Environment

People cross a temporary bridge on a parched area of the Ganges River in Allahabad, India, on Thursday.

Super Hot! India Records Its Highest Temperature Ever

3:41pm May 20, 2016

by Chris Arnold

Thermometers in the western city of Phalodi registered a sizzling 123.8 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday. One resident told the BBC that it was so hot, his cellphone stopped working.

Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., speaks with Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., on Thursday before joining a bipartisan group of senators at a Capitol Hill news conference to discuss legislation to improve the federal

Lawmakers Reach A Deal To Expand Regulation Of Toxic Chemicals

1:44pm May 20, 2016

by Geoff Brumfiel

If it passes, the compromise bill would be the first update to the Toxic Substances Control Act in more than four decades. Supporters say it gives the EPA more power to ensure chemical safety.

What Can Today's Designers Learn From Nature?

8:36am May 20, 2016

by NPR/TED Staff

Science writer Janine Benyus believes innovators should look to nature when solving a design problem. She says the natural world is full of ideas for making things waterproof, solar-powered and more.

The cracked-dry bed of the Almaden Reservoir in San Jose, Calif., in 2014.

California Will Let Local Authorities Assess Water Conservation Goals Amid Drought

6:36pm May 19, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

This will replace mandatory state-driven standards. It's happening because California's drought — now entering its fifth year — is easing in some parts of the state but not others.

Why Rain Barrels Are Now Legal In Colorado

6:56am May 19, 2016

by Grace Hood

Who owns rain that falls from the sky? In the West, this is a topic of serious discussion and lawmaking. This summer, after much debate, Colorado will allow homeowners to use rain barrels.

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Guy Davies, an inspector of the Florida Division of Plant Industry, shows an orange that is showing signs of "citrus greening." The disease is caused by a bacterium carried by the Asian citrus psyllid.

Can A Tiny Wasp Save The Citrus Industry?

10:52pm May 18, 2016

by Amanda Solliday

Citrus greening, spread by a ravenous pest, has destroyed millions of acres of fruit and cost billions in damage. Fortunately, these pernicious peewees are prime prey for another parasitic predator.

Debnath Mondal was attacked by a tiger in 2010. He continues to work as a guard in the national park in the Sundarbans.

Experts Fear Climate Change Will Lead To More Tiger Attacks In The Sundarbans

2:26pm May 18, 2016

by Ari Shapiro

Deep in the world's largest mangrove forest, which spans India's border with Bangladesh, rangers protect wild Bengal tigers. Rising seas may have rangers and tigers competing for a place to live.

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Worker Javier Alcantar tends to crops at the Monsanto Co. test field in Woodland, Calif., in 2012.

GMOs Are Safe, But Don't Always Deliver On Promises, Top Scientists Say

11:03am May 18, 2016

by Dan Charles

A new report from the National Academy of Sciences knocked down some pro-GMO claims, such as that they've boosted crop yields, and urged federal agencies to change the way these foods are regulated.

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Debendra Tarek, 80, inspects a handful of salt-resistant rice in his home on the tidal island of Ghoramara, which is shrinking quickly because of climate change.

Salt-Resistant Rice Offers Hope For Farmers Clinging To Disappearing Islands

11:01am May 18, 2016

by Ari Shapiro

Climate change is reshaping land and lives in India's Sundarbans region, where paddies are being overrun by saltwater. But resilient varieties of rice may let vulnerable families stay a while longer.

Weather observers Mike Dorfman and Tom Padham took a brief break Monday to enjoy the windy and wintry conditions at the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire.

WATCH: 109-MPH Winds On Mount Washington Lift Man Off His Feet

10:41am May 18, 2016

by Laura Wagner

Even though it's mid-May, milder weather has yet to make its way up the 6,288-foot peak in New Hampshire.