HowStuffWorks Newsletter
The environment is truly a thing of beauty and should be protected whenever possible. What can we do to save the environment, and what new technology is available to help us?
The Montreal Protocol treaty signed in the '80s halted the destruction of the ozone layer. In the process, it prevented Earth from becoming nearly 1 degree hotter.
A July study found that every coastal estuary could prevent $38 million of damage from major storms like Hurricane Ida. But that means wetlands need protecting, too.
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, plays an essential role in regulating ocean temperatures, but it looks as if it may be collapsing. What happens next?
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A lead author on the newly released IPCC report explains what the warnings mean.
By Robert Kopp
More than 230 scientists read 14,000-plus research papers to write the upcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Here's what you need to know and why it's so important.
The number of trees we are surrounded by in our daily lives affects our health, economic welfare and mental well-being. The fairness of their distribution is known as tree equity.
By Muriel Vega
The climate crisis is messing with the water cycle. Some places are getting way too much, while others aren't getting any water at all. We'll explain.
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An unprecedented 10-year-long study published in the journal Nature found that deforestation and fires have drastically reduced the Amazon rainforest's ability to absorb carbon emissions from the atmosphere.
This beautiful pink quartz is found in numerous places throughout the world and is thought to be associated with unconditional love.
Researchers have been asking this question for almost a century and now we're a little closer to the answer. Something else to ponder: Every 27.5 million years there is usually a mass extinction.
Not all diamonds are found on dry land. Many turn up in sediments below the ocean's surface. You just have to know where to look.
By Mark Mancini
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Not all deserts have sand and they're certainly not all hot. They're just extremely dry and have little vegetation. That means deserts are located all over the planet, including at super-high elevations.
The Southern Ocean has finally been officially recognized, though scientists have known about it for over a century.
The Mohs hardness scale is used by geologists and gemologists as a way to help identify minerals using a hardness test. How does it work?
This ancient rock, which forms above copper deposits, is beloved for its swirling patterns and vibrant green color. It's dazzled humans for millennia as jewelry and even in décor.
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Tanzanite is so rare, it is sourced from just 8 square miles in Africa. It was first discovered in the late 1960s and it burst onto the jewelry scene thanks to Tiffany & Co.
It's possible that the giant, deadly serpent hanging out at the bottom of Fosse Dionne spring is just a legend, but divers have disappeared trying to find out, so who knows?
Deep underneath Antarctica, there lies a hidden lake. Roughly the size of North America's Lake Ontario, the buried landmark has inspired curiosity and controversy for decades.
By Mark Mancini
It might sound gross to a lot of you out there, but reusable garbage bags could keep tons of plastic from the landfill. And we mean tons!
By Suzie Dundas
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Critics warn that cryptocurrency networks, whose computers use enormous amounts of electricity to verify transactions, could be a factor in warming the planet. The industry is working to change that.
There are caves all over the world, but some are in places that are hard to explore — hidden by rocks, ruins or even under ice. We've found seven secret caves you probably never knew existed.
Scotland has a bold vision to rewild and restore its ecosystems to what they once were. How? By reintroducing native species, restoring degraded land and simply allowing nature to look after itself again. Will it work?
Methane emissions have been skyrocketing for years. A report just released by the United Nations says that's very bad news, and it's critical that overall methane emissions be lowered to slow climate change.
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Riparian buffers are critical for protecting our local waterways from polluted runoff. So what exactly are they and how do they work?
This ancient rock adorns King Tut's coffin and the Sistine Chapel. And at one time it was more precious than gold. What is it about this deep blue rock that has drawn us in for centuries?