Environment
The Gulf Oil Spill Isn't Really Over, Even Five Years Later
Two Louisiana scientists reflect on the event and how its lingering effects are continuing to change the Gulf Coast
Changes in California’s Roadkill Linked to State’s Drought
The California Roadkill Observation System studies wildlife by mapping out crowd-sourced roadkill sightings
Why the World Needs to Go to Great Heights to Save Mountain Habitats
After 30 years working in mountain regions, Jack Ives argues that the world's elevated habitats are essential
Scientists Turn Packing Peanuts Into Battery Components
Chemical engineers at Purdue University have found a surprising way to repurpose the foam pieces
Electric Cars Can Make Cities Cooler
It's not just the flash and style, either—electric engines emit less heat than gas ones and could combat the urban heat island effect
With Wearable Devices That Monitor Air Quality, Scientists Can Crowdsource Pollution Maps
Emerging technology means anyone with a smartphone can become a mobile environmental monitoring station
Now for Sale: Straw Houses
One new technique for green building—making houses out of straw—actually draws on century-old ideas
North America’s Trees Create Some of the World's Hottest Forest Fires
What makes certain forest fires especially destructive?
Saving Money is Great, but Saving the Chesapeake Bay Will Be Even Better
Whitman Miller's “off the shelf” technology may answer complicated questions about rising CO2 and ocean acidification
The World Hit "Peak Chicken" in 2006
The popular poultry is just one of many key food resources that hit peak production between 5 and 30 years ago
Our Top Stories of 2014
From weird red waterfalls to the pleasures of small-town America, these were the most read articles on Smithsonian.com this year
Fuel from Seawater? What's the Catch?
Scientists at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory recently flew a model plane using a liquid hydrocarbon fuel they sourced from the ocean
Swiss Researchers Create Eco-Friendly Plastic From Biofuel Waste
A new method for making biodegradable plastic could mean more free farmland for food
Listen to the Sounds of a Dying Coral Reef
Healthy coral reefs produce a medley of sounds that ocean creatures use as homing beacons
Drop This Capsule Into a Stream and It Will Screen For Pollution
Researchers have developed a sensor (no batteries required) that creates a barcode indicating the amount of pollutants and their whereabouts in water
Why Charging for Plastic Bags Makes People Give Them Up
It's all about setting up psychological tripping blocks
Living in Tough Environments Makes People More Prone to Belief in God
People living in harsh natural environments are more likely to believe in a tough, moralizing god
Tracking Frackers From the Sky
Citizen scientists eyeing Pennsylvania's natural gas drillers in aerial images may help determine if there is a link between fracking and certain illnesses
A New Environmental Science Lab Now Walks the Walk, Cutting Its Overall Emissions by 37 Percent
With geothermal heating, on-site water reclamation and a host of other energy saving technologies, the Smithsonian's first LEED-Platinum building opens
The Amazon Rainforest Disappeared Way More Quickly This Year
Widespread deforestation is even worse than you think
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