Latest Articles

Ask Umbra: What should I do with my old bike helmet?

A reader is at a loss for how to toss her battered brain bucket. Umbra, as always, is outspoken.

Hot pursuit: Amateur naturalists help track the shifting seasons

As the world warms, natural systems are getting thrown out of whack. Flowers bloom earlier each spring and wildlife misses seasonal cues. Now, scientists want your help to figure out what happens next.

Diving deep: Susan Shaw, ocean crusader and environmental health pioneer

To see firsthand the impacts of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Susan Shaw donned a wetsuit and snorkel and dove into the blackened waters. What she saw horrified her -- and it’s not over yet.

Eating invasive iguanas in Florida [VIDEO]

The Perennial Plate crew visits an island off Florida, where the best way to deal with the exploding iguana population is to eat them.

Shale shocked: USGS links ‘remarkable increase’ in earthquakes to fracking

Federal scientists connect unprecedented numbers of earthquakes in the heartland with hydraulic fracturing operations.

Climate change could give you rabies

If rabid environmental activists don’t get their way, the rest of us might end up rabid too. This year’s drought is leading to a huge jump in rabies rates in stricken states, and climate change will only make it worse.

Oh my god, hot-dog-stuffed-crust pizza, humans are no longer authorized to make food

What is wrong with all of you?

Hot on the trail: Exploring parks threatened by climate change

Writer Mike Lanza wanted his kids to experience our national parks before climate change alters them forever. So he took his entire family on a year-long quest to visit our most endangered wild places.

Solar ‘scandal’ upshot: China is dominating global solar market, for better or worse

Conservatives are going nuts about yet another "new Solyndra," but it's the same old story: cheap Chinese solar panels. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Here’s a seal helping a stranded turtle get in the water, you’re welcome