December 29, 2013

The Biggest Stories on Earth

David Biello looks back at the big environmental stories of the year covered on 60-Second Earth

SUBSCRIBE TO 60-Second Earth

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

What were the biggest stories on this earth podcast in 2013? I'm glad I asked:

We had the new rush for oil in the Arctic and other extreme places. Scientists offered new hope for bringing back extinct species like the passenger pigeon. And the new Pope Francis began talking up the environment, just like his saintly namesake.

Plastic litter got just about everywhere, while ants stowed away on ships to spread around the globe. Cities turn out to follow mathematical rules and our dandruff shampoo turns out to be poisoning plants. The best places to put wind or solar power are not necessarily the windiest or the sunniest but rather wherever they cut the most pollution.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

Junk piles of old gadgets, TVs and other electronics remain a large and growing problem. And life persists almost everywhere we look on this planet, from the skies above to the deepest spots in the oceans.

But the biggest story of 2013 is an ongoing one: climate change. This past May, concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere reached levels never before experienced by us, Homo sapiens. We're living in a whole new world. In this new year of 2014 and beyond.

—David Biello

[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American