National Geographic News: Environment

Improved Models Predict Active 2013 Hurricane Season

Willie Drye — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:12:11 -0400

NOAA expects up to 20 named tropical storms, which could yield as many as six major hurricanes, as it utilizes new technology to improve forecasting.

Carnivorous Plant Keeps House With Ants

Jane J. Lee — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:03:56 -0400

Diving ants keep nutritious fly larvae from escaping carnivorous pitcher plants.

Tesla Motors' Success Gives Electric Car Market a Charge

Josie Garthwaite — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:52:42 -0400

Amid a decimated field of E.V. startups, Tesla Motors is riding high. But can its feats help take electric cars mainstream?

5 Tornado Myths Busted

Brian Clark Howard — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:50:51 -0400

Following the Oklahoma tornado, a severe-weather expert shares facts and tips on staying safe in storms.

A Tornado Chaser Talks About His Science and Craft

Jane J. Lee — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:58:49 -0400

Researcher Tim Samaras talks about why he chases tornadoes, what they smell like, and what we still don't know about these severe storms.

Why Did Penguins Stop Flying? The Answer Is Evolutionary

Brian Handwerk — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:17:50 -0400

Scientists say they've learned why penguin wings, now used for swimming, no longer get the birds off the ground.

Op-Ed: Gamma Rays and the Grand Canyon

Kenneth Brower — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:09:28 -0400

Despite a ban on any new uranium mines near the Grand Canyon, the U.S. Forest Service has authorized a Canadian company to start digging.

Everest Ice Shrinking Fast, Scientists and Climbers Say

Brian Handwerk — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:34:59 -0400

The world's highest peak has been shedding snow and ice for the past 50 years, possibly due in part to global warming, new research shows.

Wind Energy’s Shadow: Turbines Drag Down Power Potential

David LaGesse — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:53:49 -0400

Wind turbines rob each other of energy if installed too closely together. But the world's fastest-growing source of renewable power still has plenty of room for expansion.

On Mount Everest, Seeking Biogas Energy in a Mountain of Waste

Will Ferguson — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:58:26 -0400

Work is under way on the world's highest-elevation biogas reactor, in an effort to transform a surplus of human waste on Mount Everest into a sustainable energy source.

Climate Milestone: Earth's CO2 Level Passes 400 ppm

Robert Kunzig — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:46:50 -0400

The last time the planet was such a greenhouse, our ancestors were climbing down from the trees—and sea level was tens of feet higher.

Plants "Listen" to the Good Vibes of Other Plants

Ker Than — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:12:23 -0400

Plants might be able to tell good neighbors from bad ones by the sounds they emit.

Solar Impulse's U.S. Expedition Begins

Kate Andries — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:10:21 -0400

Solar Impulse, a solar-powered aircraft able to fly overnight, embarks on a cross-country trip-without a single drop of fuel.

Pro-Environment Light Bulb Labeling Turns off Conservative Buyers, Stu

Brian Handwerk — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:26:03 -0400

Green labeling causes some consumers to shun energy-efficient light bulbs even when they know the choice could save them money, a new study finds.

Sun Plus Nanotechnology: Can Solar Energy Get Bigger by Thinking Small

Patrick J. Kiger — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:04:51 -0400

Nanotechnology could boost solar energy efficiency and cut costs. A slew of recent research is aimed at better capturing energy from the Earth's biggest power source.

Reshaping Flight for Fuel Efficiency: Five Technologies on the Runway

Thomas K. Grose — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:02:29 -0400

The Boeing Dreamliner 787, poised to retake the skies soon, was one approach to more efficient flight. But aviation is looking to geared turbofan engines and radically new shapes and materials for deeper cuts in fuel consumption.

Rare Picture: Male Leopard Kills, Eats Cub

Christine Dell'Amore — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:06:29 -0400

Pictures of a leopard killing a cub may look gruesome, but infanticide in nature is relatively common, scientists say.

Earth Day: When It Is, How It Began, What to Do

John Roach — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:48:46 -0400

Learn how Earth Day became a global environmental event that will include a billion people on April 22.

First Person: My Uncle Was First to Fly Over Everest

Iain Douglas-Hamilton — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:05:39 -0400

A love of aviation runs in the family of the man who made the first flight over Mount Everest.

Cicada DNA Helps Explain Strange Breeding Cycle

Daniel Stone — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:43:03 -0400

Cicadas' puzzling timeline is written in their DNA, possibly as a way to avoid waiting predators.

Explosion Highlights Dangers of Anhydrous Ammonia

Ker Than — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:03:10 -0400

A stray electric or static charge is all that it takes to explode a leaky ammonia gas tank.

Healing the Ozone Layer: Chemist says Treaty is Working

Johnna Rizzo — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:52:11 -0400

Aerosol spray cans have been free of ozone-damaging chemicals since the late '90s—how long will it take for the ozone to recover?

Trees Call for Help—And Now Scientists Can Understand

Gabe Popkin — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:49:52 -0400

Scientists may have learned how to identify the unique sounds made by bubbles forming inside drought-stressed trees.

Finding the Reasons for the 2012 Drought

Jane J. Lee — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:19:27 -0400

An unexpected combo of atmospheric events led to the driest four months in the Great Plains since the 1930s.

New Vineyards Could Create Conservation Challenges

Brian Handwerk — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:52:39 -0400

Winemakers are preparing for the climate and wildlife challenges global warming will bring.