All Environment
- Oil prices free fall: Why Venezuela stands to lose the most
Oil prices continue to drop, putting pressure on producers worldwide. Venezuela may have the most to lose from a prolonged slide in oil prices.
- Natural gas's green image could be hot air, say scientists
Natural gas has been touted as a vital stepping stone in the transition away from petroleum, but a new study suggests that without clear policy gas could divert investment in renewables.
- Crude oil prices continue slide. Who wins? Who loses?
Plummeting crude oil prices are good news for US motorists, who are seeing the lowest prices at the pump since 2011. But low crude oil prices could create budget shortfalls in mega-producers like Saudi Arabia and Russia – countries that rely heavily on oil revenue.
- What do Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine have in common?
Jockeying for oil and natural gas resources are one component of the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, and elsewhere. A deep reduction in fossil fuel consumption wouldn't make these conflicts disappear, Cobb writes, but they might make them far less dangerous.
- Crude oil prices keep falling. But oil production just gets more expensive.
Crude oil prices continue to drop to multiyear lows, but the cost of extracting the crude continues to rise. The Kashagan oil field in Kazakhstan is a case study in cost overruns made only more painful by falling crude oil prices.
- World's tallest cow: Blosom, a 6-foot-4-inch bovine
World's tallest cow, Blosom, measures 6 feet, 4 inches and is owned by an Illinois woman. Blosom earned the title of world's tallest cow in mid-August by Guinness World Records.
- How to spread power to 600 million Africans without it
Two-thirds of sub-Saharan Africans lacks access to electricity and all the modern amenities that come with it. A new report suggests that $450 billion of new investment would bring much-needed power to the region's city-dwellers by 2040.
- Cover StoryThe whale savers
A decades-long quest to save the north Atlantic right whale is helping revive a species that is a bellwether of the health of the oceans.
- Why Kobane matters; Ukraine braces for cold; Nobel-worthy light [Recharge]
If the Islamic State wins the fight for Kobane, it will expand its access to the black markets it needs to smuggle oil. The US and other Western partners are in Ukraine helping the country prepare for a winter without Russian gas. The inventors of efficient LEDs take home a major prize. Catch up on the latest in global energy with Recharge.
- Electric cars have batteries. Why not power plants?
A Southern California Edison wind-powered plant offers a peek at the potential for energy storage at power plants. Energy storage would allow utilities to bring more renewable energy power plants onto the grid.
- EPA: US cars more efficient than ever
The average fuel economy of new US cars and trucks hit a record 24.1 miles per gallon (mpg) last year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Overall fuel economy for new cars and trucks has risen almost 5 mpg since 2004.
- Oil prices keep falling. Why that's bad news for Russia.
Oil prices continue to plummet on steady supply and weak demand across the globe. With oil revenue accounting for around half of Russia's budget, the drop in oil prices is bad news for the Kremlin.
- Hinkley Point nuclear plant gets OK from EU
Hinkley Point nuclear plant in England gets an approval from the European Union to subsidize the construction and operation of the plant. Environmentalists who oppose Hinkley Point were furious over the decision.
- CN train derailment: petroleum cars catch fire in Saskatchewan
CN train derailment in Saskatchewan caused petroleum distillate to ignite, forcing about 50 people to evacuate from a nearby community. The CN train derailment comes in the wake of recent high-profile oil train accidents.
- Nobel Prize for physics: How LEDs change the world
The Nobel Prize for physics was awarded Tuesday to the inventors of blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The Nobel-winners' creation is already transforming everyday devices in the developed world, and are bringing cheaper, better light to those who don't have it.
- Good news: Your energy bill should shrink this winter
Last week's freezing winter was so cold it may make this coming heating season appear mild by comparison. That's why the US Department of Energy is forecasting Americans won't have to crank up the heat as much this year, so they'll pay less for energy.
- California drought: Why less water equals less power
California's prolonged drought is shrinking its water reservoirs, cutting into the state's electricity generation. That’s because California sources a significant portion of its electricity generation from hydropower, so less precipitation means less electricity.
- Dead bear cub found in Central Park
A dead bear cub was found in Central Park Monday morning by two women walking their dogs. The dead bear cub was being sent to Albany, where the state Department of Environmental Conservation was taking over the case.
- Great white shark attack closes California beaches
Great white shark attack in California shut down three beaches over the weekend. A 28-year-old surfer survived the attack Thursday from a great white shark.