Why do onions make you cry?
Like many plants, onions have defenses to ward off creatures that may want to eat them. Their secret weapon is a kind of…
January 16, 2020
5
Environment
Earthquake forecast for Puerto Rico: Dozens more large aftershocks are likely
Puerto Rico's January earthquakes came after many foreshocks and have been followed by numerous aftershocks. Scientists…
January 14, 2020
6
Restricting trade in endangered species can backfire, triggering market booms
For decades nations have worked to curb international sales of endangered plants and animals. But in countries like China,…
January 13, 2020
8
Moving Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Colorado won't be good for public lands
Do public lands in the West belong to Westerners, or all Americans? Moving a federal agency's headquarters from Washington,…
January 8, 2020
13
Coyotes are poised to enter South America for the first time
Coyotes, whose range is expanding, are now at the doorstep of South America.
January 8, 2020
20
AI can now read emotions – should it?
A report calls for banning the use of emotion recognition technology. An AI and computer vision researcher explains the…
January 8, 2020
22
EPA's proposed 'secret science' rule directly threatens children's health
The EPA is considering a rule that would limit what kinds of science regulators can use in setting rules. A scholar explains…
January 7, 2020
14
Buyers should beware of organic labels on nonfood products
What does it mean to call a nonfood product like lipstick organic? Federal regulators allow such claims, but have set few…
January 3, 2020
16
America's love affair with the single-family house is cooling, but it won't be a quick breakup
Cities and states are considering limits on single-family zoning, which experts say promotes sprawl and separation. But…
January 2, 2020
17
Lemurs are the world's most endangered mammals, but planting trees can help save them
New research shows that slowing deforestation is the most essential step for saving Madagascar's lemurs, and can help…
December 23, 2019
21
Statistic of the decade: The massive deforestation of the Amazon
About 24,000 square miles of Amazon rainforest have been deforested over the last decade.
December 23, 2019
18
Finding opportunity in crisis: 3 essential reads about environmental solutions
2019 was a big year for dire warmings about the state of the planet, but crises can spur solutions.
December 19, 2019
25
Where does beach sand come from?
Sand may seem abundant when your toes are buried in it, but it's becoming scarce along many coastlines around the world.
December 19, 2019
24
The Madrid climate conference's real failure was not getting a broad deal on global carbon markets
Activists wanted nations to make bigger climate commitments at the Madrid COP-25 meeting, but the meeting's real goal…
December 18, 2019
17
The Earth needs multiple methods for removing CO2 from the air to avert worst of climate change
Countries are not on track to meet Paris Agreement goals. A climate researcher argues that a range of technologies that…
December 13, 2019
25
Why are whales big, but not bigger?
How did whales that feed on tiny prey evolve into the largest creatures on Earth? And why don't they get even bigger?
December 12, 2019
27
Winter is coming: 5 essential reads about snow and ice
Love it or hate it, winter means snow and ice for much of the US. In many places, though, snow is becoming a scarce resource.
December 12, 2019
35
We calculated emissions due to electricity loss on the power grid – globally, it's a lot
Due to inefficiencies in global energy systems, energy falls short of even making it to the consumer, often lost in the…
December 11, 2019
25
'Robotic blacksmithing': A technology that could revive US manufacturing
A manufacturing engineer describes the concept for a technology that could lead to more efficient production – and perhaps…
December 11, 2019
40
Risk rooted in colonial era weighs on Bahamas' efforts to rebuild after Hurricane Dorian
It's now officially the end of hurricane season, but the rebuilding of the Bahamas continues, slowed by the risks imposed…
December 9, 2019
29