A new study from the U.S. Geological Survey finds that groundwater in Appalachia, the Gulf Coast, and California is susceptible to contamination from orphaned oil and gas wells.
News
Can Desalination Quench Agriculture’s Thirst?
Miles away from the ocean, projects are afoot to clean up salty groundwater and use it to grow crops. Some say it’s a costly pipe dream, others say it’s part of the future.
Have We Finally Found the Source of the “Sargassum Surge”?
The complexity of modeling the tropical Atlantic makes identifying the source of the ongoing seaweed blooms difficult.
Denver’s Stinkiest Air Is Concentrated in Less Privileged Neighborhoods
The bad odors of air pollution are difficult to regulate, but can pose significant health risks, reduce a home’s property value, and affect a homeowner’s peace of mind.
Some Tropical Trees Benefit from Lightning Strikes
Direct lightning strikes cause minimal damage to Dipteryx oleifera. But these same strikes effectively kill parasitic vines and neighboring trees that compete with the species for light and nutrients.
Newly Discovered Algae May Speed Melting of Antarctic Ice
Purple pigmentation in a diverse array of algae absorbs heat and creates a feedback loop responsible for 2% of total daily melting.
33.8 Million People in the United States Live on Sinking Land
The most populated cities in the country are slowly subsiding, posing risks to infrastructure and exacerbating flooding—and not just on the coasts.
Los incendios forestales amenazan los suelos volcánicos de los Andes peruanos
Los frágiles ecosistemas de las tierras altas mostraron baja resiliencia a los incendios, lo que los hace más vulnerables a la degradación a largo plazo.
A Great Whale Conveyor Belt Transports Nutrients Across Oceans
Baleen whales shift huge amounts of nutrients, including nitrogen, from high-latitude feeding waters to tropical breeding areas.
Climate Change Heightened Conditions of South Korean Fires
Unusually low rainfall and humidity, combined with windier days, made the catastrophic wildfires more likely.