News & Commentary

In Defense of Goldfish

July 2, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

Scientists say exotic species may help spread a gruesome amphibian virus, but pesticides should take some blame, too.

The Dark at the End of the Tunnel

June 26, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

Our nightlights do more than keep the bogeyman away—they affect the movement of bats.

In the Game of Species, You Win or You Go Extinct

June 17, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

The world’s endangered species are stuck in a cycle of woe and misery that even "Game of Thrones" author George R. R. Martin would find macabre.

Sawfish Virgin Births—Nature’s Hail Mary

June 10, 2015 Latest NewsFloridaJason Bittel

Scientists have discovered that smalltooth sawfish can reproduce without sex. But can parthenogenesis save the species?

Slugs, Bugs & Eelgrass: Unsung Heroes

June 5, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

When we mess with the food web, the food web gets messy.

Help Bats. Save the Environment. Drink Mezcal.

May 29, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

A bat scientist fights to make the tequila industry more bat-friendly.

Fighting Back Against 'the Nothing'

May 28, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

Deforestation is an insidious, biodiversity-sucking void.

Save the Vegetarians, Save the World

May 11, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

A new review of the world’s largest herbivores shows 60 percent face extinction—and that’s bad news for everyone.

The Blue-Light Special

April 28, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJason Bittel

Could aircraft lights in tune with bird vision help prevent costly and dangerous collisions?

Park Passage

April 16, 2015 PerspectivesUnited StatesJason Bittel

The president’s new plan to get kids into national parks (for free!) is awesome. Here’s why.

Scan ‘Em, Don’t Can ‘Em

April 15, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

New tech allows us to get a peek at the elusive Atlantic sturgeon—and that could help save this ancient fish from extinction.

Are the Gulf's Marine Mammals Fluked?

April 2, 2015 Latest NewsEastJason Bittel

We’re still coming to terms with what toxins from the BP spill might be doing to whales and dolphins.

Social Media Slaughter

March 12, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJason Bittel

Social media and e-commerce sites are the new battlegrounds for the illegal wildlife trade.

Uncharted Waters

February 25, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

Sardines and anchovies are taking to new waters in response to climate change.

Bird's Eye View

February 20, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJason Bittel

The story of one region’s seagulls reveals the enormous and surprising influence humans have on the environment.

Don't Stop Planting Milkweed

January 29, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

New research shows a certain type of milkweed can harm monarchs—but we still need to give these butterflies something to snack on.

More Than a Drop in the Bucket

January 28, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJason Bittel

Making sure the Clean Water Act covers small streams and headwaters would protect the drinking water of millions of Americans.

Acid Attack

January 23, 2015 Latest NewsHawaiiJason Bittel

Invasive ants are harrying Hawaii’s native seabirds and causing horrifying deformities in their young.

Missed Connections

December 24, 2014 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

Climate change could affect the way all kinds of creatures interact with each other.

Save the Ringed Seal, Save the Planet?

December 11, 2014 Latest NewsArcticJason Bittel

The government proposes the biggest critical-habitat designation ever to protect ringed seals from Big Oil and climate change.