Climate Desk
Got an Invasive Army of Crayfish Clones? Try Eating Them
The marbled crayfish is a threat to the native species, but the “Berlin lobster” may also offer a sustainable food source and help stop the spread of parasites.
Old Climate Clues Shed New Light on History
Historians are reexamining eras of social turmoil and linking them to volcanic eruptions, prolonged droughts, and other disturbances in the natural world.
Can Synthetic Palm Oil Help Save the World’s Tropical Forests?
Harvesting this vegetable oil is a huge driver of deforestation. Numerous startups are taking up the daunting task of engineering it instead.
Why Paleontologists Are Getting Into Florida’s Oyster Business
Conservationists are teaming up with fossil experts to help the bivalves—and the state’s oyster economy—survive.
The US Mountain West Could Soon Face Snowless Winters
Parts of Colorado, Utah, California, and the Pacific Northwest could be without snow for years at a time in just a few decades.
Fleeing Global Warming? ‘Climate Havens’ Aren’t Ready Yet
Climate migration is already underway. Here's how cities can prepare.
Can Gambia Turn the Tide to Save Its Shrinking Beaches?
In an economically developing country reliant on tourism, the rapidly eroding “smiling coast” shows the urgent need for action on climate change.
Hints of New Life in the Shadows of Venezuela's Last Glacier
When ice goes, lichens and mosses move in and an entirely new ecosystem starts to take shape.
The North Carolina Town Besieged by Armadillos
Thanks to climate change, the armored animals are making their way up north. And there’s no sign of them stopping their relentless march.
Early Evidence of How Wildfire Smoke Alters Bird Migration
A team tracking the flights of four Tule geese from Alaska to California documented how the birds changed course in response to dense smoke.
There Are Bright Spots in the Global Coral Reef Catastrophe
The first major report on the world’s reefs presents a grim picture of losses from global warming. But there are signs coral can recover if given a reprieve.
A Water Crisis Reveals You Can't Recycle in the Arctic
Fuel contamination forced the residents of Iqaluit to rely on bottled water—and now they're having a hard time getting rid of the plastic.
This Prairie Grassland Project Collects Native Seeds
Young members of the Fort Belknap Indian Community are learning how to identify and save local grasses as part of an effort to restore the land.
Ground-Level Ozone Is a Creeping Threat to Biodiversity
Scientists are learning how this pollutant damages plants and trees, setting off a cascade of effects that harms everything from soil microbes to wildlife.
The (Very Slow) Race to Move Forests in Time to Save Them
Trees have always migrated to survive. But now they need help to avoid climate catastrophe.
In New Zealand, People (and Moths) Rediscover Dark Skies
A massive South Island stargazing reserve is a respite from light pollution for many species, including our own.
Valley Fever Is Spreading Through a Hotter, Drier Western US
Researchers haven’t pinned down exactly what’s behind the rise of the deadly fungal disease. But one thing is nearly certain: Climate change plays a role.
Urchin Slayers Are Trying to Save the Underwater Rainforest
‘Zombie’ purple urchins have obliterated West Coast kelp forests with their insatiable appetites. Can they be stopped?
A Third of Shark and Ray Species May Face Extinction
Overfishing, habitat loss, and climate change are driving species collectively known as chondrichthyan fishes toward a global crisis.
Biologists Unlock the Secrets of ‘Invisible’ Animals
From glasswing butterflies to vanishing octopuses, evolution sometimes paints with colors that aren’t there.
Radioactive Rat Snakes Could Help Monitor Fukushima Fallout
Scientists have attached dosimeters to the reptiles so they can serve as living “bioindicators” to gauge contamination levels near the shuttered nuclear power plant.
A Plan to Slow the Creep of the Sahara—by Planting Gardens
People along the desert’s border are building a kind of circular plot called a tolou keur to keep the soil fertile and to slow desertification.
Eastern Hemlocks Face Extinction. A Tiny Fly Could Save Them
An invasive insect called the woolly adelgid is eating the Northeast’s forests alive. So some researchers are calling in hungry silver flies.
Can You Recycle a Hard Drive? Google Is Trying to Find Out
Rare-earth magnet recycling could reduce the need to mine for more resources, leading to more sustainable data centers.