Green Science

Seed banks like the Svalbard Vault in Norway are saving seeds for our future. But a new study found not all seeds can be banked.

By Oisin Curran

We've relied on synthetic chemical pesticides for far too long — and they haven't been doing us any favors.

By Jesslyn Shields

When the weather becomes extreme, women in the west African country of Benin deal with agricultural challenges differently than men.

By Jesslyn Shields

Getting your home to zero waste doesn't have to mean re-structuring your entire life. Sure, you'll have to make changes, but most of them are surprisingly easy.

By John Donovan

You read that right. Paper made from animal manure could be coming to an office near you. OK, not really, but poop to paper is a thing.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth II is making changes to the Royals solid-wasted plan, and that includes banning many plastics.

By John Perritano

Automatic toilets have come a long way toward being water savers.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Will Amazon's age of home delivery bury the environment in extra boxes? You might be surprised by the answer.

By Laurie L. Dove

It isn't often that trash comes to the environment's rescue, but one company's wasted orange peels have transformed a barren plot of land into a lush forest.

By Laurie L. Dove

Twice the size of Hong Kong, this iceberg is the product of a huge crack that developed across the ice shelf.

By Christopher Hassiotis

Climate change puts coastal areas at risk. How will the domestic dislocation of millions affect inland cities like Atlanta, Las Vegas and Austin?

By Laurie L. Dove

"River piracy" usually takes ages, but this is the first time in recorded history it's been witnessed. And it happened in a geological instant.

By Patrick J. Kiger

The experts have seen people trying to recycle bowling balls and curling irons. They call it 'wishful recycling'. But paper and plastic items can be problematic too.

By Dave Roos

A new 'atlas' of light pollution finds that one third of people on Earth can't see the night sky's most dramatic feature.

By Christopher Hassiotis

Talk about a real power plant. Researchers have shown that the electrons released from tomato waste can be captured. Toss those rotten tomatoes right into the future!

By Chris Opfer

Millions of people die every year because of poor air quality, new international research finds. That number is expected to rise in coming years.

By Christopher Hassiotis

Drones give farmers a fresh look at what's happening with their crops.

By Chris Opfer

Introducing a new species into an ecosystem can have unforeseen and disastrous consequences for the species that already live there.

By Karen Kirkpatrick

If you think about all the things that are removed from your drinking water, you'd be pretty thankful for public water systems. But they can't keep out everything.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Yes, we have way too much non-biodegradable plastic clogging up everything on this planet, but what if there was a way to make plastic out of something better or even more natural? Would shrimp shells work?

By Beth Brindle

They bring herds of identical friends, they eat all the food and they just won't leave the party. How can we get rid of these uninvited guests in Earth's ecoystems?

By John Perritano

Farming technologies have allowed the world to be fed, even though most people no longer farm. Only 2 percent of Americans are farmers, versus 90 percent in the 1700s. Which tools and technologies have had the most impact on farming and why?

By Laurie L. Dove

"It's been so cold this winter — so much for global warming." Ever heard anyone say that? We explain why cold weather — and nine other things – don't disprove global warming.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Forest-fire prevention has been a touchstone of American consciousness since the creation of Smokey the Bear in the 1940s. But now, environmental experts believe that some amount of fire is good for the forest too.

By Laurie L. Dove

Over the years, many theories have been advanced about why the once-mighty Mayan civilization fell. But a newer one is getting attention: Was it because of climate change?

By Patrick J. Kiger