News & Commentary

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.

The XL Stands for "Extra Litigation"

March 4, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

TransCanada says if the United States doesn’t approve the Keystone XL pipeline, it might sue under NAFTA.

12-Piece McNuggets, Hold the Antibiotics

March 4, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

McDonald’s just promised to serve us antibiotic-free chicken. Is its commitment credible?

What’s Wrong with This Picture?

March 2, 2015 PerspectivesUnited StatesDavid Gessner

Humanity’s arrogant attempts to control the sea—captured in one photograph.

Drugs 2.0

February 27, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

"Essential oils" sounds like a spa treatment, but could they help in the battle against drug-resistant bacteria?

Billions of Enemy Soldiers

February 26, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

We are under attack from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. So why are we unilaterally disarming?

A Willie Soon Reader

February 26, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

The lead scientist of climate change denial crashed and burned in a funding scandal. Here’s how the Internet reacted.

Say Cheese, Skunk Bear

February 25, 2015 Latest NewsMontanaAlisa Opar

For wolverine research in Montana, it’s all about getting a belly shot of those scrappy recluses.

Uncharted Waters

February 25, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

Sardines and anchovies are taking to new waters in response to climate change.

The Fishing Industry on Acid

February 23, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Ocean acidification will hit coastal communities like these the hardest.

Back from the Dead Zone

February 23, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

Doing just a little to curb fertilizer pollution in the Mississippi could go a long way to breathing life back into the Gulf.

Bird's Eye View

February 20, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJason Bittel

The story of one region’s seagulls reveals the enormous and surprising influence humans have on the environment.

Gentlemen, Stop Your Engines

February 20, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

You spend 2 percent of driving time at traffic lights, but inhale 25 percent of your air pollution there.

Lord of the Tree Rings

February 18, 2015 Latest NewsWestAlisa Opar

Benjamin Cook looks at ancient trees to forecast future droughts. His latest findings are not good news for the West.

Off the Rails

February 17, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Oil trains keep jumping the tracks, setting towns ablaze, and contaminating water supplies. Here’s why.

California, Here Dry Come!

February 13, 2015 Latest NewsCaliforniaBrian Palmer

A new study shows that the current California drought is nothing compared to what’s coming.

The Glow Man and the Sea

February 11, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesAlisa Opar

This summer John Sparks will don a 530-pound suit and plunge 1,000 feet into the Atlantic—all to find some Day-Glo fish.

Give Peas a Chance?

February 10, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

As lunchroom fights rage in Congress, some school officials are offering both carrots and sticks.

Too Hot to Handle

February 9, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Heat waves are becoming more frequent and deadly (suddenly winter seems a lot less threatening).

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.