News & Commentary

The Latin Quarter

December 11, 2015 ExplainerInternational, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, Colombia, PanamaBrian Palmer

Latin America is key to addressing climate change at the Paris conference. Why doesn’t it get more attention?

Gobbler-smacked

November 25, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesAlisa Opar

GPS tracking is giving us a revealing peek into wild turkeys’ sex lives, defense mechanisms, and more.

There’s No Such Thing as a Climate Change Refugee

November 16, 2015 ExplainerInternationalBrian Palmer

But there ought to be.

Unbearable Decisions

October 26, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesAlisa Opar

To kill or not to kill: How wildlife officials decide what to do with “problem bears.”

The Bee-Free Diet

October 23, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Would you die without bees to pollinate your food?

The Blue (Plastic) Planet

October 15, 2015 ExplainerInternationalBrian Palmer

You've probably heard that there's a lot of plastic swimming around in our oceans. But do you know how much? (Spoiler alert: It's way more than you think.)

Marine Protected Area, Reserve, Monument, Park, Sanctuary…

October 15, 2015 ExplainerInternationalBrian Palmer

Why are there so many names for legally protected waterways? And what do they all mean?

Just About Everyone vs. Gina McCarthy

October 14, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

This is who will be attacking President Obama’s Clean Power Plan in court.

Which Countries' COP21 Climate Pledges Made the Grade?

September 22, 2015 ExplainerChina, United States, Mexico, Canada, InternationalNicole Greenfield

What countries got right and what still has room for improvement.

5 Ways Cities Are Preparing for a Dry (or Flooded) Future

August 31, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesKim Castleberry

Ditch-diggers and cement trucks? Try trees and rainwater cisterns. City planners across the country are realizing that green infrastructure is the key to climate resilience.

6 Cities That Are Ready for Climate Change

August 31, 2015 ExplainerNew York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, Portland (Oregon), San AntonioKim Castleberry

By embracing green infrastructure, these urban areas have a solid defense against increased drought or flood.

The Speed Sweet Spot

August 28, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Not too fast, not too slow—how driving speed and free-flowing traffic can lower the carbon emissions from our tailpipes.

10 Things You Didn't Know About the Endangered Species Act

August 21, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesSarah Engler

We’ve all heard about it, but few of us really understand why this piece of legislation from the 1970s is so important—and in need of protection itself.

Reinventing the Wind Turbine

August 21, 2015 ExplainerUnited States

We need wind farms to produce renewable power, and new solutions can keep the giant turbines from also harming birds and bats.

Hot Water

August 18, 2015 ExplainerWest, United StatesBrian Palmer

Uranium mining threatens aquifers that could provide the drought-stricken West with emergency water supplies.

The Impacts of a Tar Sands Oil Spill

August 17, 2015 ExplainerCanada

Tar sands oil is harder to clean up than conventional crude. Here are the reasons why.

More for Less

August 13, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Understand energy efficiency, and you’ll understand how the Clean Power Plan works.

Tuna Time Bomb

August 13, 2015 Explainer

A new study says the mercury levels in tuna are high—and getting even higher.

The Story of Silent Spring

August 13, 2015 ExplainerUnited States

How a courageous woman took on the chemical industry and raised important questions about humankind's impact on nature.

China Commits to Cleaning Up

August 13, 2015 ExplainerChinaNicole Greenfield

The planet's largest carbon emitter is taking steps to brighten their future—and the world's.