Environment

Prototype biodegradable flip-flops made using algae.

Researchers Use Algae to Make Biodegradable Flip-Flops

The shoes break down in about 18 weeks under the right conditions

A unique moss species thrives underneath translucent quartz rocks in the hot, dry Mojave Desert while its neighbors shrivel.

Desert Moss Beats Heat by Growing Under Quartz Crystals

Researchers find the translucent rocks keep the moss moist while letting just enough light pass through its milky interior

New research suggests painting eyes on cattle behinds can help protect them from predators.

Painting Eyes on Cow Butts Could Save Cattle and Lion Lives

The four-year study in Botswana found cattle with eye marks painted on their behinds were less likely to be killed by predators

A healthy coral reef in the South Pacific. Coral reefs may migrate to new area as the climate warms.

Should Plants and Animals That Relocate Because of Climate Change Be Considered Invasive?

Some researchers are calling for a more nuanced approach when it comes to flora and fauna that adjust their range to accommodate a warming world

Theodore Roosevelt stands with naturalist John Muir on Glacier Point, above Yosemite Valley, California, USA.

Sierra Club Grapples With Founder John Muir’s Racism

The organization calls out Muir’s racist statements and pledges to diversify leadership and deepen environmental justice initiatives

This beluga whale was spotted off the coast of San Diego, California in late June. The sighting was the farthest south the normally polar species has ever been seen.

In a Rare Sighting, Wayward Beluga Spotted Off San Diego

The whale was seen thousands of miles south of its usual habitat, the farthest south the species has ever been seen

A European bison in the Netherlands, which has also sought to reintroduce the herbivores.

Wild Bison to Roam Britain for First Time in Thousands of Years

A small herd of four European bison will be released into a woodland in southeastern England in spring 2022

A survey of nearly 1,000 environmental education and outdoor science schools that serve primarily K-12 learners shows that 63 percent of such organizations are uncertain whether they will ever open their doors again, if pandemic restrictions last until year’s end.

Will COVID-19 Spell the End of Outdoor and Environmental Education?

The pandemic has been devastating to the field, according to a recent survey

Steller sea lions sitting on rocks on the shore of Campbell River in British Columbia, Canada.

Headless Sea Lions Are Washing Up in British Columbia

Biologists and local beachgoers who have encountered the decapitated marine mammals suggest humans may be to blame

Most large wildlife fatalities caused by car crashes in Maine are deer and moose.

Roadkill Reduced During Lockdowns, but Traffic Is Increasing Again

California, Idaho and Maine saw considerably fewer roadkill deaths in the first few weeks of stay-at-home orders

A jackal in Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Scientists Propose a New Name for Nature in the Time of COVID-19: The 'Anthropause'

Human travel came to a halt during COVID-19, and scientists argue that this worldwide 'pause' presents a rare opportunity to study our impact on animals

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Seven Places to Get Outside This Summer—and the Environmental Heroes to Thank for Them

From Alaska to Florida, these spots offer fresh air and ample space for social distancing

Artist Jason deCaires Taylor's “Ocean Siren” changes color according to the average daily water temperatures measured at Davies Reef on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Recently, marine heatwaves have wreaked havoc on the Great Barrier Reef, causing the most widespread bleaching ever recorded.

This Sculpture Takes the Great Barrier Reef’s Temperature

'Ocean Siren' changes colors in real time to reflect ocean temperatures at Davies Reef, part of Australia’s ailing Great Barrier Reef

Researchers are concerned about what the presence of microplastics in protected landscapes will mean for local ecosystems.

The Forecast in National Parks Is Cloudy With a Chance of Plastic Rain

New research finds America’s western national parks and wilderness areas receive more than 1,000 tons of plastic rain every year

Monitor local animal populations, identify plants, transcribe women astronomers' notes, bird-watch and more.

Seventy-Five Scientific Research Projects You Can Contribute to Online

From astrophysicists to entomologists, many researchers need the help of citizen scientists to sift through immense data collections

An aggregation of roughly 64,000 green sea turtles at Raine Island in Australia.

Drone Footage Shows Thousands of Nesting Sea Turtles

The roughly 64,000 green sea turtles were photographed off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia at Raine Island, the turtle's largest breeding ground

There are only around 80 Sumatran rhinos (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) left on Earth. In their native northern Sumatra, Indonesia, they are being pushed towards extinction by habitat loss and poaching.

Already Unprecedented Rate of Wildlife Extinctions Is Accelerating

New research suggests roughly 500 species are likely to go extinct in the next two decades

A young koala recovers at the wildlife park hospital.

The Great Koala Rescue Operation

Raging bushfires. Devastated wildlife. And the compassionate souls who went to the rescue

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish confirmed the hemorrhagic disease in a black-tailed jackrabbit and five desert cottontails in March.

North American Rabbits Face a Deadly Virus

The hemorrhagic virus has infected in domestic rabbits since 2018, and it's now spreading in the wild population

A new study has mapped green algae blooms, like the one pictured here, on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Algae Blooms Turn Antarctica’s Ice Green

Scientists predict that the organisms' presence will increase as global temperatures increase

Page 14 of 39