Environmental Science

One way to store energy is to use a battery, but what other ways can we store energy? Learn about different ways to store energy at HowStuffWorks.

By Yara Simón

Let's say you have a nice fire going, and it's reduced down to a pit of hot "glowing embers." If you now toss a piece of wood, or even a sheet of paper, onto this fire, you see a huge puff of smoke as it heats up.

An oscilloscope measures the voltage and frequency of an electric signal. A machine uses "sweeps" and and an input signal. See how it all comes together.

You've probably seen solar panels on satellites, call boxes, road signs, homes and businesses. But how do solar panels work?

By Scott Aldous & Talon Homer

Vertical farming is a method of large-scale farming in an urban environment. Learn about the benefits of a vertical farm and vertical farming technology.

By Jacob Silverman

Green roofs, long popular in Europe, are making their way into the United States. Find out what a green roof is and how it can solve some problems conventional roofs have.

By Sarah Dowdey

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

For more than 40 years, scientists have tried to figure out what's causing large parts of Canada to be "missing" gravity. The force of gravity around Hudson Bay is lower than surrounding areas. Learn about two theories that may explain the phenomenon.

By Jacob Silverman

The Georgia Aquarium is the world's largest aquarium. How did they build habitats for all the animals, and what does it take to keep them fed and healthy? Find out about the aquarium and learn about the animals that call it home.

By Tracy V. Wilson & HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

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

Global warming has become a common term, but it's not commonly understood. Learn about global warming and the greenhouse effect.

By Jonathan Strickland & Ed Grabianowski

We'd be up a creek without Earth's atmosphere and the greenhouse effect it provides, but it turns out that an overactive greenhouse effect can result in a similarly devastating outcome.

By Julia Layton, Ed Grabianowski & Sascha Bos

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The ever-changing price of a barrel of oil has a lot to do with what we pay for gasoline at the pump. But do you know the four major factors that contribute to the price of oil?

By Patrick E. George

Could solar cells be the asphalt of the 21st century?

By Patrick E. George & Cherise Threewitt

We live in a universe of clocks. The technology may not sound as dependable as your cell phone alarm clock, but humans have turned to water-powered clocks for more than three and a half millennia.

By Robert Lamb

When you're camping, it's nice to have a light in your tent. But lanterns can catch fire and flashlights eventually run out of batteries. Does the sun offer a better solution?

By Julia Layton

You know what geothermal energy is -- heat from the Earth. Could a new twist on geothermal power help countries achieve energy independence?

By Susan L. Nasr

Without a doubt, plastic is useful. It's also everywhere - filling up landfills and recycling bins. These 10 twists on the common polymer are trying to change that reality.

By Maria Trimarchi, Patrick J. Kiger & Vicki M. Giuggio