Without its cover of living microorganisms, the desert is eroding.
Scientific research
Posted inArticles
Inside the protests over the Thirty Meter Telescope
In the latest act of Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiʻian) sovereignty, thousands have gathered on the grounds of a sacred volcano under threat.
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The regime of glaciers is headed to its end
For 35 years, a team of scientists has studied the decline of glaciers. What does their loss mean?
Posted inAugust 5, 2019: From Prison to Fireline
How partisan politics can make ballot measures undemocratic
A fight over wolf management in Alaska shows how lawmakers can undermine citizen-led initiatives.
Posted inArticles
NOAA’s university partners tackle climate change research
Despite the Trump administration’s attacks on science, collaborators continue their studies.
Posted inJune 10, 2019: 'None of this happened the way you think it did'
Wildfire escape routes? There’s (almost) an app for that.
Scientists are using crowdsourced data to help firefighters flee dangerous flames.
Posted inJune 10, 2019: 'None of this happened the way you think it did'
The hidden consequences of New Mexico’s latest oil boom
Carlsbad residents are experiencing health impacts, but the science behind their woes lags behind the pace of drilling.
Posted inMay 27, 2019: Public Pushback
Can small-scale farmers grow a healthier California?
Where industrial monocrops dominate, small farms form an agricultural resistance in the Central Valley.
Posted inMay 13, 2019: Atomic Tourists
Should we be thinking about last ascents, instead of first ones?
Mountaineers confront disappearing glaciers.
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Western forests have a ‘fire debt’ problem
Planned burns can reduce wildfire risks, but expanding use of ‘good fire’ isn’t easy.
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Growing urban coyote populations are feasting on pets
A study of coyote scat found the animals are attracted to fruit in gardens, where they are also finding cats and dogs.
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The disease devastating deer herds may also threaten human health
Scientists are exploring the origins of chronic wasting disease before it becomes truly catastrophic.
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The true vulnerability of coastal California, revealed
A new study suggests flooding could surpass some of the state’s worst natural disasters.
Posted inMarch 18, 2019: Arizona's Wild Horse Paradox
Commercial honeybees threaten to displace Utah’s native bees
Federal lands could offer hives a respite from pesticides.
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The greenback cutthroat trout needs saving, again
After a case of mistaken identity, scientists double down on their efforts to save a fabled fish.
Posted inFebruary 18, 2019: Barriers to Entry
The West’s monarch migration is disappearing
Fall counts show a 99 percent decline in the butterfly population since the ‘80s.
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See the West’s overlooked pollinators — like never before
As native bees sink in the shadow of honeybees, one artist creates a vivid showcase.
Posted inJanuary 21, 2019: What Killed Washington's Carbon Tax?
The plight of the ‘snow oxen’
A biologist draws on his fieldwork to consider the world of muskoxen during climate change.
Posted inFebruary 4, 2019: Nizhoni Girls
Elizabeth Warren’s claim to Cherokee ancestry is a form of violence
Be it by the barrel of a carbine or a mail-order DNA test, the American spirit demands the disappearance of Indigenous people.
Posted inArticles
Marine mammals and turtles rebound after endangered species protections
A new study shows broad recovery but doesn’t dive into the problems that remain.