a wildfire might do next, researchers need to know how an inferno interacts with the atmosphere
EarthAugust 15, 2018
Plants Dominate the Planet's Biomass
About 80 percent of Earth's biomass is plant life, with humans about equal to krill way down the heft chart.
PollutionAugust 13, 2018
Earth Has a Hidden Plastic Problem—Scientists Are Hunting It Down
Trillions of tiny particles generated by our plastic-reliant society are polluting environments worldwide
BiologyAugust 1, 2018
Plants Are the World's Dominant Life-Form
Flora make up the majority of Earth’s biomass, followed by bacteria