Environmental Science

The world of our far-future descendants may be as unrecognizable to us as our bustling, urbanized world would be to our bewildered ancient forefathers. Will energy drive many of those changes?

By Robert Lamb

A common misconception is that magma comes from the Earth's molten core. It really comes from the mantle, the layer between the core and the crust. Will it ever run out?

By Tracy V. Wilson

The global oil supply can't meet the demand forever. Will the last drops of oil lead to widespread anarchy, the end of globalization and the relentless exploitation of previously protected drilling sites?

By Robert Lamb & Sascha Bos

The Doll's Theater of Carlsbad Caverns looks otherworldly and took ages to form. What other incredible sights await us below ground?

By Julia Layton

Americans use a lot of gasoline -- hundreds of thousands of barrels each month, as a matter of fact. But did you ever wonder where all of that gas actually comes from?

By Jamie Page Deaton

We're currently suspended between two ages: a time dependent on fossil fuels and a future dominated by renewable energy sources. Yet not everyone is sold on this vision, so a number of myths about renewable energy persist.

By Robert Lamb

There's nothing particularly organic about a robot, even if you dress it in hemp and fuel it with alternative energy. But these five can help our planet one mechanical movement at a time.

By Robert Lamb

Sure, your hair dryer or toaster sucks up a lot of kilowatt-hours during the short time it's on, but what are the truly big drains on your home energy budget?

By Julia Layton & Sascha Bos

While rebates and tax credits have put solar power within reach for many homeowners, it's still an expensive undertaking. How do you make sure you get your money's worth?

By Julia Layton

Energy efficiency is starting to rank right up there with speed and power in terms of desirable attributes for a computer. What are five of the most energy-efficient computers on the market?

By Maria Trimarchi

Huge walls of cascading water never cease to capture our attention with their majesty. Ready to marvel at nature? Check out some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world.

By Rick Mayda

Most folks are trying to green their driving to help out the environment (and their wallets). But what is NASCAR doing to clean up its image?

By Julia Layton

Some of the newest ideas in technology come from very old ideas -- they're inspired by nature. How do the plants and animals around us give engineers ideas?

By Jonathan Strickland

Earthquakes are "natural" disasters, right? Yes, but that doesn't mean the shifting plates that cause them can't be aggravated by human industry.

By Julia Layton

Everyone knows carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a problem. But what about carbon dioxide in the ocean? Is there a way to manipulate the world's seas so that they absorb more CO2?

By Maria Trimarchi

China built the Three Gorges Dam to prevent floods and satisfy the nation's need for massive amounts of energy. What can go wrong when you dam one of the largest rivers in the world?

By Stephanie Watson

If your nearest source for food specializes in hot dogs, ice and a wide variety of potato chips, you might be living in a food desert. What's so dangerous about these barren regions?

By Maria Trimarchi

You may think of corn as something you slather in butter and salt and wolf down at dinner. But everyone's favorite summertime vegetable has a new look, and it may be reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

By Robert Lamb

Sure, the Emerald City looked green, but you won't need green-tinted glasses to see how environmentally friendly the cities on this list are. What makes a city amazingly green?

By Maria Trimarchi & Jacob Clifton

L.A. and ancient Rome have more in common than a culture of excess. Both cities turned to complex systems of siphons and aqueducts to solve their water problems.

By Julia Layton

Are multipurpose plastic bags or those throwback brown paper bags more environmentally friendly? That question could leave you speechless on your next trip to the grocery store.

By Jane McGrath

For those who reduce, reuse and recycle to the beat of their own drum, here are some of the wackier ways to help better the environment and lessen carbon footprints.

By Jennifer Horton & Patrick J. Kiger

For all of its cleanliness, wind power has long been linked to the grisly deaths of birds. Why did one range in California earn turbines the name "bird-o-matics"?

By Julia Layton

The outer continental shelf of the United States could hold a sizeable amount of oil. But is it enough to make a difference in the price of oil?

By Jennifer Horton

Early explorers drove flags into the ground to claim territories. But no one bothered to float a flag in the oceans. For the most part, we peaceably shared the oceans until we realized what valuable goods could be found in their dark and murky depths.

By Josh Clark