Environmental Science

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?

Topics to Explore

Learn More / Page 3

New Technology Turns a Sunny Day into Safe Water

A new technology can speed the purification of water using sunlight, potentially providing clean water to billions of people.

By Jim Marion Feb 21, 2019 Sustainable Technologies / Sustainable Technologies in the Community

What Do the Numbers Inside Recycling Symbols on Plastic Items Mean?

There are seven different numbers you might see on a plastic container. And each number has its own meaning.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus Sustainable Technologies / Sustainable Technologies at Home

Have We Hit the Peak Recycling Point?

The forward momentum on recycling has stalled in the U.S. and other countries, but some experts say there's still potential for growth.

By Patrick J. Kiger Feb 8, 2019 Sustainable Technologies / Sustainable Technologies in the Community

Here's Where to Find the Cleanest Air in the World

Some cities, even large ones, are making big strides in improving air quality.

By Loraine Fick Feb 7, 2019 Environmental Science / Green Science

Cockroach Farms Turn Food Trash Into Treasure

Cockroaches are taking a big bite out of a Chinese city's trash problem.

By Loraine Fick Feb 5, 2019 Sustainable Technologies / Sustainable Technologies in the Community

Sastrugi: Nature's Beautiful Speed Bumps

Sastrugi are gorgeous snow formations found in the polar north, but they're also no fun to travel over.

By Jesslyn Shields Feb 4, 2019 Earth Science / Geophysics

Ancient Rock Arches Sing Songs

These ancient wonders aren't static sculptures; they vibrate and shift throughout the day, creating a variety of sounds as they stretch their aging, eroding 'bones.'

By Nathan Chandler Jan 29, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

Lapis Lazuli Found in Teeth of Medieval European Woman

The pigment ultramarine was as expensive as gold in medieval Europe; so how did it end up in the teeth of a nun buried at a monastery in rural Germany?

By Jesslyn Shields Jan 23, 2019 Earth Science / Archaeology

Peat Bogs Are Freakishly Good at Preserving Human Remains

What makes these spongy, waterlogged areas of decaying plant matter so perfect at preservation? In a word: science.

By Mark Mancini Jan 23, 2019 Earth Science / Archaeology

Earth's Magnetic North Pole Has Rapidly Shifted in the Past 40 Years

Prior to the mid-1990s, the magnetic north pole traveled at speeds of around 9 miles per year. Now, it's 34 miles annually. What accounts for the acceleration?

By Mark Mancini Jan 22, 2019 Earth Science / Geophysics

Earth's Missing Crust Was Removed by Glaciers, New Study Says

Researchers hypothesize that missing rocks from the geologic record, known as the Great Unconformity, were sheared away by glaciers at a time when most — or all — of the world's surface was coated with ice.

By Mark Mancini Jan 15, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

5 Positive Environmental Stories From 2018

Believe it or not, despite all of the dire prognostications, there was some good news about the environment in 2018.

By Jamie Allen Jan 10, 2019 Conservation / Conservation Issues

Pacific Garbage Patch Cleanup Device Suffers Breakdown

The ambitious project to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch has hit a few snags, but the team, led by a 24-year-old inventor is undaunted.

By Dave Roos Jan 9, 2019 Conservation / Conservation Issues

Scientists Develop Quick-Growing Coral Method to Save Dying Reefs

Coral grows faster when it's cut or broken and scientists are taking advantage of that to replenish depleted reefs.

By Cherise Threewitt Jan 8, 2019 Green Technology / Remediation Technologies

What Makes a 'Killer' Lake Explode?

Lakes seem like serene places to escape and enjoy peace and quiet. So you'd probably be surprised to learn that a lake can actually explode without warning. It's happened, with deadly consequences.

By Mark Mancini Dec 27, 2018 Earth Science / Geophysics

Gigantic Undiscovered Cave Found in British Columbia

How, in today's world, could a cave this massive go undetected for so long?

By Patrick J. Kiger Dec 20, 2018 Geology / Geologic Processes

Bricks Made of Urine — Our Pee Is 'Liquid Gold'

Urine is so much more valuable than we think. Soon, we might be building houses with pee bricks.

By Jesslyn Shields Dec 12, 2018 Sustainable Technologies / Sustainable Technologies in the Community

Palm Oil Is Everywhere. Here's Why That Matters.

Palm oil has become one of the most widely used substances on the planet, but its cultivation has been an environmental and human rights disaster.

By Patrick J. Kiger Dec 4, 2018 Conservation / Conservation Issues

Could Injecting Particles Into the Stratosphere Slow Global Warming?

Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) is a controversial possibility in the effort to slow the rate of climate change.

By Patrick J. Kiger Dec 3, 2018 Earth Science / Geophysics

Ancient Egyptians Believed Cats Had 'Divine Energy'

Archaeologists recently unearthed dozens of mummified cats from a 2,500-year-old Egyptian tomb. So what were they doing there in the first place?

By Dave Roos Nov 19, 2018 Earth Science / Archaeology

Seeds of World's Rarest Trees and Crops Can't Be Banked

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 Nov 13, 2018 Environmental Science / Green Science

Massive Underground Mud Geyser Is California's 'Slow One'

A bubbling mud pool is moving toward the San Andreas Fault, but scientists don't see evidence of an impending earthquake.

By Stell Simonton Nov 13, 2018 Earth Science / Geophysics

Georgia Tech Using Campus Wastewater to Grow Veggies

We flush a shocking amount of perfectly good water down the toilet every day. An environmental engineer has a better idea.

By Oisin Curran Nov 8, 2018 Environmental Science / Green Science

Deadly 1948 Donora Smog Launched the U.S. Clean Air Movement

A killer smog 70 years ago helped lead to the first federal air pollution laws.

By Patrick J. Kiger Nov 7, 2018 Conservation / Conservation Issues

Kiss Your Beer Goodbye if Climate Change Continues Unchecked

As if warming temperatures and melting glaciers aren't bad enough, now climate scientists are warning that the world's beer supply could all but dry up. Even at Germany's world-famous Oktoberfest.

By John Perritano Oct 17, 2018 Conservation / Conservation Issues