The discovery highlights how penguins and other polar seabirds help shape their environments, even as they are under threat from climate change.
News
The Wildest Ride on a Hurricane Hunter Aircraft
A 1989 flight through Hurricane Hugo tops the list for stomach-churning turbulence experienced by scientists, pilots, and crew aboard aircraft designed to fly through storms.
Artisanal Gold Mining Is Destroying Amazonian Peatlands
A new analysis of archived satellite imagery has revealed that the growing presence of small-scale mining in the Peruvian Amazon is threatening carbon reserves and unique ecosystems.
Scientists Map Where Orphan Wells Pose Threats to Aquifers
A new study from the U.S. Geological Survey finds that groundwater in Appalachia, the Gulf Coast, and California is susceptible to contamination from orphaned oil and gas wells.
Can Desalination Quench Agriculture’s Thirst?
Miles away from the ocean, projects are afoot to clean up salty groundwater and use it to grow crops. Some say it’s a costly pipe dream, others say it’s part of the future.
Have We Finally Found the Source of the “Sargassum Surge”?
The complexity of modeling the tropical Atlantic makes identifying the source of the ongoing seaweed blooms difficult.
Denver’s Stinkiest Air Is Concentrated in Less Privileged Neighborhoods
The bad odors of air pollution are difficult to regulate, but can pose significant health risks, reduce a home’s property value, and affect a homeowner’s peace of mind.
Some Tropical Trees Benefit from Lightning Strikes
Direct lightning strikes cause minimal damage to Dipteryx oleifera. But these same strikes effectively kill parasitic vines and neighboring trees that compete with the species for light and nutrients.
Newly Discovered Algae May Speed Melting of Antarctic Ice
Purple pigmentation in a diverse array of algae absorbs heat and creates a feedback loop responsible for 2% of total daily melting.
33.8 Million People in the United States Live on Sinking Land
The most populated cities in the country are slowly subsiding, posing risks to infrastructure and exacerbating flooding—and not just on the coasts.