Environment
Biden administration restores threatened species protections dropped by Trump
Among the changes, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will reinstate a decades-old regulation that mandates blanket protections for species newly classified as threatened.
The Colorado River rarely reaches the sea. Here's why
More than half of the Colorado River's water is used to grow crops, primarily livestock feed, a new study finds. The river and its users are facing tough decisions as the climate warms.
(Image credit: Justin Sullivan)
Why a town on the front line of America's energy transition isn't letting go of coal
Kemmerer, Wyo., is on the front line of America's energy transition, with its coal plant slated to close and a nuclear plant in the works. But some think the rush to quit fossil fuels is impractical.
(Image credit: Kirk Siegler)
Bulldogs are prone to health problems. New Hampshire could limit their breeding
French bulldogs have soared in popularity, but they and other short-nosed dogs often have serious health problems. New Hampshire could be the first state to put health restrictions on breeders.
(Image credit: Sarah Stier)
Some states want to keep these pretty pear trees from blossoming
Bradford pears are blooming all over parts of America: pretty, but a problem! NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with master gardener Jessica Damiano about the trees.
California wants to protect indoor workers from heat. That goal is now in limbo
The state was on the cusp of making new rules to protect people who work in places like warehouses from dangerous heat. A last-minute shake-up leaves workers wondering if they'll be safe come summer.
(Image credit: Jae C. Hong)
A college gardening group is bringing native plants back and 'rewilding' New Jersey
College campuses around the country are returning to their roots, replacing lawns and shrubs with native plants. Students at The College of New Jersey joined the movement with a planting day.
Most animals don't go through menopause. So why do these whales?
Across the animal kingdom, menopause is something of an evolutionary blip. We humans are one of the few animals to experience it. But Sam Ellis, a researcher in animal behavior, argues that this isn't so surprising. "The best way to propagate your genes is to get as many offspring as possible into the next generation," says Ellis. "The best way to do that is almost always to reproduce your whole life."
So how did menopause evolve? The answer may lie in whales. Ellis and his team at the University of Exeter recently published a study in the journal Nature that studies the evolution of menopause in the undersea animals most known for it. What they uncovered may even help explain menopause in humans.
Curious about other animal behavior mysteries? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
(Image credit: David Ellifrit)
A warm, dry spring has U.S. forecasters worried about the upcoming wildfire season
States in the southern High Plains will be "quite vulnerable to high wildfire risk, especially during high wind events," said Jon Gottschalck of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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New vehicle emission rules are meant to quicken the change to electric vehicles
The EPA has finalized new vehicle emissions standards to dramatically speed up adoption of electric vehicles over the next decade. It's part of the White House effort to fight climate change.
Morning news brief
EPA finalizes strict new limits on tailpipe emissions. Alabama's governor signs ban on DEI funds that restricts divisive concepts in schools. Reddit premieres on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday.
What the collapse of salmon populations means for one Alaska family
For Alaska Native communities along the Yukon River, fishing for salmon has always been a central part of life. But climate change is driving a massive collapse in salmon populations.
Taxpayer-funded petrochemical plants are polluting communities, report finds
A fleet of new plastics plants in the U.S. often release illegal levels of air pollution, even while receiving big tax breaks from state and local governments, the report found.
(Image credit: Reid R. Frazier)
About 140 of D.C.'s cherry trees will soon be cut down to adapt to rising sea levels
Washington, D.C.'s famous cherry blossoms hit peak bloom yesterday. For some 140 of the famous flowering trees, this will be their last season — they'll soon be cut down to adjust to sea-level rise.
So long, Stumpy. More than 150 of D.C.'s cherry trees have to go as water rises
Washington, D.C.'s famous cherry blossoms hit peak bloom this week. This will be the last season for about 150 of the famous flowering trees — they'll soon be cut down to adjust to sea-level rise.
Biden administration bans the final kind of asbestos still legal in the U.S.
NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Ellie Borst, who covers chemicals for Politico's E&E News, about the EPA joining more than 50 other countries that have already outlawed chrysotile asbestos.
Pregnant stingray Charlotte brings in traffic, business to North Carolina town
Charlotte the stingray in a small North Carolina aquarium has been attracting visitors since she got pregnant without a mate. Businesses in Hendersonville are delighted by the influx.
Taxpayers subsidize plastics plants that violate pollution standards, report says
Shell's plastics plant outside Pittsburgh, which was built with over a billion dollars in tax credits from the state, has violated clean air laws 19 times since it began operating two years ago.
The U.S. Coast Guard's new system reduces the number of whales hit by vessels
The U.S. Coast Guard has developed a new system to try to reduce the number whales hit by vessels. It's trying it out in the waters in and around Seattle.
A volcano in Iceland is erupting for the fourth time in 3 months
A volcano in Iceland erupted Saturday evening for the fourth time in three months, sending orange jets of lava into the night sky.