Science

These pansies are evolving to rely less on pollinators. Here’s why that may spell trouble

By Bella Isaacs-Thomas

Pollinator populations have plummeted across the globe. In their absence, research has shown that flowering plants can evolve to rely more heavily on themselves to reproduce.

PHOTOS: Icelandic volcano begins erupting again, spewing lava and cutting off heat and hot water

By Marco Di Marco, Associated Press

A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted Thursday for the third time since December, sending jets of lava into the sky.

Southern Californians recount harrowing mudslides during record-breaking winter storm

By Damian Dovarganes, Richard Vogel, Stefanie Dazio, Associated Press

A storm that parked itself over Southern California for days, unleashing historic downpours that caused hundreds of landslides, is moving out of the region after a final drenching.

The Biden administration just set tougher standards for soot pollution. It could save thousands of lives per year, the EPA says

By Matthew Daly, Associated Press

Environmental and public health groups say the rule finalized Wednesday is a major step in improving Americans' health.

How do I get ice off my car? Quick tips from an engineer who studies airborne particles

By Suresh Dhaniyala, The Conversation

When you’re running late in the winter, you don’t want to have to spend time scraping frost off your windshield. Here are some expert-recommended techniques to try instead.

Conservationists take drastic measures to save coral reefs from climate change

By William Brangham, Winston Wilde, Sam Weber

Coral reef ecosystems support a quarter of all marine life on Earth, but they are slowly dying under the relentless stresses of overfishing, pollution, disease and climate change. As part of our ongoing series “Saving Species,” William Brangham dives into…

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What is an atmospheric river? A hydrologist explains the good, the bad and how they’re changing

By Qian Cao, The Conversation

Forecasters warn of dangerous conditions as another powerful atmospheric river takes aim at California. While these storms are dreaded for the damage they can cause, they are also essential to the region’s water supply.

Feds won’t restore protections for gray wolves, propose national recovery plan

By Matthew Brown, Todd Richmond, Associated Press

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials announced Friday that it has rejected petitions from environmental groups to add wolves in the northern Rockies and parts of the western U.S. to the Endangered Species List.

A look at atmospheric rivers, the long bands of water vapor that form over oceans and fuel storms

By Associated Press

The storm that pummeled California this week was fueled by an atmospheric river, a plume of moisture that extended over the Pacific to near Hawaii.

Newest COVID shots are 54 percent effective in preventing symptoms, CDC finds

By Mike Stobbe, Associated Press

Studies coming out later this year will assess how effective the shot was at preventing symptoms severe enough to send patients to a doctor's office or hospital.