All Environment
- First LookWhy Massachusetts wants to fill an island with rattlesnakes
Massachusetts officials want to turn an island in the state's largest reservoir into a refuge for the critically endangered snakes, despite alarm from nearby residents.
- First LookDeath Valley in bloom: How driest spot in America becomes awash with color
The barren National Park is typically void of flowers or greenery. But every 10 years or so 'super blooms' of wildflowers fill the desert, say park rangers.
- First LookWas bald eagle convocation poisoned? $10,000 reward offered for information.
Federal officials are investigating in Maryland after 13 bald eagles were found dead. The birds, which will be sent for testing, may have been poisoned.
- First LookShould new UN climate chief come from developing nation?
Some climate policy analysts say that developing nations – some of which have become role models in cutting their planet-warming emissions and adapting to climate impacts – could help fill the void in leadership left behind by Christiana Figueres' departure in July.
- First LookEarth's oceans are swelling faster than anytime in past 2,800 years, study shows
A new batch of studies confirming the close relationship between global temperature and ocean level finds that seas are rising at the fastest rate since nearly 1000 BC.
- First LookNot just a western problem, drought threatens forests across US
Scientists are scrambling to understand how changing climate will affect American ecosystems in hopes of developing better management practices.
- Is the UK's clean-energy future at risk?
The government says it's working to reduce over-spending on subsidies for renewables, but critics say the the sudden decision to cut support has spooked investors.
- First LookFlorida man's shark 'selfie' sparks outrage
A Florida man has sparked a storm of Internet outrage for dragging a small shark ashore and pinning it down while posing for photographs.
- How California residents are changing the water landscape
California residents have been forced to use less water with each passing year, but as drought becomes the new norm, they aren't just conserving, they're revolutionizing the way the state manages its water.
- Fears over Paris climate deal: Could the US back out?
The top US negotiator for the Paris climate deal is working to allay the concerns of other nations that the United States might not sign or ratify the deal, as the government has at times shied away from international deal-making.
- How farmers are trying a new kind of flooding to save California's agriculture
Even as scientists say the Golden State's agricultural sector must inevitably shrink, farmers are testing a way to stanch the loss of their most precious resource: groundwater.
- First LookUN climate chief Christiana Figueres to step down: A legacy of bridging divides
Christiana Figueres's ability to bring opposing sides together has been a hallmark of her six-term tenure as the UN climate chief.
- As California enters a 'new era' on water, cities seek their own solutions
El Niño's rains are a welcome relief in the Golden State, but that doesn't cancel the need for changes in water use, experts say. Here's how San Diego and Los Angeles are adapting.
- Aussie town battles tumbleweed invasion: A climate change signal?
A giant tumbleweed known as “hairy panic” has taken over a rural Australian city.
- First LookWhy world leaders are antsy about US participation in Paris climate deal
Todd Stern, the US climate envoy, told reporters in London on Thursday that despite Republican opposition to climate change, the political situation is different than when President Bush rejected the Kyoto Protocol in 2001.
- First LookWhen selfies go too far: Rare dolphin dies after beach photos
A rare Franciscana dolphin died after being pulled from the water by beachgoers near an Argentinian resort. The incident raises anew a debate over the lengths people go to take a memorable selfies.
- First LookHow different are wild salmon from farm salmon? A lot, DNA shows.
The salmon divide: Scientists have found that there are more than 700 genetic differences between a hatchery-born salmon and its cousins in the wild.
- 17 governors make bipartisan pledge toward clean energy
Citing the economic benefits of clean energy, governors from across the country have come together to modernize the energy grid with renewable power.
- First LookPuffin mystery solved! Scientists learn secrets of Maine birds' migration.
The puffins spend their summers in Maine, but scientists have been perplexed about where the colorful birds go in the winter – until now.
- First LookWhy have 150,000 penguins mysteriously disappeared?
When a group of scientists returned to Antarctica's Cape Denison in 2014, they realized 150,000 Adélie penguins were missing. It's a devastating blow to Adélie penguin populations, but researchers aren't counting the species out just yet.