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News
Rise of the Sodium-Ion Battery as a Global Energy Lifeline
As of 2026, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have moved from experimental curiosities to a pivotal commercial reality, offering a cheaper, safer, and more abundant alternative to the lithium-ion systems that have dominated the last decade.
News
Lab-Grown Algae Found to Clean Microplastics from Water
A discovery by a team at the University of Missouri may lead to an easy and natural way of cleaning microplastics from wastewater.
News
UK Aims to Plant 20 Million Trees
The UK government has officially embarked on a major environmental infrastructure initiative to plant 20 million trees across western England by 2050. This launches the development of the âWestern Forestâ with a quadruple goal of encouraging biodiversity, mitigating floods and droughts, expanding the number of accessible public green spaces, and sequestering carbon.
Data
Environmental Concerns Distracted by Short-term Crises
The World Economic Forumâs Global Risks Report 2026 paints a nuanced picture of humanityâs relationship with environmental risk.
Data
Tropical Forests See Smaller Losses in 2025
Global tropical forests are under intense pressure from a combination of agricultural expansion, wildfires, and land-use change. The latest analysis from the World Resources Instituteâs Global Forest Review and Global Forest Watch platform shows that while some recent progress has been made, overall trends remain far off track from global goals to halt deforestation by 2030.
Data
US Climate Hit Historic March Extremes
March 2026 marked an extraordinary moment in US climate history, with record-breaking warmth, widespread drought, and stark regional contrasts. According to the NOAA National Climate Report (March 2026), the month set new benchmarks for temperature and dryness, alongside climate variability across the country.
Data
Toxic Chemicals in US Water and Food
Two major 2026 datasets from non-profit, public health watchdog Environmental Working Group (EWG) highlight a growing environmental health concern: Americans are routinely exposed to harmful chemicals through both drinking water and food.
Data
Solar ShinesâTopping Wind for the First Time
Global energy think tank Emberâs latest global electricity analysis finds that 2025 marked a historic clean-power turning point: Solar generated more electricity than wind for the first time, while renewables collectively overtook coal as the worldâs largest source of electricity.
Data
US Cancer Trends, Projections for 2026
The latest report from the American Cancer Society, published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, reveals a complex pictureâdeclining mortality alongside rising incidence for several major cancers. Meanwhile, other recent studies and reports show the continuing influence of environmental pollutants on cancer rates.
Policy
Ecology in the Courts
Picture yourself on a trail on Storm King Mountain in upstate New York. After scampering over rocks, you stop to admire the oaks that grace the landscape. Departing from the trailhead in the morning, you ascend toward the summit through a thick blanket of fog until you reach its cliffs.
Natural Resources
Renowned Irish Surfer Champions âBlue Healthâ
Ask any surferâor person who loves being near the waterâand theyâll tell you that âthe ocean heals.â The saltwater, rhythm of the waves and tides, and even the silence of open water are all known to be therapeutic.
Outdoors
Musings of a Rock-Climbing Devotee
Long before I tied into a rope or placed my hands on sandstone, I was surrounded by my rock-climber parentsâ stories of adventure, exploration, and deep respect for the natural world.
Climate
The Western US Winter That Didnât Show Up
Across the American West, winter is no longer what it used to be. In 2026, scientists warned of a historic âsnow droughtââa phenomenon where snowpack fails to accumulate even when precipitation occurs, often because temperatures are too warm for snow to form.
Energy
The Data Center Next Door
On a massive, windswept swath of private farmland in Box Elder County in northern Utah, local residents are worried about what âthe cloudâ will feel like when it finally lands.
Forward Thinkers
Opening Hearts, Healing the Earth
Emotions are the driving force behind climate action, according to author, teacher, and climate activist Dr. Katharine K. Wilkinson. Indeed, words like âheartbreak,â âcourage,â âhealing,â and âbelongingâ appear throughout her work like signposts marking the heartâs journeyâsometimes her ownâfrom climate despair to commitment to self, nature, and community.
Human Health
Rising Cancer Rates in the Young
Medical experts around the globe are engaged in vital detective work: to figure out why cancer is increasingly developing among young people. Meanwhile, lifestyle is coming under suspicion as one of the possible contributing factors.
Climate
Can Our Standard of Living Keep Growing Forever?
For more than two centuries, our standard of living, measured by our national income, has been the defining measure of economic success, associated with rising incomes, expanding opportunities, and proliferating comforts.
Climate
Winging It through a Warming World
Every spring and fall, billions of birds embark on one of nature's most remarkable journeys. Tiny songbirds cross continents, shorebirds traverse oceans, and raptors ride invisible currents over mountains and deserts.
Energy
Rewiring the USâand the World
When you turn on your air conditioning on a hot summer day, itâs easy to forget the vast system of wires, turbines, transformers, substations, and control centers that deliver electricity capable of bringing cool air to you almost instantly.
Nature
Secrets of a Carnivorous Plant
Imagine an innocent little beetle plodding across the forest floor, hunting for morsels to feed upon. Aha! It spies a cluster of bivalve leaves, each shiny red on the inside and offering an array of tantalizing nectar drops. Eager to explore, it picks its way onto one of the leaves.
