Earth

  1. Animals

    Hellbenders need help!

    Hellbenders already face threats such as habitat loss, pollution and disease. But climate change could make matters worse. And the problems facing hellbenders could spell trouble for more than just these giant amphibians.

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  2. Climate

    Distant pollution may intensify U.S. twisters

    A new study of one of the deadliest U.S. outbreaks of tornadoes sees a possible role for smoke. In this analysis, the smoke had come from fires burning in Central America.

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  3. Plants

    Desert plants: The ultimate survivors

    Creosote, mesquite and other desert plants rely on different adaptations to thrive, even when no rain falls for an entire year.

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  4. Climate

    Fast sea level rise is a very recent change

    Sea levels have been rising for more than a century. But that rise is now speeding up. That suggests that what is driving the rise — climate change — also has increased dramatically in recent years.

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  5. Earth

    Tides may regularly swamp many U.S. cities

    As sea levels rise, many cities will begin to experience frequent and extensive flooding at high tides. In some areas — even Washington, D.C. — such flooding could become a weekly headache.

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  6. Environment

    Air pollution can mess with our DNA

    New research suggests a type of air pollution — diesel fumes — can affect your health. It inappropriately switches some genes on, while turning off others.

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  7. Agriculture

    Livestock: A need to save rare breeds

    New studies and ongoing work highlight why society should save rare livestock breeds — and the part that technology can play.

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  8. Agriculture

    Explainer: What is a gene bank?

    Most banks store money. But some very special ones store deposits that may prove even more valuable: tissues that could prevent the extinction of breeds and species.

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  9. Environment

    Nature documentary puts people in the picture

    Many nature documentaries cut people out of the frame. A new series aims to show how we are entwined with our environments.

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  10. Environment

    Plastics at sea create raft of problems

    About 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic float in the world's oceans, a new study finds. That's a problem. This 269,000 tons of plastic can choke, entangle and poison a wide variety of sea creatures.

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  11. Fossils

    Dino double whammy

    Most scientists think an asteroid helped kill off the dinosaurs. But new calculations suggest that asteroid might have gotten some help from a long series of volcanic eruptions in what is now India.

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  12. Climate

    Thunderstorms can generate powerful radiation

    Thunderstorms don’t just hurl lightning bolts. Some churn out high-energy radiation that can be seen by spacecraft. This radiation offers scientists a glimpse of the inner workings of thunderclouds.

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