Ecology

Underground, all these aspen trees share a singular root system.

Where to Hike to (and Through) the World's Largest Organisms

Some of the largest organisms will surprise you

One of the world's most iconic deserts was once lush and green. What happened?

What Really Turned the Sahara Desert From a Green Oasis Into a Wasteland?

10,000 years ago, this iconic desert was unrecognizable. A new hypothesis suggests that humans may have tipped the balance

The government worker Chandra Rangani tends to the health of Thimmamma Marrimanu.

The Biggest Tree Canopy on the Planet Stretches Across Nearly Five Acres

In remote India, a visit to Thimmamma Marrimanu offers a spectacular lesson in the vital coexistence of living things

Westgate Park's salt lake has once again turned cotton-candy pink.

Why Did This Australian Lake Turn Bright Pink?

Hot weather, scant rainfall and high salt levels have created a perfect storm for pinkness

Three polar bears climbing on a snow-covered pile of bowhead whale bones on Barter Island near Kaktovik, Alaska.

The Politics of Viewing Polar Bears

Tourists flock to this coastal Alaskan town to photograph the vulnerable icons—raising hairy ethical questions

Bison returning to Banff

Bison Back in Banff After 130 Years

Parks Canada released 16 of the wooly ungulates in the national park in a pilot project to re-establish the species

Deciding when to get divorced is a difficult calculation—even for birds.

Birds Struggle to Keep Their Marriages in Rapidly Changing Urban Environments

Deciding whether to get divorced is a complex calculation, even for birds

A new study on grey reef sharks turned up a few surprises.

Ocean Preserves Keep Fishing Boats Away from Grey Reef Sharks

Scientists tracked hundreds of reef sharks to find that massive marine refuges can work—with one caveat

Video: Why Should Humans Care About Preserving the Diversity of Life on Earth?

This animation explains that humans don't just impact the interconnected web of life—we depend on it

This year we've seen swelling efforts to protect vast swaths of ocean. Are they scientifically sound?

Do Ocean Preserves Actually Work?

The U.S. now leads the world in protected marine areas. But are they a scientifically sound strategy?

Many scientists believe we are standing on the edge of an unprecedented era of extinction.

Why Should Humans Care if We're Entering the Sixth Mass Extinction?

In this episode of Generation Anthropocene, learn what a new era of extinction means for diverse species—including our own

Mustard gas from wars past is decaying in the world's oceans—but scientists don't yet know how dangerous it could be. Here, U.S. Navy ship prepare for scheduled deployment in the Pacific Ocean in 2014.

Chemical Weapons Dumped in the Ocean After World War II Could Threaten Waters Worldwide

How worried should we be? Chemists are racing the clock to find out

How does a lizard that looks like a rose stem mated with a cactus suck water out of the desert?

This Spike-Crested Lizard Drinks From Sand With Its Skin

The thirsty, thorny devils of Australia's deserts can’t quench their thirst with tongues alone

A Fish Prized Among King Henry's III's Court Could Soon Swim Back Into British Waters

Fish passes will allow shad to finally return to their historic spawning grounds

Ranching southern bluefin tuna has been a big-ticket industry in South Australia for years. One company hopes that inviting tourists to swim with the fish will prove successful, too.

A Bizarre “Swimming with Tuna” Attraction Puts Australia’s Controversial Aquaculture in the Spotlight

Is this an opportunity for conservation education, or another example of the government bending to Big Tuna?

Mangroves are rich and biodiverse coastal ecosystems that flood and emerge with the tides. Now villagers are burning these trees to better their lives.

Madagascar's Mangroves: The Ultimate Giving Trees

Locals already use the trees for food, fuel and building materials. Now they're burning them to make lime clay

Cod May Have Regional "Accents" That Could Spawn Trouble When Breeding

Recording fish communication could help scientists learn more about the impact of underwater noise pollution

Alaska's yellow-cedar forests are slowly dying as climate change takes root.

This Music Was Composed by Climate Change

Dying forests make magnificently melancholy listening

The Billion Oyster Project is trying to help restore oysters to New York City's waterways.

Thousands of Toilets Submerged in NY Harbor Go From Bathroom Throne to Oyster Home

It’s much too soon to eat them, though

Giant Pandas Are No Longer Endangered but Are Still in Danger

They aren't the only ones in trouble: the state of the great apes is more dire than ever

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