Environment
Passenger Pigeons Went Extinct 100 Years Ago
For nearly a minute the sky went black. Then it was over. I was standing in a long alley between two four-story brick buildings on a clear sunny day.
Ecology2722 articles archived since 1845
The Sciences
The Juneau Tour: Scientific American Alaska Cruise, Part 3
Scientific American Bright Horizons Cruise 22 arrives in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 31st, which allows us to post audio from a fascinating taxi trip through Juneau on August 28th...
Environment
Most Americans Mistakenly Think U.S. Gets Most of Its Oil from the Middle East
..the United States. Have you heard? Computer scientist and data whiz Randy Olson dove into the UT Energy Poll data and noticed that the American public is pretty confused about where we get out energy...
The Sciences
Satirists As a Source of Science News
How many times have you read a science-themed article from The Onion or watched a science-themed segment on The Daily Show (TDS) or The Colbert Report (CR) and remarked at how “spot on” they are?...
Evolution
Ancient DNA Could Return Passenger Pigeons to the Sky
Genetic engineering could restore the once profuse North American bird after a century or more of extinction
U.S. lists 20 corals as threatened; activists want more
The U.S. government pared back the number of reef-building coral species it was considering to label as threatened from 66 to 20 this week, prompting criticism from conservationists. Environmentalists urged the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Thursday to extend the protection to all threatened marine species...
Forest Service to allow logging of burned trees near Yosemite National Park
The U.S. Forest Service said on Wednesday it would sell thousands of trees burned in last year's devastating wildfire around Yosemite National Park to loggers in an effort to reduce fuel for future blazes and stimulate the regional economy...
Evolution
Dumbo Octopus Gives Rare View [Video]
New, stunning video from a deep-sea vehicle reveals a rare view of the Dumbo octopus. Don’t let the name fool you—the Dumbo octopus (Grimpoteuthis) is no dummy.
Health
Full Genome Sequence Carries Canola Forward
Whether you're coating a baking pan or sautéing squash, you'll likely reach into your cabinet for a kitchen staple: cooking oil. One of the healthiest of these oils is canola oil, and now, a team of researchers has taken a new step in improving the oil's source: the canola plant...
Environment
Solar Farms Threaten Birds
Certain avian species seem to crash into large solar power arrays or get burned by the concentrated rays
Whale-Watching Found to Stress Out Whales
Desire to observe whales and dolphins up close is affecting animals’ behavior and may be putting the long-term surival of these mammals at risk
Environment
Agroecosystems, Illustrated
I didn’t set out to draw science comics; I wanted to be an all-around science communicator. I just happened to find my voice with comics.
Environment
Habitat Loss a Real Buzzkill for Invertebrates
The number of invertebrates has fallen by nearly half over the past 35 years—the same period of time in which the human population has doubled. Karen Hopkin reports
Environment
A Hangout with Google Science Fair in Swaziland
You know what’s awesome? Seeing a bunch of young people at work on changing the world to make it a better place for all. Today, I hosted a Google Science Fair Hangout On Air on Sustainability in Swaziland, and I got to have that privilege...
Evolution
Exploring the Vast Nuthatch Empire
Today I'd like to focus on passerine birds again, and this time on a group that I don't think I've ever blogged about before: the certhioids.
Incognito Caterpillar Threatens U.S. Borders [Slide Show]
Faster identification may help officials protect America from an invasive, crop-killing pest
Environment
How to Stay Safe in an Earthquake: Napa Temblor Reminds Us to Prepare Now
California residents in the Napa area got a rude awakening early this morning when an earthquake of roughly magnitude 6.0 shook the valley.
Environment
How to Save the Woods
The first step in solving the world's forest problem is recognizing the world's forest problem. David Biello reports
How 21st-Century Cities Can Avoid the Fate of 20th-Century Detroit
Why we need to embrace new forms of work and stop protecting the old
Environment
How Big Is Your Water Footprint?
If you recently bought a pair of jeans or ate a burger for dinner, followed by a nice cup of coffee, you probably didn't link the touch of cotton or the aroma of the food to the amount of water that was used to produce them...
