Fertilizers Are (Nearly) Forever
While most fertilizer nitrogen ends up in plants, plenty sits in the soil for decades. David Biello reports
Oct 27, 2013•3 min
60-Second Earth
Tune in every Sunday for quick reports on the science of the environment and the future of energy. It'll just take a minute!
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Episodes
U.S. Government Shutdown Disrupts Earth Monitoring
From climate records to penguin counts, the shutdown of the U.S. government will have lasting science effects. David Biello reports
Oct 20, 2013•3 min
Climate Change Fight Needs Game Attitude
Game theory suggests that punishment for pollution has to come at the local level. David Biello reports
Oct 13, 2013•3 min
Airplane Pollution Needs To Descend
Airplanes may only contribute roughly 2 percent of the greenhouse gases warming the atmosphere. But they are one of the fastest growing sources. David Biello reports
Oct 06, 2013•3 min
Can Solar Power Be Cheap?
New technologies will be needed for photovoltaics to become cheap. David Biello reports
Sep 29, 2013•3 min
Fighting Climate Change Also Battles Disease
Cutting down on greenhouse gas pollution could deliver health benefits. David Biello reports
Sep 22, 2013•3 min
Which Places Are Most Vulnerable to Climate Change?
Changes in the weather mean changes in ecosystems and a new report maps vulnerability. David Biello investigates
Sep 15, 2013•3 min
Trees Write Air Pollution Record In Wood
The red cedar trees of West Virginia reveal just how effective U.S. clean air laws have been. David Biello reports
Sep 08, 2013•3 min
Which Came First: Low CO2 or an Ice Age?
Look to the shells of marine algae to find the answer to historical global cooling. David Biello reports
Sep 01, 2013•3 min
Cellist Converts Climate Data To Song
University of Minnesota undergraduate Daniel Crawford studies geography and environmental science. He's also a cellist. He converted more than a century of global temperature data to create A Song of Our Warming Planet. Mark Fischetti reports.
Aug 25, 2013•6 min
How Many Ants Become World Travelers?
Just how many ant species are humans moving from place to place? David Biello reports
Aug 18, 2013•3 min
Big Animal Extinction Impoverishes Soil
Megafauna extinctions prove a key factor in reduced soil fertility. David Biello reports
Aug 11, 2013•3 min
Desert Shrubs Could Suck Up Carbon
Planting the shrub jatropha in arid regions worldwide could sequester enough carbon to offset the annual CO2 pollution of China, the E.U. and the U.S. combined. David Biello reports
Aug 04, 2013•3 min
How to Prevent Another Fukushima Explosion
A new material for protecting nuclear fuel could cut down on the risk of explosions. David Biello reports
Jul 28, 2013•3 min
When a Heat Wave Is the Future, You Need Better Air-Conditioning
Demand for A-C is only going to grow, so we'll need better technologies. David Biello reports
Jul 21, 2013•3 min
Where's the Best Place to Put a Wind Farm?
It's not just where it's windiest, according to new research. David Biello reports
Jul 14, 2013•3 min
Climate Change Alters Soil Bacteria Distribution
A warmer planet means that heat-seeking microbes will elbow out those that prefer life a bit more chilly, with unknown effects on the planet's ecology. Karen Hopkin reports
Jul 07, 2013•2 min
Is There a Formula for Better Cities?
Mathematical rules could allow for better city planning, David Biello reports
Jun 30, 2013•3 min
To Store More Carbon, Make Grasshoppers Nervous
Living in a landscape of fear means more of the greenhouse gas driving climate change gets stored in plants. David Biello reports
Jun 23, 2013•3 min
Climate Change Getting Worse by the Minute
The world is not on track to reduce, or even restrain global warming. David Biello reports
Jun 16, 2013•3 min
Plastic Bags Litter Seafloor
A new survey reveals that trash from our activities on land litters the bottom of the ocean, from shallow to deep. David Biello reports
Jun 09, 2013•3 min
400-Year-Old Plant Resurrected
Moss can wait out being entombed in glacial ice for centuries. David Biello reports
Jun 02, 2013•3 min
Water Waste May Leave Us Thirsty
Humans are using and abusing freshwater resources at an accelerating rate. David Biello reports
May 26, 2013•3 min
Who's Paying the Price for Global Warming?
U.S. taxpayers have so far borne the brunt of climate change costs. David Biello reports
May 19, 2013•3 min
Moon Base Work Yields Clean Steel Process
A new method to make steel using electricity rather than flame could produce virtually no carbon emissions. David Biello reports
May 13, 2013•3 min
Remember the BP Oil Spill? Malformed Fish Do
A new study shows that sediments fouled with oil from the blowout in the Gulf of Mexico caused problems for fish embryos. David Biello reports
May 05, 2013•3 min
Air Gun Blasts Shatter Undersea Tranquility
Proposals to open the U.S. east coast for oil and gas exploration mean an increasingly noisy neighborhood for marine life. David Biello reports
Apr 28, 2013•3 min
Is Sustainability Even Possible?
More than 40 years after Earth Day, human civilization is still far from the ideal of sustainability. David Biello reports
Apr 21, 2013•3 min
Cut Soot to Stave Off Sea Level Rise
Reducing certain kinds of air pollution could limit the rise of ocean waters and buy time to address CO2 emissions. David Biello reports
Apr 14, 2013•3 min
Penguin Species Could Be Climate Winner
Although climate change will cause massive disruption, it could benefit some species, such as the Adelie penguin. David Biello reports
Apr 08, 2013•3 min
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