Four facts: Arctic sea ice extent in 2013

There was more Arctic sea ice this summer than last. That is true. And yet 2013's summertime Arctic ice melt was still greater than the long-term average.

What is Earth’s habitable lifetime?

Habitable conditions on Earth will be possible for at least another 1.75 billion years, according to astrobiologists at the University of East Anglia.

How birds got their wings

Birds split from dinosaurs when their front limbs got longer and their back limbs got shorter, according to new research.

Today’s worst watershed stresses may become the new normal

“By midcentury, we expect to see less reliable surface water supplies in several regions of the United States,” said the study’s lead author, Kristen Averyt.

Amazing videos of lightning striking the ground

Amazing footage that shows how dangerous lightning can truly be.

Heavily logged forests still valuable for tropical wildlife

New findings challenge a long-held belief that there is limited, if any, value of heavily logged forests for conservation.

Study says new element 115, ununpentium, does exist

One more element may soon be added to the Periodic Table. On September 10, 2013, scientists reported evidence supporting the existence of element 115.

Only 20 Asian carp could establish breeding population in Great Lakes

These prolific fish are already widespread in stretches of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, where they have severely overwhelmed native aquatic communities.

Epic flooding hitting the Boulder, Colorado area

The National Weather Service used the word "biblical" to describe ongoing flooding in Colorado. Many are evacuating as water levels rise.

Insight into the hidden world of frozen oceans

Beneath the ice crust of a frozen ocean, microscopic algae and bacteria thrive. As the Arctic becomes ice-free, they will play a new role in Earth's ecology.

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