Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Drink 'til You're Green
02 Jan 2011
Contributed by Lukas
What's worse than a hangover? The environmental impact of your drinking and mine. David Biello repor...
The Earth in 2010
26 Dec 2010
Contributed by Lukas
What were the biggest environmental stories in 2010? David Biello reports
A Holiday for Consumption?
19 Dec 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The (environmental) meaning of Christmas. David Biello reports
Energy Choices Predict Future Climate
12 Dec 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Physics Nobel laureate and U.S. energy secretary, Steven Chu, offers his thoughts on the paired chal...
Yes, We Cancun on Climate Change?
05 Dec 2010
Contributed by Lukas
After Copenhagen, the world reconvenes to try to combat climate change. David Biello reports
Is Climate Change Too Scary?
28 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Doom and gloom doesn't motivate action on environmental problems, but is there hope for behavior cha...
Will Economic Health Align with Environmental Health?
21 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
What impact did the Great Recession have on climate change? David Biello reports
Scientists Decide on Top 5 Issues for Sustainability
14 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The International Council for Science has narrowed down five top challenges the world needs to meet ...
Oil from the BP Disaster May Remain Thick on the Seafloor
07 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Soil samples taken from a 50-mile radius around the Macondo well reveal striped layers of thick goo,...
A Citizen Scientist Changes Our Understanding of Whales
31 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
A woman from Hancock, Maine, discovered that a tourist snapshot of a humpback whale on Flickr matche...
A Ban on Biodiversity?
24 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Despite being the voice of the world's flora and fauna, will the delegates at the 10th meeting of th...
The Little Energy Program That Could?
17 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The innovative research and development program known as ARPA-e is in imminent danger of losing fund...
The Sound of the Automobile's Future?
10 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Automobiles go back to the future and become electric, but are they too quiet? David Biello reports
Wasted Food Equals Wasted Energy
03 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Wasting food isn't just bad in its own right, it also represents a profound waste of energy. David B...
Tapping the Power in Hot Rocks
26 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
So-called geothermal power has been around for more than a century. What will it take to heat up thi...
Life Is Tough, Especially for Microbes
19 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
A newly discovered extremophile can subsist on a modicum of energy. David Biello reports
Corals Face Catastrophic Bleaching
12 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
This year could be a very bad year for coral reefs, thanks to warm waters as a result of El Nino and...
Carbon Dioxide from Cars, Part 2
05 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Transportation is the fastest-growing source of emissions of carbon dioxide. The U.S. aims to change...
The Price of Traffic in China
29 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
It's not just the inconveniences of traffic jams that may last for months outside of Beijing, it's a...
How Will Climate Change Impact Bread?, Part 2
23 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Warming temperatures will exacerbate crop-destructive events, ranging from fires to floods. David Bi...
Keeping Oil Underground in Ecuador
15 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The United Nations partners with Ecuador in a bid to pay for the privilege of keeping oil undergroun...
Can Charcoal Slow Climate Change and Improve Agriculture?
08 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Adding biochar to soil might be a good way to cut pollution from agriculture while improving fertili...
Global Warming Is Undeniable
01 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Yet more scientific research highlights ongoing climate change--as the U.S. enjoys the hottest July ...
China Surpasses U.S. in Energy Use?
25 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
China is now the world's number-one user of energy--unless you ask the Chinese. David Biello reports
Sea Level Rise Swamps Islands
18 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The seas are already overlapping islands and coasts from Panama to India. David Biello reports
Floating Wind Turbines Promise Clean Power
11 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Ocean-based wind turbines don't need to be firmly anchored to the seafloor, according to a new study...
Gulf Coast Dead Zone Set to Grow
04 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Scientists predict a bigger than average dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico this year. David Biello rep...
Are Modern Cities for People or Cars?
27 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The cities of the future might be greener, cleaner and more vibrant if people are put before automob...
Will the Oil Spill Kill Sperm Whales?
20 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
A group of endangered sperm whales live in the vicinity of the oil spill--and now one of them has tu...
The Full Price of Oil
13 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The ongoing oil spill is just one cost of our ongoing addiction to fossil fuel. David Biello reports
Sex Lives of Crickets Revealed
06 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Infrared cameras have enabled scientists to determine what makes for a successful cricket sex life. ...
How to Re-Create an Ecosystem
30 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
What lives in a given ecosystem depends on history. David Biello reports
Save the Whales--by Hunting Them?
23 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
A new proposal would limit whaling, by permitting small amounts of it. David Biello reports
Lizards Feel the Heat from Climate Change
16 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Extinction already stalks lizards, thanks to global warming. David Biello reports
How Bad Is the Oil Spill?
12 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
As bad as it is, BP's Gulf oil spill dwindles compared with gushers of the past. David Biello report...
Cracking the Genetic Code of a Frog
02 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
What does the genome of an amphibian tell us about ourselves? David Biello reports
What's the Most Recycled Product in the U.S.?
18 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
It's not paper, plastic or even aluminum. David Biello reports
Keeping Coal Mines from Exploding
11 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Preventing explosions in coal mines isn't rocket science. David Biello reports
How Will Climate Change Impact Bread?
04 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Warming temperatures have already impacted wheat yields--in the U.S. David Biello reports
Bye-Bye Bluefin Tuna
28 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
By failing to curb trade in the endangered ocean giant, the international community may have doomed ...
Does Solar Power Need a Revolution?
21 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Some argue that major technical breakthroughs are needed to make electricity from sunshine cheap. Ar...
Who Is to Blame for Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions?
14 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Global trade, outsourcing and climate change prove how interconnected economic and environmental pro...
Seeking Transformational Energy Technologies
09 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Does the U.S. need an advanced research projects agency for energy? David Biello reports
Fracking to Free Natural Gas?
28 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
A new technique to shatter shale and get the gas within offers promise--and peril. David Biello repo...
The Complex Physics of Clouds
21 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
How well do scientists understand clouds?
What Does Winter Weather Reveal about Global Warming?
11 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
No single weather event proves or disproves the fundamental science of climate change, but extreme w...
Wolverine No Match for Climate Change
04 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The doughty predator is dwindling, thanks seemingly to less snow as a result of global warming. Davi...
Have Wallet Cards Helped Fish?
28 Jan 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Or simply hurt trees and consumer's brains? David Biello reports
How Fast Are Himalayan Glaciers Melting?
21 Jan 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change goofs in predicting total meltdown by 2035. But t...
Tracking Arctic Wolves in Months-Long Night
07 Jan 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Satellite collars are letting scientists track these mysterious denizens of the far north during the...
In the 12 Months of 2009
31 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
David Biello offers a semimusical look back at the year just had by the Earth and its people
Copenhagen's Carbon Debt
18 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
How many greenhouse gas emissions does negotiating a climate change treaty take? David Biello report...
Copenhagen: Look to the Sea?
10 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
The oceans may be largely overlooked at the climate conference in Copenhagen, but they will bear the...
Can Energy Labels Be Trusted?
03 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Just how good is the Energy Star label? David Biello reports
The Jellyfish Menace
19 Nov 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Are humans making the oceans fit only for jellyfish? David Biello reports
Are Algae Mass Murderers?
13 Nov 2009
Contributed by Lukas
A new theory suggests that algae might be to blame for the Earth's greatest mass extinctions. David ...
Capturing Carbon Dioxide
05 Nov 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Is carbon capture and storage a climate boon or boondoggle?
Can the World's Most Polluted Places Ever Be Cleaned?
29 Oct 2009
Contributed by Lukas
From phasing out leaded gasoline to minimizing mercury poisoning, the answer appears to be yes. Chri...
How City Noise Is Reshaping Birdsong
22 Oct 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Urban bird dwellers change their song over time to help the them be heard over the big city noises. ...
Sunny Germans Triumph in U.S. Solar Decathlon
16 Oct 2009
Contributed by Lukas
The European country--not known for its abundant sunshine--has become the world leader in solar know...
Solar Decathlon Promotes Sunnier Future
08 Oct 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Students vie to be named top decathlete, but the real winners could be homeowners. David Biello repo...
Earthquakes Exert Global Influence
01 Oct 2009
Contributed by Lukas
An earthquake in Indonesia can mean future tremors in California. David Biello reports
Linked Challenges: Climate Change and Energy Use
24 Sep 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Are national governments prepared to offer more than hot air on climate change in Copenhagen this De...
How to Stop the Ongoing Loss of Species
18 Sep 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Can the world tackle poverty and the biodiversity crisis at the same time? It'd better, David Biello...
Climate Forecasts for All
14 Sep 2009
Contributed by Lukas
International agencies are coming together to provide climate forecasting to countries without it, p...
World's Craziest Geoengineering Scheme
03 Sep 2009
Contributed by Lukas
From mimicking a volcanic eruption to mirrors in space, some geoengineering schemes are pretty far o...
Laughing Gas No Laughing Matter in Atmosphere
27 Aug 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Nitrous oxide is damaging the ozone layer and the climate. David Biello reports.
Plastic Not Fantastic... in the Ocean
21 Aug 2009
Contributed by Lukas
New research shows that some plastics may be leaching toxic chemicals into seawater. David Biello re...
Does Banning Plastic Bags Work?
13 Aug 2009
Contributed by Lukas
One year later, plastic bag use is down--but by no means gone--in China. David Biello reports.
Are Babies Bad for the Environment?
06 Aug 2009
Contributed by Lukas
The best thing you can do for the planet might be having fewer children, a new study argues. David B...
Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone Shrinks
27 Jul 2009
Contributed by Lukas
The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium reports that the dead zone in the Gulf is much smaller ...
The Future of Farming
21 Jul 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Intensive farming not only degrades our soils, but it also contributes to climate change. David Biel...
El Nino Has Arrived
10 Jul 2009
Contributed by Lukas
The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration officially announced that we will experience the E...
The Wonderful World of Transgenic Animals
02 Jul 2009
Contributed by Lukas
From spider silk in goat's milk to tomato genes in salmon, genetically modified animals are prolifer...
Can America's Trains Go High-Speed?
25 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
The government is pushing for it, but are high speed trains even possible in the U.S.? David Biello ...
Getting to the Core of Twisters
23 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
In VORTEX2, the largest scientific study of tornadoes, scientists are trying to understand just what...
The Dirt on Biofuels
18 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Are biofuels going to play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions? David Biello reports.
Germany's Solar Head Start
05 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff Wolfe, the CEO of groSolar, a leading U.S. solar energy distribution and installation company, ...
Is Organic Really Better?
28 May 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Is organic better for you and the environment? David Biello reports
Solar Forecasts and Climate Change
22 May 2009
Contributed by Lukas
What is the link between solar activity and global warming? David Biello reports
Tuning Up Car Engines
14 May 2009
Contributed by Lukas
There is a host of existing technologies that could radically improve the internal combustion engine...
Cash for Clunkers
08 May 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Is the government's new plan to pay people to trade in old, inefficient cars and trucks an environme...
Can Swine Flu Be Blamed on Industrial Farming?
01 May 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Some have linked the new strain of H1N1 to an industrial hog farm in Mexico, David Biello reports
Can Trees Save Us from Climate Change?
24 Apr 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Trees and other plants suck up carbon dioxide, so we might think planting forests will halt global w...
Can Genetically Modified Crops Feed the World?
16 Apr 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Genetic modification has been touted as a solution to hunger, but does it really boost yields? David...
Can Zoos Survive the Economic Crisis?
09 Apr 2009
Contributed by Lukas
What happens to the animals when the economy collapses?
The Curious Case of Bees
02 Apr 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Honeybees: A European import vital to food production--or are they? David Biello reports
Turning Coal to Liquid Fuel
26 Mar 2009
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S.--and the world--has an abundant supply of coal. So does it make sense to turn it into a rep...
Land under Water
19 Mar 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Sea level rise looks likely to come faster--and be worse--than even scientists anticipated. David Bi...
Electric Cars and Peak Lithium
12 Mar 2009
Contributed by Lukas
What are the environmental challenges of electric cars? David Biello reports
Carbon Offsets: Fact or Fiction?
05 Mar 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone from motorists to television producers are buying offsets to save the climate. But do they ...
The Great Garbage Patch
26 Feb 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Much of our plastic ends up floating in the North Pacific
A "Green" New Deal
19 Feb 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Is environmental improvement the key to economic recovery?
Waste Not, Want Not: Energy via the Smart Grid
12 Feb 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Simply using instead of losing energy, the U.S.--and the world--could power its way out of crisis. D...
Why Ecosystem Services Matter
05 Feb 2009
Contributed by Lukas
You may never have heard of ecosystem services, but you'd be hard-pressed to live without them. Davi...
Forget Nuclear Fission, How about Fusion?
29 Jan 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Imitating the sun remains an elusive goal for energy researchers. David Biello reports
Coldest Continent Warming, Too
23 Jan 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Despite cooling in some regions, overall Antarctic temperatures are increasing. David Biello reports
To Dump (in the Lake) or Not to Dump
15 Jan 2009
Contributed by Lukas
That is the question facing the U.S. Supreme Court in a case on the waste from mining. David Biello ...
Carbon Dioxide from Cars
08 Jan 2009
Contributed by Lukas
U.S. states are beginning to attack another major source of global warming pollution besides power p...
The Future of Lighting Is Already on Your Christmas Tree
24 Dec 2008
Contributed by Lukas
Light-emitting diodes are beginning to replace the old-fashioned light bulb as well as newer compact...