Climate Change

Belugas head to Hudson Bay in the summer in droves to eat, molt and give birth.

Watch Tens of Thousands of Beluga Whales Migrate With These Live Streams

The marine mammals are gathering in Canada's Hudson Bay and Churchill River—and their journey is a reminder of sea ice's importance

Alessandro Rotta Loria and a student in his lab walk through a train tunnel beneath the Chicago Loop.

Chicago May Be Slowly Sinking Because of 'Underground Climate Change'

The ground beneath the Windy City is shifting as heat escapes from buildings and transit systems, posing a threat to infrastructure, a study finds

The sun sets during a record heat wave in Tempe, Arizona, on July 18, 2023.

From Japan to Louisiana to Rome, Here Are Ten Heat Records Earth Has Broken Since June

As the planet clocks the warmest June ever, here's a list of temperature marks that fell this summer

Phytoplankton form swirls of green in the Barents Sea north of Norway. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this image on July 27, 2004.

Climate Change Is Shifting the Color of Earth's Oceans

More than half of our oceans have taken on a greener hue in the past 20 years, a trend that cannot be fully explained by natural variation, per a new study

Abigail Previlon, 13, takes part in online learning at home on October 28, 2020 in Stamford, Connecticut. At the time, Stamford Public Schools was using a hybrid educational model due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

What the Covid-19 Pandemic Revealed About Remote School

The unplanned experiment provided clear lessons on the value—and limitations—of online learning. Are educators listening?

Aerial view of Crawford Lake

This Canadian Lake Could Mark the Start of an Epoch Altered By Humans

With evidence of fossil fuels, nuclear weapons and a warming climate buried in its sediment, Crawford Lake represents the Anthropocene, scientists say

An artist's interpretation of what Wilson's little penguins would have looked like

New Extinct Species of 'Ridiculously Cute,' Tiny Penguins Discovered in New Zealand

Scientists identified the diminutive birds after finding two of their fossilized skulls

July 4, 2023 was the Earth's hottest day ever, breaking the record set one day earlier. The heat continued into Wendsday, July 5.

Earth Faces Hottest Day Ever Recorded—Three Days in a Row

Researchers attribute the sweltering heat to a combination of human-caused climate change and El Niño, which has a global warming effect

Like humans, animals are trying to stay cool amid heat waves.

Why Are Squirrels 'Splooting' on Hot Days?

This adorable behavior helps the rodents cool down, especially as extreme heat sweeps the planet

Twenty Blues trains are now running—and plans are in the works to bring more than 100 into operation.

Europe's First Battery-Powered Trains Are Here

The tribrid trains now running in Italy can switch between battery power, electricity and diesel

Members of Extinction Rebellion NYC and Rise and Resist gathered at the Met to protest the indictment of Joanna Smith and Tim Martin.

Protesters at the Met Condemn 'Unjustifiably Harsh' Charges Against Two Climate Activists

Both are facing up to five years in prison for smearing paint on the glass case of a Degas sculpture

A resident and his dog sunbath at Zilker Park on June 27, 2023 in Austin, Texas.

Heat Wave Gripping the Southern U.S. Will Spread This Week

Some areas may face a heat index as high as 120 degrees

The massive sharks known as megalodons ruled the oceans for some 20 million years.

Megalodons Were Warm-Blooded—and It Was a Blessing and a Curse

The giant sharks likely warmed some of their body parts, helping them grow massive but leaving them vulnerable to environmental changes, a new study finds

Apparatus for administering nitrous oxide and other anesthetic gases

These Objects Tell the Story of Human-Driven Climate Change

Smithsonian curators dig into the collections to find artifacts that illustrate how we arrived at this moment

Analyzing DNA found in the water off Greenland, researchers have found the signs of species on the move.

The Atlantification of the Arctic Ocean is Underway

The discovery of a tiny fish far from its normal range is a poignant reminder of the changes that are already happening

A chicken nugget made from cell-cultivated meat. The companies plan to start by selling their product to restaurants. 

USDA Approves First Lab-Grown Chicken in the United States

Two companies have received the green light to produce and sell chicken they have cultivated from cells

A boy looks at a water pump on a street in New York City. Between 1993 and 2010, researchers estimate that humans have pumped over two trillion tons of water out of the ground.

Humans Have Shifted Earth's Axis by Pumping Lots of Groundwater

Removing water from the ground has led to sea-level rise and caused Earth's axis to shift by about 2.6 feet between 1993 and 2010, per a new study

A woman drinking water on a hot day in Kolkata, India, in April 2023.

Extreme Heat Wave Hits India

In recent days, nearly 200 people have died across two of the country's most populous states

This satellite image shows active fires (in red) and gray smoke particles wafting over parts of eastern Canada and the United States. 

Smoke From Wildfires in Canada Traveled as Far as Norway

Though air quality has improved along the East Coast, smoke particles are floating through the atmosphere to other parts of the world

Just because history is the most dangerous place to visit doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go. It’s also the most interesting. You just need a guide.

Could You Survive the Black Death, the Sack of Rome and Other Historical Catastrophes?

A new book advises readers how to successfully navigate deadly disasters of the past

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