World Dec 09

As Scotland moves ahead with bringing tidal energy from an emerging technology to a commercial reality, Brexit could shake up the ocean power industry. To end a two-part series on advances in this field, Hari Sreenivasan heads to an ocean…

World Dec 08

As Scotland transitions from fossil fuels to renewable energy, it is investing in an unexpected source: tidal currents. Similar to wind turbines, which sit above ground, tidal turbines are one hundred feet below water and use tides instead of wind…

Nation Nov 11

In an attempt to “do it the right way,” developer Syd Kitson is building Babcock Ranch, an 18,000-acre planned community just north of Ft. Meyers, with hope that it can operate almost entirely on solar power. So far about 200…

Politics Oct 21

Nebraskans will vote in November on whether to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The state’s Republican legislature and governors have refused to expand Medicaid after states were given that option in 2012 by the Supreme Court. The ballot…

Science Oct 13

Modern Meadow, a New Jersey-based startup, is using biotechnology to produce material that looks and feels similar to leather. The company says that producing this leather-like material, made of lab-grown collagen, carries a lower environmental impact than other means of…

Nation Sep 15

The New York-based startup Civil launched last year with the goal of using blockchain -- the same technology that powers the cryptocurrency Bitcoin -- to help to build a network of independent news organizations with a sustainable business model. Civil…

Nation Aug 04

As states across the country legalize marijuana, efforts to determine whether someone is too high to drive is becoming a thorny public health issue. From brain functioning analyses and phone apps to training police officers on looking for signs, Hari…

Science Jul 14

Americans who live along coastlines are watching their land disappear and property threatened as climate change causes sea levels to rise. While homeowners often rely on expensive seawalls and bulkheads to slow the erosion, a growing number are building “living…

Politics May 26

As states around the country run primaries ahead of midterm elections, Maine will be the first to use a ranked-choice system where voters rate candidates instead of voting for their favorite. This structure ensures that winners collect the majority of…

Nation May 06

President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month pushing certain work requirements for access to social security programs like Medicaid. But lawmakers in Maine, which requires individuals work at least 20 hours a week to qualify for more than…