Are hurricanes getting worse? Here’s what you need to know
Climate change hasn't increased the total number of hurricanes hitting the U.S., but it is making dangerous storms more common.
Environment
This mountain hamlet hit by Helene flooding preps for a winter without power
Most of the people who live in Poplar, N.C, are seniors. One priority is securing propane and kerosene heaters to keep them warm when it turns cold.
Comb jelly superpower
Researchers found that two individuals of a type of comb jelly can fuse and become one with a shared nervous system and digestive system. It has implications for animal regeneration and immune systems.
Banner Elk urges voluntary evacuation due to sewer system damage
The sewer system is badly damaged leading to the risk of creeks being contaminated by wastewater, says Lora Elder, a volunteer helping with the town’s crisis communications. And there are still many places where roads and bridges are washed out.
How eastern US forests look almost a century after chestnut trees started disappearing
Chestnut trees began disappearing from eastern deciduous forests in the U.S. almost a century ago due to a nasty fungus. That has contributed to a vastly different eastern forest landscape today.
Meet the kayakers cleaning up the historically polluted Anacostia River
We look at local effort by kayakers to clean up the Anacostia River, which is polluted with trash and debris.
As the climate changes, inland areas face increase flood risk
NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Antonia Sebastian, professor of environmental science at UNC Chapel Hill, about the flood risk facing inland communities as hurricanes become more intense.
Inside the North Carolina mountain town that Hurricane Helene nearly wiped off the map
Nearly 400 miles from where Hurricane Helene made landfall, the hamlet of Chimney Rock Village on the banks of the Broad River has been all but wiped from the map.
Why Massachusetts loves Nibi the beaver and is fighting to keep her out of the wild
For the past several weeks, the beloved beaver has been embroiled in a court battle over whether she should return to the wild or stay at the rescue center where she has lived since she was a newborn.
A coal power plant demolition serves as a poignant historical moment for the Navajo
For six decades, coal has provided for — and polluted — the Navajo Nation. Demolition of a power plant brings mixed emotions.