Environment

Mount Everest is slowly getting more challenging for climbers.

The world’s tallest peak is experiencing an 89,000-year-long growth spurt.

The Neptune Memorial Reef off Florida’s coast.

Neptune Memorial Reef is a piece of art, a cemetery, and a haven for wildlife.

Scientists are concerned, and you should be too

Scientists warn that the loss of the Thwaites Glacier could raise global sea levels by 25 inches.

Raking leaves is annoying—and totally unnecessary.

Good news for anyone who hates raking their lawn: You don’t have to.

Linhares’ new law gives part of the ocean several protections.

Linhares in Brazil has taken a groundbreaking step by granting human rights to part of the ocean.

LEGO is showing customers it cares about the environment.

The iconic toy company plans to reduce its environmental impact.

Pinpoint the perfect weekend for leaf-peeping.

Can't wait for fall? Start planning the ultimate leaf-peeping expedition now with this interactive map showing peak foliage predictions for 2024.

Shiitake mushrooms (left) are edible, while fly agaric (right) is extremely toxic, causing serious symptoms like dizziness, confusion, and hallucinations.

The definitions of toadstools and mushrooms are a bit intertwined.

You don't want to come across a bearded fireworm on your beach day.

Texans should take special caution on beaches—these fireworms pack a powerful sting.

Make a pollinator’s life easier by providing it a place to stay.

The solitary bee population is declining—here’s what you can do to help.

Say hello to the world's cutest research assistant.

Sea lion camera crews are helping scientists map uncharted waters.

Air pollution may keep these pollinators from doing their jobs.

Air pollution is making it hard for bees to pollinate flowers.

Mercury in seafood is another growing concern thanks to global warming.

You don't have to travel to Manitoba to see these majestic creatures.

Beat the heat by tuning into these Arctic sea creatures.

A grove of mountain cedar releases clouds of pollen.

The allergy-inducing mountain cedar may be the most hated tree in Texas.

The invasive Joro spider is venomous and as big as your palm, but its taste for stink bugs means it could do more good than harm.

These lightning bugs know how to coordinate.

The busy 2010 Atlantic hurricane season shows Hurricane Karl west of the Yucatan Peninsula, Hurricane Igor east of Puerto Rico, and Hurricane Julia in mid-Atlantic.

The hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30 each year. Here’s what you need to know about these destructive storms.

Take a look at the origins of Fat Bear Week, an annual celebration of the brown bears at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Reserve.

An aerial view of the rust-colored Kutuk River in Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska. Thawing permafrost is exposing minerals to weathering, increasing the acidity of the water, which releases metals like iron, zinc and copper.

A new study shows that rusty discoloration in Alaska’s otherwise pristine streams and rivers is likely due to melting permafrost—and that’s a problem for Arctic animals and people.

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, at sunset, c26th century BC.

A recent study claims that the pyramids of Giza were constructed alongside an almost 40-mile long artery of the Nile river that no longer exists today.

Don't let this sweet face fool you: Arctic foxes eat anything that moves.

Adorable Arctic foxes will eat anything they can catch on the snowy tundra.

Smokey Bear with Girl Scouts in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Smokey Bear’s first ad slogan wasn’t quite as catchy as “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.”

Raccoons are smart, dextrous, and in your garbage cans.

Whether they’re scaling skyscrapers or digging through your trash, raccoons are fascinating. Discover more about their habits, diet, and intelligence.

Mount Everest Keeps Growing—a New Study May Help Explain Why

Explore the World’s First Underwater Cemetery

Scientists Say Antarctica’s ‘Doomsday Glacier’ Could Be Gone Within 200 Years

Leave the Leaves: Why Nature Experts Say You Shouldn’t Rake Your Yard This Fall

Brazilian City Grants Legal Personhood to Ocean Waves in Historic First

LEGO Wants to Source Half Its Plastic from Renewable Materials by 2026

Get Excited for Fall With the 2024 Peak Foliage Map

Mushrooms vs. Toadstools: What’s the Difference?

Beachgoers, Beware: Venomous Fireworms Have Been Spotted on Texas Shores

How to Make a Bee Hotel in Your Yard

Sea Lions With Cameras Collect Valuable (and Adorable) Footage of the Ocean Floor

Air Pollution May Prevent Bees From Smelling Flowers

Climate Change Is Making Seafood Dangerous to Eat

Beluga Livestream Captures the Whales' Epic Summer Migration

Watch: Mountain Cedar Trees ‘Sneeze’ Huge Clouds of Pollen

Meet the Joro Spider: The ‘Flying’ Arachnid That Could Soon Invade the Northeast

Watch: A Gorgeous Sea of Fireflies Synchronizes With LED Lights

12 Powerful Facts About Hurricanes

A Hefty History of Fat Bear Week

Alaska’s Rivers Are Turning Orange, and Yeah, It’s Probably Climate Change

Egypt’s Giza Pyramids Might Have Been Built Next To A Now-Vanished River

What Do Arctic Foxes Eat?

How Smokey Bear Helped Win World War II

10 Clever Facts About Raccoons