Environment

Lead from mining operations in Broken Hill, Australia, reached Antarctica before humans did.

Pollution Beat People to the South Pole

Before people ever made it to the South Pole, a pollutant had beaten us there

"Watermarks" earned first place in the contest. “The way water in this picture found its way back to the ocean reminded me of a peacock's tail spreading under the sun or a woman's hair blowing in the wind,” Sadri writes.

Who Knew Fungi and Fruit Fly Ovaries Could Be So Beautiful?

Princeton University’s annual science art contest shines a light on the research world, adding a video element this year

The equivalent caloric amount of chicken, pork or eggs would represent an order of magnitude less greenhouse gas emissions than what was required to produce this beef.

Raising Beef Uses Ten Times More Resources Than Poultry, Dairy, Eggs or Pork

If you want to help the planet but can’t bring yourself to give up meat entirely, eliminating beef from your diet is the next-best thing

Suburban Skunks are on the Rise

Grand Rapids, Michigan, is basically enveloped in a cloud of stink

The Ongoing Drought Will Cost California $2.2 Billion and 17,000 Jobs

California is facing its greatest water loss on record, and it's not likely to get better any time soon

The Costa Concordia, refloated.

The Wrecked Costa Concordia Cruise Ship Is Finally Being Towed Away

The ship's remains will be broken down for scrap metal

Adult Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) with gathered insect prey. This is one of the fifteen species shown to be affected by elevated imidacloprid concentrations in surface water in the Netherlands.

Popular Pesticides Linked to Drops in Bird Populations

This is the latest in a string of studies suggesting that some pesticides impact birds as well as pollinators

Dried bushmeat is displayed near a road of the Yamoussoukro highway. Experts who have studied the Ebola virus from its discovery in 1976 in Democratic Republic of Congo, then Zaire, say its suspected origin is forest bats. Links have also been made to the carcasses of freshly slaughtered animals consumed as bushmeat.

Chopping Down African Forests Increases Human Exposure to Ebola

Habitat loss brings humans and animals into closer contact, increases the spread of disease

14 Fun Facts About Fireworks

Number three: Fireworks are just chemical reactions

Harry Rossoll, who drew a popular "Smokey Says" newspaper cartoon in the mid-1940s, modeled his sketches after the campaign hat he wore as a member of the United States Forest Service.

Before Pharrell, Smokey Bear Donned This Now-Trendy Hat As a Symbol of Fire Safety

This is the story of Smokey Bear's hat, and how it was lost—twice—before finally joining the collections at the Smithsonian

If a beach has signs that warn about contaminated water, it's probably not the best idea to swim.

America's Cleanest—And Most Polluted—Beaches

Before you plan a trip to the sand this summer, check out this list of the best and worst beaches, based on water quality

Floodwaters gushing through a dam on the Yellow River.

Humans Have Been Messing With China's Yellow River for 3,000 Years

When humans try to tame nature things rarely go according to plan

When Trees Are Cut Down, Angkor’s Temples Begin to Crumble

People usually think of trees' destructive impacts on Angkor, but they also protect those iconic temples

The tiny little parasitic wasp Tamarixia radiata.

Scientists Think These Creepy Wasps Are Going to Save Oranges

Biological control—importing predators to fight an invasive species—has a nasty track record

Just Let Detroit’s Vacant Lots Run Wild

Neglected and overgrown lots are, it turns out, a boon to Detroit's allergy sufferers

Leaves of the plant Plantago lanceolata infected with powdery mildew.

What the Spread Of A Plant Mildew Tells Us About Forests

Fragmenting habitats into smaller pieces may let diseases spread more easily, a new study finds

Yan'an, China is flattening some of the mountains surrounding the city, seen here in a photo from 2012

China Is Tearing Down Mountains to Build Cities

Land creation projects are proceeding apace without scientific research to back them up

Here's a Little Perspective On the EPA's New Carbon Rules

A planned reduction in power plant carbon emissions will help with climate change, but it's not a full fix

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Decades of Political Strife Have Left Myanmar's Jungles Unexplored and Unchartered

Now as the country opens up, what will happen to its endangered species? A new three-part series on the Smithsonian Channel explores the issue

The Honda smart home's energy efficient interior features a passive heating and cooling design and an LED lighting system that adapts to the body's natural circadian rhythm.

Checking The Claim: A House That Produces More Energy Than It Consumes

Forget carbon-neutral—Honda and the University of California have built a house that claims to give energy back

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