Topic

Environment

The pink feathers of a flamingo stand out against a natural background.

Do state birds have a leg up in conservation?

 Environment
• April 8, 2026

Public attention and pride could help support state mascots and the habitats they rely on

A white stoat stands upright among patches of green grass.

The Olympics are over. But the mascot stoats still face climate change

 Environment
• March 31, 2026

The two stoat mascots of Milano Cortina have a tough journey ahead of them as snow melts and their ability to camouflage worsens

This Earth Day, Lithuania looks to its environment for defense solutions

 Environment
• March 23, 2026

The country celebrates World Earth Day while preparing for what lies beyond its borders, the minister said.

A shoreline with the NYC skyline in the distance.

Digging up the past at Dead Horse Bay

 Environment
• March 12, 2026

The Brooklyn beach was closed in 2020 after radiological contamination was found. What's happened since?

A close up image of the pollen in the center of a yellow flower.

Researchers create reef-safe sunscreen prototype from pollen

 Environment
• January 20, 2026

How the “diamond of the organic world” could help protect skin from damaging UV rays

A large black vulture flies above trees across a blue sky.

These scientists used scavenger spies to uncover wildlife crime

 Environment
• January 16, 2026

Tracking wolves and vultures could point law enforcement towards illegal poaching activity

The remnant skeletons of a Caribbean reef in Bonaire where almost all the coral has died due to a combination of heat stress, disease and declining water quality. This structure will slowly erode and flatten over time.

Coral reefs may succumb to erosion on a warmer planet

 Environment
• December 1, 2025

Researchers project that coral reefs will not keep up with rising sea levels, reducing their ability to protect coast lines

A bird, like those threatened by selenium in Montana, perches on a small wooden bird house in a grassy field.

Selenium contamination from Canadian coal mines may threaten Montana birds

 Environment
• November 18, 2025

Researchers warn that selenium pollution from Elk River Valley coal mines is seeping into Montana waterways

Nuclear waste plan turns neighbor against neighbor in a struggling Japanese fishing village

 Environment
• October 25, 2025

A huge underground vault could hold highly radioactive waste for thousands of years — but only if the government can overcome local opposition

Headshot of Derek Brockbank, the climate scientist featured in this Q&A. He is a brunette man wearing a blue puffer coat and standing in front of a blue sky.

Q&A: What will a cash-strapped NOAA mean for coastal America?

 Environment
• September 17, 2025

An interview with a conservation expert paints a grim picture for the policy and science governing the coastal USA

A sunlit cliff in one of America's national parks

Trump’s budget cuts threaten national parks, wildlife refuges and the science behind them

 Environment
• September 17, 2025

The loss of senior officials, scientists and other specialists might lead to the loss of institutional knowledge that’s been built up and maintained for years

A NOAA research vessel docked in Norfolk, Virginia. The sky behind it is dark and stormy.

Can NOAA weather the storm of budget cuts? Some meteorologists are concerned

 Environment
• September 17, 2025

Slashed budgets and diminished staffing at key NOAA offices could have devastating impacts on U.S. disaster preparedness and day-to-day forecasts

New York’s maple specialist has a sweet gig

 Environment
• August 3, 2025

Aaron Wightman spends early spring days tap troubleshooting and syrup processing, but he thinks about climate change, too.

The bright New York City skyline reflects off of water.

Dimming the lights in the city that never sleeps

 Environment
• July 30, 2025

Nighttime light pollution has severe impacts on birds and humans alike. What solutions are out there for New York?

An array of solar panels sits on a small body of water.

Floating solar arrays are getting a lot of attention lately, and it’s not all positive

 Environment
• July 19, 2025

Researchers suggest putting solar panels on water increases greenhouse emissions and may affect aquatic life, but experts think the idea is still worth pursuing

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