Making Amends with Makatea

On this French Polynesian island dramatically scarred from mining, locals grapple with whether a new mine will heal or harm the landscape.

May 4, 2021 | 3,100 words, about 15 minutes

The Rising Tide Underfoot

Changing sea levels are pushing groundwater into new and problematic places.

Nov 17, 2020 | 2,800 words, about 14 minutes

The Earthquake That Brought Enlightenment

When disaster struck Lisbon in 1755, one controversial ruler saw a path to modernization.

Sep 1, 2020 | 1,500 words, about 8 minutes

How the Blob Is Warming British Columbia’s Fjords

Waters are warming faster than the global average.

May 25, 2020 | 700 words, about 3 minutes

A Visit with the Glacier Squad

For 35 years, a scientist and his team have been taking the pulse of 10 coastal glaciers. The diagnosis is in.

Jul 16, 2019 | 4,100 words, about 20 minutes

Brazil Just Got a Huge New Oil Field. Or Did It?

Brazil is petitioning the United Nations to extend its territorial waters to include the new oil field, but opinions are divided as to whether the country needs to wait for approval before it can start drilling.

Jul 15, 2019 | 850 words, about 4 minutes

Feeling the Heat in Winter

This year in Alaska, an abnormal rise in temperature has, like in much of the north, disrupted isolated communities, upset subsistence hunting patterns, and even led to some deaths.

May 29, 2019 | 950 words, about 4 minutes

Ships Scrub Up to Meet New Pollution Standard

A new international limit for sulfur emissions is prompting a shift toward a controversial technology.

Apr 15, 2019 | 700 words, about 3 minutes