Environment

Carved zigzag marks on a shell found more than a century ago have drawn new interest from archaeologists. The half-million-year-old lines aren't from an animal, and might be art from Homo erectus.

Officials in New York said on Wednesday that the state will ban hydraulic fracturing there. The move follows years of efforts by environmentalists, who have called on the state to ban the practice.

Heavy rains are hitting drought-stricken California. But instead of sinking into the earth, the water is rushing away in areas burned by wildfire, raising the danger of mudslides.

The pipeline's fate looms large in Washington. But for people living in Keystone XL's proposed path, the project will alter livelihoods and legacies — for better or worse, depending on whom you ask.

Short, unlit towers are used to prospect for new wind farms. But the structures pose a threat to crop-duster pilots. Transportation officials are urging better markings and other safety improvements.

Sea otters are furry and photogenic, but those aren't the only reasons to save them from extinction. Turns out that just by eating, they can preserve their entire estuarine ecosystems.

In Lima, Peru, almost all of the world's governments agreed on a document meant to galvanize efforts to curb climate change. While the outcome was modest, it did establish some important principles.

Americans eat more seafood than just about anyone, but a big portion of imports are caught illegally. One expert calls this "the single greatest threat to sustainable fisheries in the world today."