Environment

The German icebreaker Polarstern is moored to a piece of ice, drifting for a year, as scientists study the warming Arctic.

Pandemic Delays Return Of Arctic Researchers

11:14am March 29, 2020

by Ravenna Koenig

The COVID-19 crisis is throwing off the complex logistics of a year-long Arctic research expedition. A team set to rotate out may have to stay on board an ice-breaker for another six weeks.

Even some of the darkest, wettest parts of the Australian landscape burned during the country's fire season. The incursion of fire into these damp refuges alarms ecologists like Mark Graham.

Fires Where They Are 'Not Supposed To Happen' In Australia's Ancient Rainforest

7:00am March 28, 2020

by Nathan Rott

Australia's unprecedented fire season scorched sections of rare, ancient rainforests. It's another signal that climate change is intensifying and expanding wildfires globally.

Native American tribes and their supporters protested against the Dakota Access Pipeline. This rally was outside the White House in 2017.

Judge Orders Environmental Review Of Controversial Dakota Access Pipeline

7:32pm March 25, 2020

by Merrit Kennedy

It is a major victory for the Native American tribes and environmental groups fighting against the project. The judge has not decided whether oil can still flow in the meantime.

Yellowstone National Park's Lamar Valley near Mammoth, Wyo., on Tuesday. The National Park Service announced that Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks would be closed until further notice, and no visitor access will be permitted to either park.

Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Great Smoky Mountains Close Over Coronavirus Fears

7:49pm March 24, 2020

by Bobby Allyn

Park officials said a crush of visitors moving through the trails was beginning to run afoul of social distancing.

Clean energy advocates say economic disruption over the Covid-19 pandemic threatens tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of investment in wind and solar. Above, wind turbines in Warsaw, N.Y.

Climate Change Push Fuels Split On Coronavirus Stimulus

8:38am March 24, 2020

by Jeff Brady

Clean energy groups have their own wish list for the massive coronavirus stimulus bill. They say the country's ability to tackle climate change is at stake.

Sharon Lavigne and other members of Rise St. James, who oppose a recently approved chemical complex. They stand on its site, where archaeologists have discovered the graves of former slaves.

Louisiana's Chemical Corridor Is Expanding. So Are Efforts To Stop It

8:04am March 20, 2020

by Tegan Wendland

An industrial corridor in Louisiana is expanding again, fueled by the U.S. boom in natural gas. Residents worried about air pollution have launched new efforts to stop the factories.

Karen Ford (left) and Lane Murraya stock rescued koalas with fresh eucalyptus branches. Ford has been collecting the branches on her property, which suffered fire damage.

Australia's Fire-Ravaged Forests Are Recovering. Ecologists Hope It Lasts

10:10am March 14, 2020

by Nathan Rott

After devastating fires, there are signs of regrowth across much of eastern Australia. But there's also concern that a changing climate may alter some of the country's unique landscapes forever.

Ice flows around a small island in the Mississippi River near Dayton, Minn., on Feb. 13, 2020. Pilots take measurements to try and gauge how much water is in a snowpack.

To Forecast Spring Flooding, NOAA Planes Fly Slow And Low

5:00am March 13, 2020

by Matt Sepic

NOAA's Commissioned Officer Corps pilots fly special planes and use gamma ray detectors and other equipment to measure ice and snow that will eventually melt into streams and rivers.

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Apartment Dwellers At New Complex Benefit From Rooftop Solar Panels

5:06am March 12, 2020

by Leia Larsen

A Utah company is expanding the solar panel business to apartment complexes, where renters can benefit from renewable energy usually reserved for individual homes.

Nebraska Teachers Are Piloting A Climate Science Curriculum — Using NASA Data

5:18pm March 11, 2020

by Becca Costello

Teachers lack good climate science curricula. Climate change skeptics fear indoctrination. A pilot NASA course that lets high school kids use their climate modelling software could satisfy both.

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