Latest Articles

Polar bear dick size is apocalypse’s most recent casualty

This is one of those super-depressing “oh my god the world is ending” things that’s easy to joke about because it involves shrinking polar bear penises. And let’s face it, shrinking polar bear penises are just funny, the way rubber chickens or people falling down are just funny.

Meet Julian and Joaquin Castro, rising Democratic stars with a strong green streak

San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro, who'll be giving the keynote at the Democratic convention, and his twin brother Joaquín, who's running for Congress, are both big advocates for clean energy.

Ants basically invented the internet

Step aside, Al Gore. You, too, Tim Berners-Lee. Now we know who really invented the internet: ants. “Invented” is maybe not exactly right. It’s more like they independently discovered one of its fundamental principles. Sort of like Newton and Leibniz and calculus, except that it’s quite clear who discovered this particular algorithm first. (Hint: It […]

Frackers’ faulty concrete leads to methane in Pennsylvania wells

But don't worry, folks. The industry says this rarely happens. So the odds that your water is flammable are pretty low.

Transit-obsessed dog hops train and travels 50 miles

Frankie the Jack Russell terrier settled on a window seat for his ride on the rush-hour commuter train.

Wall of LEDs lets you paint temporary graffiti with water

Graffiti art can make the urban landscape way more beautiful and interesting, but some people object to permanent decorations on their buildings. Solution: Water Light Graffiti, by artist Antonin Fourneau, working in residence at Digitalarti Artlab. His wall of water-sensitive LEDs allowed visitors in Poitiers, France to create temporary masterpieces using waterguns, spray bottles, hoses, or […]

Hurricane Isaac makes landfall on the Gulf Coast

A levee in the southeast corner of Louisiana was overtopped, but the storm's effect on New Orleans has so far been minimal on the seventh anniversary of the arrival of Katrina.

The Chesapeake Bay: Another possible casualty of this year’s farm bill

Will farm conservation in the nation's largest estuary be killed in this year's fraught farm bill negotiations? Farmers and green groups hope not.

Heart of glass: Has nature healed a California beach, or does that just make us feel better about our trash?

On the Northern California coastline, the ocean is swallowing up a former garbage dump -- a sign of Mother Nature’s power, sure, and a reminder of our wasteful ways.

GOP convention addresses the climate issue: Our comprehensive coverage, day one