The Curve is a series charting the mysterious rise of methane in our atmosphere and the quest to find its source.
Health & Ecosystems
Posted inNews
Unhealthy Air Could Become Routine in the Pacific Northwest
If the world stays on fossil fuels, fine particle pollution from wildfire smoke could more than double in the late summer to early fall in the U.S. Pacific Northwest by 2100.
Posted inNews
Satellites Reveal Slow Shift of the Entire Boreal Biome
According to a new study, warmer temperatures and high soil nitrogen levels are causing Earth’s largest land biome to advance northward.
Posted inNews
Greenhouse Gases Must Begin to Fall by 2025, Says U.N. Climate Report
Emissions rates are still growing every year, though that growth has slowed. The world needs to reach negative growth soon to prevent a potential 3.2°C rise by the end of the century.
Posted inNews
The Alps Are Dusted with Nanoplastics
A new study finds the lofted pollutants came from major European cities, but further study is required to fully understand the plastics’ transport and deposition processes.
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Traditional Fertilizers Beat Out Industrial Chemicals in Soil Health Test
New research in western India found that fertilizer based on Traditional Ecological Knowledge made soil more fertile in a head-to-head test with industrial fertilizers.
Posted inOpinions
Deep-Sea Exploration Could Help Us Fight the Next Pandemic
Deep-ocean-dwelling microbes may hold keys to improved medical diagnostics and new drugs for fighting diseases. But we must search Earth’s most extreme habitats to find them.
Posted inFeatures
The Nutrient-Rich Legacy in the Amazon’s Dark Earths
Fertile terra preta soils were created through centuries of carefully managed land use. Scientists are taking cues from these soils to better sequester carbon and improve soil for agriculture.
Posted inFeatures
Africa’s Earth, Wind, and Fire Keep the Amazon Green
Jet streams sprinkle North African dust over the Amazon, providing the rain forest with much needed nutrients. Changing wind patterns and increasing smoke may shift the system.
Posted inNews
Pharmaceuticals Found in Rivers on All Continents
A quarter of 258 observed rivers had unsafe levels of at least one drug. The findings raise concerns about Earth’s aquatic life and the global threat of antimicrobial resistance.