News & Commentary

Bugging the Ocean

February 25, 2016 Latest NewsUnited StatesAlisa Opar

Eavesdropping on the sea reveals the surprising chattiness of fish and invertebrates.

Forget Bigfoot. We’ve Got El Jefe.

February 24, 2016 Latest NewsWestJason Bittel

One of the world’s largest cats prowls the American Southwest—and almost no one knows it’s there.

Whales With a Dam Problem

February 23, 2016 Latest NewsUnited StatesChelsey B. Coombs

Orcas in the Pacific Northwest are struggling to boost their numbers. Could dams have something to do with it?

Handle With Care

February 22, 2016 PerspectivesUnited StatesClara Chaisson

This artist’s handmade porcelain reefs are almost as fragile as the real thing.

The Virus Hunter

February 22, 2016 Latest NewsUnited StatesPerrin Ireland

Scientists aren’t certain why Zika has become a pandemic, but humans probably played a part.

Bloomin’ Awful

February 18, 2016 Latest NewsUnited States

Thanks to climate change, these toxic algae keep spreading.

Seeking a Clean Bill of Health

February 18, 2016 DispatchMidwestSusan Cosier

What it takes to make the Great Lakes’ areas of concern less concerning.

Zombie Crabs!

February 17, 2016 Latest NewsEastAlisa Opar

Tiny, invasive East Coast parasites are leaving hordes of the living dead in their wake.

Go Easy on the Salt

February 11, 2016 ExplainerFlint, Michigan, United StatesBrian Palmer

But it’s still worth asking why Flint River water is so corrosive in the first place. What made the water so efficient at stripping lead from service pipes?

A Red Flag for Red Colobus

February 8, 2016 Latest NewsAfricaJason Bittel

Hunted by humans and chimps and besieged by civil war and deforestation, Africa’s red colobus monkeys have few reasons to celebrate.

Spring Break

February 4, 2016 DispatchMontanaAlisa Opar

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

So You Want a Pet Squirrel Monkey . . .

February 3, 2016 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

Squirrel monkeys must contend with habitat loss, decreasing genetic diversity, and the curse of being cute.

Of Monkeys, Men, and Protozoans

January 28, 2016 Latest NewsInternationalJason Bittel

A recent study finds a link between deforestation and risk of monkey-transmitted malaria.

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.

The Battle for Jamaica Bay

January 19, 2016 NRDC in ActionNew York City, New YorkNicole Greenfield

Pollution was killing one of New York City’s greatest natural treasures—until NRDC stepped in.

Il Primo Piatto

January 14, 2016 DispatchAfricaClara Chaisson

As the bushmeat trade drives the Bioko drill monkey toward extinction, some West Africans are realizing these animals are worth more in the woods than on the plate.

Save the Forests or the Trees?

January 7, 2016 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Forest conservation is crucial to climate change mitigation. But do we have any idea how to do it?

Don't Mess with the Bull Moose

January 7, 2016 PerspectivesUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

News flash: Our public lands already belong to “the people.” And we have a he-man Republican rancher to thank for it.

California Coast Guard

January 5, 2016 NRDC in ActionCaliforniaKim Castleberry

Find out how NRDC helped the Golden State protect its oceanfront and all the plants and animals that call it home.

Life on the Mississippi, Now

January 5, 2016 DispatchMissouri, Illinois, MidwestBarry Yeoman

We've spent billions of dollars on dikes, locks, and levees in a vain attempt to subdue what Mark Twain called "that lawless stream." Is it time to let the river have its way?