All Environment
National Zoo celebrates Bao Bao's first birthdayThe National Zoo in Washington marked the first birthday of panda cub Bao Bao, born from two pandas on loan from China. Bao Bao will celebrate with a cake of frozen juice and fruit.
Vin Diesel redirects ice bucket challenge: 'Plant a tree for Groot'Vin Diesel issues his own challenge to 'Plant a tree for Groot.' What kind of tree should it be?
Global warming 'hiatus': Scientists duel over which ocean steals some heatMany scientists say natural climate variability is behind a slowdown in the pace of global warming over the past 15 years. And the key to the variability is the way oceans can act as heat sinks.
West Virginia Senate test: Which candidate can cozy up closest to coal?Coal is the gold standard in West Virginia, where Senate candidate Natalie Tennant bashes her GOP rival for appearing on the campaign trail with out-of-stater Mitt Romney, who once said coal 'kills people.'
Will SeaWorld's larger whale pools quell 'Blackfish' backlash?After the documentary 'Blackfish' suggested that killer whales suffer in captivity – denting SeaWorld attendance – the park announced plans to enlarge their holding tanks. But will the move quell bad press?
On Alaska's oil tax referendum, Palin joins with liberalsWhile Alaska's governor and the industry want to keep a flat tax on the industry, Sarah Palin and liberal Democrats want to return to a sliding-scale system. Which plan brings more money to Alaska depends on where oil prices head.
US wades into Iraq: Is it all about oil? Libya reintegrates. Shale and GOP. [Recharge]US airstrikes, which helped Kurdish peshmerga take back at least part of Mosul Dam over the weekend, are fueling speculation that oil motivated US involvement in Iraq. But the facts point otherwise. Also: Libya continues its reintegration into global oil markets; if the GOP captures the Senate, the US shale boom would likely accelerate. Catch up on the week in global energy with Recharge.
Humongous 1,000-pound alligator caught in AlabamaThe 15-foot-long alligator is the largest ever legally killed by an Alabama hunter. Alligators are no longer an endangered species in the US.
Birds igniting: California solar power plant scorches birds in mid-airFederal wildlife investigators who visited the BrightSource Energy solar plant last year reported an average of one bird igniting in flight every two minutes.
Humans now the major cause of alpine glacier melt, researchers sayThe researchers estimate that between 1990 and 2010, some 69 percent of the mass lost by the world's alpine glaciers can be traced to human influence – basically global warming.
Sorry, Mr. Obama, Africa needs coalAfrica faces a dilemma: It's vulnerable to climate change but needs coal to grow robustly. So which way are Africans going?
Oil prices drop, raising worries for debt-heavy companiesOil prices have been steady or dipping in recent weeks, despite continued geopolitical turmoil. Calm prices are largely due to soft demand for oil globally – a situation that could pose problems for oil companies saddled with too much debt.
Long Island, other parts of US drying out after heavy rainsFlooded roadways were one of the major byproducts of intense precipitation over several areas of the country that began early this week.
Chicken crosses road. Motive eludes officials.Chicken crosses road in Portland, Ore., blocking traffic and prompting at least one citizen to call the police. Police say they were 'unable to determine the chicken's intent.'
Long Island flooding: 2 months of rain falls on NY townLong Island flooding turns roads into rivers after two months of rain fell in two hours on New York's Long Island Wednesday. The Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway was partially closed due to the Long Island flooding, police said
Tiger selfies: Stop taking them, says NY lawTiger selfies are now illegal in New York after Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law this week banning the practice of taking photos with a tiger, lion, or other big cat. The tiger selfies are popular on online dating sites but denounced by some who say they are dangerous for both the tigers and the people taking the photos.
Oil spill: Gulf oysters vanish after 2010 spillOil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may be contributing to a dramatic dive in the region's oyster harvest. Prices are up and the harvest is down, ever since the 2010 BP oil spill, but the exact cause remains unclear.
Keystone XL: first on a Republican Senate’s to-do list?Approval of the Keystone XL pipeline could be a reality if Republicans take control of the Senate in the midterm elections. Keystone XL has bipartisan support in both chambers already, and a Republican Senate could force President Obama to either approve or veto the controversial project.
Michigan flooding: 'overwhelming,' says local mayorMichigan flooding, which caused at least one fatality, is 'overwhelming' and 'catastrophic' according to the mayor of Warren, Mich. Officials are warning commuters against driving in areas affected by the Michigan flooding.
Two-headed dolphin: 'similar to conjoined twins'Two-headed dolphin washes ashore on a beach in western Turkey, according to Dogan news agency. A vacationing gym teacher discovered the two-headed dolphin, which scientists say is a rare occurrence.
