More Evidence That Green Space Helps Develop Young Brains
Access to nature appears to provide kids with a specific cognitive advantage.
Nature
The Tropics Are in Trouble
Plants and animals in the tropics are threatened by a range of issues, warn researchers writing in the journal Nature.
The Planet Now Has More Trees Than It Did 35 Years Ago
Tree cover loss in the tropics was outweighed by tree cover gain in subtropical, temperate, boreal, and polar regions.
PS Picks: Echoes of History in 'Heart Mountain'
PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine's staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.
Daegan Miller's Debut Is One Radical Breath of Fresh Air
Through a series of essays, Miller reminds us what it's like to feel a sense of awe when confronted with nature's beauty.
What's the Best Way to Inspire Positive Environmental Behavior?
While imagery of natural objects is often used to inspire climate action, appeals to ego and altruism prove more effective for some.
Exposure to Nature Promotes a More Positive Body Image
New research explains why you look so good in that selfie you took at Yellowstone National Park.
Spending Time in Nature Produces Better Behaved Students
New research finds third-graders are more attentive after experiencing a class taught on the lawn.
Public Lands in Populist Times: An Interview With Raúl Grijalva
Representative Raúl Grijalva of Arizona is staunchly progressive and deeply committed to protecting public lands.
To Make This Land Home Again
After a catastrophic wildfire, what happens to seven million burned trees? And what happens to the people who lived on that land?
The Causes of Violent Crime Are Blowing in the Wind
Serious crimes are more likely to occur in neighborhoods downwind of air pollution, according to a new study.
The Nature of Crime and Community
New research links contact with nature to community cohesion and a reduced crime rate.
Exposure to Nature Promotes Cooperation
The power of Mother Earth is so strong that even distressing nature scenes can have a positive effect.
A Short History of Trophy Hunting in America
Since the mid-1800s, hunting trophies—taxidermied remains of wild animals—have served as symbolic proof of one’s "manliness."
Feeling Down? Take a Walk in the Woods
Researchers suggest walks in nature—but not in urban areas—may help ease a key component of depression.
Even Atheists Intuitively Believe in a Creator
New research suggests seeing the natural world as purposefully created is our default setting.
Stop and Smell the Weeds
Even if you live in an urban environment, taking some time to correct for plant blindness can provide many benefits, both physical and psychological.
The Ecological Wisdom of Leaving Nature Alone
The best kind of ranching is likely no ranching at all.
Noise in the National Parks
Researchers discuss how human-generated noise affects the natural world—and us.
Be a Better Person. Take a Walk in the Park
New research from France finds strangers are more helpful if they’ve just strolled through a natural environment.
Feeling Impulsive? Head for the Forest
New research finds yet another benefit of viewing images of the natural world.
A Shakespeare Fan Who Loosed the Bard's Birds on America
Over 100 years ago, Eugene Schieffelin set out to introduce every bird mentioned in Shakespeare's plays to America. Today, one of those birds is causing irreparable crop damage.
How Bee Waggle Dances Could Inform Environmental Policy
To survey for pollinator foraging areas, researchers could tramp around and record what they find. Or a hive of bees could do the legwork for them.
A Conversation With Jane Goodall
As Jane Goodall turns 80, Henry Nicholls talks to her about her remarkable career studying chimpanzee behavior, her animal welfare activism, and accusations of plagiarism in her latest book.