Hear all stories from this pageadd all to playlist
Visuals Unlimited/Corbis
While humans find the mosquito's buzz irritating, scientists have discovered that courting mosquitoes adjust the tone of their buzz to create a near-perfect duet. ()
Last month's coal ash spill in Kingston, Tenn., was described as a major disaster. ()
Once-bustling ports are near a standstill as California tries to keep its fisheries alive. ()
Economy
January 8, 2009 · Congress has begun work on an economic stimulus package that could cost as much as $1 trillion and will likely include tax incentives to encourage investment in green technologies. Many people think "green jobs" are a key part of rebuilding the economy, but not everyone is convinced. ()
January 7, 2009 · Two weeks after one of the nation's worst coal waste accidents, officials in eastern Tennessee are trying to ease public health concerns. About 300 acres of land and water were inundated with coal ash — sludgy residue that spilled from a holding pond at a Tennessee Valley Authority power plant. Officials say the health risk is minor, but some people near the plant are skeptical. ()
January 6, 2009 · In the largest marine conservation effort ever, President Bush has set aside parts of three remote and uninhabited Pacific Island chains as national monuments. The preserves will be protected from commercial fishing and oil and gas extraction. ()
Health & Science
January 5, 2009 · As many West Coast fisheries collapse, more fishermen are turning to the delectable Dungeness crab. It's one of the last thriving fisheries in California, but the winter race for the crabs means fewer fresh crabs on tables and smaller profits. ()
Nation
January 2, 2009 · Cleanup continues in the Tennessee coal ash spill that released more than a billion gallons of toxic sludge last week. The work is slow, and many residents highlight the complex relationship between the utility company that owns the plant and residents of the surrounding areas. ()
December 31, 2008 · There aren't a lot of answers yet about what caused a catastrophic spill of coal ash from a Tennessee Valley Authority plant near Knoxville. But the disaster has raised a lot of questions about whether regulations of coal ash are strict enough. ()
January 1, 2009 · Coral in the Great Barrier Reef is showing significant signs of trouble, apparently the result of human activities. Scientists say one species of coral is growing much more slowly than it was 15 years ago. If current trends continue, this species of coral could stop growing altogether by the middle of the century. ()
December 27, 2008 · Professional race car driver and environmentalist Leilani Munter's mission for 2009 — to get her sport to go green. ()
December 26, 2008 · Landowners in the Cowboy State are banding together to form "wind associations." These ad-hoc groups are providing leverage for farmers who are looking to use their land to profit from new wind farms. Wind energy could provide the ranchers with a more stable source of income. ()
December 26, 2008 · The Tennessee Valley Authority is reporting "progress" in cleaning up the sludge that coated a Tennessee neighborhood after a dike burst at a power plant Monday. Preliminary tests suggest there is no danger to millions of people who get their drinking water from the 652-mile Tennessee River. ()
Nation
December 26, 2008 · Residents of Kingston, Tenn., surveyed the altered landscape surrounding their homes Friday as work crews labored to contain one of the largest coal ash spills in U.S. history. More than 5 million cubic yards of the sludge spilled out onto hundreds of acres of land Monday when an earth dam broke. ()
Nation
December 26, 2008 · As cleanup continues on the giant sludge spill from a Tennessee coal plant, government officials are trying to figure out how much of a disaster it is. It could pose a hazard to people and the environment. ()