Climate Science

Can Florida's nature and people outrace sea-level rise?

Laura Geselbracht talks about what sea-level rise is doing to Florida's Gulf Coast.

Scary maps of the new climate normal

Every state experienced warmer temperatures in 1981-2010 compared with 1971-2000. Take a look at some alarming maps that illustrate the changes.

Relocating prairie dogs displaced by solar power

It's nowhere near the level of destruction wrought by coal mines, oil and gas wells, or giant conventional power plants, but solar installations do have their consequences. Among them: making habitats hostile to prairie dogs.

Polar bears discover Irish heritage

For a long time, scientists thought, as any reasonable person would, that the female ancestor of modern polar bears came from some Alaskan island. But it turns out that, like humans, bears are sometimes attracted to bears that come from foreign places, especially if they have cute accents. In fact, the female ancestor of polar bears came from, of all places, Ireland. (A press release from the Office of the Polar Bear King confirmed that yes, polar bears will be participating in St. Patrick's Day parades worldwide next year.)

Critical List: $6 billion ethanol subsidy to end; Wyoming wolves screwed by Senate politics

The Senate is ending a $6 billion subsidy program for ethanol; anti-ethanol food and environmental groups say it's "not a perfect comprise" but that they're "encouraged" by the step.

Carbon captured from coal plants can feed biofuel-producing algae. Which is awesome because nobody else wants to eat it.

Put that tuna burger down! Overfishing could extinguish five out of eight tuna species.

It's gettin' (really, really) hot in here

Even in a supposedly colder, wetter La Niña year, we're seeing ten times as many record highs as record lows.

Arizona's becoming a dust bowl, and this video of it will scare your pants off

The most important fish in the sea

Menhaden are vital for a clean and healthy ocean ecosystem -- and they're in trouble.

Stock up on wine and bacon before climate change gets worse

Hippies have been fighting for awareness and action on global warming for a long time, but now yuppies and hipsters will have to join in. In the last week we've gotten news that bacon prices will soar and California wines will suffer due to inhospitable crop-growing conditions. It's one thing to live in a slowly crumbling world, but to live in it without bacon or wine? Now it's SERIOUS.

Believing in climate change gets you votes

Here's good news if the phrase "President Bachmann" sends you into a twitching, frothing fit: For candidates on both sides of the aisle, the best vote-getting strategy is to take climate change seriously.