Articles by Grist staff

Baby Boom

Babies born today in the Chernobyl area of Ukraine face as big a risk of contracting radiation-related illnesses as children who lived there during the deadly 1986 nuclear explosion, according to research released yesterday by Israeli scientists. Thyroid, liver, and other diseases were more prevalent among children in the area than among unexposed children, the […]

States of Grace

New York, Hawaii, and California have made the most progress in improving their energy efficiency over the last 20 years, while Alaska and North Dakota have made the least, according to a study released this week by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Overall, the U.S. cut its energy intensity — or energy used […]

Research and Destroy

Japan’s whaling fleet has returned home with 88 carcasses — 40 minke whales, 43 Bryde’s, and five sperm. The Japanese government announced yesterday that it plans to continue its controversial hunt for the three species next year, maintaining that the nation has a right to conduct “scientific” whaling, though the meat from the whales is […]

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Rain in New England contains mercury levels four times higher than the feds consider safe for aquatic life, suggesting that the risk of eating freshwater fish in the region is growing, according to a report being released today by the National Wildlife Federation. For example, the average level of mercury measured in 71 rain samples […]