Latest Articles
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Umbra’s second helpings: Untangling the garden hose problem
A reader wonders how to find a hose that's not made of PVC plastics. Umbra's not going to water down this answer.
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Off our chests: What breasts tell us about the state of our world
Breasts are amazing things, says Florence Williams, author of the new book "Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History" -- but maybe not for the reasons you think they are.
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House Committee Votes to Allow Illegal Loggers to Pillage World’s Forests
Today, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee voted to allow illegal loggers to undercut the Lacey Act by allowing them to pillage the world’s forests. The vote was close as a bipartisan group of Representatives voted against the bill that would gut the Lacey Act. Unfortunately, by a 25-19 vote too many House Members still […]
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Coming this August: You, made of garbage
The World Bank's report on the world's garbage creation reveals big differences in how rich and poor countries dispose of waste – both today and in the future.
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Hot town, May in the cities
Basically every big city in America was hotter during May 2012 than any May prior. At least according to scientific instruments.
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Here is that piano made of bananas you asked for
I’m not going to make a joke about “playing with your food.” I think we’re all above that. But you should all know that some MIT students have developed a bit of tech that will allow you to make your excess produce into a musical instrument. Actually, the MaKey MaKey is even cooler than that […]
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The 6 most awesome telephone pole signs
Smart humans lighten up their nabes with funny phone pole signs. Herewith, our favorites from the internet.
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What’s really funny: Taking the oil industry’s word on its job creation
If you've seen the video lampooning what counts as a green job, consider this: what does the industry count in its job numbers? They'll never tell.
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New York’s roofscape gets climate makeover [VIDEOS]
Witness the evolution of New York City’s billion-square-foot roofscape in the face of climate change.
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Morning chance of guilt, followed by afternoon desperation
Here is a happy recap of various depressing articles from the news today.
