Earth Science
The (Natural) World, According to Our Photo Contest Finalists
From a caterpillar to the Milky Way, the ten finalists in the contest's Natural World category capture the peculiar, the remarkable and the sublime
March 07, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
2012 Saw the Second Highest Carbon Emissions in Half a Century
For more than 50 years observations from Hawaii have tracked rising carbon dioxide. We're still ignoring those warnings
March 07, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Behold, The First Full Map of Mercury
"Every square meter of Mercury's surface" in one gorgeous map
March 06, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Fake Bishop Tries to Crash Pope-Choosing Party
An impostor bishop crashes important papacy-related meeting
March 06, 2013 |
By Angela Serratore
Buy a Handbag, Burn a Forest
Brazilian deforestation is tied to producers of luxury Italian leather goods
March 05, 2013 |
By Angela Serratore
From Wyoming to Mexico, A Beautiful Time-Lapse Trip Down the Colorado River
A time lapsed kayak trip down the Colorado River
March 05, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Climate Change Could Allow Ships to Cross the North Pole by 2040
Melting sea ice will open up shipping lanes across the Arctic, potentially making the Northwest Passage and North Pole navigable during summer
March 04, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
This Might Be Why People Don’t Move Away From Tornado Zones
Living through a tornado doesn't change our optimism about our chances of injury compared to other people
March 04, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Trapped as Climate Changes, Giant Gusts of Hot Air Trigger Weather Extremes
Thanks to global warming, hot air piles up at mid-latitudes and causes storms and heat waves to linger for long stretches of time, new research shows.
March 02, 2013 |
By Claire Martin
Transforming Raw Scientific Data Into Sculpture and Song
Artist Nathalie Miebach uses meteorological data to create 3D woven works of art and playable musical scores
March 01, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
What Does the Unbelievably Bad Air Quality in Beijing Do to the Human Body?
The level of soot in Beijing's air is off the charts, leading to higher risks of lung cancer, heart attacks and other health problems
March 01, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Dust from the Sahara Can Seed Rain and Snow Clouds Over the Western U.S.
Clouds above California contain dust and bacteria from China, the Middle East and even Africa, new research shows
February 28, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Canadian Government Winds Down Research That Could Help Stop Climate Change
If carbon dioxide emissions don't start dropping in the next few decades, we're looking at hundreds of years of high temperatures
February 27, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Lighting Up the Arctic Sky With Artificial Aurorae
The U.S. military's Naval Research Lab teamed up with university researchers and defense contractors to set the atmosphere aglow
February 27, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
How to Survive China’s Pollution Problem: Masks and Bubbles
The air quality in China's biggest cities is famously atrocious, but designers think they may have found a way to combat the issue
February 26, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
The Red Planet Is Only Red on the Outside
A rusty sheen turns Mars red, but beneath the rock is a plain gray
February 26, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Climate Change is Reducing Our Ability to Get Work Done
Increased temperature and humidity have already limited humankind's overall capacity for physical work—and it will only get worse in the future
February 25, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Brace Yourselves, the Drought’s Not Close to Over Yet
Unless we get a lot of rain, soon, the U.S. is heading for another summer of drought
February 22, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Natural Gas Fracking May Be the Only Industry in China That’s Developing Slowly
It has the largest shale gas reserves in the world, but China is slow to push for fracking
February 22, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Melting Polar Ice Will Spike Sea Levels at the Equator
Expect higher sea levels in the equatorial Pacific and lower ones near the poles by 2100, according to new research
February 21, 2013 |
By Claire Martin
