Environment

The changes and wonders of the natural world—and how human interaction influences animals, the ocean, and the rest of the environment.

Latest in Environment

The best air purifiers for smoke on a plain white background.

Climate Change

The best air purifiers for smoke in 2024, tested and reviewed The best air purifiers for smoke in 2024, tested and reviewed

By Terri Williams

coral polyps before spawning

Animals

Scientists are studying the mysterious sex lives of coral Scientists are studying the mysterious sex lives of coral

By Laura Baisas

Concept art of EarthCARE satellite scanning clouds above Earth

Climate Change

The ‘White Dragon’ satellite will keep watch over our clouds The ‘White Dragon’ satellite will keep watch over our clouds

This noble necklace worm, laden with eggs, will eventually release her developed larvae into the water column as plankton.

Conservation

Stunning images offer a peek into the ocean’s microscopic baby boom Stunning images offer a peek into the ocean’s microscopic baby boom

Text by Kelly Fretwell and Adrienne Mason / Hakai Magazine, Photos by Hakai Institute

a green stick insect blending into a green plant

Animals

Chance or pattern? Stick insects show repeatable evolution in action Chance or pattern? Stick insects show repeatable evolution in action

By Laura Baisas

Animals

Fit for a dog? The latest science on CBD for pets Fit for a dog? The latest science on CBD for pets

By Ula Chrobak / Knowable Magazine

Private jet on tarmac at sunset

Aviation

Tracking private jets just got much harder Tracking private jets just got much harder

Carrion crow (Corvus corone) perched on wooden fence post and calling. (Photo by: Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Animals

Crows can ‘count’ similarly to toddlers, according to new study Crows can ‘count’ similarly to toddlers, according to new study

By Lauren Leffer

Factory worker overseeing steel forge

Climate Change

Zero-emission ‘electric cement’ is an ‘absolute miracle’ Zero-emission ‘electric cement’ is an ‘absolute miracle’

A proboscis monkey in a mangrove conservation forest in Tarakan, North Borneo, Indonesia. It is light brown in color with a very large, round, droopy, and prominent nose.

Animals

These monkeys have giant noses for exactly the reason you think These monkeys have giant noses for exactly the reason you think

By Laura Baisas

An artist’s impression of ESA’s ExoMars rover, Rosalind Franklin.

Energy

Europe’s first Mars rover will use nuclear-powered heaters Europe’s first Mars rover will use nuclear-powered heaters

closeup of bumblebee

Animals

How scientists accidentally found out that some bees can hibernate underwater How scientists accidentally found out that some bees can hibernate underwater

By Popular Science Team

‘Lungless’ frog species actually had little lungs all along

Animals

‘Lungless’ frog species actually had little lungs all along ‘Lungless’ frog species actually had little lungs all along

An aerial view of the rust-colored Kutuk River in Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska. Thawing permafrost is exposing minerals to weathering, increasing the acidity of the water, which releases metals like iron, zinc, and copper.

Climate Change

Why are Alaska’s rivers turning orange? Why are Alaska’s rivers turning orange?

By Laura Baisas

Small Plastic pellets on blue cloth

Animals

Every human testicle contained microplastics in a new study Every human testicle contained microplastics in a new study

The so-called 'severe-convective storms' are large and powerful thunderstorms that form and disappear within a few hours or days, often spinning off hail storms and tornadoes as they shoot across the flat expanses of the central United States.

Environment

How ‘kitty cats’ are wrecking the home insurance industry How ‘kitty cats’ are wrecking the home insurance industry

By Jake Bittle/Grist

To find out the age of dolphins, ask their poop

Animals

To find out the age of dolphins, ask their poop To find out the age of dolphins, ask their poop

By Jason Bittel / Hakai Magazine

#NoMowMay may just be a hashtag.

Environment

There’s little science behind ‘No Mow May’ There’s little science behind ‘No Mow May’

By Peter Andrey Smith/Undark

The Red Pyramid at the Dahshur necropolis, constructed during the Fourth Dynasty.

Archaeology

Long-lost Nile branch may explain landlocked pyramids Long-lost Nile branch may explain landlocked pyramids

Animals

Making babies may take 10 times more energy than we thought Making babies may take 10 times more energy than we thought

By Lauren Leffer

Nature can’t run without parasites. What happens when they start to disappear?

Animals

Nature can’t run without parasites. What happens when they start to disappear? Nature can’t run without parasites. What happens when they start to disappear?

By Jesse Nichols / Grist

an orangutan sits in the forest with its mouth open wide, showing its teeth

Animals

Orangutans’ distinct yells decoded with help from AI Orangutans’ distinct yells decoded with help from AI

By Laura Baisas

wasp uses viruses

Animals

The wasps that turned viruses into tiny biological weapons The wasps that turned viruses into tiny biological weapons

By Nala Rogers / Knowable Magazine

toilet seat on wooden bench with bucket of saw dust, toilet brush, and toilet paper

Environment

How does a composting toilet work? Ditch the flush. How does a composting toilet work? Ditch the flush.

By

two mantis shrimp punching one another

Animals

Bullet-fast mantis shrimp punches caught by super-speed cameras Bullet-fast mantis shrimp punches caught by super-speed cameras

By Laura Baisas

Chicken looking at camera against black background

Agriculture

Chicken fat supercapacitors could store green energy of the future Chicken fat supercapacitors could store green energy of the future

How Viking-age hunters took down the biggest animal on Earth

Animals

How Viking-age hunters took down the biggest animal on Earth How Viking-age hunters took down the biggest animal on Earth

By Andrew Chapman / Hakai Magazine

amphibian parents

Animals

The tender art of tadpole parenting The tender art of tadpole parenting

By Tim Vernimmen / Knowable Magazine

A lineup of the best air purifiers on a white background

Appliances

The best air purifiers so you can breathe easy in 2024 The best air purifiers so you can breathe easy in 2024

By Stacey L. Nash, Amanda Reed, Brandt Ranj

Scotland suddenly has a lot of mosquitoes

Animals

Scotland suddenly has a lot of mosquitoes Scotland suddenly has a lot of mosquitoes

A dog dyed black and white to mimic a panda cub at Cute Pet Games cafe in Chengdu in China's southwestern Sichuan province on October 23, 2019.

Animals

Chinese zoo dyes chow chows to look like ‘panda dogs’ Chinese zoo dyes chow chows to look like ‘panda dogs’

By Laura Baisas

a small, blue fish called the Devils Hole pupfish swims in a hole

Animals

Devils Hole pupfish are clawing their way back from the brink of extinction Devils Hole pupfish are clawing their way back from the brink of extinction

By Laura Baisas

A male African elephant named Doma and a female named Kariba greet one another. Doma touches Kariba´s temporal gland while flapping his ears and Kariba holds her ears spread.

Animals

Expressive elephants use gestures and vocal cues to communicate Expressive elephants use gestures and vocal cues to communicate

By Laura Baisas

These snakes play dead, bleed, and poop to avoid being eaten

Animals

These snakes play dead, bleed, and poop to avoid being eaten These snakes play dead, bleed, and poop to avoid being eaten

two adult green-rumped parrots with three nestlings behind them with their mouths open waiting for food

Animals

Why these parrots sometimes kill each other’s chicks Why these parrots sometimes kill each other’s chicks

By Laura Baisas

Snail robots forming a staircase to reach rock ledge

Animals

Swarm of tiny snail robots stick together to form new structures Swarm of tiny snail robots stick together to form new structures

wild green honeykeeper bilateral gynandromorphism

Animals

These birds break the sex binary like it’s nothing These birds break the sex binary like it’s nothing

By Popular Science Team

Control your hungry kitty’s portions with up to 40% off PETLIBRO automatic cat feeders at Amazon

Animals

Control your hungry kitty’s portions with up to 40% off PETLIBRO automatic cat feeders at Amazon Control your hungry kitty’s portions with up to 40% off PETLIBRO automatic cat feeders at Amazon

Project 821 hydrogen fuel superyacht in port

Climate Change

Welcome aboard the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell superyacht Welcome aboard the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell superyacht

three sperm whales swimming near the surface of the ocean

Animals

Sperm whales may have their own ‘alphabet’ Sperm whales may have their own ‘alphabet’

By Laura Baisas

an adult peregrine falcon feeds four chicks

Animals

Watch four Peregrine falcon chicks in a nest on Alcatraz Island Watch four Peregrine falcon chicks in a nest on Alcatraz Island

By Laura Baisas

a sea lion on its front legs on a pier

Animals

Gaze at the gregarious sea lions setting records in San Francisco Gaze at the gregarious sea lions setting records in San Francisco

By Popular Science Team

A tidal stream energy generator called the O2, made by Orbital Marine Power Ltd, extracts energy from the tides off the coast of Scotland and feeds it into the electric grid.

Energy

Testing the waters: Scotland surges ahead on ocean Power Testing the waters: Scotland surges ahead on ocean Power

By Dan Falk / Undark

a seagull stands on a post by a large and sparkling body of blue water

Animals

Bigger-brained gull species thrive in urban spaces Bigger-brained gull species thrive in urban spaces

By Laura Baisas

What happened when scientists taught parrots to video chat?

Animals

What happened when scientists taught parrots to video chat? What happened when scientists taught parrots to video chat?

By Mack DeGeurin

Belugas may be jiggling their melons to communicate

Animals

Belugas may be jiggling their melons to communicate Belugas may be jiggling their melons to communicate

Close up of orangutan

Animals

Orangutan observed using a plant to treat an open wound Orangutan observed using a plant to treat an open wound

They swim and they spin: Meet the aquatic spiders

Animals

They swim and they spin: Meet the aquatic spiders They swim and they spin: Meet the aquatic spiders

By Amber Dance/Knowable Magazine

Intercropped tomato (left) compared to monocropped tomatoes (right). Both were planted on the same day, but here we can see that the intercropped tomato plant is larger, bears more fruit, and the tomatoes ripened earlier than its monocropped counterpart.

Agriculture

Ancient farm practice could help sustain future humans on Mars Ancient farm practice could help sustain future humans on Mars

By Laura Baisas

Energy

Battery prices are plummeting. That’s good news for the planet. Battery prices are plummeting. That’s good news for the planet.

By Mack DeGeurin

seaweed underwater

Conservation

What the heck is seaweed mining? What the heck is seaweed mining?

By Moira Donovan / Hakai Magazine

Boston Dynamics Spot robot in puppet dog costume sitting next to regular Spot robot.

AI

Boston Dynamics gives Spot bot a furry makeover Boston Dynamics gives Spot bot a furry makeover

A mechanical analysis of the distinctive canines of California's saber-toothed cat (Smilodon fatalis) suggests that the baby tooth that preceded each saber stayed in place for years to stabilize the growing permanent saber tooth, perhaps allowing adolescents to learn how to hunt without breaking them.

Animals

How saber-toothed cats’ baby teeth kept their adult fangs from breaking How saber-toothed cats’ baby teeth kept their adult fangs from breaking

By Laura Baisas

An October 1919 Popular Science story described hail cannons and similar technological efforts to alter weather patterns.

Climate Change

Cloud control: Humanity’s never-ending quest to control the weather Cloud control: Humanity’s never-ending quest to control the weather

By Bill Gourgey

close up of tire

Animals

Tire toxicity faces fresh scrutiny after salmon die-offs Tire toxicity faces fresh scrutiny after salmon die-offs

By Jim Robbins / KFF Health News

Used coffee grounds on the paper filter

DIY

10 clever ways to reuse coffee grounds 10 clever ways to reuse coffee grounds

By Debbie Wolfe

Energy

In the rush to decarbonize, the shipping industry is exploring alternative fuels In the rush to decarbonize, the shipping industry is exploring alternative fuels

By Chris Baraniuk / Hakai Magazine

Factory of the Future 1.0 3D printer with man standing in front of it

Engineering

Makers of the world’s largest 3D printer just beat their own record Makers of the world’s largest 3D printer just beat their own record

Animals

Lab mice might be doing their own experiments Lab mice might be doing their own experiments

By Lauren Leffer

a small red squirrel with perked up ears sits on a tree branch

Animals

Early trauma can shorten a red squirrel’s lifespan Early trauma can shorten a red squirrel’s lifespan

By Laura Baisas

Can AI help tell the difference between a good and bad sweet potato?

Agriculture

Can AI help tell the difference between a good and bad sweet potato? Can AI help tell the difference between a good and bad sweet potato?

By Mack DeGeurin

Conservation

How deep does life go? How deep does life go?

By James Lawrence Powell / MIT Press Reader

Animals

Why animals run faster than their robot doppelgängers… for now Why animals run faster than their robot doppelgängers… for now

By Mack DeGeurin

a spike-toothed salmon fossil with its mouth open

Animals

This 400-pound prehistoric salmon had tusks like a warthog This 400-pound prehistoric salmon had tusks like a warthog

By Laura Baisas