Green Science

The ozone layer prevents much of the sun's ultraviolet light from reaching the Earth. But there's a problem: a gaping hole the size of Antarctica. What can we do about it?

By Tracy V. Wilson & Julia Layton

Biodynamic viticulture can get downright spiritual with its attention to lunar cycles and other cosmic forces. So why would a vineyard need to pay attention to such things, and what do manure-filled horns have to do with it?

By Jessika Toothman

Artificial light lets us stay up through the night or feel secure in the dark. But those midnight noons push our bodies out of whack and confuse the natural world. Is there a fix for light pollution?

By Jessika Toothman

We know that paper comes from trees, but just how much does it take? Let's do the math and figure out how much paper your average tree can be made into.

During the summer I am always hearing about ozone warnings in my city. This ozone is bad. But then I hear about the ozone layer, which is good. How can ozone be both good and bad?

With the global food crisis, some people feel that using food to make biofuel just doesn't make sense. Could algae be a solution? How could algae possibly fuel cars and even airplanes?

By Stefani Newman

Wetlands may look murky and even creepy, but their value is clear. They soak up floodwaters and filter runoff before it enters our lakes and streams. How can we protect these spongy areas?

By Debra Ronca

Oil is a nonrenewable resource. Have we found all the oil there is to find, or is there more out there somewhere? What's the best way to wean ourselves from our oil dependency?

By Josh Clark

Clean coal -- isn't that an oxymoron? Not anymore. See how energy companies are using coal in cleaner ways to generate massive amounts of electricity. Alternative fuels may be making headway, but coal isn't used up yet. Find out why.

By Sarah Dowdey

You've finally cleaned out your garage. Four cans of paint, a dead car battery and a circa 1991 Nintendo sit before you. But where in the world do you recycle these items?

By Debra Ronca

Popeye used the iron from spinach to morph into a formidable sailor. We know that iron is an essential component of the human body. But could it also be the answer to global warming?

By Jennifer Horton

How will Abu Dhabi's Masdar City function without cars, skyscrapers and fossil fuels? How is such a city even possible -- and what will keep it running?

By Jane McGrath

A sustainable community might not be as radical as you think. What's so crazy about minimizing waste, reducing consumption and preserving green space?

By Jennifer Horton

Only 25 percent of glass containers used by U.S. consumers were recycled in 2018, the most recent year for statistics. So, why aren't Americans doing better?

By Patrick J. Kiger

Global warming and climate change are terms often treated like synonyms, but they have different meanings. We'll explain the difference and why both are so important to know.

By Mark Mancini

Satellite data shows just how much air quality has improved during the coronavirus crisis, from China, India, Italy and beyond.

By Marco Hernandez

Many people think mushrooms have the potential to be environmental game-changers by replacing some plastics, meats and even eating through landfill waste. Could these fungi really help save the planet?

By Olivia Boyd

Bill Nye says he quit his day job at Boeing to engage young people in science literacy. And he's still fighting that fight today.

By Jeremy Deaton

Africa's Great Green Wall, which will be Earth's largest living structure once complete, has been designed to save the continent from desertification and encroachment by the Sahara.

By Stephanie Vermillion

Beavers have long had a bad rap for building dams that wreak havoc on the environment. But now those dams are linked to warming temperatures in the tundra, and that's bad news.

By Robin Young & Allison Hagan

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

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

By Jesslyn Shields

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

Sunlight can break plastic down but not very fast. Is there a way to speed up the process so that natural environments like this one aren't cluttered with plastic debris for centuries?

By Nathan Chandler

The green movement isn't going to die just because the world ends. In fact, sustainable types might even have a leg up post-apocalypse. Here's how.

By Robert Lamb