News & Commentary

This Scientist Never Thought He’d Be Raiding Illegal Pot Farms for a Living

April 4, 2016 DispatchCaliforniaAlisa Opar

Crime, raids, destruction, and mounds of paperwork—it’s all part of the job.

California Is Finally Enjoying Some Rainfall—and So Are Its Invasive Species

March 31, 2016 DispatchCaliforniaAlisa Opar

The much-needed El Niño downpours might be helping exotic snakes, insects, and plants spread into new areas.

Undersea Mining Spree: Scientists Race to Study the Southeastern Pacific Before it's Too Late

March 12, 2016 DispatchInternational, WestBrooke Jarvis

As mining interests deepen in the southeastern Pacific, researchers are racing the clock—and pushing the frontiers of science—to understand this unknown stretch of sea.

Spring Break

February 4, 2016 DispatchMontanaAlisa Opar

Bison go from seasonal outlaws to year-round residents in a large swath of Montana.

The Woman Who Loves Orcas

January 20, 2016 DispatchAlaska, WestTed Genoways

Scientist, poet, and cancer survivor Eva Saulitis says that orcas saved her life. If only she could return the favor.

Frog vs. Fish

December 8, 2015 DispatchCaliforniaAlisa Opar

How cutting-edge technology may save endangered amphibians from hungry trout in Yosemite’s alpine lakes.

No Photos, Please

October 23, 2015 DispatchWyomingAlisa Opar

New Wyoming laws stifle freedom of speech and make citizen science illegal.

The Soil Savior

October 15, 2015 DispatchTexasJeff Turrentine

A Texas farmer is bucking tradition by putting soil health above all else. The result? Water-retaining, nutrient-rich pay dirt.

The Great Oyster Crash

August 26, 2015 DispatchOregon, WestEric Scigliano

Ocean acidification hits the Pacific shellfish industry.

Hey, Congress, Quit Blaming the EPA

August 18, 2015 DispatchColoradoBrian Palmer

The Gold King mine accident is on you, too.

The Farmer Who Weeded Out Chemicals

August 12, 2015 DispatchCaliforniaLaura Fraser

Organic farmer Jim Cochran proves that growing nontoxic strawberries isn’t just possible, it’s profitable.

Roam, Roam on the Range

June 24, 2015 DispatchMontanaAlisa Opar

This Montana cattle ranch is trying to ensure its operations benefit wildlife—and yes, that means wolves, too.

Oklahoma Earthquake? Blame Oil and Gas

June 18, 2015 DispatchOklahomaBrian Palmer

A new study proves what we’ve suspected all along—oil and gas drilling triggers earthquakes.

A Year Without Snow

June 4, 2015 DispatchWestBrooke Jarvis

Want to know what difference a few degrees can make as the climate warms? Look no further than the West’s critical and vanishing snowpack.

Toxic Two-Step

May 15, 2015 DispatchTexasJeff Turrentine

When politicians and corporate polluters step onto the dance floor in Texas, the state’s environmental agency provides the music.

When to Bet Against the House

May 7, 2015 DispatchNevadaJeff Turrentine

Will the threat of water shortages be enough to convince Vegas to stop gambling on overdevelopment?

Fish Out of Water

April 3, 2015 DispatchCaliforniaAlisa Opar

Scary-low snowpack may spell disaster for some California wildlife and ecosystems.

Powering Down

April 1, 2015 DispatchCaliforniaAlisa Opar

California’s proposed energy-efficiency standards for computers could make the screen time of all Americans easier on the climate.

Old Cow, New Tricks

March 10, 2015 DispatchWestAlisa Opar

Desert-friendly cattle that came over with Columbus might be better bovines for the drought-plagued West.

Sea to Table

February 5, 2015 DispatchWestAlisa Opar

Consumers are increasingly getting to know their local fish—and fishermen—through companies that cut out the middleman.