The Enduring Mystery of the Missing Oil Spilled in the Gulf of Mexico
It's on the beach, in the marshes, on the continental shelf and under the deep sea—and still not all of the oil has been found
Stories by David Biello
Did the Anthropocene Begin in 1950 or 50,000 Years Ago?
Scientists debate whether hunting, farming, smallpox or the nuclear bomb define the start of irreversible human impacts on our planet
A Historical Tour of the Clean Energy Future
A progress report on ARPA-E’s efforts to clean up energy production
![11 Natural Wonders to See Before They Are Gone [Slide Show]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/26534AF3-9720-4D88-BCD0AC802F92748C_agenda.jpg?w=275&h=154&fit=crop)
11 Natural Wonders to See Before They Are Gone [Slide Show]
Global warming may transform these places beyond recognition
11 Natural Wonders to See before They Are Gone
Global warming may transform these places beyond recognition
Mass Deaths in Americas Start New CO2 Epoch
A new proposal pegs the start of the Anthropocene to the little ice age and the Columbian Exchange
![Solar Plane Takes Flight to Circle Globe in 180 Days [in Photos]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/BA1B15CC-602F-4E32-9CAB5EAB03B3C3C2_agenda.jpg?w=275&h=154&fit=crop)
Solar Plane Takes Flight to Circle Globe in 180 Days [in Photos]
Advanced aircraft flies around the world on a wing and a sunbeam
Sorry State: U.S.’s Nuclear Reactor Fleet Dwindles
A falloff in construction of new nuclear power plants will make climate change requirements harder to meet
How to Win Friends and Bamboozle People about Climate Change
An illuminating new documentary reveals deliberate efforts to obfuscate global warming
CO2 Levels for February Eclipsed Prehistoric Highs
Global warming is headed back to the future as the CO2 level reaches a new high
Novel Energy Inventions Seek Greater Impact
A Q&A with the new head of Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy chemist Ellen Williams
Tar Sands Pipeline Vetoed, Climate Threat Marches On
Pres. Barack Obama vetoed a bill to approve construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline on February 24— not because of climate change, not because of low oil prices and not because of the risks from leaking diluted bitumen from the tar sands.
New Map Knows Noise
National Park Service researchers recorded ambient sound from all over the country to find out where there’s still stillness. David Biello reports
Oil-Eating Microbes Have Worldwide Underground Connections
Life thrives even deep inside Earth and scientists are beginning to suspect extensive connections among those underground environments. David Biello reports
Don’t Block the Sun to Cope with Global Warming
Modified jets spewing sulfuric acid could haze the skies over the Arctic in a few years “for the price of a Hollywood blockbuster,” as physicist David Keith of Harvard University likes to say.
![Nuclear Blasts May Prove Best Marker of Humanity's Geologic Record [in Photos]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/02117870-FC83-414B-A618682B4E14A909_agenda.jpg?w=275&h=154&fit=crop)
Nuclear Blasts May Prove Best Marker of Humanity's Geologic Record [in Photos]
When did the Anthropocene begin?
“Bionic Leaf” Makes Fuel from Sunlight
Biology paired with machines turns carbon dioxide back into fuel or other useful molecules
Siberian Winters See Temp Uptick
The long-term winter warming of Russia’s far north has gotten a boost from industrialization. David Biello reports
Dig This: China Cuts Coal Production
The biggest single source of global warming pollution actually started to shrink in 2014. David Biello reports
Book Review: The Powerhouse
Books and recommendations from Scientific American