Pre-fab classroom buildings, or "portables," are supposed to provide a temporary, affordable solution to overcrowded schools. But many are kept in use well beyond their intended expiration dates, accumulating additional costs and sometimes causing difficulties. Special correspondent Katie Campbell of…
Scientists and engineers frequently seek solutions to specific problems. But the goal -- and challenge -- of basic research is to tackle broad questions without an immediate application in mind. As part of our ongoing series on the subject, PBS…
From Rooftop to Alleyway, Chicago Fights Extreme Urban Heat With Greener Ideas…
As global temperatures rise, urban areas are facing challenges in keeping their infrastructure and their residents cool. Chicago is tackling that problem with a green design makeover. This report is part of our Coping with Climate Change series.
Weighing Benefits and Pitfalls of Increased Oil and Gas Production in the U.S.
As China kicks off its five-month World Expo festivities in Shanghai, Jeffrey Brown talks to Ray Suarez about what is on displayed in the international pavilions at the largest, most expensive World's Fair in history.
The State Department released its five-year global AIDS strategy Tuesday, emphasizing building countries' abilities to manage their own epidemics, but disappointing advocates by not including a budget or recommending a bolder treatment target.
In the latest installment in his series on innovation during the recession, Tom Bearden examines how one architect is turning unlikely items into environmentally friendly homes he calls "earthships."…
How will the future of fashion -- one predicated on continual consumption -- survive in a world of limited resources? Can fashion -- the cultural apex of illimitable desire -- ever be sustainable?…
In another of the NewsHour's ongoing 'Costly Crude' series, geography professor and famed author Jared Diamond discusses the future of oil in view of current high prices.
Additional Support Provided By:
