The U.S. power grid is a 20th century technology powering a 21st century country. Why Hurricane Sandy will stress it to the limit
Going Green
Why Climate Change Has Become the Missing Issue in the Presidential Campaign
We’re in the final few months of what’s shaping up to be the hottest year on record. In September, Arctic sea ice melted to its smallest extent in satellite records, while the Midwest was rocked by a once-in-a-generation level …
How Countries Like Iraq—Not the U.S.—Will Help Determine Gas Prices to Come
The Presidential candidates love to talk about increasing oil production here in the U.S. But a new report from the International Energy Agency underscores the fact that it will be foreign countries like Iraq that will continue …
A Dark Cloud and a Silver Lining for the World’s Fisheries
A new study reveals that small, unassessed fisheries are in even worse shape than we thought. But the research also provides hope that smarter management could stop the bleeding—and provide more sustainable seafood.
How Silent Spring Became the First Shot in the War Over the Environment
50 years old this month, Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring helped kickstart the environmental movement and led the U.S. to ban the pesticide DDT. So why do some people blame Carson for millions of malaria deaths in Africa?
Urban Planet: How Growing Cities Will Wreck the Environment Unless We Build Them Right
More and more people are moving into cities around the world—and those cities are getting bigger and bigger. The urbanization shift could wreck the environment—unless we can plan the transition.
Arctic Sea Ice Vanishes — and the Oil Rigs Move In
As Arctic sea ice melts to its lowest level on record, oil companies move in to begin drilling the far north.
The Romney Energy Plan: Drill, Baby, Drill — Again
The soon-to-be Republican nominee offers a familiar — and ineffective — mix of stepping up production and standing down on the environment
Why West Nile Virus Is a Self-Inflicted Wound
A tropical disease rages in a decidedly untropical place —Texas. Both science and politics play roles.
The Great Drying Strikes Again
The drought gripping much of the U.S. may be a reprise of even worse ones the continent has suffered before