Earth

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A persistent odor of rotten eggs hangs over Steve Egger’s home in Southern California, especially after dark when the nearby Tijuana River churns with sewage flowing north from Mexico before reaching the Pacific Ocean. Egger, 72, says he and his wife frequently suffer from headaches and often wake up congested, coughing up mucus. Their house is equipped with a hospital-grade air filtration system that circulates indoor air every 15 minutes. Even with those precautions, “most

Super Typhoon Sinlaku is advancing toward the remote Mariana Islands in the northern Pacific Ocean, where the powerful system is expected to unleash destructive winds and torrential rainfall. Sinlaku developed on April 9 and has become the most intense storm recorded so far in 2026. On Monday, it produced sustained winds reaching 278 km/hour (173 mph), according to reports from The Associated Press. Storm Position and Strength By midday Tuesday local time (02:00 GMT), the storm’s center was

EDITOR’S NOTE: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial initiative focused on highlighting the environmental pressures facing the planet and the solutions aimed at addressing them. Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative collaborates with CNN to raise awareness and encourage meaningful action around critical sustainability challenges. Camera traps have captured images of a jaguar deep within Honduras’ Sierra del Merendón mountain range — the first confirmed sighting of the species in the area in ten

A modest line of spruce trees served as the finish line for Canadian reservists and combat troops after nearly two months crossing one of the planet’s most unforgiving landscapes: the Canadian Arctic. The journey, which concluded on Friday in Churchill, Manitoba, marked the largest northern deployment ever undertaken by the Canadian Rangers, the branch of the Armed Forces tasked with safeguarding remote regions. Covering 5,200km (3,200 miles), the team traced a path across the Arctic that had

When pollution levels rise in the rivers that supply drinking water to Iowa’s largest city, Des Moines must spend roughly $16,000 each day to operate a specialized system that removes hazardous nitrates. This recurring expense has become part of life in an agriculture-driven state — and climate change is intensifying the challenge. Nitrates originate from fertilizers and pesticides that seep into the soil and eventually flow into waterways such as the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers. Typically,

Oil released from an unidentified ship along with two “natural” seepage points in the Gulf of Mexico has spread into seven protected natural areas, affecting more than 600km (373 miles), Mexican officials reported on Thursday. The announcement comes after weeks of debate in Mexico regarding the response to the spill, which was first detected in early March off the coasts of Veracruz and Tabasco. While authorities stated that there is no evidence of “serious environmental damage,” the marine

The dramatic story of Harold, the king who lost England to William the Conqueror in one of history’s most famous clashes, has long held a firm place in British memory. Yet fresh research suggests that this familiar narrative may need to be reconsidered. The Battle of Hastings in 1066 brought an end to Harold’s brief reign as the last Anglo-Saxon king and marked the beginning of William, Duke of Normandy’s rule over England. This turning point is often portrayed as a decisive moment that

Turkana, Kenya – Under the scorching sun in Kainama, Turkana County, Veronica Akalapatan and her neighbours trek several kilometres each day to reach a shrinking well set amid the cracked, dusty plains of northern Kenya. The shallow pit, accessed by a simple wooden ladder, is the area’s only water source. Hundreds of residents from nearby villages – along with their animals – depend on it. Many wait for hours to fill small plastic containers with limited amounts of murky water. Recommended

NASA has completed a pivotal safety evaluation ahead of its planned lunar flyby, and during a press briefing on Thursday, officials announced a revised launch date while outlining how they examined the risks facing the four astronauts assigned to the mission. The agency is now targeting April 1 for liftoff of Artemis II, with launch scheduled for 6:24 p.m. ET at the earliest. Should that opportunity slip, backup windows are available on April 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 30. The review — formally called a

NUEVA LOJA, Ecuador (AP) — Standing beside a stream darkened by crude in Ecuador’s northern Amazon, an Indigenous woman looked on in disbelief as an oily film drifted across the surface and damaged pipes cut through the surrounding forest. In the distance, gas flares blazed above the canopy. Julia Catalina Chumbi, a 76-year-old leader of the Shuar people from the southern Amazon province of Pastaza, had journeyed hundreds of miles to witness the environmental toll left by decades of oil and gas

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday rolled back limits on mercury and other hazardous emissions from coal-fired power plants, marking the Trump administration’s latest move to support the fossil fuel sector by scaling back air and water regulations. Pollution from coal- and oil-burning plants can interfere with brain development in children and is linked to heart attacks and other serious health issues in adults. These facilities are also among the leading

Three decades have passed since the Sea Empress oil tanker ran aground, causing catastrophic damage to some of south Wales’ most iconic beaches. The spill devastated a wildlife-rich stretch of the Pembrokeshire coast, killing thousands of seabirds. Efforts to refloat the damaged vessel and guide it to safety took nearly a week as the crisis unfolded. The event, widely seen as a turning point in how environmental issues were perceived by the public, still sparks strong emotions and questions

Record Snow Shortage and Unseasonal Heat Impact Western U.S. A historic shortage of snow, coupled with exceptionally warm winter temperatures, is sweeping across much of the western United States. This unusual weather is straining future water resources, increasing wildfire risks, and negatively affecting winter tourism and recreational industries. Experts report that both the extent and depth of snow are at historic lows. At least 67 weather stations in the region have recorded their warmest

Elon Musk Shifts Focus to Building a Lunar City Elon Musk's long-standing vision of colonizing Mars appears to have taken a new direction, with his attention now turning toward a more immediate and practical objective—establishing human presence on the moon. In a post on X this past Sunday, Musk announced that SpaceX is now directing its efforts toward developing what he described as “a self-growing city on the Moon.” He added that constructing such a lunar settlement could take under ten

In the early days of the nuclear era, scientists introduced the Doomsday Clock as a symbolic gauge of how close humanity is to catastrophic destruction. On Tuesday, nearly 80 years later, the clock was adjusted to 85 seconds before midnight — the closest point ever, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which launched the concept in 1947. Midnight on the clock symbolizes a point of irreversible global devastation caused by human actions. Previously, in 2023 and 2024, the clock

According to new research from the European Copernicus Climate Service and the Met Office, global temperatures in 2025 were slightly lower than in 2024 due to the cooling influence of the natural La Niña phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean. However, the past three years have still been the warmest ever recorded, continuing to edge the planet closer to surpassing global climate goals. Even with the moderating effect of La Niña, temperatures in 2025 remained significantly higher than those seen just

Clean Energy in 2025: A Year of Setbacks and Progress Despite numerous setbacks, clean energy experienced a few notable advancements in a year marked by profound shifts. Former President Donald Trump pushed policies favoring fossil fuels and hindered support for renewable energy sources, say many in the industry, ranging from developers to policymakers. A poll conducted by The Associated Press revealed that 2025 was a year of instability for renewable energy. However, progress did occur as

Tea Plantation Workers Devastated by Cyclone in Sri Lanka CRAIGHEAD ESTATE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Arumugam Manikavalli woke to deafening rain and quaking ground and ran from her home to a nearby temple on the tea estate where she works. That same November night, a landslide crushed Kumaran Elumugam’s modest dwelling, taking the lives of six of his relatives. Elumugam only survived because he and one of his daughters were away at work when the disaster struck. “I’ve lost my wife, daughter,

A comet from beyond our solar system, first detected in July, is now preparing to move away from our cosmic neighborhood. But before it departs, it will make a close pass by Earth, offering scientists a rare opportunity to capture striking new images. Named 3I/ATLAS, the comet will reach its closest point to Earth this Friday, passing at a distance of about 167 million miles (270 million kilometers). However, this event will take place on the far side of the sun. To put it in perspective,