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Science / Our Planet

Age of Humans

The Rise of Ocean Optimism

Sharing news of little wins for the environment fuels hope.

Age of Humans

Taking a Closer Look at Global Water Shortages

Researchers aim to identify truly “water stressed” areas and help policy-makers better plan for the future

Some of the worst air pollution in the world--caused by many sources, including automobile exhaust--is found in New Delhi, India, according to the World Health Organization.

Age of Humans

Even in the Most Polluted Cities, You Can Exercise Outdoors (A Little)

A new model finds that the health benefits of outdoor exercise can outweigh the hazards of air pollution.

Pozzi and her team at the Washed Ashore project, achieve a remarkable and convincing array of textures.

Age of Humans

There’s a Bunch of Animals at the Zoo this Summer Made Out of Ocean Garbage

Delightfully whimsical, the sculptures drive home the message that there’s a whole lot of trash washing ashore

These comical looking mollusks are common to the Caribbean. Their eyes poke out on stalks from inside large, pink, beautiful shells, and they move along one “step” at a time, with a lift and a flop, leaving tracks behind in the sand.

An Elegant Tool Called Squidpop That Scientists Want to Crowdsource

The device is so easy to use, researchers are asking for a “squidpop blitz” for World Oceans Day

The scalding solution that pipes from the vents does not boil because of the mass of water pushing down from above.

Journey to the Center of Earth

Scientists Explore Breathtaking Hydrothermal Vents in Virtual Reality

With a high-tech remotely operated vehicle, a team is able to map a dark, hot and toxic vent field on the ocean floor

Under the waters in Pemuteran, in Bali, this structure might be helping restore a coral reef.

Age of Humans

This Coral Restoration Technique Is ‘Electrifying’ a Balinese Village

The technique is also changing attitudes and inspiring locals to preserve their natural treasures

A trowel placed in a Native American oyster midden that dates to about 1,000 years ago shows the relative size of the shells. The average size of modern oysters is significantly smaller.

How Big Were Oysters in the Chesapeake Before Colonization?

A new multidisciplinary study reveals that yes, oysters were larger and more plentiful before European contact

Not only does it cost the Mint more to make a penny than it's worth, but making the penny has an environmental cost, too.

Age of Humans

How Much Does it Really Cost (the Planet) to Make a Penny?

All that copper and zinc for a coin most people throw away—what’s the sustainable solution?

Why Do Humans Have Canine Teeth and More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, trainer Franck Canniet, far right, trains rangers for a confrontation with poachers.

The Fight Against Elephant Poachers Is Going Commando

In central Africa, a former Israeli military trainer and his team are deploying battle-tested tactics to stop the runaway slaughter of elephants

Paradoxically, food aid can cause game like the black curassow to be overhunted.

What’s the Best Way to Help the Amazon’s Indigenous People?

Can a pioneering computer model save the rainforest’s residents from our best intentions?

Yellowstone's Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the park. But what gives it its vivid rainbow colors?

The Science Behind Yellowstone’s Rainbow Hot Spring

The Grand Prismatic Spring might seem photoshopped, but there’s very real science beneath its vibrant colors

Foraging red knots in Mauritania

When the Arctic Gets Warmer, It Also Affects a Tropical Ecosystem Thousands of Miles Away

As spring arrives earlier in far northern Russia, red knots get smaller—and have trouble in their African winter homes

A 2.7-billion-year-old micrometeorite extracted from limestone found in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Journey to the Center of Earth

Ancient Spacedust Reveals Surprising Twist in Evolution of Earth’s Early Atmosphere

Mini fossil meteorites are providing new insights about how our ancient atmosphere evolved into its current state

The Black Sea's fish stocks have been plummeting as of late and may be beyond repair.

The Black Sea Is Dying, and War Might Push it Over the Edge

Surrounded by six countries, all with their own agendas, the massive body of water is at risk of becoming another casualty of regional strife

Diamonds squeeze the truth about Earth's core out of experimental samples of iron and lighter elements like oxygen and carbon.

Journey to the Center of Earth

Crushing Pressures Start to Reveal the Truth About Earth’s Core

Iron makes up the bulk of our planet’s core. But now, researchers are getting closer to figuring out what else swirls at the center of the Earth

Modern microscopes can image red blood cells in stunning detail.

Early Microscopes Revealed a New World of Tiny Living Things

A cloth merchant turned a device for checking his wares into an instrument fit for science

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