A Devastating Look at the Impacts of Wildfires Beyond the Burn

Fire’s Financial Burden

After the 2021 Dixie Fire swept through, the only thing left of this block of burned buildings in Greenville, California was the church sign. Photo: Noah Berger (AP)

Wildfires are increasingly threatening and destroying human infrastructure. One “low end” estimate put the cost of the 2021 Dixie Fire at $1.15 billion, including fire suppression and damages. Disasters of such scale, fires included, are becoming more common.

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An artist's concept of MethaneSAT in space, showing the satellite against a starry black backdrop

An $88 Million Satellite Died Early—and Still Blew the Lid Off Industry Emissions

Researchers have released an initial assessment of the emissions data MethaneSat gathered before it suddenly went dark. The findings are damning.

Climate Change Ellyn Lapointe Feb 6

Nepal Is Throwing Out Its Decade-Old Scheme to Clean Mount Everest

The world’s tallest peak has a serious trash problem. Officials hope a revised cleanup plan could finally make a difference.

Conservation Ellyn Lapointe Dec 30

An illustration of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 satellite hovering over Earth

A Solution to Satellite Pollution? Make Them Indestructible

Researchers suggest a sea change in satellite design to protect the ozone layer.

Space & Spaceflight Passant Rabie Dec 29

An AI Data Center Is Coming for Your Backyard. Here’s What That Means for You

The rise of artificial intelligence is driving a surge of data center construction across the United States, and rural communities are feeling the impact.

Environmental Justice Ellyn Lapointe Oct 29

A corroded industrial waste barrel sits on the seafloor off the coast of Los Angeles

Decades-Old Waste Barrels Are Creating Toxic Dead Zones off LA’s Coast

The caustic waste that leaked from the barrels created an extreme environment similar to that of hydrothermal vents, colonized by specialized bacteria that thrive in such harsh conditions.

Conservation Ellyn Lapointe Sep 9

An Uber sticker is seen on a car at the start of a protest by ride share drivers on August 20, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.

Uber’s New Shuttle Is Basically a Bus, but Worse

Beyond the jokes about Uber inventing bus lines are serious questions about what its shuttle service will mean for struggling transit systems, air quality, and congestion.

Earther Sophie Hurwitz, Grist Jun 7