Every summer now brings fresh warnings about deadly heat waves. Studies show extreme temperatures already kill more Americans yearly than floods, hurricanes or tornadoes. Scientists expect those waves to grow longer and hotter as the planet warms. Weather predictions won’t stop the heat, but sharper
The recent arrival of ospreys at local sports venues has sparked a mix of surprise and admiration. At the La Jolla Tennis Club, officials and players have welcomed the birds that now perch near the court lights. Similarly, a pair of ospreys have set up home on a power pole beside MiraCosta Col
In many Chicago homes, kids often go to school without a proper outfit while heaps of usable clothes end up in landfills. The city’s waste problem and the families’ need for clothing are two sides of the same coin. When a month celebrates volunteers and Earth’s health, it shows how one action
A big spill of jet fuel happened at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. The leak was about 32, 000 gallons and it started between January and March. The base did not tell the state right away, even though it has to do so under its oil permit. The problem came from the refueling system. When
In some Pacific villages, a swarm of tiny sea worms becomes the town’s weather forecast. The elders call them “palolo” or “nyale, ” and their appearance signals the start of harvests, the coming of cyclone season, or even a symbolic return of spirits. The rituals that follow are simple but powerfu
Three years after commercial salmon fishing vanished from California’s coast, the pause has finally lifted. Federal officials recently gave the green light for limited fishing to restart in 2024. The decision follows a boost in salmon numbers, thanks partly to wetter winters that ended a severe drou
Cities everywhere have a hidden problem—tiny bits of pollution so small they slip past most filters. These specks, called ultrafine particles, are smaller than a speck of dust and can travel deep into your body. Unlike bigger pollution particles that get studied a lot, these are often ignored becaus
Kids today spend far more time staring at screens than exploring outdoors—sometimes up to seven hours daily. That’s a trend that worries educators, especially when combined with the growing political divide over how much we should even care about environmental issues. A new documentary, however, doe
In 2050, Chicago’s South Side near the old U. S. Steel plant looks nothing like the flood-prone area of the early 21st century. The morning after heavy rain, the streets stay dry, and residents barely notice the storm. No homes report flooding. No headlines scream about weather disasters. The city i
Dry air and strong winds are returning to southern Colorado today, putting the region under a fire risk alert from morning until evening. Gusts could hit 45 mph, while temperatures climb into the 70s or low 80s near the Front Range and eastern plains. Higher areas will stay cooler, mostly in the 60s
