Scientists are increasingly worried that a vast system of ocean circulation, which delivers warmth to northern Europe and impacts climate globally, is at risk of collapse. Mounting evidence suggests it may be nearing a tipping point, though the research is far from certain.
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MINING
In Coal Country, Black Lung Surges as Federal Protections Stall
While the Trump administration is directing hundreds of millions of dollars to coal projects, miners in Appalachia are suffering from a resurgence of black lung disease. But industry pushback is delaying federal rules that would reduce miners’ exposure to deadly silica dust.
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Biodiversity
Older and Wiser: How Elder Animals Help Species to Survive
A growing body of research is pointing to the critical, but unappreciated, role that older animals play in ensuring the survival of wildlife populations. Conservationists say the new findings should lead to policies that protect these elders and the essential knowledge they impart.
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Climate
Rusting Rivers: Alarm Grows Over Uptick in Acidic Arctic Waters
Climate change has thawed permafrost and increased rainfall in the Far North, producing sulfuric acid that is turning rivers and lakes yellow or rusty orange. Scientists are scrambling to parse the impacts on wildlife, fish, and the drinking water of Indigenous communities.
ANALYSIS
A More Troubling Picture of Sea Level Rise Is Coming into View
Scientists have uncovered a "blind spot" in the research on rising seas, revealing that tens of millions of people thought safe from coastal flooding are at risk of inundation. Across much of the world, sea levels are higher than previously assumed and land is sinking faster.
E360 Digest
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Among Flowering Plants, Thousands of Evolutionary Oddities at Risk of Extinction
A new study identifies thousands of flowering plants belonging to rare and ancient lineages that are in urgent need of protection. More about Among Flowering Plants, Thousands of Evolutionary Oddities at Risk of Extinction →
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Rising Seas Could Encircle New Orleans by the End of This Century
Rising seas could render New Orleans uninhabitable before the end of this century, according to a new paper calling for a managed retreat from the city. More about Rising Seas Could Encircle New Orleans by the End of This Century →
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Airborne Microplastics May Be Warming the Planet
Tiny particles of plastic amassing in the atmosphere may be intensifying warming, according to new study. More about Airborne Microplastics May Be Warming the Planet →
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OPINION
Trying Times: Keeping the Faith as Environmental Gains Are Lost
For people who came of age in the 1970s, it is especially painful to witness the Trump administration’s relentless rollback of hard-won environmental progress. But as the assaults on clean air and water, endangered species, and more mount, a noted ecologist finds reasons for hope.
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INTERVIEW
Why Protecting Flowering Plants Is Crucial to Our Future
In his latest book, biologist David George Haskell describes flowering plants as “world creators.” In an interview with Yale Environment 360, he explains how they spurred the evolution of new ecosystems and what flowering plants can teach us about survival on a warming planet.
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ANALYSIS
As It Boosts Renewables, China Still Can’t Break Its Coal Addiction
Despite being a renewables superpower, China continues to permit and build new coal-fired power plants at a rapid pace. Analysts say the nation’s new five-year plan will ensure further coal plant expansion and jeopardize China’s ability to deliver on its climate promises.
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Biodiversity
Long Overlooked as Crucial to Life, Fungi Start to Get Their Due
Fungi create soil, sequester vast amounts of carbon, and contribute $55 trillion to the global economy, but knowledge about them is scarce. Now, mycologists are pushing to get the international scientific community to recognize fungi on the same level as plants and animals.
From the Ukraine Front
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Collateral Damage: The Environmental Cost of the Ukraine War
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From Ruins to Reuse: How Ukrainians Are Repurposing War Waste
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How Ukraine Is Turning to Renewables to Keep Heat and Lights On
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Ukraine Rewilding: Will Nature Be Allowed to Revive When War Ends?
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How Restored Wetlands Can Protect Europe from Russian Invasion