National Geographic News: Environment

Russian Scientists Breach Antarctica's Lake Vostok—Confirmed

Christine Dell'Amore — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:34:06 -0500

Russian scientists have confirmed that they have breached the subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica—a first.

New "Porta Potty" Flower Discovered

Rachel Kaufman — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:35:33 -0500

A new relative of the "corpse flower" growing in Madagscar smells like rotting meat and feces, researchers say.

Bubble Curtains: Can They Dampen Offshore Energy Sound for Whales?

Jackson Kuhl — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:38:16 -0500

Oil and wind power companies are testing a novel technology—air bubbles—to shield marine mammals from the sound of their offshore operations.

Russians "Close" to Drilling Into Antarctica's Lake Vostok

Christine Dell'Amore — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:59:19 -0500

Russian scientists at Lake Vostok are "very, very close" to being the first to penetrate an Antarctic subglacial lake, news reports say.

Iran’s Undisputed Weapon: Power to Block the Strait of Hormuz

Marianne Lavelle — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:30:33 -0500

Although Iran’s ability to throw the global economy into chaos has long been recognized, there’s no ready alternative for moving oil out of the Strait of Hormuz.

Giant Crack in Antarctica About to Spawn New York-Size Iceberg

Richard A. Lovett — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:53:44 -0500

A vast iceberg is splitting from Antarctica, thanks to a giant crack in a glacier that's "really important" to sea level rise.

Groundhog Day 2012: Punxsutawney Phil's Forecast Is In

Ker Than — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:05:08 -0500

Early spring or long winter? "Immortal" rodent Punxsutawney Phil has made his forecast. Get the odd facts behind Groundhog Day 2012.

Pythons Eating Through Everglades Mammals at "Astonishing" Rate?

Christine Dell'Amore — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:09:26 -0500

Invasive Burmese pythons are likely behind "dramatic" declines of the swamp's mammals—from rabbits to bobcats—new research suggests.

Near-Extinct Monkeys Found in Colombian Park

Christine Dell'Amore — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:59:20 -0500

A new population of one of the world's rarest primates has been found in a Colombian park, conservationists announced today.

Death Valley's Big Bang: Volcano "Potentially Active"

Richard A. Lovett — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:42:40 -0500

It may be barren, but California's Ubehebe Crater is anything but dead, according to a new study.

Green Moves: Medellin Cable Cars, San Francisco Parking Reform

Josie Garthwaite — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:07:48 -0500

Two cities renowned for hilly terrain and cable cars share in international prize for sustainable transport.

Second Try: LanzaTech Grabs Failed Biofuel Refinery in Georgia Pine

Josie Garthwaite — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:17:36 -0500

A new chapter begins in the effort to brew advanced biofuel in the “Million Pines City” of Soperton, Georgia, with a startup's purchase of a failed U.S. government-backed biorefinery.

Injections Could Lift Venice 12 Inches, Study Suggests

Brian Handwerk — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:52:10 -0500

Pumping billions of gallons of water under the sinking Italian city could save it from worsening floods as seas rise, a new study says.

New Island "Born"; Future Tourism Hot Spot?

Richard A. Lovett — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:56:42 -0500

A volcano beneath the Red Sea has given Earth a New Year's gift: a new island off the coast of Yemen.

Shale Gas: A Boon That Could Stunt Alternatives, Study Says

Mason Inman — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:05:13 -0500

Abundant shale gas could muscle dirty coal out of the U.S. energy picture, but the new resource could also inhibit even cleaner technologies, new economic modeling suggests.

National Parks Mark MLK Weekend With Fee-Free Days

Ker Than — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:09:49 -0500

More than a hundred U.S. national parks and historic sites are waiving their entrance fees in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Cajun Crayfish Invading Africa, Eating Native Species

Ochieng' Ogodo in Nairobi, Kenya — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:44:11 -0500

A popular U.S. crayfish with a voracious appetite is wreaking havoc on African plants and animals, scientists say.

Baby Harp Seals Being Drowned, Crushed Amid Melting Ice

Dave Mosher — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:11:00 -0500

As global warming melts Arctic sea ice, harp seal babies are dying in record numbers, the first study of its kind confirms.

Moss Has Cloned Itself for 50,000 Years, Study Says

Ker Than — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:10:30 -0500

A Hawaiian moss is an ancient clone that may be one of the oldest multicellular organisms on Earth, a new study says.

Why Tornadoes Take the Weekends Off in Summer

Charles Q. Choi — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:20:43 -0500

Tornadoes and hailstorms may be more active during the week due to human-made pollution, a new study shows.

"Rapier Wielding" Shark Among New Species Found in 2011

Christine Dell'Amore — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:56:37 -0500

Four new shark species—including a "rapier wielding" sawshark—were discovered in 2011 by California Academy of Sciences researchers.

Planting Wind Energy on Farms May Help Crops, Say Researchers

Mason Inman — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:58:24 -0500

Wind energy may do more than improve farm income. When sited in agricultural fields, turbines' churning of air may help crops to grow, new research indicates.

Japan Tsunami-Debris Cruise Attracts Travelers to Ocean Garbage Patch

Meghan Miner — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:42:06 -0500

Tourists can pay thousands to sail through a floating field of debris from the Japanese tsunami that could be the size of California.

Power Quest: Brazil Works to Wipe "Blackout" From the Lexicon

Marcelo Soares in São Paulo — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:13:19 -0500

Facing domestic dismay over electricity service and new global attention as a world sporting event host, Brazil seeks energy solutions for a diverse nation.

Bible Accounts Supported by Dead Sea Disaster Record?

Richard A. Lovett in San Francisco — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:49:48 -0500

New evidence suggests the salty lake once dried out completely—and might support a range of biblical disaster accounts.