Environmental Science

You may remember the blackout that occurred on Aug. 14, 2003. It was the biggest in U.S. history. And just like every major blackout, it raised a lot of questions about how the power-distribution system works.

By Marshall Brain & Julia Layton

Organic food promises freedom from synthetic ingredients. Find out what organic food is, how organic farming works, what the pros and cons are, and why you should care.

By Robin Brett Parnes

Few things have done as much harm to humanity as fire, and few things have done as much good. Find out where fire comes from and see why it behaves the way it does. The answers might surprise you!

By Tom Harris

The basic idea isn't new, but the process of modern hydropower conversion is high-tech. Today's hydropower plants are some of the coolest machines ever constructed. Find out how rushing water generates power.

By Kevin Bonsor

Manhole covers have been blasting out of the ground in New York City. Find out what causes these strange explosions and how powerful they really are.

By Kevin Bonsor

Countless movies and television shows depict quicksand as some kind of living creature that sucks its victims down into a bottomless pit, never to be heard from again. Well, you can't believe everything Hollywood tells you.

By Kevin Bonsor

Rip currents are the number-one concern for beach lifeguards: About 80 percent of all beach rescues are related to rip currents. Learn what they are and what you should do if you get caught in one.

By Tom Harris

Whenever people talk about buying diamonds, they keep mentioning the four Cs. What do they have to do with diamonds?

Diamond engagement rings. Diamond anniversary bands. Diamond earrings and necklaces. And now, the right-hand diamond ring! The four Cs -- cut, clarity, carat and color. Find out what the fuss is all about.

By Kevin Bonsor

You've probably been spending your summers visiting a barrier island or two and you don't even know it! From Atlantic City to Miami Beach barrier islands are popular vacation spots and amazing ecosystems. Go exploring.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

We want the ozone layer, but we don't want ozone pollution... Good in the atmosphere but bad on the ground? Find out about ozone pollution, how it affects you and what you can do about it.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

How do plants compare to solar cells when it comes to collecting solar energy? Would you get more power from an acre of ground by putting solar cells on it or by raising plants?

The Eden Project is an incredible set of massive greenhouses in Cornwall, England. Check out this amazing place!

By Tom Harris

If you ask anyone interested in surfing, they'll probably tell you that you need to be on the West Coast in order to find the biggest waves. But why is that? Why are the waves bigger on the West Coast when compared to the East Coast of the U.S.?

This article will take you into the tropical rainforest to see what makes it such a bountiful environment for plants and animals. Plus, find out why the rainforests are in danger and look at some of the ways this affects humans.

By Tom Harris

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster has generated renewed interest in the way we search for oil. What methods do we use to find and extract this commodity from the Earth?

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D. & Jonathan Strickland

Another series of rolling blackouts are hitting California. Learn why this is happening and how it affects you.

By Kevin Bonsor

How can water cut through steel? A device called a waterjet uses extreme force to cut through all sorts of things.

Despite the dangers, oil refineries are essential to society in its current form. Learn how crude oil is converted into everything from butane to gasoline.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

OK, so volts measure the potential for energy to travel and ohms measure the resistance to the electrical flow, but what are amps and watts?

By Dave Roos

What happens to all of that trash you put on the curb every week? It doesn't just disappear into a parallel universe. Much of it probably goes to the local landfill, and how it gets handled there is a very involved system.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D. & Patrick J. Kiger

Carbon-14 dating is something that you hear about in the news all the time. Everything from mastodons to the Shroud of Turin has been dated using this technique! Learn about how carbon-14 dating works and why it is so accurate!

By Marshall Brain

The polar ice caps have been in the news recently because of their alleged shrinking due to global warming. If this is true, how much would the oceans rise if the ice caps melted completely? Learn the answer to this question in this article.

By Marshall Brain

Let's say you have a lunch date to make – and it's on the other side of the planet. Wouldn't it be convenient to pop down a hole through Earth's innards? But what would really happen if you did?

By Nicholas Gerbis

How do they measure "sea level"? Is it the average of the tides? And is the sea level actually rising or not?