Climate and Environment

More States Are Banning Balloon Releases—and Why It Matters for Your Health

More States Are Banning Balloon Releases—and Why It Matters for Your Health

For many people, releasing balloons is a heartfelt way to celebrate a milestone or remember someone they love. Watching colorful balloons drift into the sky can feel symbolic, representing hope, remembrance, or letting go. Yet what happens after they disappear from view tells a very different story. Rather than vanishing into the atmosphere, most balloons…

France Just Criminalized ‘Ecocide’: Punishing Major Polluters to Protect Public Health

France Just Criminalized ‘Ecocide’: Punishing Major Polluters to Protect Public Health

As a doctor, I routinely treat the physical effects of a sick environment. Contaminated water and polluted air lead to very real, chronic health issues in my patients every single day. This is why I pay close attention to how governments protect our natural resources. Recently, the French parliament passed legislation that makes severe environmental…

Against All Odds: A Thriving Ecosystem Inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

Against All Odds: A Thriving Ecosystem Inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

When most people hear the name Chernobyl, they think of one of the worst nuclear disasters in human history. The explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes and created a vast exclusion zone around the site. For decades, the area has been viewed…

A Developing Super El Niño Could Reshape Your Health—Here’s How

A Developing Super El Niño Could Reshape Your Health—Here’s How

Scientists are increasingly concerned about conditions developing in the Pacific Ocean that could set the stage for one of the strongest El Niño events in recorded history. Some forecasters now believe a “Super El Niño” may emerge, potentially becoming the most powerful event since weather records began tracking these patterns in the late 19th century….

Residents Near Data Centers Are Reporting Health Issues — Scientists Are Raising Serious Concerns
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Residents Near Data Centers Are Reporting Health Issues — Scientists Are Raising Serious Concerns

Artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every aspect of modern life. From personalized recommendations to advanced medical research, AI systems promise greater convenience and innovation. Yet behind every AI-powered tool sits a massive network of data centers that consume enormous amounts of energy and operate around the clock. As communities across the United States welcome new…

Why Rapid Glacier Loss Matters More to Your Health Than You Think

Why Rapid Glacier Loss Matters More to Your Health Than You Think

When you think about glaciers, you might picture distant mountain peaks or polar landscapes that feel far removed from your daily life. Yet what is happening to these massive ice bodies right now may affect your water, your food supply, and even your long-term health in ways that are not always obvious. Scientists are now…

How China Is Turning a Harsh Desert Into a Living, Breathing Carbon Filter

How China Is Turning a Harsh Desert Into a Living, Breathing Carbon Filter

When you think of a desert, you probably picture dry land that stretches for miles, with very little life in sight. It feels like a place where nothing grows and nothing changes. But that idea is starting to shift. For decades, China has been working on a massive project to bring life back to parts…

Climate Change Is Real And It’s Already Affecting Your Health
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Climate Change Is Real And It’s Already Affecting Your Health

When it comes to climate change, the debate is over. A new review of more than 88,000 climate-related studies has confirmed what scientists have been saying for decades: more than 99.9% of peer-reviewed research agrees that climate change is largely caused by human activity. The burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial emissions are accelerating…

Earth’s Heat Imbalance Is Doubling—What That Means for Your Health
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Earth’s Heat Imbalance Is Doubling—What That Means for Your Health

Earth is holding onto more heat than it releases back into space, and scientists say this imbalance has more than doubled in just two decades. While the physics may sound abstract, the effects are very real: hotter days, harsher storms, and shifting health risks that touch us all. What Does “Energy Imbalance” Mean? Earth’s climate…