News & Commentary

The Secret Life of Plants

April 28, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesAlisa Opar

Plants can hear, feel, and tell one predator from another—and this researcher is spying on their defense strategies.

From the Outside In

April 24, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

The dose may make the poison, but a new study finds even low levels of certain toxins might affect our health.

Supersize Bee

April 22, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

A new study shows that bees prefer pesticide-laced junk food that hastens their death.

The Pork in the Road

April 21, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBarry Estabrook

Two paths are before us—but only one leads to a sustainable future of healthful, humane food production. Which one to take? (Hint: Follow the pig with the spring in its step.)

Weeknight Dinner 2.0

April 21, 2015 PerspectivesUnited StatesKiera Butler

A slew of new dinner kits promise gourmet meals with a fraction of the effort. But will all that ease be good for the planet (and our waistlines)?

A Master of His Craft

April 21, 2015 PerspectivesUnited StatesErik Hoffner

"Top Chef" judge Tom Colicchio has issued his verdict: We need safer, healthier food right now—and everyone deserves a place at the table.

Beauty and the Best

April 17, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

Don't be fooled by superficial good looks: If you truly love food, you’ll accept it as-is, blemishes and all.

Food Fetish

April 17, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesTracie McMillan

On our farms, in our stores, and at our dining tables, aesthetics and efficiency are at war. Everybody loses.

The Silent Killer

April 17, 2015 ExplainerUnited States, New YorkClara Chaisson

Extreme heat kills more often than we think, and climate change is only going to turn it up a notch.

Save the Very Hungry Caterpillars

April 16, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Common insecticides are killing monarch butterfly larvae, says a USDA study.

Climate Change Vs. the Blob

April 14, 2015 Latest NewsCaliforniaBrian Palmer

A new study says a stubborn blob of warm ocean water is exacerbating the California drought.

Bathroom Bandits

April 13, 2015 Latest NewsCaliforniaKatherine Ellen Foley

Law-breaking urinals? California's water rules will force new fixtures to toe the water line.

Pesticide Patrol

April 2, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

A new report says the most widely used weed killer probably causes cancer.

There Goes the Neighborhood

April 2, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

How humans use land is dramatically decreasing biodiversity worldwide.

Let's Get Wasted!

March 30, 2015 DispatchNew York CityClara Chaisson

A pop-up restaurant gives trash-bound food a place at the table.

Put Carson on the $20

March 27, 2015 PerspectivesUnited StatesPerrin Ireland

There's a campaign to put a historic female figure on paper currency. The competition is tough, but environmentalists have a clear favorite.

Out of Control from the Moment of the Blowout

March 27, 2015 PerspectivesLouisianaBrian Palmer

Former offshore drilling regulator Liz Birnbaum talks about what went wrong in the Gulf (and why drilling the Atlantic is a bad idea).

Diseases on the Move

March 18, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

Climate change helps freeloading parasites spread illness. To fight future outbreaks, we need to think of the offenders in a whole new light.

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.

Spreading Like Wildfire

March 5, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

Flame retardants are winding up everywhere—like in some of the Great Lakes’ greatest wildlife.