President Trump has made access to Greenland’s vast reserves of critical minerals a focus of ongoing negotiations. But experts say the U.S. is underestimating the difficulties of mining in a rapidly changing Arctic region that is warming faster than anywhere else on Earth.
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ANALYSIS
Overshoot: The World Is Hitting Point of No Return on Climate
With warming set to pass the critical 1.5-degree limit, scientists are warning that the world is on course to trigger tipping points that would lead to cascading consequences — from the melting of ice sheets to the death of the Amazon rainforest — that could not be reversed.
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Solutions
In Hunt for Rare Earths, Companies Are Scouring Mining Waste
Tailings and acid mine drainage from mines contain critical minerals needed for clean energy technologies. Now, researchers are developing new techniques for retrieving these key metals, which could reduce the need for new mines and help clean up pollution at old mining sites.
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Oceans
Sea Star Murder Mystery: What’s Killing a Key Ocean Species?
Billions of sea stars, victims of a deadly wasting illness, have perished over the last decade, imperiling marine ecosystems and spurring a global hunt for a biological or environmental culprit. Recently, researchers identified a likely suspect, but the case is far from closed.
Solutions
Plagued by Flooding, an African City Reengineers Its Wetlands
As climate change and urbanization intensify flooding in Rwanda, the capital of Kigali has embraced nature-based solutions. The city is restoring and reshaping 18,000 acres of degraded wetlands, planting native species to filter and slow runoff, and enhancing biodiversity.
E360 Digest
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As the Arctic Gets Louder, Narwhals Are Going Quiet
In a warming Arctic, noise from growing shipping traffic is interfering with the ability of narwhals to hunt and communicate. More about As the Arctic Gets Louder, Narwhals Are Going Quiet →
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China to See Solar Capacity Outstrip Coal Capacity This Year
This year China will see its solar capacity outstrip its coal capacity for the first time, according to an industry group. More about China to See Solar Capacity Outstrip Coal Capacity This Year →
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India Says Its Grasslands Are 'Wastelands.' Medieval Folklore Suggests Otherwise
The sprawling grasslands of western India are, in the popular imagination, the remains of woodlands that were leveled under British rule — areas to be reforested, rather than conserved. But a recent analysis of stories, songs, and poems from centuries past reveals that western grasslands predate British colonization. More about India Says Its Grasslands Are 'Wastelands.' Medieval Folklore Suggests Otherwise →
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WATER
After Ruining a Treasured Water Resource, Iran Is Drying Up
Iran is looking to relocate the nation’s capital because of severe water shortages that make Tehran unsustainable. Experts say the crisis was caused by years of ill-conceived dam projects and overpumping that destroyed a centuries-old system for tapping underground reserves.
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FILM
At a Marine Field Station, Rising Seas Force an Inevitable Retreat
The scientists at a New Jersey marine station are conducting a sobering experiment: monitoring the destruction of their facility from rising waters. Oscar-winning filmmaker Thomas Lennon shows how the researchers are working to produce useful science before they must leave.
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Energy
To Feed Data Centers, Pennsylvania Faces a New Fracking Surge
A rash of data centers planned for western Pennsylvania has residents and environmentalists on edge. The sprawling complexes will be powered by plants that burn fracked natural gas, whose production has caused air and water pollution in the region and has known health risks.
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SPACE
Scientists Warn of Emissions Risks from the Surge in Satellites
With hundreds of satellites launched each year and tens of thousands more planned, scientists are increasingly concerned about an emerging problem: emissions from the fuels burned in launches and from the pollutants released when satellites and rocket stages flame out on reentry.
Living With Wildlife
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As Jaguars Recover, Will the Border Wall Block Their U.S. Return?
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Despite Criticism, the Last of the Rattlesnake Roundups Hang On
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As Wolf Populations Rebound, an Angry Backlash Intensifies
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Octopuses Are Highly Intelligent. Should They Be Farmed for Food?
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Deadly Encounter: Mountain Lion Attacks Spark Controversy