Stories by Andrea Thompson

Some countries have used up far more of the world’s carbon budget—the amount we can emit and still avoid more extreme climate disruption—than others

To keep warming below levels that scientists say will bring extreme climate impacts, nations must act quickly to make deep cuts in carbon emissions, according to the final installment of the IPCC’s latest climate report

The EPA has proposed the first nationwide limits for toxic chemicals called PFASs in the U.S. water supply

A massive storm shocks southern California with cold temperatures, strong winds and abundant moisture, causing extremely rare blizzard conditions and potentially unprecedented snowfalls

Though deadly quakes can’t be prevented, science does have some ways to protect buildings—and the people inside them

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Turkey is a rare occurrence and underscores the importance of setting and enforcing building codes

This year we learned why dogs come in so many sizes, that puppy dog eyes are a real thing and that cats don’t deserve their aloof rap

More than one quarter of the more than 150,000 species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species are threatened with extinction

Octopus outbursts, spiders evading sexual cannibalism and a human-cockatoo arms race—here are strange animal behaviors we learned about in 2022

Twitter is a crucial communication tool during disasters, but impersonators and other problems under Elon Musk’s leadership have emergency managers on edge

November hurricanes and tropical storms such as Nicole are relatively rare, but they can—and do—form

As the COP27 climate summit begins, emissions reduction pledges are still far behind where they need to be to meet the goals to limit global warming

Low-income nations bear the brunt of costs from climate change

The midterm elections have high stakes for issues such as abortion rights, pandemic funding, climate change and other fundamental policies

For nearly two months, the Atlantic had no hurricane activity. Then September arrived with a flurry of storms

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

Climate experts praise the Inflation Reduction Act for focusing on emissions, clean energy and environmental justice but caution that much work remains

Mammoth redwood trees have evolved along with fire, but humans are disrupting that delicate balance

But those that do form have a greater chance of becoming intense storms

A global look reveals contamination by antibiotics, antidepressants and other medications

Achieving the 30x30 goal, as it is known, requires much more than declaring more national parks

Sustained emissions reductions and the rapidly dropping costs of renewables were some positive notes in the latest IPCC installment

These events can cause devastating landslides and flash floods

Commercial plants have built-in safety systems but aren’t designed with warfare in mind