Spaniards Compete for Water Resources April 30, 2008 • Barcelona is so short of water that officials are planning to import water by sea-borne tankers and to build a pipeline to bring extra water from the River Ebro. Fisherman aren't happy.
Environment Houston Tops L.A. for Most Carbon Emissions April 30, 2008 • The Texas town edged out notoriously toxic Los Angeles for the crown of America's biggest polluter. Offering his take on how Houston produced 18 million tons of carbon dioxide is Houston Chronicle writer Tim Fleck.
Law Prepare for Amsterdam Without Magic 'Shrooms April 30, 2008 • The Dutch parliament is proposing a ban on the sale of hallucinogenic mushrooms. Lawmakers are being misled when they cite dangerous behavior induced by 'shrooms, according to Charles Overby, who runs Mushroom Galaxy.
National Disease Deadly To Bats Spreads In Northeast U.S. April 30, 2008 • A deadly disease that has ravaged bat populations in the Northeast is spreading faster than expected, according to federal researchers, who have confirmed fresh outbreaks of "white-nose syndrome" in Connecticut and eastern Vermont.
Creating a Methane-Free Cow April 29, 2008 • Cows produce methane — a big contributor to global warming. In Australia, Dr. Athol Klieve noticed that another herbivore — the kangaroo — doesn't have a methane problem. He's betting that his kangaroo research could help solve cow's gas problem.
"No Quake Insurance for You" April 29, 2008 • Reno, Nevada has been shaking a lot lately, but one resident's agent told him, "I couldn't write you a quake policy now if you were the Queen of Outer Space." The former columnist for his local paper discusses what he'll do if a big one hits.
Driveway Moments Dan Gottlieb, 'Learning from the Heart' Fresh Air April 29, 2008 • He's helped many people through painful passages in their lives. And he's faced his own: Since a near-fatal auto accident in 1979, he's been paralyzed from the chest down. Gottlieb has had nearly three decades to come to terms with the changed circumstances of his body — but now, he fears, that body may be growing tired.
National Earthquakes Keeping Reno Up at Night April 29, 2008 • In recent weeks, a seemingly nonstop wave of small earthquakes has rattled the residents of Reno, Nev. Seismologist Diane DePolo says she spends a lot of time these days explaining what the tremors might mean.
Radiolab Minty E. Coli And Other Bioengineering Feats April 29, 2008 • Scientists all over the world are matter-of-factly amending, changing and rearranging living creatures for all kinds of reasons, some silly, some profound. Take the case of the MIT team that made the icky-smelling bacteria E. coli and gave it a wintergreen-scented twist.
Solutions Anglican Leader Brings Climate to the Pulpit April 28, 2008 • One Anglican cleric thinks churches can do more to help the Earth, and he's trying to convince ministries around the world to start preaching a change in the way people live.
Environment Critics Cry Racism over Baltimore Sludge April 28, 2008 • Federal regulators say sludge, or treated sewage, is safe for use as a fertilizer and helps remove lead from soil. But its use on the yards of nine poor families has the Baltimore NAACP calling for an investigation.
Profiles Young Indians Abroad Return to Help Better Country April 28, 2008 • Young Indians who grew up in Britain, Australia and America are working elbow-to-elbow on India's environmental projects. The collaboration is not without challenges, but along the way the participants are building an identity that crosses cultural borders.
Profiles World Traveler Learns Climate Complexities April 28, 2008 • Juan Hoffmaister has spent the past 10 months traveling the globe to visit areas most threatened by climate change. But the trip has complicated his view on how to cope with the changes.
Technology Learning from the Virtual You April 27, 2008 • How you appear in the virtual world could affect your behavior in real life, according to researchers at Stanford University. We examine how people interact psychologically with their virtual-reality selves.
Science Out Of The Box Messing with the Climate to Save It April 26, 2008 • Stabilizing the earth's climate will ultimately require zeroing out all emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Some geological engineers are toying with some pretty wild ideas to counter climate change.