Feature Channels: Environmental Science

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Exposure to polluted air early in life led to an accumulation of abdominal fat and insulin resistance in mice even if they ate a normal diet, according to new research.

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A team of scientists studying Antarctic ice cores have found surprising evidence of a fluctuating pattern of carbon monoxide concentrations in the Earth’s atmosphere caused by biomass burning in the Southern Hemisphere over the past 650 years.

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Harmful algal blooms, which negatively affect coastal ecosystems, public health, economies and fisheries around the world, may be promoted by vitamins B-1 and B-12 according to Stony Brook University scientists, whose findings were published in an early online edition (Nov. 10) and in the current issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS ) in an article entitled "Most harmful algal bloom species are vitamin B1 and B12 auxotrophs."

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Protecting biodiversity is more than an act of environmental preservation; it can be a matter of self-preservation, according to a study that shows healthy biodiversity in intact ecosystems helps ward off infectious disease.

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James E. Klaunig, a toxicologist at Indiana U. who has served on numerous EPA panels, discusses research challenges facing the EPA. James Barnes, professor and former dean at IU, shares an insider's perspective of the earliest days of the EPA.

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“Of the 675 fish species found in southeastern waters, more than 25 percent are considered imperiled,” Donald J. Orth of Virginia Tech said during his keynote address at the Southeastern Fishes Council annual meeting.

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The well-reported arsenic contamination of drinking water in Bangladesh – called the “largest mass poisoning of a population in history” by the World Health Organization and known to be responsible for a host of slow-developing diseases – has now been shown to have an immediate and toxic effect on the struggling nation’s economy.

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Once lost in the mists of time, the colonial hydrology of the northeastern United States has been reconstructed by a team of geoscientists, biological scientists and social scientists, including University of New Hampshire Ph.D. candidate Christopher Pastore.

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A study recently published in the Journal of Environmental Quality by a team from Cornell University and the University of Illinois-Urbana found that tile drainage systems in upper Mississippi farmlands – from southwest Minnesota to Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio – are the biggest contributors of "dead zone" fueling nitrogen runoff into the Gulf of Mexico.

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Exploring a far-flung, sun-drenched island off the beaten track is a dream vacation for many adventurous travellers. To preserve these pristine places, tourists are increasingly keen on reducing their environmental footprint, but they’re divided on who should pay to keep these vacation destinations environmentally sustainable, according to a new Ryerson University study.

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It was Bing Crosby who immortalized a white Christmas in his 1942 hit single, but these days more and more eco-conscious consumers are dreaming of a green Christmas instead. If you’re looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint this holiday season, consider these tips from Dedee DeLongpre Johnston, director of sustainability at Wake Forest University.

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Researchers at the University of Southern Maine collected soil samples from Mount Everest. The samples were then analyzed for trace element concentrations, including arsenic and cadmium.

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Cornell University is sending three faculty presenters to the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico. All three will be available throughout the Nov. 29 to Dec. 10 conference for interviews. Antonio Bento welcomes interviews in Portuguese, Spanish and English. Johannes Lehman welcomes interviews in English or German.

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Students aim to improve Kenyan slum-dwellers’ access to basic sanitation — and generate renewable energy and jobs along the way.

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Environmental Policy experts to evaluate smart growth, sustainability, climate change, greening of the government.

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A cement-like substance could help with stormwater management while potentially keeping millions of plastic bottles out of landfills.

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Two Michigan environmental scientists advocate for scientist-advocacy on issues of environmental ethics.

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Moscow grabbed headlines last summer as thousands perished during an unprecedented heat wave. However, a retrospective study of heat waves in 43 U.S. cities indicates mortality climbs even during the less dramatic heat events that hit many cities almost every year, according to research published online November 18 ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). “Our findings have implications for decision makers addressing the health burden of heat waves and for researchers estimating health effects from climate change,” said study co-author Michelle L. Bell of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.

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The most widely adopted measure for assessing the state of the world’s oceans and fisheries led to inaccurate conclusions in nearly half the ecosystems where it was applied according to new analysis by an international team.

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In the 24-hour news cycle era, the Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico already feels like an event from yesteryear, an event that had its 15 minutes of news domination during the summer of 2010 then made room for the next big story once the wellhead was capped.