The Sierra Nevada mountain range in California is as stunning as it is diverse, with storms from the Pacific Ocean dumping rain and snow on the range’s western slopes while arid conditions mark much of its eastern face. David Des Marais, MIT’s Amgen Career Development Associate Professor, knows the mountainsContinue Reading
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station photographed a remarkable formation in Madagascar that looks surprisingly similar to the Moon’s bright highlands. Made of anorthosite, a rock abundant on the lunar surface, the formation dates back at least 600 million years and bears the scars of ancient continental collisions., ReadContinue Reading
The livestock industry’s search for more sustainable alternatives to fishmeal has gone nowhere. By Ian Urbina This story is part of an investigation conducted by an international team of journalists based at The Outlaw Ocean Project. Read the other stories here. Your browser does not support the video tag.Your browserContinue Reading
Cephalopods are masters of camouflage. Scientists want to decipher how the process works in the brain.Continue Reading
Despite whatever else is going on with the film, “Digger” is one of the most audacious attempts yet to spread awareness about global warming.Continue Reading
The world needs more homes. The world also has too much plastic. Perhaps the only thing those two problems have in common is that they’re hard to solve. Atlas Building Composites, a spinout of MIT, is on a mission to address both problems with a single solution. The company hasContinue Reading
As sea levels rise due to climate change, encroaching sea water will likely make freshwater environments saltier. In a new study, MIT researchers have shown how that increase in salinity might affect microbial ecosystems found in environments such as rivers and estuaries. These microbial communities play important roles in theContinue Reading
What started as a novel plan to build a desalination plant supplying plentiful water to the oil and gas industry has landed the Texas city in a financial and political quagmire. By Dylan Baddour, Neena Satija This story is a partnership between Dylan Baddour of Inside Climate News and NeenaContinue Reading
In the aftermath of drought, wildfire and floods in northern New Mexico, residents who rely on a centuries-old irrigation system are concerned about water quality. The post Watersheds near Río Frijoles bear the brunt of wildfire appeared first on High Country News.Continue Reading
Scientists have uncovered a surprising secret behind a mushroom disease that has frustrated growers for more than a century: It involves more than 17 species of harmful bacteria, not just one. The discovery could explain why treatments have struggled to stop the disease and open the door to more effective,Continue Reading
The National Weather Service forecasters project the worst of storm Rachel has passed for Southern California — but the coast must withstand two more potentially damaging high tides.Continue Reading
This week, co-host Jake Bolster takes a deep dive into the global seafood industry with reporter Johnny Sturgeon and the Outlaw Ocean Project. By Jake Bolster, Johnny Sturgeon Welcome to Inside Climate, a podcast from the staff of Inside Climate News. Things get a little fishy in this episode asContinue Reading
Australia’s normally dry, rust-colored outback has erupted into a spectacular carpet of wildflowers after unusually heavy rains, potentially producing its most impressive bloom in nearly 20 years. NASA satellite images capture the stunning transformation, which has even brought rare flowers to the grounds of a remote deep-space observatory., Read MoreContinue Reading