Pollution
Forever Chemicals Are Widespread in U.S. Drinking Water
Experts hope that with the incoming Biden administration, the federal government will finally regulate a class of chemicals known as PFASs
Stories by Annie Sneed
Conservation
Indigenous Amazon Communities Fight Deforestation with New Early-Alert Tool
A pilot program reveals that deforestation declined when Peruvian Indigenous communities use an early-alert-system app to detect forest loss
Behavior
Acorn Woodpeckers Fight Long, Bloody Territorial Wars
More than 40 of the birds, in coalitions of three or four, may fight for days over oak trees in which to store their acorns.
Computing
The Most Vulnerable Ransomware Targets Are the Institutions We Rely On Most
Many vital public institutions such as hospitals and fire stations lack cybersecurity to ward off popular malware
Environment
Forests Getting Younger and Shorter
Old, big trees are dying faster than in the past, leaving younger, less biodiverse forests that store less carbon worldwide.
Conservation
Printed Coral Could Provide Reef Relief
Three-dimensional printed coral-like structures were able to support the algae that live in real corals, which could help restore reefs and grow algae for bioenergy production.
Environment
‘Forever Chemicals’ Are Building Up in the Arctic—and Likely Worldwide
An ice-core analysis reveals the chemicals that replaced ozone-depleting substances are leading to an increase of nondegradable compounds in the environment
Conservation
How Herbivore Herds Might Help Permafrost
Introducing herds of large herbivores in the Arctic would disturb surface snow, allowing cold air to reach the ground and keep the permafrost frosty.
Conservation
Ocean Plastic Smells Great to Sea Turtles
Ocean plastic gets covered with algae and other marine organisms, making it smell delicious to sea turtles—with potentially deadly results.
Energy
Could Our Energy Come from Giant Seaweed Farms in the Ocean?
A U.S. agency is funding projects to help create a bioenergy industry based on macroalgae
Environment
Snapping Shrimp Make More Noise in Warmer Oceans
As oceans heat up, the ubiquitous noise of snapping shrimp should increase, posing issues for other species and human seagoing ventures.
EARTH
Map of Antarctica’s Bedrock Reveals Vulnerabilities
A new view of the frozen continent could improve predictions for sea-level rise
Biology
Bacteria Helped Plants Evolve to Live on Land
Soil bacteria may have taken residence in early algal species, gifting the algae with the ability to withstand drier conditions on land. Annie Sneed reports.
Climate Change
Not All Hydropower Is Climate-Considerate
While some hydropower facilities release almost no greenhouse gases, others can actually be worse than burning fossil fuels.
Conservation
What Conservation Efforts Can Learn from Indigenous Communities
A major U.N.-backed report says that nature on indigenous peoples’ lands is degrading less quickly than in other areas
EARTH
Ancient, Pancake-Shaped Marine Animals Were on the Move
The large, disk-shaped Dickinsonia roamed in search of food 550 million years ago
EARTH
Earth’s Magnetic Field Initiated a Pole Flip Many Millennia before the Switch
Lava flow records and sedimentary and Antarctic ice core data show evidence of planetary magnetic field activity 20,000 years before the beginning of the last pole reversal.
EARTH
The Reason Antarctica Is Melting: Shifting Winds, Driven by Global Warming
A new study helps solve the puzzle of why the continent’s western glaciers are melting so fast
Policy
The Risk of Conflict Rises as the World Heats Up
Ignoring the connections between climate and security poses risks for the U.S.
Public Health
You Contain Multitudes of Microplastics
People appear to consume between 74,000 and 121,000 microplastic particles annually, and that's probably a gross underestimate.
