River Basin archaeologists

The River Basin Surveys Preserved American Prehistory

Between 1945 and 1969, archaeologists hurriedly surveyed over 20,000 prehistorical sites before the Mississippi River Basin was flooded by dams.
A bloat of hippos in a watering hole

Hippo Poop Kills Fish, but There’s an Upside

A robot disguised as a crocodile is helping scientists understand that mass fish die-offs serve a purpose.
Girl and dog relaxing on a healthy green lawn

Fixing the Grassroots of the American Lawn

A citizen scientist bred low-mow, slow-grow grass that needs little water and fertilizer.
Graphic of computer rendered waves above an aerial map of a city

It’s Time to Plug Into the Internet of Water

Scientists are "digitizing" water to better manage the precious resource. What does that mean and how is it helping?
Diamond water prices

Why Are Diamonds More Expensive Than Water?

Water is simultaneously one of the few things we absolutely cannot live without, and one of the things we value least. There's an economic rationale behind that.
A Spongey Lower Manhattan

How to Build a City That Doesn’t Flood? Turn it Into a Sponge City

Cities encourage potentially devastating floods by laying down asphalt and pavement. Could this be avoided by making them "spongier" and more absorbent?
Rats are killing kiwis and other birds in New Zealand

Rat Wars, Radiation Leaks, and Other Dirty Secrets

This week in sustainability news: rats v. kiwis, radiation links in midcentury Soviet Union, and an American town with no running water.
Ducks in algae bloom

The Problem With Algae Bloom

Climate change is a wild card that seems to be exacerbating conditions that can lead to Harmful Algae Blooms.
Freshwater Mussels

America’s Imperiled Freshwater Mussels

Freshwater mussels were once found in astonishing numbers and diversity in North America. Then came the button fanciers, and then the pearl-makers.
Water carrier

The Story Behind “The Parisian Water-Carrier”

Who was the "Parisian water-carrier" depicted in 18th century French sculptor Edme Bouchardon's sketches and how did he earn his living?