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A bizarre fungus is threatening two emerging cicada broods
NPR's Juana Summers talks with mycologist Matt Kasson about a strange fungus that is threatening certain broods of periodical cicadas.
El Niño weather is leading to droughts and power cuts in South America
A drought has upended life in several South American cities, leading to water rationing and power cuts as well as forest fires.
(Image credit: Raul Arboleda)
An ancient farming practice is getting a new life
Bio-char is gaining traction as a regenerative agriculture technique that could improve soil while sequestering carbon. But cost and education are still barriers to more widespread use on farms.
With a deadline looming, countries race for a global agreement to cut plastic waste
A United Nations official said negotiators have a "clear path to landing an ambitious deal" on plastic pollution. But environmentalists say the plastic industry is undermining an effective agreement.
(Image credit: ERNESTO BENAVIDES)
How the new Catan board game can spark conversations on climate change
Today, we're going full nerd to talk about a new board game — Catan: New Energies. The game's goal is simple: Build and develop a modern-day island without catastrophically polluting it. Although the concept mirrors the effects of climate change, those words don't actually appear in the game. NPR correspondent Nate Rott talks to Emily about the thinking behind the new game and how the developers hope it can start conversations around energy use and pollution.
Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!
Military families in Hawaii spark trial over 2021 jet fuel leak that tainted water
A trial for a mass environmental injury case begins in Hawaii on Monday, more than two years after a U.S. military facility poisoned thousands of people when it leaked jet fuel into drinking water.
(Image credit: Mengshin Lin)
A mix-up over bioengineered tomato seeds sparked fears about spread of GMO crops
An organic seed company was distressed to learn it had marketed a GMO purple tomato by mistake. The incident raised alarm about the impact of new GMO plants.
Grizzly bears are coming back to Washington after no sightings in almost 20 years
The federal government says it will restore grizzly bears to the North Cascades region in Washington state, where they have not been seen since 1996.
Fossil fuels are banned from federal buildings in a new rule
The Energy Department finalized rules that will ban fossil fuels in new and remodeled federal buildings by 2030.
(Image credit: Matt Rourke)
10 years after Flint, the fight to replace lead pipes across the U.S. continues
Ten years ago, Flint, Mich. switched water sources to the Flint River. The lack of corrosion control in the pipes caused lead to leach into the water supply of tens of thousands of residents. Pediatrician Mona Hanna-Attisha recognized a public health crisis in the making and gathered data proving the negative health impact on Flint's young children. In doing so, she and community organizers in Flint sparked a national conversation about lead in the U.S. water system that persists today.
Today on the show, host Emily Kwong and science correspondent Pien Huang talk about the state of Flint and other cities with lead pipes. Efforts to replace these pipes hinge on proposed changes to the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule.
Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!
(Image credit: Brett Carlsen)
Animals get stressed during eclipses. But not for the reason you think
After studying various species earlier this month, some scientists now say they understand the origin of animal behavior during solar eclipses.
Coal and new gas power plants will have to meet climate pollution targets
Fifteen years after the EPA said greenhouse gasses are a danger to public health, the agency finalized rules to limit climate-warming pollution from existing coal and new gas power plants.
(Image credit: Gene J. Puskar)
U.N. talks for a global treaty to reduce plastic waste are floundering
The talks in Canada are not going well,and scientists and civil society groups say the U.S. is largely to blame.
130 million Americans routinely breathe unhealthy air, report finds
Climate change is making it harder to meet clean air goals, says the 25th annual State of the Air report from the American Lung Association.
(Image credit: Ed Jones)
Beavers can help with climate change. So how do we get along?
NPR's Tom Dreisbach is back in the host chair for a day. This time, he reports on a story very close to home: The years-long battle his parents have been locked in with the local wild beaver population. Each night, the beavers would dam the culverts along the Dreisbachs' property, threatening to make their home inaccessible. Each morning, Tom's parents deconstructed those dams — until the annual winter freeze hit and left them all in a temporary stalemate.
As beaver populations have increased, so have these kinds of conflicts with people...like Tom's parents. But the solution may not be to chase away the beavers. They're a keystone species that scientists believe could play an important role in cleaning water supplies, creating healthy ecosystems and alleviating some of the effects of climate change. So, today, Tom calls up Jakob Shockey, the executive director of the non-profit Project Beaver. Jakob offers a bit of perspective to Tom and his parents, and the Dreisbachs contemplate what a peaceful coexistence with these furry neighbors might look like.
Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!
Talks for a plastic pollution treaty are stalling. Could the U.S. be doing more?
Critics say the U.S. has been unwilling to push for measures in a global agreement that would drive big cuts in plastic waste.
(Image credit: LUIS ACOSTA)
How hot is too hot? New weather forecasting tool can help figure that out
Released on Earth Day, the federal government's new "HeatRisk" tool can help people assess when heat goes from uncomfortable to dangerous.
(Image credit: KATHRYN ELSESSER)
Massive thick seaweed patches are again drifting toward South Florida beaches
Another huge patch of seaweed from the Sargasso Sea is floating towards Caribbean and South Florida beaches. Scientists are trying to predict where and when it will reach the shore.
Looking for new ways to appreciate nature? 2 new birding books may help
Novelist Amy Tan's The Backyard Bird Chronicles centers on an array of birds that visit her yard, as Trish O'Kane's Birding to Change the World recalls lessons from birds that galvanized her teaching.
How do you build without over polluting? That's the challenge of new Catan board game
A new version of the popular board game Catan aims to make players wrestle with a 21st-century problem: How do you develop and expand without overly polluting the planet?