Cuckoo wasp

The Overlooked Importance of Parasites

Parasites can be creepy, but according to some ecologists, parasites may substantially impact entire ecosystems—for the better.
Antarctica

The Impact of Studying Antarctica

In such a pristine landscape, even a few thousand people can have a major ecological impact.
tiny fur tree growing after forest fire

It’s the End of the World as We Know It. Is there Any Room for Optimism?

Climate scientists tend to be optimistic and have faith that humanity can engineer our way out of the climate change we’ve created.
Earthworm in soil

Maybe Earthworms Aren’t So Great For Soil After All

Earthworms are often portrayed as beneficial to the environment, but in North America's temperate forests, they are a disaster in action.
Ovenbird

Is Human Noise Stressing Out Protected Wildlife?

A survey in the United States found that in more than half of protected areas human-caused sounds significantly increased background noise levels.
Jellyfish bloom

The Global Jellyfish Crisis in Perspective

Are the increasing jellyfish blooms in our oceans the result of global temperature changes?
Aral Sea Ships

The Agonizing Death of the Aral Sea

After decades of environmental disaster, fish and wildlife may rebound to Central Asia's Aral Sea, but the lake will never be restored to its former glory.
Wine corks

The Cork Oak Forests Want You to Drink More Wine

Corks come from a tree that is part of a unique ecosystem dependent on cork harvest for its survival.
coconut crabs

The Curious Case of the Coconut Crab

Meet the coconut crab, the largest terrestrial invertebrate on Earth.
Wind turbines

The Unexpected Problem With Wind Power

While it can be an excellent source of clean power, wind power also kills a lot of wildlife, including bats.