Jul 18 Watch 5:29 This aquatic grass could help shellfish threatened by ocean acidification By Jes Burns, OPB/EarthFix An increase in carbon emissions are showing up not only in the air, but also in water. Now researchers and shellfish farmers are teaming up to see how marine plants can help stave off the effects of ocean acidification. Special… Continue watching
Jul 18 Popular National Parks experience as much ozone pollution as major cities By Daniel Ackerman, Scientific American A new study shows ozone levels in National Parks are similar to the levels in the largest U.S. cities. But most of this ozone may originate outside of the parks. Continue reading
Jul 18 CRISPR causes significantly greater DNA damage than previously thought, study finds By Sharon Begley, STAT The DNA damage found in the new study included deletions of thousands of DNA bases, including at spots far from the edit. Some of the deletions can silence genes that should be active and activate genes that should be silent,… Continue reading
Jul 17 Watch 9:02 Educators worry students don’t know vaping health risks By Kavitha Cardoza, Education Week It looks like a flash drive, can be hidden anywhere and doesn't create tell-tale smoke. Across the country, the use of these e-cigarettes are spiking among youth, but parents often aren't even sure what they are and many teens mistakenly… Continue watching
Jul 17 Why are yawns contagious? We asked a scientist By Teresa Carey The average adult yawns 20 times per day. And when you feel a yawn coming on, it can be nearly impossible to suppress. But why does being around other yawners make you yawn?… Continue reading
Jul 16 Why 96 million plastic ‘shade balls’ dumped into the LA Reservoir may not save water By Amanda Grennell In 2015, officials poured 96 million "shade balls" into the Los Angeles Reservoir to improve water quality and save water. The video went viral, but those shade balls may have used more water than they saved, MIT scientists reported Monday. Continue reading
Jul 15 Disability rights groups voice issues with Starbucks’ plastic straw ban as company responds By Molly Enking After Starbucks announced on July 9 it would phase out plastic straws from its stores by 2020, disability rights activists were concerned the policy would exclude some people with disabilities. Continue reading
Jul 15 California cap-and-trade is working — for other states By Amel Ahmed, KQED A new report indicates California's much-heralded carbon trading program may actually be harming the neighborhoods it was designed to protect. Continue reading
Jul 14 Watch 10:03 ‘Living shorelines’ use oyster shells and marsh grass to reverse coastal erosion By Sam Weber, Connie Kargbo and John Upton, Climate Central 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… Continue watching
Jul 14 As seas rise, Americans use nature to fight worsening erosion By John Upton, Climate Central Homeowners are using marsh seedlings and bags of oyster shells to create "living shorelines," a natural alternative to seawalls--and one that reduces coastal erosion as climate change causes sea levels to rise. Continue reading