Facing multiple lawsuits, Dow requests an “unprecedented” permit amendment to authorize its discharge of polyethylene pellets into coastal waters. By Dylan Baddour Two weeks ago, when Texas sued a massive Dow petrochemical plant over water pollution, state environmental regulators were already considering a novel proposal from the company that wouldContinue Reading
NASA’s ER-2 high-altitude aircraft prepares for a night flight with the Airborne Lunar Spectral Irradiance (air-LUSI) instrument. The instrument measures Moonlight to improve accuracy of space-based sensors that observe weather, survey agriculture, and study Earth’s ecosystem. NASA/Christopher LC Clark A NASA instrument designed to measure the Moon’s brightness to helpContinue Reading
The U.S. war with Iran poses serious risks to global energy markets. It’s impacting flows of oil as well as liquified natural gas.Continue Reading
Scientists in Brazil have transformed cocoa waste into a functional chocolate-infused honey packed with antioxidants and natural stimulants. Using ultrasound waves, they enhanced honey’s ability to pull beneficial compounds from cocoa shells—no synthetic solvents required. The process is considered green and sustainable, and the product could find its way intoContinue Reading
Porkchop, a three-flippered sea turtle, is back in the wild after a year of rehabilitation, a hopeful moment amid ongoing threats from fishing line and trash.Continue Reading
A push to emphasize affordability isn’t climate hushing, its advocates say. But a Democratic think tank has suggested this recalibration is in order—and some in the party are tweaking their messaging. By Claire Barber In late January, U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, a long-time climate hawk, said inContinue Reading
Each April in Japan, people participate in a tradition called “hanami,” or cherry-blossom viewing, where they picnic under the blooming trees. The tradition has a second purpose: The presence of people at these gatherings, often by water, helps solidify riverbanks and protect them from spring floods. The celebration has aContinue Reading
The Arab region is heating at nearly twice the global average, UN weather experts warned on Thursday, after 2024 saw unprecedented heat, destructive storms and worsening water scarcity impact some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.Continue Reading
From Sri Lanka’s central highlands to Indonesia’s flood-swollen river basins, a wave of climate-fuelled cyclones and monsoon rains has unleashed one of the deadliest weather patterns south and southeast Asia has seen in years, killing more than 1,600 people, displacing hundreds of thousands and affecting millions.Continue Reading
Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Scoria Cones on Earth and Mars Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World ofContinue Reading
Despite sanctions, Iran is one of the world’s major oil producers, with much of its crude exported to China. (Image credit: SAM/Middle East Images)Continue Reading
For the first time ever, scientists have uncovered a vast field of tektites in Brazil — mysterious glassy fragments forged when a powerful extraterrestrial object slammed into Earth about 6.3 million years ago. Named “geraisites” after Minas Gerais, where they were first found, these dark, aerodynamic droplets of natural glassContinue Reading
Growing energy demand means the U.S. will almost certainly have to expand its electricity grid in coming years. What’s the best way to do this? A new study by MIT researchers examines legislation introduced in Congress and identifies relative tradeoffs involving reliability, cost, and emissions, depending on the proposed approach.Continue Reading