The state of the world’s environment is one of the most important stories of the new century. Debates over the impact of climate change reverberate throughout the globe. So do disputes about what actions might be necessary, both to preserve the environment and to develop sources of energy for a growing global community.
The World’s environment coverage, led by environment editor Peter Thomson, examines the health of the planet and explores the impacts of human activity on everything from the earth’s ecosystems to the food we put on our plates.
Environment
HMS Bounty Falls Victim to Hurricane Sandy
Two crewmen are missing at sea after the tall ship, HMS Bounty, was abandoned off Cape Hatteras. The ship was built in 1960 for the Marlon Brando movie, “Mutiny on the Bounty”. The captain abandoned ship after the pumps failed in heavy seas. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with former sailor, Kelsey Freeman.
Off the Debate Agenda: The Unmentionable Threat of Global Warming
Climate change is arguably one of the biggest threats to US and global security, but there wasn’t a word about it in last night’s presidential debate on foreign policy.
Memo to the Moderator: Find That Lost Question on Climate Change
Don’t let the men who would be president ride out the rest of the campaign without telling the world how they’ll address the huge global threat of climate change [...]
At a Vital Kenyan Lake, Striving to Balance Commerce and Ecology
Kenya’s most economically important lake is known for its scenic beauty and wildlife. The World’s Anders Kelto reports the lake is also part of a booming agricultural and fishing economy that’s threatening to tilt the delicate ecological balance.
Politicians Talking Green Energy, But Not Climate Change
The topic of renewable energy came up early and often during Tuesday’s presidential debate. But neither President Obama nor Mitt Romney spoke about the topic of climate change. American political candidates seem to be having a hard time making that connection this campaign season. Take the case of Republican Congressman Joe Heck, who is in a tight re-election contest in Southern Nevada.
Conservation Drones Help Protect Orangutans
Scientists trying to protect the endangered Sumatran orangutan have adopted an unusual tool for their work: Drones. These unmanned aerial vehicles are a quick and inexpensive way to monitor orangutans and their habitat.
NASA’s ‘Chorus’ Recording, ‘Natural Radio’ and the Magnetosphere
When I heard the new NASA recordings of the “Chorus” of charged particles in the earth’s magnetosphere, I was immediately reminded of similar recordings made here on earth a few years back and transformed into the most wonderful piece of music [...]
The Sound of Earth’s Security Blanket
An audio recording from a new NASA satellite got The World’s environment editor Peter Thomson thinking about what humans can wreck, and what we can’t.
5,000-Year-Old Timber Found Perfectly Preserved in Marsh
A 5000-year-old dense forest of towering black oak trees once covered this eastern region of England. Recently a farmer made a discovery there near Cambridgeshire when his plow hit a massive oak tree buried in the wet soil.
Research Expedition Captures Stunning Images of Plankton
The World’s environment editor Peter Thomson talks with host Aaron Schachter about new pictures of plankton, the tiny organisms that float around in the world’s oceans.
National Park Conflict Takes Deadly Turn in Haiti
A move by Haiti’s president to step up protection of a key national park has led to a deadly conflict with longtime residents.
With Sawdust and Paint, Locals Fight to Save Peru’s Glaciers
Global warming is eating away at glaciers around the world. In Peru, a few intrepid souls have decided not to sit by watching, but to try and do something about it. Daniel Grossman reports on efforts to keep one glacier from melting, and to restore another glacier that’s already disappeared.
Undulatus Asperatus: Say it Loud, it’s a New Cloud
Cloud-spotters around the world are calling for a ‘new’ kind of cloud to be recognized. Undulatus asperatus, says Britain’s Cloud Appreciation Society is a cloud variant that, until recently, had gone unnoticed.
Unemployed Italians Try Organic Farming
Some of Italy’s unemployed have taken up an offer of free room and board in exchange for doing volunteer work – on organic farms. Reporter Christopher Livesay explains why thousands of Italians have signed up to be farmers.
Sri Lanka: Kidney Ailment Linked to Farm Chemicals
Thousands of people in the Asian island nation of Sri Lanka have been struck by a mysterious and deadly form of kidney disease. A new study points to a likely cause: pesticides and fertilizers. This story was reported as part of a joint investigation with the Center for Public Integrity.
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