Environment Archives

Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross on Gough Island.

Environment

To Stop Extinction, Start With These 169 Islands

New research shows that culling invasive, non-native animals on just 169 islands around the world over roughly the next decade could help save almost 10 percent of island-dwelling animals at risk of extinction.

John C. Cannon

A mosquito sits on a stick April 9th, 2009, in Martinez, California.

Environment

Could a Warming Planet Increase the Spread of the Zika and West Nile Viruses?

Climate change may be supercharging mosquito evolution and making more of the world hospitable to the insects that can carry dangerous diseases.

Max Levy

A dead Bd-infected limosa harlequin frog.

Environment

A Deadly Fungal Disease Is Devastating Amphibian Populations

Researchers have found that, in all, chytrid fungus-linked deaths have contributed to the decline of at least 501 amphibian species.

Shreya Dasgupta

Only nine percent of all plastic discarded since 1950 has been recycled. The other 91 percent has been taken to landfills, turned into incinerator emissions, or ended up in the oceans.

Environment

The Earth’s Oceans Are Drowning in Plastic

A new book documents the plastic pollution crisis, the affect of that pollution on wildlife and people, and initiatives that have been created to tackle the problem.

Mike Gaworecki

Electric energy generating wind turbines are seen on a wind farm in the San Gorgonio Pass area on Earth Day, April 22nd, 2016, near Palm Springs, California. San Gorgonio Pass is one of the largest wind farm areas in the United States.

Environment

Wind Turbines Do Not Cause Cancer

But pollution from the fossil fuel industry does.

Kate Wheeling

Environment

New Research Links Green Spaces to Lower Medicare Spending

A new study finds that counties with more forest and shrub land spend less per person on Medicare than those dominated by agriculture or urban vegetation.

Tom Jacobs

Aerial view of Manhattan looking south over Central Park.

Environment

Urban Forests Are More Vital Than Ever. Why Aren’t We Managing Them Better?

Forest managers in cities need more data on climate change, pests, and other factors, and they spend much of their time and funding on invasive species.

Amanda Kolson Hurley