Environment
Here's What the Heat Island Looks Like in East Coast Cities
Maps of urban heat islands show where residents can find pockets of cooler air in Boston, Philadelphia, Richmond, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.
Should Electric Vehicle Drivers Pay Per Mile?
Since EV drivers zip past gas taxes, they don’t contribute to the federal fund for road maintenance. A new working paper tries to determine whether plug-ins should pay up.
How ‘Corn Sweat’ Makes Summer Days More Humid
It’s a real phenomenon, and it’s making the hot weather muggier in the American Midwest.
Hurricane Barry: Lessons From a Disaster That Wasn’t
Hurricane Barry largely spared New Orleans, but it underscored that climate change brings complex impacts and hard choices.
Hurricane Barry Is on the Way, and New Orleans Is Already Soaked
An “unprecedented” hurricane may bring three dangerous kinds of flooding all at once: rainfall, a storm surge, and overflow from a swollen Mississippi River.
8 Charts on How Americans Use Air Conditioning
The U.S. government’s long-running Residential Energy Consumption Survey includes a lot of data on our A/C habits—and some surprises.
D.C.’s ‘Historic’ Flash Flood May Soon Be Normal
One-hundred-year storms, of the kind that wreaked havoc on the nation’s capital Monday, are expected to become 1-in-25-year events by mid-century.
The Detested Bradford Pear Tree Is Coming to a Forest Near You
Cities and states are trying to remove Bradford pears‚ but the “weed trees” have already intruded deep into some forests, a biologist warns.
When an Earthquake Followed a Flood, This Ancient City Disappeared Forever
Two millennia ago, an earthquake liquified the ground beneath an Egyptian port—a fate that could await other cities as sea levels rise.
As Record Heat Roasts Europe, Paris Prepares for the Worst
The French capital is rolling out its new heat emergency procedures as Europe boils in a record-breaking heat wave.
How to Design a Park That Deters Crime
Research on the connections between green space and criminal activity finds that park design and programming determines their impact on crime and safety.
Pollinator Cities Really Could Save the Monarchs
The milkweed needed to stabilize the country’s monarch-butterfly population thrives in metropolitan areas—especially on residential land.
Urban 'Breathing Rooms' May Help Smoky Cities Survive Wildfire Season
Five public buildings will get filtration systems to keep the air inside clean on days when smoke affects the city, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced last week.
The Squirrel Census Answers a Question You Weren’t Asking
How many squirrels live in New York City's Central Park? Finding the answer was surprisingly complicated.
A Water-Stressed World Turns to Desalination
Desalination is increasingly being used to provide drinking water around the globe. But it remains expensive and creates its own environmental problems.
My Quixotic Quest for Quiet in New York City
In a booming city, the din of new construction and traffic can be intolerable. Enter Hush City, an app to map the sounds of silence.
A Brazilian Vision Blooms Anew in the Bronx
The New York Botanical Garden pulls out all the stops for its new exhibit on Modernist garden designer Roberto Burle Marx.
What Cities Can Do to Help Birds and Bees Survive
Pollinators—the wildlife that shuffle pollen between flowers—are being decimated. But they may still thrive with enough help from urban humans.
Is This the End of the Road for Madrid’s Car Ban?
With more conservative leadership moving in after elections, the Spanish capital’s pollution-fighting regulations on private vehicles may be in danger.
Paris Wants to Grow ‘Urban Forests’ at Famous Landmarks
The city plans to fill some small but treasured sites with trees—a climate strategy that may also change the way Paris frames its architectural heritage.
Google Maps Wants to Help You Navigate During Natural Disasters
The app will offer crisis navigation warnings and provide detailed visual information about hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes.