Leading science journalists provide a weekly one-minute report on the science of the environment and the future of energy. Scientific American offers three other podcasts: the daily "60-Second Science" and the weekly "60-Second Psych" as well as "Science Talk." To view all our archived podcasts please visit: www.scientificamerican.com/podcast
Emulsifiers in Food Linked to Obesity in Mice
The common food additives altered mice microbiomes to encourage gut inflammation and overeating. Dina Fine Maron reports
2/25/2015 • 2 minutes, 41 seconds
New Map Knows Noise
National Park Service researchers recorded ambient sound from all over the country to find out where there’s still stillness. David Biello reports
2/23/2015 • 2 minutes, 11 seconds
Menopause Symptoms Have Unappreciated Staying Power
Although clinical guidelines assume just two years for hot flashes and night sweats, a large study finds a median symptom duration of more than three times that length. Dina Fine Maron reports
2/17/2015 • 2 minutes, 25 seconds
Oil-Eating Microbes Have Worldwide Underground Connections
Life thrives even deep inside Earth and scientists are beginning to suspect extensive connections among those underground environments. David Biello reports
2/15/2015 • 1 minute, 50 seconds
Wearable Step Counters Offer Exercise Leg Up
High-tech pedometers do a decent job of counting steps accurately. Dina Fine Maron reports.
2/11/2015 • 2 minutes, 24 seconds
Siberian Winters See Temp Uptick
The long-term winter warming of Russia’s far north has gotten a boost from industrialization. David Biello reports
2/8/2015 • 1 minute, 41 seconds
Dig This: China Cuts Coal Production
The biggest single source of global warming pollution actually started to shrink in 2014. David Biello reports
2/1/2015 • 1 minute, 34 seconds
Millions Risk Alcohol–Medication Interactions
Some 42 percent of U.S. adults who drink have been prescribed a drug that may interact negatively with alcohol. Dina Fine Maron reports
1/29/2015 • 2 minutes, 27 seconds
Is Recycling Worth the Effort?
The value of recycling depends on the material in question and whether all hidden costs and benefits go into the analysis. David Biello reports
1/28/2015 • 1 minute, 40 seconds
Tropical Forests Pay Price for Gold Rush
Desire for gold has made mining in tropical forests financially worthwhile, leading to ecosystem destruction. Cynthia Graber reports
1/21/2015 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Life Extension May Add Just Bad Time
Strains of the lab workhorse roundworm C. elegans that lived longer added more time being frail and had the same portion of their lives being healthy as normal worms. The work has implications for life-extension ideas such as caloric restriction. Dina Fine Maron reports
1/20/2015 • 2 minutes, 22 seconds
6 Steps to Women’s Heart Health
Researchers tracked 70,000 for decades to find lifestyle clues for better cardiovascular condition. Dina Fine Maron reports
1/13/2015 • 2 minutes, 26 seconds
Cheap Oil Means Raise the Gas T-Word
Low oil prices present an opportunity to come to grips with our crumbling infrastructure and the cost of climate change. David Biello reports
1/12/2015 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Meet the (Newest Known) Beetles!
Researchers announced the discovery of 98 beetle species previously unknown to science. David Biello reports
12/30/2014 • 1 minute, 41 seconds
Avoid Back-Lit Reading before Bed
Volunteers who read from an iPad before bed took longer to fall asleep and had less restful nights than when they read from a printed book. Dina Fine Maron reports.
12/23/2014 • 2 minutes, 18 seconds
Oil Spill Sullies World Heritage Site
The Sundarbans, part of the world's largest mangrove forest and stretching across India and Bangladesh, have been tarnished by a 350,000-liter oil spill. David Biello reports
12/22/2014 • 1 minute, 36 seconds
Raw Milk Sicknesses Rise
Nonpasteurized milk is fueling more outbreaks and hospitalizations. Dina Fine Maron reports
12/16/2014 • 2 minutes, 28 seconds
Plummeting Petroleum Price Gases Up Global Warming
Good news for gas and oil consumers can be bad news for the environment. David Biello reports
12/15/2014 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Abortions in Medical Settings Rarely Have Major Complications
Careful tracking of more than 50,000 women during the six weeks after the procedure finds that serious adverse effects are rare. Dina Fine Maron reports
12/9/2014 • 2 minutes, 17 seconds
Diabetes Prevention in Midlife Helps Protect Aging Brain
People with type 2 diabetes in middle age had greater cognitive impairment in the following decades than did their nondiabetic counterparts. Dina Fine Maron reports
12/3/2014 • 2 minutes, 19 seconds
Movies Can Boost Solar Power
The pattern that stores a film on a Blu-ray disc also can help improve photovoltaics. David Biello reports
11/28/2014 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Drownings Kill 140,000 Kids Annually
The World Health Organization issues a new report on the neglected public health issue of drowning
11/25/2014 • 2 minutes, 21 seconds
Sun's Magnetic Field Boosts Earth Lightning
When the Sun's magnetic field is pointed away from Earth, lightning strikes in the U.K. go up 50 percent. Christopher Intagliata reports
11/24/2014 • 1 minute, 57 seconds
Steamy Smooches Share Batches of Bacteria
A 10-second makeout session can also transfer some 80 million oral bacteria. Dina Fine Maron reports
11/20/2014 • 2 minutes, 18 seconds
Wildlife Crime? There's an App for That
A new tool may help officials crack down on the illegal wildlife trade. David Biello reports
11/18/2014 • 1 minute, 40 seconds
Snake DNA Left in Bite ID's Serpent Assailant
A first-of-its-kind study finds it’s possible to analyze snake DNA left in a bite victim’s wound to identify the species—and thus the correct antivenom. Dina Fine Maron reports
11/12/2014 • 2 minutes, 19 seconds
Protected Areas Get Short Shrift
Protected land and sea areas serve the wildlife within them as well as the humans who live near them. But countries are backtracking on their financial commitments to these vital regions. Steve Mirsky reports
11/11/2014 • 4 minutes, 16 seconds
Clock Ticking on Climate Change Prevention
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 's new synthesis report adds urgency to the need to cut additional greenhouse gas pollution
11/2/2014 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Plan Now for Future Ebola Outbreaks
Diagnostics, vaccines and new drugs could vastly improve the way future Ebola outbreaks manifest in Africa, according to emerging infectious disease expert Jeremy Farrar. Steve Mirsky reports
10/31/2014 • 2 minutes, 53 seconds
Better E-Waste Handling Helps Environment and Health
Plastic-removal machines will enable Ghana's e-waste recoverers to get at valuable metal guts without burning off the exteriors. David Biello reports
10/28/2014 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Ebola Efforts Helped by Flu Shots
Should Ebola continue to crop up in the U.S., having fewer people coming to emergency rooms with the similar symptoms of flu will help the public health system respond. Steve Mirsky reports
10/24/2014 • 1 minute, 54 seconds
Bottling the Sun's Power on Earth
A breakthrough in fusion could solve the world's energy problems, but remains improbable. David Biello reports
10/19/2014 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Ebola Gorilla Vaccine Could Prevent Human Outbreaks
Infected gorillas and chimps butchered for meat may be behind Ebola outbreaks. David Biello reports
10/13/2014 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Kids Who Exercise Don’t Sweat Tests
Physically active children are healthier and score better on intellectual tests than their sedentary peers. Dina Fine Maron reports
10/9/2014 • 2 minutes, 12 seconds
Wildlife Population Plummeted Since 1970
A World Wildlife Fund report estimates losses of 40 percent of all individual land and sea animals, and a 70 percent population crash of all river animals, since 1970. David Biello reports
10/5/2014 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Smart Park Benches Weigh Sitters
In a bid to boost fitness, new park benches in Moscow will let sitters see their weight and receive health tips. Dina Fine Maron reports
9/30/2014 • 2 minutes, 10 seconds
Dry Roasting May Up Peanut Allergic Potential
A study in mice suggests that chemical changes that occur during dry roasting may increase the odds of an allergic reaction. Dina Fine Maron reports
9/24/2014 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
People Power Takes Aim at Climate Change
Participlants in the People's Climate March in New York City September 21st hope to persuade world leaders at the U.N. Climate Summit that follows. David Biello reports
9/20/2014 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Drug-Resistant Bacteria Hang Out in Hog Workers
A new study reveals that bacteria associated with staph infections can hitch a ride in workers’ noses. Dina Fine Maron reports
9/16/2014 • 2 minutes, 16 seconds
Ozone Hole Closing Up, Thanks to Global Action
The world united to combat the ozone hole, can we do the same for climate change? David Biello reports
9/16/2014 • 1 minute, 26 seconds
Historic Abundance of Blue Whales Returns in California
The mighty blue whale is back after being nearly hunted to extinction. David Biello reports
9/7/2014 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Graying Parent Care Falls to Daughters, Not Sons
Sisters spend double the time caring for parents as their brothers. Dina Fine Maron reports
8/26/2014 • 2 minutes, 16 seconds
How to Save the Woods
The first step in solving the world's forest problem is recognizing the world's forest problem. David Biello reports
8/24/2014 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Tweets Identify Food Poisoning Outbreaks
In Chicago monitoring Twitter for reports of food poisoning led to 133 restaurant inspections for health violations, with 21 establishments shut down. Dina Fine Maron reports
8/20/2014 • 2 minutes, 13 seconds
Spill Some Oil? Magnetize It for Cleanup
A physicist may have dreamed up a new way to clean up oil spills. David Biello reports
8/17/2014 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Poor Diabetics Suffer More Amputations
Patients in low-income zip codes were up to 10 times more likely to lose a leg or foot than diabetic patients in more affluent zip codes. Dina Fine Maron reports
8/12/2014 • 2 minutes, 25 seconds
Antique Markets Used to Launder Poached Ivory
Legal ivory markets that are supposed to only deal in stockpiles and antiques inevitably launder poached ivory. Close them all, says WCS vice president for species conservation. David Biello reports
8/11/2014 • 1 minute, 38 seconds
Bahamas Creation Linked to African Dust
Cyanobacteria fed by nutrients carried over the Atlantic in African dust may have initiated the process by which, over millions of years, calcium carbonate collected to build the Bahamas. David Biello reports
8/3/2014 • 1 minute, 41 seconds
Heat Fells More Distance Runners Than Do Hearts
An analysis of 130,000 runners in events during a seven-year span revealed that competitors were 10 times more likely to experience heat stroke than serious cardiac problems. Dina Fine Maron reports
7/31/2014 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
Some Coral Should Produce Shells in Acidifying Ocean
Of four common corals and algae tested, three still produced shells in conditions that mimic oceans if atmospheric CO2 concentrations reached 1,000 ppm. David Biello reports
7/27/2014 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Prescription Refill Appearance Change Puts Patients off Meds
When refilled prescriptions for post–heart attack care resulted in the same medication looking different in shape or color, patients were significantly more likely to stop taking their meds. Dina Fine Maron reports
7/24/2014 • 2 minutes, 1 second
Ants Could Help Warming Cry Uncle
At test sites, the exposure of rock by ants accelerated the absorption of atmospheric CO 2 by the rock by as much as 335 times compared with ant-free areas. David Biello reports
7/21/2014 • 1 minute, 33 seconds
Urban Growth Defines This Century
How existing cities expand and new cities emerge will determine how humanity fares in the 21st century. David Biello reports
7/14/2014 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Heavy Metal Headbanging Rare Risk Revealed
Headbanging can cause pain or even whiplash. But a 50-year-old Motörhead fan developed a more serious condition, bleeding in the brain that required surgical repair, after headbanging at a concert. Dina Fine Maron reports
7/14/2014 • 2 minutes, 20 seconds
Robotic Exoskeleton Gets First-Ever FDA Approval
The ReWalk exoskeleton allows some people paralyzed from the waist down to walk again, with the aid of crutches. Dina Fine Maron reports
7/1/2014 • 2 minutes, 13 seconds
Environmental Crime Funds Terrorism
Environmental destruction—from smuggling elephant tusks to illegal dumping of toxic waste—generates as much as $213 billion annually for criminals and terrorists. David Biello reports
6/29/2014 • 1 minute, 37 seconds
Tanning Mice Get Physically Addicted
Mice regularly exposed to UV light produced feel-good endorphins and behaved like addicts. If humans do, too, it could explain why we seek sun, despite damage. Dina Fine Maron reports
6/24/2014 • 2 minutes, 2 seconds
Future Smog Looks More Persistent
Computer models show that increased levels of greenhouse gases, along with their trapped heat, will make the atmosphere more stagnant, leading to many more days of unhealthy air. David Biello reports.
6/23/2014 • 1 minute, 19 seconds
Hi-Tech Helmet Heads Off Stroke Damage
A helmet placed on the head of a stroke victim sends low-intensity microwaves through the brain to quickly determine whether a blockage or hemorrhage is taking place, making faster treatment possible. Wayt Gibbs reports
6/17/2014 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Poisoned Poor Killed in Millions by Pollution
The Global Alliance on Health and Pollution calls for a war against pollution to save the lives of more than eight million people annually. David Biello reports
6/15/2014 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Wikipedia Dicey as Medical Info Source
Researchers who compared peer-reviewed articles to the Wikipedia pages for the 10 most costly medical conditions in the U.S. discovered incorrect information on nine out of 10 pages. Dina Fine Maron reports
6/10/2014 • 2 minutes, 12 seconds
I Just Want to Say One Word to You: Plastiglomerate
Thanks to us humans, there's a new type of rock in the geologic record. And it's part plastic. David Biello reports
6/8/2014 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Heroin Has Expanded Its User Base
Compared with 50 years ago, today's heroin user is whiter, more suburban and had prescription opioids for a gateway. Dina Fine Maron reports
6/4/2014 • 2 minutes, 19 seconds
Better Car Labeling Could Pump Up Fuel Efficiency
When gas mileage cost was explicitly revealed on new car window stickers, potential consumers were more likely to choose the most efficient vehicle. David Biello reports.
6/1/2014 • 1 minute, 34 seconds
Laser Light Coaxes Damaged Rodent Tooth Repair
Low-power laser light shined on damaged rat teeth activates growth factors that cue stem cells to generate the tooth constituent dentin, leading to regeneration. Dina Fine Maron reports
5/28/2014 • 2 minutes, 8 seconds
Pope Francis Pleas for the Environment
In a May 21 speech Pope Francis warned that despoiling the environment would come back to haunt humanity. David Biello reports
5/25/2014 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Vitamin C Helps Pregnant Smokers Have Healthier Babies
Children of smokers who popped vitamin C during pregnancy had better lung function than kids of other women who also smoked during pregnancy. Dina Fine Maron reports
5/20/2014 • 2 minutes, 6 seconds
Poetry Poster Sucks Up Smog
A building-sized poem shows how billboards could help cut pollution from cars. David Biello reports
5/19/2014 • 1 minute, 35 seconds
Hurricanes Move Away from Equator with Expanding Tropics
Since the 1970s the locations where tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons) reach their maximum intensities have shifted toward both poles at a rate of about 35 miles per decade. David Biello reports
5/15/2014 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Some Nail Salon Dryers Bombard Skin with UV
Just a few nail drying sessions under the highest output UV bulbs used in some salons could age the skin and bump up the risk of skin cancer. Dina Fine Maron reports
5/6/2014 • 2 minutes, 11 seconds
Bumper Corn Looks Dicey in Drought
Corn plants bred to be planted very close together thrive in good weather but appear to be particularly vulnerable to the droughts predicted in the coming decades. Cynthia Graber reports
5/5/2014 • 1 minute, 14 seconds
Snot Clouds Achieve Unexpected Buoyancy
Sneeze and cough particles form a cloud whose turbulence pulls in surrounding air, which allows the goop to maintain buoyancy and move farther than expected. Cynthia Graber reports
4/29/2014 • 1 minute, 59 seconds
Biodiversity Survives Extinctions for Now
A meta-analysis of ecosystems finds that species losses in any given place do not yet translate to large changes in the number of different species in that place. David Biello reports
4/20/2014 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
Morning Light Exposure Tied to Lower Weight
Exposure to bright light in the morning appears linked to reduced appetite and lower body weight, regardless of sleep patterns. Sophie Bushwick reports
4/18/2014 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Fish Smell Badly in More Acidic Oceans
Some fish living in waters with currently naturally high levels of CO2 lose their sense of smell, and with it their ability to perceive predators—a possible portent to a global situation in the near future. David Biello reports
4/14/2014 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
Hand Soap Ingredient Can Up Body Bacteria Burden
Residues of the antimicrobial agent triclosan can paradoxically boost bacterial growth in our bodies, by giving microbes a comfortable biofilm in which to rest. Christopher Intagliata reports
4/9/2014 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
Earthquake Deflection Takes a Tiny Step
Building on light-cloaking work, physicists took a small step toward the goal of shielding cities from earthquakes by deflecting incoming energy. David Biello reports
4/6/2014 • 1 minute, 35 seconds
Many More Americans Issue End-of-Life Instructions
The number of Americans aged 60 or more who issued advance directives governing their end-of-life care went from 47 percent in 2000 to 72 percent in 2010. Dina Fine Maron reports
4/4/2014 • 2 minutes, 7 seconds
Citizen Environmental Monitoring Could Keep Officials Honest
Smartphones, cheap satellite imaging and crowdfunded enterprises have made citizen oversight possible that was undreamed of by past transparency advocates and environmentalists. David Biello reports
4/1/2014 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Goo Keeps Bones Strong but Supple
Bones are filled with a viscous fluid that’s key to their function as support structures, and which could inform osteoporosis research. Dina Fine Maron reports
3/27/2014 • 2 minutes, 9 seconds
Space-Based Solar Collectors Could Have a Sunny Future
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory has a working prototype for a space-based solar energy collector and distributor that would beat the cloudy-day problem. David Biello reports
3/25/2014 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Dodgers Doc: No Noninjury Tommy John Surgery to Improve Performance
Stan Conte, vice president of medical services for the L.A. Dodgers, advised parents and coaches of young athletes to not consider Tommy John surgery on healthy arms for the sake of improving performance. He spoke at the SABR conference in Phoenix on March 13. Steve Mirsky reports
3/18/2014 • 2 minutes
Realistic Climate Models Exhibit Greenhouse Gas Sensitivity
A consideration of the role of sootlike particulates and ozone implies that the climate should will not be insensitive to increasing levels of greenhouse gases. David Biello reports
3/16/2014 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Lighting May Cut Seed-Rich Bat Guano Production
Bats ate less fruit in lit areas than in dark ones, which may lessen their seed-dispersal activities needed to bring back slashed rainforests. Cynthia Graber reports.
3/14/2014 • 1 minute, 15 seconds
Flu Vaccine Keeps Connecticut Kids from Hospitals
After flu shot regulations upped Connecticut kids' vaccination rate, their hospitalization risk went down. Dina Fine Maron reports
3/11/2014 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Bedroom TV Linked to Kid Weight Gain
The mere presence of a TV in a child's bedroom is linked with weight gain—regardless of how many hours per week a youngster watches it. Dina Fine Maron reports
3/4/2014 • 2 minutes, 10 seconds
Air-Gun Oil Exploration Wrongs Right Whales
The U.S. government has given industry permission to use of lethally loud seismic devices up and down the east coast. David Biello reports
3/3/2014 • 1 minute, 18 seconds
Store Receipts on Thermal Paper Can Transfer BPA
Volunteers who handled receipts containing the hormone-altering compound bisphenol A for two hours showed elevated BPA levels in their urine. Dina Fine Maron reports
2/25/2014 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
Climate Currently Pays for Increased Human Wealth
A new study attempts to quantify CO 2 emissions if economic growth continues. David Biello reports
2/23/2014 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Cities Befriend Select Plants and Animals
As more people move to cities, careful planning could mean a happy home for both humans and a substantial amount of wildlife. David Biello reports
2/19/2014 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Concussions Abound in Soccer, Too
A meta-analysis finds that concussions accounted for between 6 and 9 percent of all injuries sustained on soccer fields. Dina Fine Maron reports
2/12/2014 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Global Warming Freezes Penguin Chicks
More rain related to a warming climate soaks Magellanic penguin chicks to the skin before their waterproof feathers grow in, killing them from hypothermia. Allie Wilkinson reports
2/9/2014 • 1 minute, 16 seconds
Dengue Fever Makes U.S. Inroads
The CDC reports that locally acquired Dengue killed a Texas woman in 2012 who had been misdiagnosed with West Nile virus. Dina Fine Maron reports
2/3/2014 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
China Holiday Travel Puts Spotlight on Transportation
Lunar New Year means tens of millions of travelers in China, mostly by bus but increasingly by car, which is bad news for air quality. David Biello reports
A study of more than 600 asthmatic children at one Ohio hospital found that if the kids’ saliva tested positive for markers of nicotine exposure, the children were about twice as likely to be readmitted over the next year for breathing issues. Dina Fine Maron reports
1/28/2014 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
If the Fuel Source Ain't Clean, Your Electric Car Ain't Green
A host of factors determine the role of electric and hybrid cars in reducing greenhouse gas pollution, such as whether coal is their ultimate fuel source. David Biello reports
1/26/2014 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Heat Is on These Countries for the Heat
A new analysis calculates each of the world's countries total amount of CO2 pollution, along with responsibility for the ensuing global warming
1/21/2014 • 1 minute, 36 seconds
Diet Soda Mixers Up Breathalyzer Readings
People who drank vodka with a diet mixer had breath alcohol levels 18 percent higher than when they drank alcohol with full-calorie soda. Sophie Bushwick reports
1/14/2014 • 2 minutes, 6 seconds
Cold Outside? Forecast Calls for an Uptick in Global Warming Disbelief
The temperature outside governs most people's response to climate change. David Biello reports
1/12/2014 • 1 minute, 35 seconds
The Mercury's Falling...in Women's Seafood Consumption
Between 1999 and 2010 changes in seafood consumption meant that blood levels of mercury in women of childbearing age dropped by a third, and the percentage of such women who have worrisome blood levels of mercury dropped by two thirds. Dina Fine Maron reports
1/6/2014 • 2 minutes, 2 seconds
Teens and Docs Abstain from Sex Talk
In annual physicals teens and docs failed to talk sex a third of the time and usually too briefly when the subject was addressed. Dina Fine Maron reports
12/31/2013 • 2 minutes, 2 seconds
The Biggest Stories on Earth
David Biello looks back at the big environmental stories of the year covered on 60-Second Earth
12/29/2013 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Older Couch Potatoes Benefit from Even a Little Exercise
Middle-aged to elderly adults with no history of exercising still saw significant health benefits from even small additions of regular physical activity to their schedules. Dina Fine Maron reports
12/24/2013 • 2 minutes, 2 seconds
Don't Treat Old Gadgets Like Garbage
E-waste is a large--and growing--problem that can be addressed by thoughtful disposal, David Biello reports
12/22/2013 • 1 minute, 40 seconds
Apple a Day Could Keep Statins Away
A population model suggests that a small dietary change, such as eating a daily piece of fruit instead of the equivalent calories in less healthful fare, may stave off as many heart-related deaths as would statins. Christopher Intagliata reports
12/17/2013 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
How Many Partridges Are Really in that Pear Tree?
The annual Christmas Bird Count is revealing big changes in the avian world, thanks to us ground-dwellers. David Biello reports
12/15/2013 • 1 minute, 36 seconds
Blame Heat Waves on Loss of Arctic Sea Ice
New research suggests a link between the precipitous meltdown of Arctic summer sea ice and broiling heat waves. David Biello reports
12/8/2013 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Dandruff Shampoo Could Mess Up Waterways
Toxicity testing on shampoo that fights flakes reveals that it's bad for plants and animals once it's in wastewater. David Biello reports
12/1/2013 • 1 minute, 35 seconds
Human Health Depends on a Healthy Environment
A new study examines the links between environmental degradation and human illness. David Biello reports
11/25/2013 • 1 minute, 33 seconds
Resurgence of Swaddling Brings Hip Fears
Swaddling infants is safe when done correctly. But done wrong, it raises the risk of osteoarthritis and the need for hip replacement in middle age. Dina Fine Maron reports
11/21/2013 • 2 minutes, 2 seconds
Burying Coal Ash for Good
Five years later, what lessons have been learned from the Christmas coal ash spill? David Biello investigates
11/17/2013 • 1 minute, 36 seconds
Mondays Top Quit-Smoking Google Searches
Based on the number of searches for info about smoking cessation on Google, it appears more people consider quitting on Mondays than any other day. Dina Fine Maron reports
11/12/2013 • 2 minutes, 2 seconds
Ozone Hole History Offers Climate Lesson
The Montreal Protocol aimed to fix the ozone hole but it also delayed global warming. David Biello reports
11/10/2013 • 1 minute
Can the World Reach Peak Waste?
If the world's growing population embraces a throwaway culture, human civilization may drown in garbage. David Biello reports
11/3/2013 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Fertilizers Are (Nearly) Forever
While most fertilizer nitrogen ends up in plants, plenty sits in the soil for decades. David Biello reports
10/27/2013 • 1 minute
TV Drug Ads May Cause Disinfo Swallowing
An analysis of TV drug ads finds that six of 10 for prescription drugs and eight of 10 for OTC drug ads are misleading. Katherine Harmon reports.
10/22/2013 • 2 minutes, 9 seconds
U.S. Government Shutdown Disrupts Earth Monitoring
From climate records to penguin counts, the shutdown of the U.S. government will have lasting science effects. David Biello reports
10/20/2013 • 1 minute, 19 seconds
Climate Change Fight Needs Game Attitude
Game theory suggests that punishment for pollution has to come at the local level. David Biello reports
10/13/2013 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Airplane Pollution Needs To Descend
Airplanes may only contribute roughly 2 percent of the greenhouse gases warming the atmosphere. But they are one of the fastest growing sources. David Biello reports
10/6/2013 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Can Solar Power Be Cheap?
New technologies will be needed for photovoltaics to become cheap. David Biello reports
9/29/2013 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Fighting Climate Change Also Battles Disease
Cutting down on greenhouse gas pollution could deliver health benefits. David Biello reports
9/22/2013 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Which Places Are Most Vulnerable to Climate Change?
Changes in the weather mean changes in ecosystems and a new report maps vulnerability. David Biello investigates
9/15/2013 • 1 minute, 47 seconds
Trees Write Air Pollution Record In Wood
The red cedar trees of West Virginia reveal just how effective U.S. clean air laws have been. David Biello reports
9/8/2013 • 1 minute, 36 seconds
Which Came First: Low CO2 or an Ice Age?
Look to the shells of marine algae to find the answer to historical global cooling. David Biello reports
9/1/2013 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
Different Placebos Can Have Different Effects
In a study of patients asked to tolerate discomfort, different placebo treatments achieved different levels of relief, in keeping with individual expectations. Katherine Harmon reports
8/27/2013 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Cellist Converts Climate Data To Song
University of Minnesota undergraduate Daniel Crawford studies geography and environmental science. He's also a cellist. He converted more than a century of global temperature data to create A Song of Our Warming Planet. Mark Fischetti reports.
8/25/2013 • 4 minutes, 51 seconds
Anorexics Display Behaviors Common in Autism
Understanding that, for example, anorexics and autists both tend to have high interest in systems could inform treatment choices. Erika Beras reports
8/20/2013 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
How Many Ants Become World Travelers?
Just how many ant species are humans moving from place to place? David Biello reports
8/18/2013 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
Breakfast Is the Most Important Meal for Dieters
Women who ate half of 1,400 daily calories at breakfast lost almost 80 percent more weight than women who ate half their 1,400 calories at dinner. Katherine Harmon reports
8/15/2013 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Big Animal Extinction Impoverishes Soil
Megafauna extinctions prove a key factor in reduced soil fertility. David Biello reports
8/11/2013 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Desert Shrubs Could Suck Up Carbon
Planting the shrub jatropha in arid regions worldwide could sequester enough carbon to offset the annual CO2 pollution of China, the E.U. and the U.S. combined. David Biello reports
8/4/2013 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
How to Prevent Another Fukushima Explosion
A new material for protecting nuclear fuel could cut down on the risk of explosions. David Biello reports
7/28/2013 • 1 minute, 34 seconds
When a Heat Wave Is the Future, You Need Better Air-Conditioning
Demand for A-C is only going to grow, so we'll need better technologies. David Biello reports
7/21/2013 • 1 minute, 43 seconds
Use Care with Cat Caca
Our feline friends might be carrying hazardous organisms in their waste, so be careful when scooping that poop. Katherine Harmon reports
7/18/2013 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Where's the Best Place to Put a Wind Farm?
It's not just where it's windiest, according to new research. David Biello reports
7/14/2013 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Skimping on Sleep Packs On Pounds
Sleep deprivation raises levels of hormones associated with hunger, and provides more awake hours for eating. Katherine Harmon reports
7/9/2013 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Climate Change Alters Soil Bacteria Distribution
A warmer planet means that heat-seeking microbes will elbow out those that prefer life a bit more chilly, with unknown effects on the planet's ecology. Karen Hopkin reports
7/7/2013 • 1 minute, 14 seconds
Is There a Formula for Better Cities?
Mathematical rules could allow for better city planning, David Biello reports
6/30/2013 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Exercise without Diet Still Benefits Type 2 Diabetics
A small group of type 2 diabetes patients lost significant amounts of fat around their hearts and in their livers and abdomens with regular exercise, even without dietary changes. Katherine Harmon reports
6/25/2013 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
To Store More Carbon, Make Grasshoppers Nervous
Living in a landscape of fear means more of the greenhouse gas driving climate change gets stored in plants. David Biello reports
6/23/2013 • 1 minute, 34 seconds
New Runners Need Not Sweat over Shoes
Run-of-the-mill neutral running shoes do not lead to more injuries for beginning joggers whose feet pronate or supinate. Katherine Harmon reports
6/20/2013 • 2 minutes, 6 seconds
Climate Change Getting Worse by the Minute
The world is not on track to reduce, or even restrain global warming. David Biello reports
6/16/2013 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Patients Prefer Diet Skinny from Big Docs
Overweight patients are more likely to take weight-loss advice from overweight doctors, but the advice from thin doctors may be of higher quality. Katherine Harmon reports
6/14/2013 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Plastic Bags Litter Seafloor
A new survey reveals that trash from our activities on land litters the bottom of the ocean, from shallow to deep. David Biello reports
6/9/2013 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Confessional Tweeting May Help Dieters
Participants in a media-assisted weight-loss program had some success, and those who tweeted about their efforts lost a bit more. Karen Hopkin reports
6/6/2013 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
400-Year-Old Plant Resurrected
Moss can wait out being entombed in glacial ice for centuries. David Biello reports
6/2/2013 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
Water Waste May Leave Us Thirsty
Humans are using and abusing freshwater resources at an accelerating rate. David Biello reports
5/26/2013 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Fluoride Loosens Bacterial Enamel Grip
Rather than significantly hardening tooth enamel, fluoride may cut cavities by making it harder for oral bacteria to stick around. Karen Hopkin reports
5/22/2013 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Who's Paying the Price for Global Warming?
U.S. taxpayers have so far borne the brunt of climate change costs. David Biello reports
5/19/2013 • 9 minutes
Moon Base Work Yields Clean Steel Process
A new method to make steel using electricity rather than flame could produce virtually no carbon emissions. David Biello reports
5/13/2013 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Remember the BP Oil Spill? Malformed Fish Do
A new study shows that sediments fouled with oil from the blowout in the Gulf of Mexico caused problems for fish embryos. David Biello reports
5/5/2013 • 1 minute, 26 seconds
Air Gun Blasts Shatter Undersea Tranquility
Proposals to open the U.S. east coast for oil and gas exploration mean an increasingly noisy neighborhood for marine life. David Biello reports
4/28/2013 • 1 minute, 33 seconds
Is Sustainability Even Possible?
More than 40 years after Earth Day, human civilization is still far from the ideal of sustainability. David Biello reports
4/21/2013 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
Cut Soot to Stave Off Sea Level Rise
Reducing certain kinds of air pollution could limit the rise of ocean waters and buy time to address CO2 emissions. David Biello reports
4/14/2013 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Penguin Species Could Be Climate Winner
Although climate change will cause massive disruption, it could benefit some species, such as the Adelie penguin. David Biello reports
4/8/2013 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
Extinction May Not Be Forever
The tools of synthetic biology offer hope for the resurrection of extinct species. David Biello reports
3/31/2013 • 1 minute, 40 seconds
Can a Pope Change the World?
New Pope Francis I called for protecting the environment, but it remains to be seen how that might happen. David Biello reports
3/24/2013 • 1 minute, 13 seconds
Life Abides, Even in the Deep
An analysis of the deepest spot in the oceans finds signs of microbial life. David Biello reports
3/17/2013 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Chavez's Death Could Affect Oil Prices, Production and Pollution
Hugo Chavez's death may have an impact on the global oil market--and thus on the global climate as well. David Biello reports
3/10/2013 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Will There Be Enough Water?
Water demands continue to inch up year after year even as climate change queers supply. Can civilization cope? David Biello reports
3/3/2013 • 1 minute, 34 seconds
How Skynet Could Help Save the Planet
Machine-to-machine communication offers an opportunity to make the modern world more energy efficient. David Biello reports
2/24/2013 • 1 minute, 35 seconds
Insurance for Global Catastrophes, Whether Asteroids or Climate Change
Spend a little more time observing meteors or combating climate change, spend a little less time worrying about global catastrophes. David Biello reports
2/20/2013 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Roses Raise Environment Concerns
From water use to carbon emissions, raising and distributing roses has an environmental impact worse than many other crops. David Biello reports
2/10/2013 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Earthworm Invaders Up Soil Greenhouse Gases
The earthworm invasion of North America is increasing carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions from the soil. David Biello reports
2/4/2013 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Communication Towers Pluck Birds
Almost seven million birds are killed each year when they fly into communication towers. David Biello reports
1/30/2013 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Nightcap Drink Disrupts Important Sleep
Two or more drinks cut REM sleep, which is important for memory and health. Katherine Harmon reports
1/29/2013 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Obama Pledges to Address Climate, Energy
In his second inaugural address, Pres. Barack Obama said the U.S. must respond to the threat of climate change and lead the development of sustainable energy
1/21/2013 • 1 minute, 14 seconds
Skin-Cancer Spotting Apps Miss Their Marks
New smart phone apps that purport to assess patients' skin lesions as cancer or not are unreliable, according to a new study. Katherine Harmon reports
1/16/2013 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Electric Cars Need a New Sound
Federal guidelines will dictate that electric vehicles start making more noise at low speeds. David Biello reports
1/14/2013 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Surgical "Never" Events Happen Nevertheless
The errors known as surgical "never events," which are never supposed to happen, still occur some 4,000 times annually in the U.S. Katherine Harmon reports
1/8/2013 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Oil Harvesting Goes to Extremes
The grounding of a drilling rig in Arctic waters illustrates the risks of pushing the boundaries of oil exploration and recovery. David Biello reports
1/6/2013 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
We Look Back Earthily at 2012
Superstorms, electric cars, alternative fuels and Arctic sea ice all made environmental news in 2012. David Biello reports
12/30/2012 • 1 minute, 41 seconds
Maya Civilization Provides a Real Apocalyptic Lesson
Research shows that what laid low Mayan society was climate change, which brought prolonged drought. David Biello reports
12/23/2012 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Video Helps with Weight Info Basics
The American Chemical Society has produced a YouTube video with info to help you survive the holiday eating season. Katherine Harmon reports
The world is on track for warming of at least 2 degrees Celsius, according to a leaked draft of the next IPCC report. David Biello reports
12/16/2012 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Flu Web Searches Predict Disease Outbreaks
Weather prediction models armed with citizens' flu symptom query data enable researchers to predict flu outbreaks. Katherine Harmon reports
12/11/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Trouble and Toil Has Not Slowed the Boil
As climate change negotiations drag on, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, fulfilling scientists' predictions. David Biello reports
12/9/2012 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Sunlit Nanoparticles Turn Water to Steam
Heated grains of coated sand turn water to steam without having to boil the whole pot. David Biello reports
12/2/2012 • 1 minute, 20 seconds
E-Visits to Doctors Might Streamline Care
A study finds that patients who enter information online about common infections get decent diagnoses from docs, although antibiotics may be overprescribed. Katherine Harmon reports.
11/28/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
What to Expect from Climate Negotiations
As the world gathers in Doha, is progress being made in reducing greenhouse gas pollution? David Biello reports
11/25/2012 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Advanced Biofuels Hope to Change the Climate for Transportation
Fuel from algae is being sold in California, a first step toward a future of advanced biofuels. David Biello reports
11/18/2012 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Patients Should Ask Docs to Scrub
Patients know that health care workers should wash their hands, but are are often reluctant to ask a doctor or nurse to lather up. Katherine Harmon reports
11/13/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Global Warming Means Culture Change
Climate isn't the only thing global warming will change. David Biello reports
11/11/2012 • 1 minute, 36 seconds
Exercise Lengthens Life Regardless of Weight
Just a couple of hours of physical activity each week adds years to average life expectancy. Katherine Harmon reports
11/6/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Who Were the Greenest Presidents?
A survey of environmental groups finds that Teddy Roosevelt was the president with the highest environmental cred, followed by Richard Nixon. David Biello reports
11/5/2012 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
What Does It Take to Make a "Frankenstorm"?
The U.S. east coast is enduring what's been dubbed a "Frankenstorm" for its combination of multiple different types of weather systems. David Biello reports
10/27/2012 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Human Thirst Makes Earth Quake
Man-made earthquakes are a real and growing phenomenon. David Biello reports
10/21/2012 • 1 minute, 16 seconds
Your Fat Needs Sleep, Too
A small study finds that sleep-deprived fat cells are less sensitive to insulin, a condition that often precedes diabetes. Katherine Harmon reports
10/16/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Can the City That Never Sleeps Forgo Nuclear Power?
The bright lights of the big city currently rely on fission, but a new study suggests efficiency and renewables could do the job instead. David Biello reports
10/14/2012 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Facebook Community Can Help Cut STIs
Young adults at risk for getting a sexually acquired infection were more likely to use a condom if they followed a social media's sex education campaign. Katherine Harmon reports
10/12/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
How the Great Barrier Reef Is Disappearing Right before Our Eyes
A new analysis reveals that coral cover on the world's largest biological construct has declined by more than 50 percent since 1985. David Biello reports
10/7/2012 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Peeking at Doctors' Notes Helps Patients
Patients are more likely to follow doctors' orders if they have access to their notes. Katherine Harmon reports
10/3/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Candidates Mum on Climate Change
How can we break the ice and get a political conversation started about climate change, David Biello asks
9/30/2012 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Kids Gulp 7 Trillion Calories Per Year
Obese kids have higher cardiovascular risks as adults, and sugary beverages are stoking that obesity epidemic. Katherine Harmon reports
9/27/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Prime Time Fox News and <i>WSJ</i> Editorial Climate Coverage Mostly Wrong
An analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientsts finds that 93 percent of climate info on Fox News prime time and 81 percent on The Wall Street Journal opinion pages is misleading. Steve Mirsky reports
9/22/2012 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Make Healthy Choices Easier Options
Making bad choices harder is actually the best way to help people get healthier, say public health experts. Katherine Harmon reports
9/20/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Bird Seed Poisons Wild Birds
To improve shelf life, Scotts Miracle-Gro used a pesticide toxic to birds in its bird seed. David Biello reports
9/16/2012 • 1 minute, 26 seconds
Experts Offer Tips to Lower Risk of West Nile
This year has had the most recorded cases of West Nile virus on record in the U.S. Public health experts offer tips to avoid the virus. Katherine Harmon reports
9/11/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
How Humans and Tigers Can Coexist
One way to help save tigers would be to cede the night to them. David Biello reports
9/9/2012 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Organic Benefits Don't Include Enhanced Nutrition
Produce grown organically cuts pesticide use and the promotion of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But nutrient levels appear similar to conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. Katherine Harmon reports
9/5/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
How Much Life Is There on Earth?
New estimates decrease the likely number of microbes beneath the sea, but the truth is that we still don't really know. David Biello reports
9/2/2012 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Energy Hits the U.S. Presidential Campaign Trail
Romney wants "energy independence," Obama prefers an "all of the above" approach. What's the difference? David Biello reports
8/26/2012 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
Better Sidewalks Could Bring Improved Public Health
Better sidewalks and other changes to the physical environment could encourage more activity and improve the overall health of the public. Katherine Harmon reports
8/21/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Fukushima Radiation Damages Butterflies, but Not People--Yet
Scientific analyses are beginning to unravel the biological consequences of the radioactive particles released during the Fukushima meltdowns. David Biello reports
8/19/2012 • 1 minute, 50 seconds
Doc Calls Deconditioning a Condition
A Mayo Clinic doc says physicians may miss the signs of extreme deconditioning and prescribe medication instead of long-term exercise programs. Katherine Harmon reports
8/15/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Drilling for Offshore Oil Comes to the Arctic
As Shell prepares to drill for oil in the Chukchi Sea, what are the risks? David Biello reports
8/12/2012 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Color-Coded Food Helps Consumers Make Healthful Choices
Six months after color coding its food choices as least, somewhat or most healthful, Massachusetts General Hospital saw its cafeteria users substantially decreased their least healthful food choices and increase the more healthful ones. Katherine Harmon reports
8/7/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
UV Gives Fish Skin Cancer
Fifteen percent of a sample of 136 trout caught near the Great Barrier Reef showed evidence of melanoma, with UV exposure the likely culprit. Christopher Intagliata reports
8/6/2012 • 1 minute, 14 seconds
Many Olympians Suffer from Asthma
The most common chronic condition among all Olympic athletes is asthma. But many don't start suffering symptoms until their later years, suggesting that endurance training could be a trigger. Katherine Harmon reports
8/1/2012 • 2 minutes, 16 seconds
Greener Olympics Mean Cleaner Air
A new analysis shows how the summer Olympics helped clear the air in Beijing--and combat climate change. David Biello reports
7/30/2012 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Marijuana Farms Poison Wildlife
Pathologists have found the first evidence of wildlife poisoned by a cash crop--and not in a traditional agricultural area. David Biello reports
7/22/2012 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Food Diary Helps Cut Pounds
Dieting women who kept a diligent food diary lost more weight than other women in a cohort. Skipping meals and eating out slowed weight loss. Katherine Harmon reports
7/17/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Could Geoengineering Stop Heat Waves?
Scientists explore whether artificial volcanoes might beat the heat. David Biello reports
7/15/2012 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Mice Hit Protein to Stop Hunger
Normal mice fed protein stopped eating much sooner than mice that lacked the receptor to sense they were eating protein. Katherine Harmon reports
7/10/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
35 Years of Renewable Energy
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has been working for 35 years to make solar power and other technologies a reality. David Biello reports
7/8/2012 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
Are Western Forests Doomed to Burn Away?
Climate change may not only unleash fiercer wildfires but also ultimately replace Western forestland with grasslands. David Biello reports
7/1/2012 • 1 minute, 26 seconds
Meta-Study: Moderate Coffee Cuts Cardiac Failure
Sixteen ounces of coffee a day cut the risk of heart failure, but 40 daily ounces of coffee upped the odds of ticker trouble. Katherine Harmon reports
6/26/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Warming Oceans Will Follow Laws of Physics
Warmer waters mean higher sea levels, but how high? David Biello reports
6/24/2012 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Hotel Rooms House Bountiful Bacteria
A new study locates the bacterial hot spots of your hotel room. Tip: don't turn anything on. Katherine Harmon reports
6/19/2012 • 2 minutes, 13 seconds
For Sustainability, Go Beyond Gross Domestic Product
The widely used economic measure grossly distorts the environmental and social costs of some growth, David Biello reports
6/17/2012 • 1 minute, 38 seconds
Hospital Noise May Disrupt Patient Improvement
Hospital sounds raised volunteer sleepers' heart rates, and the effects on sick patients may be impeding recovery. Katherine Harmon reports
6/13/2012 • 2 minutes, 14 seconds
Are We Pushing the Planet to the Brink of Irreversible Environmental Change?
The human transformation of the planet is now bigger than the end of the last ice age. What does that mean for the planet? David Biello asks
6/10/2012 • 1 minute, 41 seconds
Aspirin Could Lower Some Cancer Mortality Risk
Daily aspirin could lower the risk of dying from some nonvascular-related diseases, including specific cancers. Katherine Harmon reports
6/7/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
How Climate Change May Impact Electricity Supplies
Fossil-fuel burning power plants aren't only causing climate change, they're likely to suffer from such global warming. David Biello reports
6/3/2012 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Bloodletting Makes Comeback for Metabolic Syndrome
A small study shows that a little blood loss might improve cardiovascular health for obese people with metabolic syndrome. Katherine Harmon reports
5/30/2012 • 2 minutes, 13 seconds
Another Casualty of War?: The Environment
From lingering pollution to feeding soldiers on bushmeat, war can be tough on the environment. David Biello reports
5/27/2012 • 1 minute, 35 seconds
Waves of Walkers Wander without Waking
A large survey finds evidence that millions of Americans had at least one episode of sleepwalking in the last year. Katherine Harmon reports
5/22/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Why Tariffs on Chinese Photovoltaics Are Bad for the Planet
The U.S. has placed tariffs on Chinese solar panels in a bid to protect American solar companies. David Biello reports
5/20/2012 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
Car Commutes Can Counter Conditioning
Car commutes are linked to increased metabolic health problems, and the longer the ride the worse the issues. Katherine Harmon reports
5/15/2012 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
Wasted Food No More
Massachusetts may ban big institutions from discarding food in the trash in a bid to cut down on the methane from landfills. David Biello reports
5/13/2012 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
How to Adapt to Climate Change
As the globe warms, communities across the world are providing examples of how to adapt. David Biello reports
5/6/2012 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Pacifiers Won't Make Newborns Shun Breast
The conventional wisdom that pacifiers can interfere with early breast-feeding efforts might not hold milk. Katherine Harmon reports
5/1/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
L.A. Needs to Stop Being Such a Cow Town
New research suggests that the waste from dairy farms may be a bigger source of smog in Los Angeles than the region's millions of cars. David Biello reports
4/29/2012 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Blood Flow Fingered in Ice Cream Headaches
The anterior cerebral artery widens just before brain freeze, sending warming blood to the brain but increasing the pressure to painful levels. Katherine Harmon reports
4/25/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Happy Earth Day! Welcome to the Anthropocene
Scientists are suggesting that the present day is part of a new era in the planet's history. David Biello reports
4/22/2012 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
U.S. Fast Food Contains More Salt
Fast food chains say it's hard to hold the salt, but outlets in other countries are already cutting back on sodium. Katherine Harmon reports
4/17/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Take Me Out to the Renewably Powered Ballgame
Baseball teams across the country are investing in renewable power for their stadiums. David Biello reports
4/15/2012 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Biological Clock Ticks Despite Technology
Women who wish to conceive later in life have benefited from improvements in reproductive technology. But even those have expiration dates. Katherine Harmon reports
4/11/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
It's Not Dead, It's Resting
There are a wide variety of life forms that can come back to life. David Biello reports
4/8/2012 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Kids Fail to Get Outdoors
Boys get more outside playtime than girls, and almost half of parents do not take their preschool-aged kids out to play once a day. Katherine Harmon reports
4/5/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
135 Years of Records Reveals Deep Ocean Warming
The ocean surface is warming. Using records going back more than a century to the British Challenger expedition, researchers calculate that the deep ocean is experiencing its own temperature rise. David Biello reports
4/1/2012 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Frequent Chocolate Eaters Have Lower BMIs
People who ate chocolate frequently consumed more calories and more saturated fat, yet had lower average body mass indexes than those who did not eat chocolate. Katherine Harmon reports
3/28/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
How Industrial Noise Helps and Hurts Plants
By encouraging and discouraging certain animals, human noise has an effect on vegetation. David Biello reports
3/25/2012 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Global Energy Hunger Leaves Little Room to Displace Dirty Fuels
One of the promises of renewable energy is its ability to displace polluting fossil fuels, but is it fulfilling that pledge? David Biello reports
3/18/2012 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
How Yoga Might Relieve Stress-Linked Ailments
Yoga may increase parasympathetic nervous system activity and neurotransmitter levels, helping to decrease symptoms of some stress-related illnesses. Katherine Harmon reports
3/13/2012 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
Fukushima: We Listen Back
Newly released audio takes us through the first week of the nuclear meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi on this first anniversary of the crisis. David Biello reports
3/11/2012 • 10 minutes, 45 seconds
Exercise Instantly Affects DNA
Signals to improve muscle tone alter the expression of genes after just one workout. Katherine Harmon reports
3/6/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Living Plastic Eats Spilt Food
Researchers impregnate layers of plastic with fungus to produce a living--and self-cleaning--material. David Biello reports
3/4/2012 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Teen Brain Takes Biggest Sports Hits
The teen brain suffers more long-term damage from concussions than does the child or adult brain. Katherine Harmon reports
2/29/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
How Raindrops Calm the Wind
New research suggests the drag on falling precipitation helps slow atmospheric circulation. David Biello reports
2/26/2012 • 1 minute, 33 seconds
Stress Linked to Aging Chromosomes
Chromosome-protecting telomeres are shorter in people with depression--which has been linked to irregular stress hormone levels. Katherine Harmon reports
2/22/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Is the Keystone Pipeline a Shortcut to Catastrophic Climate Change?
The Keystone XL pipeline wouldn't be a major environmental calamity, but oil addiction is. David Biello reports
2/19/2012 • 1 minute, 33 seconds
Stem Cells Help Heal Broken Hearts
After a heart attack, cells from the patient's bone marrow can help improve heart function. Katherine Harmon reports
2/14/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
What Does a Coup in the Maldives Mean for Climate Change?
The fate of an island chain's president may mean more--or even less--progress to combat climate change. David Biello reports
2/12/2012 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
Smart-Phone App Catches Depression Onset
A smart-phone app in development for depression patients tracks contacts and movement, and prompts activities when patterns show withdrawal. Katherine Harmon reports
2/9/2012 • 2 minutes, 2 seconds
How to Make Electricity Using Plants and Sunshine
A new system combines the power of plants and photovoltaics to make solar power cheap and durable. David Biello reports
2/5/2012 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Honey Helps Heal Wounds
Manuka honey stopped a skin strep in its tracks. Katherine Harmon reports
1/31/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
How Much Energy Do You Waste Charging Your Cell Phone?
Battery chargers are everywhere these days, wasting electricity. California aims to change that. David Biello reports
1/29/2012 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Brown Fat Furnishes Physiological Furnace
Men with more brown fat burn more calories in the cold to keep warm. Katherine Harmon reports
1/25/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Worried about Air Pollution? Don't Hide Indoors
Scientists are uncovering more and more evidence that the air in buildings can be bad for you. David Biello reports
1/22/2012 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Dish Color Affects Serving Size
When dishes were the same color as the food served, people took bigger portions. Katherine Harmon reports
1/19/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Gee Whiz, Why Not Recycle Urine for Drinking Water?
The U.S. can no longer afford to ignore sewage as a source of drinking water, scientists argue. David Biello reports
1/16/2012 • 1 minute, 20 seconds
Soda Tax Could Turn Health Profit
A penny-per-ounce tax on sweetened drinks would cut consumption, obesity and health care costs. Katherine Harmon reports
1/10/2012 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Michael Mann Defends Climate Computer Models
Penn State climate modeler Michael Mann talks about what computer models can tell us--and what they don't need to. David Biello reports
1/10/2012 • 5 minutes, 32 seconds
Hit the Gym to Help Hit the Books
A meta-analysis finds that keeping kids active also boosts their academic performances. Katherine Harmon reports
1/3/2012 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Welcome to the Year of the Lightbulb
Get ready to buy lightbulbs by lumens rather than watts. David Biello reports
1/1/2012 • 1 minute, 20 seconds
Fat May Put Hypothalamus on the Fritz
Obesity and high-fat diets might alter brain function, changing, in particular, the hypothalamus and hunger. Katherine Harmon reports
12/27/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
What Are the Chances of a White Christmas?
Climate change is also messing with cherished holiday dreams. David Biello reports
12/25/2011 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Cruise Ship Bug Takes to the Skies
Norovirus, famous for ruining cruises, sickened successive crews and passengers on an Air New Zealand plane. Katherine Harmon reports
12/21/2011 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Should the Media Pay for Nature Conservation?
Given the profits made from filming the natural world, can a scheme be worked out to pay for this ecosystem service? David Biello reports
12/18/2011 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Durban Deal May Bring Climate Change Action into 21st Century
As time ran out on the latest international climate change negotiations, an agreement was reached that includes all significant countries in the effort to reduce greenhouse gases. David Biello reports
12/11/2011 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Motorcycles Take Bite out of Snake Venom Deaths
In rural Nepal volunteer motorcyclists are transporting snakebite victims to medical care soon enough to cut deaths by 95 percent. Katherine Harmon reports
12/6/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Simmering Planet Keeps Heating
Despite decades of warnings, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, warming the world. Can such pollution peak this decade? David Biello asks
12/4/2011 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Soccer Headings Can Harm Brain
A specialized form of brain imaging finds that soccer players who head the ball more than 1,000 times a year face risks similar to those with head trauma. Katherine Harmon reports
11/29/2011 • 2 minutes, 23 seconds
Give Thanks for Methods to Cut Back on Wasted Food
The world wastes more food than all of sub-Saharan Africa produces. Can that be stopped? David Biello reports
11/27/2011 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Get Ready to Gobble Drug-Resistant Bacteria
Many meat and poultry products probably carry drug-resistant bacteria before cooking. Katherine Harmon reports
11/22/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Oceans Teem with Tiny Plastic Particles
Washing machine wastewater carries tiny pieces of plastic to the oceans, where they wind up in sea life. David Biello reports
11/20/2011 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
1 in 5 Has Significant Hearing Loss
One in five Americans has their daily life affected by hearing loss--and earbuds blaring loud music may be just a small factor. Katherine Harmon reports
11/16/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Flying on a Wing and Oil from Plants
A new era in aviation dawned this week in the U.S. with the first flights powered by biofuels. David Biello reports
11/13/2011 • 1 minute, 45 seconds
Hybrid Grapefruit Busts Drug Interactions
Common grapefruits have a compound that can negatively interact with some medications. A new hybrid grapefruit solves the problem. Katherine Harmon reports
11/8/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Buried in Coal Ash?
After yet another coal ash spill, is there anything that can be done to deal with the toxic waste? David Biello reports
11/6/2011 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
Computer Training Boosts Bedside Manner
A computer training program improves how oncologists respond to negative patients. Katherine Harmon reports
11/2/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Halloween Chocolate: More Trick Than Treat?
Chocolate has a dark side--child slave labor. David Biello reports
10/30/2011 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
BP Meds at Night Lowers Cardiovascular Risk
People who took at least one of their blood pressure medications before going to bed had a reduced risk of circulatory problems compared with morning pill poppers. Katherine Harmon reports
10/27/2011 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Why Is the CIA Keeping Climate Change Secret?
The Central Intelligence Agency is working on climate change, but you'd never know it. David Biello reports
10/23/2011 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Hairdressers Can Be Skin Cancer Detectors
Hair care pros often spot possible skin cancers on the scalp. Dermatologists recommend they be trained to do it more and better. Katherine Harmon reports
10/19/2011 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
Disc Spins Its Way to $1-Million Oil Spill Cleanup Prize
Is there a better way to clean up the next oil spill disaster? David Biello reports
10/16/2011 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Diet Counters Bad Gene
People with genetic variant 9p21, which predisposes them to heart disease, lowered their risk with a healthful diet. Katherine Harmon reports
10/11/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
How Steve Jobs Tried to Make Apple Green
The environmental and social impacts of all our gadgets are not insignificant. David Biello reports
10/9/2011 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
Sewage Is a Virus Gold Mine
Researchers looking to expand our knowledge of viruses should dip into some raw sewage. Katherine Harmon reports
10/4/2011 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
World's Largest River Restoration Project Begins
The removal of two dams on the Elwha River will help restore once-abundant salmon runs. David Biello reports
10/2/2011 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
Docs Think We Get Too Much Doctoring
Many U.S. physicians think that their patients and their patient's purses could get by with less medical care. Katherine Harmon reports
9/28/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Fukushima Fallout in Japan
The melted down reactors are stabilizing, but the real work of repair has yet to begin. David Biello reports
9/25/2011 • 2 minutes, 40 seconds
Eternal Vigilance Fingers the Flu
The influenza virus is hiding and changing in animal populations. Virologist Ab Osterhaus explains how that could make it more lethal and how we have to keep a constant eye on its development. Katherine Harmon reports
9/20/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Can the World Handle Chinese Cars?
The first car mostly made in China has arrived for sale in the U.S. David Biello reports
9/18/2011 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
Five Factors Cut Diabetes Risk
Dealing with any one of five key lifestyle risk factors can lower the risk of developing diabetes by about a third. Katherine Harmon reports
9/13/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Need a Break? Try Nature
A growing body of research suggests nature walks may be more restorative than traditional stimulants like caffeine. David Biello reports
9/11/2011 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Yellowing Eyes May Keep Seniors Awake
Yellowing of the eye lenses changes the array of incoming light wavelengths, which can affect circadian rhythms, including sleep patterns. Katherine Harmon reports
9/6/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Need Rain? Try Lasers
New experiments show that firing lasers into the air might help induce or reduce rain. David Biello reports
9/4/2011 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Best Acne Treatment Remains Elusive
For picking off pimples, few reliable studies exist to show clear benefits of one treatment over another. Katherine Harmon reports
8/30/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
How Much Life Does Earth Host?
The number of species currently alive is a best guess at best. David Biello reports
8/28/2011 • 1 minute, 20 seconds
Being Married Affects Heart and Waist
Married women gain weight but survive bypass surgery better than unmarried people do. Katherine Harmon reports on two studies
8/23/2011 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
Why Environmentalism Is Conservative
Have conservatives abandoned their roots as environmental leaders? David Biello investigates
8/21/2011 • 1 minute, 33 seconds
Pre-Bed Booze May Bust Rest
A nightcap may force the body to work harder at repair during sleep, making for a less restful night. Katherine Harmon reports
8/16/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Bringing Birds Back to Regrowing Forests
Once fragmented forests are growing back together, do tropical birds follow? David Biello reports
8/14/2011 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Beat Gluttony with Gullibility
Eating-behavior expert Brian Wansink offers tips on fooling yourself into eating less. Katherine Harmon reports
8/9/2011 • 2 minutes, 2 seconds
What If the Smart Grid Isn't So Smart?
New analyses show that equipping consumers with real-time information about electricity prices could crash the grid. David Biello reports
8/7/2011 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Study Says Avoid Colon Cleanses
The alternative therapy of colon cleansing typically does little good, and may cause significant harm. Katherine Harmon reports
8/3/2011 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Eating the Lionfish
The answer to an invasive fish species in the Atlantic and Caribbean may just be overfishing. David Biello reports
7/31/2011 • 1 minute, 26 seconds
Hospitals Try to Become Mickey Mouse Institutions
Hospitals are hiring Disney to help them create environments that patients prefer. Katherine Harmon reports
7/26/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Feeding the Grid with Sunshine at College
Butte College in California hosts a massive solar array, which allows it to produce more electricity than it uses. David Biello reports
7/24/2011 • 1 minute, 26 seconds
Health Literacy Affects Individuals' Health
People who have trouble understanding health and medical information are more likely to get hospitalized. Katherine Harmon reports
7/19/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Absence of Top Predators Brings Unanticipated Changes
Ecologists document the negative ripple effects of removing top predators from ecosystems. David Biello reports
7/17/2011 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Sodium and Potassium Together Determine Risk for Heart Disease Death
A new study says high sodium and low potassium intake are the twin culprits in many cardiovascular syndromes. Katherine Harmon reports
7/12/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Electric Cars May Need Noisemakers
Whisper-quiet electric and hybrid cars may need an artificial sound boost to let pedestrians know they're there. David Biello reports
7/11/2011 • 1 minute, 16 seconds
The Buzz on Beer and Soda Fizz
A look at the environmental burden of our favorite summer beverages. David Biello reports
7/6/2011 • 1 minute, 16 seconds
Women's Study: Exercise, Good Diet and Non-Smoking Greatly Reduce Sudden Heart Death Risk
The Nurses' Health Study finds that the risk of death from sudden cardiac arrest in white women can be lowered by 92 percent through lifestyle maintenance alone. Katherine Harmon reports
7/5/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Cleaner Water Worldwide But Still Out of Reach for Millions
In the last decade, more than a billion people have seen improved water safety and sanitation. But 800 million are still at risk of water-borne disease. Katherine Harmon reports
6/28/2011 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Pacific Plankton Crosses to Atlantic, Thanks to Arctic Meltdown
Warmer temperatures in the North are allowing species to shift from ocean to ocean. David Biello reports
6/26/2011 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Accurate Blood Pressure Needs Multiple Measurements
Many blood pressure assessments rely on too few measurements in an intimidating environment. Katherine Harmon reports
Changes to the sunspot cycle will have an impact on our weather and climate--but not a very big one. David Biello reports
6/19/2011 • 1 minute, 16 seconds
Infant Exposure to Pets May Lower Risk of Later Allergies
Having pets in the house during a baby's first year was associated with a lower risk for allergies through the child's teens. Katherine Harmon reports
6/14/2011 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Pavement Contributes to Poor Air Quality
Paved roads and sprawl are likely to blame for summertime smog buildup. David Biello reports
6/13/2011 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Mouse Study: Yo-Yo Dieting Beats Not Dieting at All
Mice fed an alternating high-fat and low-fat diet lived almost as long as mice on a constant low-fat diet--and longer than mice on a constant high-fat diet. Katherine Harmon reports
6/7/2011 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Are Biodegradeable Plastics Doing More Harm Than Good?
Depends on whether one worries about climate change or persistent plastics in terrestrial and marine ecosystems. David Biello reports
6/5/2011 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Cell Phones in Hospitals May Be Covered with Germs
A study in a hospital in Turkey found that three quarters of cell phones belonging to patients and visitors carried staph bacteria. Katherine Harmon reports
5/31/2011 • 2 minutes, 4 seconds
Whither the Honey Bee?
For the fourth consecutive year, roughly one third of managed honey bees died last winter. David Biello reports
5/29/2011 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Future Cars Could Count Miles per Heartbeat
On the drawing board are cars that would monitor the health markers of its passengers. Katherine Harmon reports
5/24/2011 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
What Does the Fukushima Meltdown Mean for U.S. Reactors?
It is now clear that at least one reactor at Fukushima experienced a full core meltdown, so what does that mean for similar nuclear power plants in the U.S.? David Biello reports
5/22/2011 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
America's Climate Choices Are Narrowing
With every year of inaction the risks posed by climate change grow, according to a new report requested by Congress. David Biello reports
5/15/2011 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Whales Return to NYC Harbor
A variety of species of whales have been rediscovered in the vicinity of New York City. Is it because they love musicals? David Biello investigates
5/8/2011 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Solar Power Boosts Home Sales?
A new study finds that photovoltaic systems provide a premium for houses. David Biello reports
5/1/2011 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Can Re-Wilding Work?
Introducing animal analogues of their extinct cousins might help repair otherwise irreparable ecosystem damage. David Biello reports
4/24/2011 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Can Taxes Be Green?
Could taxing environmental ills prove more of a solution to pollution than dilution? David Biello investigates
4/17/2011 • 1 minute, 26 seconds
How Doth Your Native Flora Grow?
The diversity of local plants goes down when a city springs up. David Biello reports
4/10/2011 • 1 minute, 18 seconds
Will Today's Trash Be Tomorrow's Island?
Ancient trash heaps became modern tree islands in the Everglades. David Biello reports
4/3/2011 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
The Origin of Life
A new analysis suggests lightning and volcanoes helped make life possible. David Biello reports
3/27/2011 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Chernobyl Opens for Tourism
Next month marks Chernobyl's 25th anniversary, and the site is now accepting tourists. Christie Nicholson reports
3/20/2011 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Oil Spills Mean Air Pollution, Too
BP's massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico didn't just foul the ocean, it also tainted the air. David Biello reports
3/13/2011 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
Predicting the Future of Oil
And what does that mean for the U.S. economy and environment? David Biello reports
3/6/2011 • 2 minutes, 48 seconds
Global Rise of the Fire Ant? Blame U.S. Trade
A new study shows that the invasive species has spread not from its original home in South America but from its beachhead in the southeastern U.S., David Biello reports
2/27/2011 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Permafrost Meltdown May Herald Climate Catastrophe
The thawing of a thin layer of frozen Arctic soils will exacerbate global warming. David Biello reports
2/20/2011 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Does Drilling for Electricity Make Sense?
Harnessing Earth's heat to make electricity is an underrated renewable resource. David Biello reports
2/14/2011 • 1 minute, 16 seconds
Teaching Bankers about Climate Change
Why is HSBC teaching its employees about global warming? David Biello reports
2/6/2011 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
Another Reason to Hate Shopping Sound Tracks
The background music in stores and shopping malls designed to spur sales also spur emissions of greenhouse gases. David Biello reports
1/30/2011 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Is Coal Fly Ash Responsible for Mass Extinction?
Forget CO2, the toxic aftermath of coal burning might be responsible for the worst mass extinction event the world has ever known. David Biello reports
1/23/2011 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Strike Off the Band, Says Penguin Study
Banding penguins to track them is bad for their health, a new study reports. David Biello investigates
1/16/2011 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
No Such Thing as a Free Parking Spot
It's not just driving our cars that harms the environment, parking them also poses a problem. David Biello reports
1/9/2011 • 1 minute, 18 seconds
Drink 'til You're Green
What's worse than a hangover? The environmental impact of your drinking and mine. David Biello reports
1/2/2011 • 1 minute, 18 seconds
The Earth in 2010
What were the biggest environmental stories in 2010? David Biello reports
12/26/2010 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
A Holiday for Consumption?
The (environmental) meaning of Christmas. David Biello reports
12/19/2010 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Energy Choices Predict Future Climate
Physics Nobel laureate and U.S. energy secretary, Steven Chu, offers his thoughts on the paired challenge of climate change and clean energy in Cancun. David Biello reports
12/12/2010 • 1 minute, 16 seconds
Yes, We Cancun on Climate Change?
After Copenhagen, the world reconvenes to try to combat climate change. David Biello reports
12/5/2010 • 1 minute, 33 seconds
Is Climate Change Too Scary?
Doom and gloom doesn't motivate action on environmental problems, but is there hope for behavior change? David Biello reports
11/28/2010 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Will Economic Health Align with Environmental Health?
What impact did the Great Recession have on climate change? David Biello reports
11/21/2010 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Scientists Decide on Top 5 Issues for Sustainability
The International Council for Science has narrowed down five top challenges the world needs to meet in order to sustain our planet. Christie Nicholson reports
11/14/2010 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
Oil from the BP Disaster May Remain Thick on the Seafloor
Soil samples taken from a 50-mile radius around the Macondo well reveal striped layers of thick goo, possibly containing oil. Christie Nicholson reports
11/7/2010 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
A Citizen Scientist Changes Our Understanding of Whales
A woman from Hancock, Maine, discovered that a tourist snapshot of a humpback whale on Flickr matched with photos documented in the Allied Whale research catalogue, providing proof that this whale had traveled 6,000 miles, the longest documented distance of any humpback. Christie Nicholson reports
10/31/2010 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
A Ban on Biodiversity?
Despite being the voice of the world's flora and fauna, will the delegates at the 10th meeting of the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity actually bring real change? David Biello reports
10/24/2010 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
The Little Energy Program That Could?
The innovative research and development program known as ARPA-e is in imminent danger of losing funding--and putting the U.S. even further behind in its bid for a clean-energy economy. David Biello reports
10/17/2010 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
The Sound of the Automobile's Future?
Automobiles go back to the future and become electric, but are they too quiet? David Biello reports
10/10/2010 • 1 minute, 20 seconds
Wasted Food Equals Wasted Energy
Wasting food isn't just bad in its own right, it also represents a profound waste of energy. David Biello reports
10/3/2010 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
Tapping the Power in Hot Rocks
So-called geothermal power has been around for more than a century. What will it take to heat up this energy source? David Biello reports
9/26/2010 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Life Is Tough, Especially for Microbes
A newly discovered extremophile can subsist on a modicum of energy. David Biello reports
9/19/2010 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
Corals Face Catastrophic Bleaching
This year could be a very bad year for coral reefs, thanks to warm waters as a result of El Nino and climate change. David Biello reports
9/12/2010 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Carbon Dioxide from Cars, Part 2
Transportation is the fastest-growing source of emissions of carbon dioxide. The U.S. aims to change that with stickers. David Biello reports
9/5/2010 • 1 minute, 20 seconds
The Price of Traffic in China
It's not just the inconveniences of traffic jams that may last for months outside of Beijing, it's also the global climate. David Biello reports
8/30/2010 • 1 minute, 26 seconds
How Will Climate Change Impact Bread?, Part 2
Warming temperatures will exacerbate crop-destructive events, ranging from fires to floods. David Biello reports
8/23/2010 • 1 minute, 18 seconds
Keeping Oil Underground in Ecuador
The United Nations partners with Ecuador in a bid to pay for the privilege of keeping oil underground and a tropical forest undisturbed. David Biello reports
8/15/2010 • 1 minute, 28 seconds
Can Charcoal Slow Climate Change and Improve Agriculture?
Adding biochar to soil might be a good way to cut pollution from agriculture while improving fertility. David Biello reports
8/8/2010 • 1 minute, 19 seconds
Global Warming Is Undeniable
Yet more scientific research highlights ongoing climate change--as the U.S. enjoys the hottest July on record. David Biello reports
8/1/2010 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
China Surpasses U.S. in Energy Use?
China is now the world's number-one user of energy--unless you ask the Chinese. David Biello reports
7/25/2010 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Sea Level Rise Swamps Islands
The seas are already overlapping islands and coasts from Panama to India. David Biello reports
7/18/2010 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Floating Wind Turbines Promise Clean Power
Ocean-based wind turbines don't need to be firmly anchored to the seafloor, according to a new study. David Biello reports, with narration by Christie Nicholson
7/11/2010 • 1 minute, 15 seconds
Gulf Coast Dead Zone Set to Grow
Scientists predict a bigger than average dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico this year. David Biello reports (with narration by Christie Nicholson)
7/4/2010 • 1 minute, 16 seconds
Are Modern Cities for People or Cars?
The cities of the future might be greener, cleaner and more vibrant if people are put before automobiles. David Biello reports
6/27/2010 • 1 minute, 18 seconds
Will the Oil Spill Kill Sperm Whales?
A group of endangered sperm whales live in the vicinity of the oil spill--and now one of them has turned up dead. David Biello reports
6/20/2010 • 1 minute, 16 seconds
The Full Price of Oil
The ongoing oil spill is just one cost of our ongoing addiction to fossil fuel. David Biello reports
6/13/2010 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Sex Lives of Crickets Revealed
Infrared cameras have enabled scientists to determine what makes for a successful cricket sex life. David Biello reports
6/6/2010 • 1 minute, 20 seconds
How to Re-Create an Ecosystem
What lives in a given ecosystem depends on history. David Biello reports
5/30/2010 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
Save the Whales--by Hunting Them?
A new proposal would limit whaling, by permitting small amounts of it. David Biello reports
5/23/2010 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
Lizards Feel the Heat from Climate Change
Extinction already stalks lizards, thanks to global warming. David Biello reports
5/16/2010 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
How Bad Is the Oil Spill?
As bad as it is, BP's Gulf oil spill dwindles compared with gushers of the past. David Biello reports
5/12/2010 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Cracking the Genetic Code of a Frog
What does the genome of an amphibian tell us about ourselves? David Biello reports
5/2/2010 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
Navy Commits to Alt Fuels
The Earth Day test flight of a partially biofuel-powered F/A-18 Green Hornet was another example of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus's commitment to decreasing the military's consumption of foreign fossil fuels. Steve Mirsky reports
4/25/2010 • 1 minute, 14 seconds
What's the Most Recycled Product in the U.S.?
It's not paper, plastic or even aluminum. David Biello reports
4/18/2010 • 1 minute, 15 seconds
Keeping Coal Mines from Exploding
Preventing explosions in coal mines isn't rocket science. David Biello reports
4/11/2010 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
How Will Climate Change Impact Bread?
Warming temperatures have already impacted wheat yields--in the U.S. David Biello reports
4/4/2010 • 1 minute, 14 seconds
Bye-Bye Bluefin Tuna
By failing to curb trade in the endangered ocean giant, the international community may have doomed it to extinction. David Biello reports
3/28/2010 • 1 minute, 19 seconds
Does Solar Power Need a Revolution?
Some argue that major technical breakthroughs are needed to make electricity from sunshine cheap. Are they right? David Biello reports
3/21/2010 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Who Is to Blame for Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions?
Global trade, outsourcing and climate change prove how interconnected economic and environmental problems are. David Biello reports
3/14/2010 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
Seeking Transformational Energy Technologies
Does the U.S. need an advanced research projects agency for energy? David Biello reports
3/9/2010 • 2 minutes, 14 seconds
Fracking to Free Natural Gas?
A new technique to shatter shale and get the gas within offers promise--and peril. David Biello reports
2/28/2010 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
The Complex Physics of Clouds
How well do scientists understand clouds?
2/21/2010 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
What Does Winter Weather Reveal about Global Warming?
No single weather event proves or disproves the fundamental science of climate change, but extreme weather is what scientists expect from global warming. David Biello reports
2/11/2010 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
Wolverine No Match for Climate Change
The doughty predator is dwindling, thanks seemingly to less snow as a result of global warming. David Biello reports
2/4/2010 • 1 minute, 41 seconds
Have Wallet Cards Helped Fish?
Or simply hurt trees and consumer's brains? David Biello reports
1/28/2010 • 1 minute, 40 seconds
How Fast Are Himalayan Glaciers Melting?
The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change goofs in predicting total meltdown by 2035. But the roof of the world is still losing its icy coat. David Biello reports
1/21/2010 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Tracking Arctic Wolves in Months-Long Night
Satellite collars are letting scientists track these mysterious denizens of the far north during the long winter night. David Biello reports
1/7/2010 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
In the 12 Months of 2009
David Biello offers a semimusical look back at the year just had by the Earth and its people
12/31/2009 • 2 minutes, 3 seconds
Copenhagen's Carbon Debt
How many greenhouse gas emissions does negotiating a climate change treaty take? David Biello reports
12/18/2009 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
Copenhagen: Look to the Sea?
The oceans may be largely overlooked at the climate conference in Copenhagen, but they will bear the brunt of climate change. David Biello reports
12/10/2009 • 1 minute, 37 seconds
Can Energy Labels Be Trusted?
Just how good is the Energy Star label? David Biello reports
12/3/2009 • 1 minute, 31 seconds
What Explains Past Climate Change?
Was the climate really hotter during medieval times? David Biello reports
11/26/2009 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
The Jellyfish Menace
Are humans making the oceans fit only for jellyfish? David Biello reports
11/20/2009 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
Are Algae Mass Murderers?
A new theory suggests that algae might be to blame for the Earth's greatest mass extinctions. David Biello reports
11/13/2009 • 1 minute, 43 seconds
Capturing Carbon Dioxide
Is carbon capture and storage a climate boon or boondoggle?
11/5/2009 • 1 minute, 40 seconds
Can the World's Most Polluted Places Ever Be Cleaned?
From phasing out leaded gasoline to minimizing mercury poisoning, the answer appears to be yes. Christie Nicholson reports, with research, reporting and writing by David Biello
10/29/2009 • 1 minute, 46 seconds
How City Noise Is Reshaping Birdsong
Urban bird dwellers change their song over time to help the them be heard over the big city noises. David Biello reports
10/22/2009 • 1 minute, 40 seconds
Sunny Germans Triumph in U.S. Solar Decathlon
The European country--not known for its abundant sunshine--has become the world leader in solar know-how. David Biello reports
10/16/2009 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Solar Decathlon Promotes Sunnier Future
Students vie to be named top decathlete, but the real winners could be homeowners. David Biello reports
10/8/2009 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
Earthquakes Exert Global Influence
An earthquake in Indonesia can mean future tremors in California. David Biello reports
10/1/2009 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Linked Challenges: Climate Change and Energy Use
Are national governments prepared to offer more than hot air on climate change in Copenhagen this December? David Biello reports
9/25/2009 • 1 minute, 46 seconds
How to Stop the Ongoing Loss of Species
Can the world tackle poverty and the biodiversity crisis at the same time? It'd better, David Biello reports
9/18/2009 • 1 minute, 39 seconds
Climate Forecasts for All
International agencies are coming together to provide climate forecasting to countries without it, particularly because they may be hardest hit. David Biello reports
9/14/2009 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
World's Craziest Geoengineering Scheme
From mimicking a volcanic eruption to mirrors in space, some geoengineering schemes are pretty far out there. David Biello reports.
9/3/2009 • 1 minute, 44 seconds
Laughing Gas No Laughing Matter in Atmosphere
Nitrous oxide is damaging the ozone layer and the climate. David Biello reports.
8/27/2009 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Plastic Not Fantastic... in the Ocean
New research shows that some plastics may be leaching toxic chemicals into seawater. David Biello reports
8/21/2009 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Does Banning Plastic Bags Work?
One year later, plastic bag use is down--but by no means gone--in China. David Biello reports.
8/13/2009 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Are Babies Bad for the Environment?
The best thing you can do for the planet might be having fewer children, a new study argues. David Biello reports
8/6/2009 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Global Warming Beliefs
How we perceive the future of our Earth may depend on an individual's view of nature and on their own human nature. Christie Nicholson reports
8/2/2009 • 2 minutes, 38 seconds
Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone Shrinks
The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium reports that the dead zone in the Gulf is much smaller this year than expected. Christie Nicholson reports
7/27/2009 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
The Future of Farming
Intensive farming not only degrades our soils, but it also contributes to climate change. David Biello reports
7/21/2009 • 1 minute, 34 seconds
El Nino Has Arrived
The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration officially announced that we will experience the El Nino phenomenon this year through to 2010. Christie Nicholson reports
7/10/2009 • 1 minute, 20 seconds
The Wonderful World of Transgenic Animals
From spider silk in goat's milk to tomato genes in salmon, genetically modified animals are proliferating--in the lab. David Biello reports
7/2/2009 • 1 minute, 19 seconds
Can America's Trains Go High-Speed?
The government is pushing for it, but are high speed trains even possible in the U.S.? David Biello reports
6/25/2009 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Getting to the Core of Twisters
In VORTEX2, the largest scientific study of tornadoes, scientists are trying to understand just what causes a twister to form. It's more complicated than you might think. Christie Nicholson reports
6/23/2009 • 2 minutes, 52 seconds
The Dirt on Biofuels
Are biofuels going to play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions? David Biello reports.
6/18/2009 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Germany's Solar Head Start
Jeff Wolfe, the CEO of groSolar, a leading U.S. solar energy distribution and installation company, explains why Germany is developing solar energy at a faster pace than the U.S. Steve Mirsky reports
6/6/2009 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Is Organic Really Better?
Is organic better for you and the environment? David Biello reports
5/28/2009 • 1 minute, 37 seconds
Solar Forecasts and Climate Change
What is the link between solar activity and global warming? David Biello reports
5/22/2009 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
Tuning Up Car Engines
There is a host of existing technologies that could radically improve the internal combustion engines that power our cars. David Biello reports
5/14/2009 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Cash for Clunkers
Is the government's new plan to pay people to trade in old, inefficient cars and trucks an environmental bane or boon? David Biello reports
5/8/2009 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
Can Swine Flu Be Blamed on Industrial Farming?
Some have linked the new strain of H1N1 to an industrial hog farm in Mexico, David Biello reports
5/1/2009 • 1 hour, 20 minutes
Can Trees Save Us from Climate Change?
Trees and other plants suck up carbon dioxide, so we might think planting forests will halt global warming. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. David Biello reports
4/24/2009 • 1 minute, 19 seconds
Can Genetically Modified Crops Feed the World?
Genetic modification has been touted as a solution to hunger, but does it really boost yields? David Biello reports
4/16/2009 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Can Zoos Survive the Economic Crisis?
What happens to the animals when the economy collapses?
4/9/2009 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
The Curious Case of Bees
Honeybees: A European import vital to food production--or are they? David Biello reports
4/2/2009 • 1 minute, 37 seconds
Turning Coal to Liquid Fuel
The U.S.--and the world--has an abundant supply of coal. So does it make sense to turn it into a replacement for oil? David Biello reports
3/27/2009 • 1 minute, 24 seconds
Land under Water
Sea level rise looks likely to come faster--and be worse--than even scientists anticipated. David Biello reports
3/19/2009 • 1 minute, 29 seconds
Electric Cars and Peak Lithium
What are the environmental challenges of electric cars? David Biello reports
3/12/2009 • 1 minute, 19 seconds
Carbon Offsets: Fact or Fiction?
Everyone from motorists to television producers are buying offsets to save the climate. But do they work? David Biello reports
3/5/2009 • 1 minute, 42 seconds
The Great Garbage Patch
Much of our plastic ends up floating in the North Pacific
2/26/2009 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
A "Green" New Deal
Is environmental improvement the key to economic recovery?
2/19/2009 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Waste Not, Want Not: Energy via the Smart Grid
Simply using instead of losing energy, the U.S.--and the world--could power its way out of crisis. David Biello reports
2/12/2009 • 1 minute, 34 seconds
Why Ecosystem Services Matter
You may never have heard of ecosystem services, but you'd be hard-pressed to live without them. David Biello reports
2/5/2009 • 1 minute, 48 seconds
Forget Nuclear Fission, How about Fusion?
Imitating the sun remains an elusive goal for energy researchers. David Biello reports
1/29/2009 • 1 minute, 38 seconds
Coldest Continent Warming, Too
Despite cooling in some regions, overall Antarctic temperatures are increasing. David Biello reports
1/23/2009 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
To Dump (in the Lake) or Not to Dump
That is the question facing the U.S. Supreme Court in a case on the waste from mining. David Biello reports
1/15/2009 • 1 minute, 27 seconds
Carbon Dioxide from Cars
U.S. states are beginning to attack another major source of global warming pollution besides power plants: your car. David Biello reports
1/8/2009 • 1 minute, 34 seconds
The Future of Lighting Is Already on Your Christmas Tree
Light-emitting diodes are beginning to replace the old-fashioned light bulb as well as newer compact fluorescent models. David Biello reports.
12/24/2008 • 1 minute, 30 seconds
A Holiday for Oil
Are we running out of oil?
12/18/2008 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
Santa in Danger: Polar Meltdown
The ice is melting across the Arctic—and Antarctica is starting to thaw, too. David Biello reports
12/11/2008 • 1 minute, 17 seconds
I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas (Tree)
When deciding on real or fake trees for the holiday season, think through the green pros and cons. David Biello reports
12/4/2008 • 1 minute, 22 seconds
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
What's the best way to get home for the holidays?
11/25/2008 • 1 minute, 21 seconds
Wine Made from Tiger Bones
Traditional Chinese medicine could eliminate the big striped cats. David Biello reports
11/20/2008 • 1 minute, 10 seconds
Is a Global Recession Good for the Environment?
Seems like when the economy's bad, the environment improves, but history shows otherwise
11/13/2008 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Obama and (Climate) Change
What is in store for environmental policy in the new Obama administration?
11/6/2008 • 1 minute, 26 seconds
Chocolate: Treat or Trick?
There is an environmental price for our love of chocolate on Halloween, but it may not be what you think
10/30/2008 • 1 minute, 23 seconds
Is BPA Bad for You?
Bisphenol A, a common compound found in many plastics, has been listed as a toxic substance in Canada but is still deemed safe in the U.S.
10/23/2008 • 1 minute, 25 seconds
How Toxic Is Your iPod?
What is the environmental impact of the Apple products you throw away?
10/15/2008 • 1 minute, 32 seconds
Maul of the Wild: Sixth Extinction Wipes out Animals Worldwide
