News

Hybrid Cars, Once Derided and Dismissed, Have Become Popular

Automakers and car buyers are taking a second, harder look at hybrids after leaving them behind for electric vehicles.

How Black Lung Came Roaring Back to Coal Country

Once nearly eradicated, the “old man’s disease” is back and suffocating younger miners. Federal cuts risk putting a solution further out of reach.

Oil Prices Climb as Trump Calls for Iran’s ‘Surrender’

They rose more than 4 percent as traders wondered if the United States would take a more active role in the conflict between Israel and Iran.

Elon Musk’s A.I. Company Faces Lawsuit Over Gas-Burning Turbines

The company, xAI, has installed several dozen turbines in Memphis without proper permits, the group said, polluting a nearby community.

Is Fake Grass Safe? A Manufacturer Sues to Stop a Discussion.

Four experts were sued for defamation ahead of a seminar where they planned to talk about research into the potential health risks on playgrounds and sports fields nationwide.

Trump’s Trade and Tax Policies Start to Stall U.S. Battery Boom

Battery companies are slowing construction or reconsidering big investments in the United States because of tariffs on China and the proposed rollback of tax credits.

Pangolins Should Receive Endangered Protections, U.S. Officials Say

The armored mammals are trafficked for their scales and meat.

Oil Prices Waver After Israel Strikes Iran’s Energy Assets

U.S. oil prices already jumped last week, which could cause prices at the pump to rise about 20 cents a gallon in the coming weeks, according to one estimate.

At U.N. Conference, Countries Inch Toward Ocean Protection Goal

More than 20 new marine protected areas in coastal waters were announced at the third U.N. ocean conference this week. Experts say thousands more are needed.

Oil Prices Could Climb Higher if Tensions Between Israel and Iran Escalate

A sustained rise in the price of crude oil, which jumped sharply after Israel attacked Iran, could hurt consumers and President Trump’s efforts to bring down energy costs.

A G.O.P. Plan to Sell Public Land Is Back. This Time, It’s Millions of Acres.

Senate Republicans want to sell the land to build more housing in the West, but the idea is contentious even within their own party.

Climate Change Could Complicate Anti-Submarine Warfare

Sound is the primary means of tracking subs in vast ocean expanses, and research shows that it’s behaving differently as the seas warm.

World Bank Ends Its Ban on Funding Nuclear Power Projects

The decision, a major reversal, could help poorer nations industrialize, cut planet-warming emissions and boost U.S. competitiveness on next-generation reactors.

Why Rooftop Solar Could Crash Under the Republican Tax-Cut Bill

Federal tax breaks have fueled a boom. The House bill would end that immediately.

As Energy Costs Surge, Eastern Governors Blame a Grid Manager

Anger at PJM, which manages the electrical grid in all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia, has been boiling over in some state capitals.

BlackRock Is Accused of a Plot Against Coal. The Firm Says That’s ‘Absurd.’

An unusual lawsuit in Texas claims investment firms illegally conspired to fight climate change. On Monday, a judge heard arguments to dismiss the case.

Ocean Temperatures Are Increasing Around the World. See Where.

Sea surface temperatures in 2024 broke records and about a quarter of the world’s oceans are experiencing temperatures that qualify as a marine heat wave.

Trump Approves Expansion of Scandal-Hit Coal Mine

Environmental groups had opposed expanding a Montana mine previously caught up in allegations of cocaine trafficking and the faked kidnapping of an executive.

There’s an Effective Way to Deter Rhino Poachers, a New Study Finds

Poaching rates dropped by more than half in African reserves where veterinarians removed the animals’ horns, which are in high demand in some parts of Asia.

It’s Not Just Poor Rains Causing Drought. The Atmosphere Is ‘Thirstier.’

Higher temperatures caused by climate change are driving complex processes that make droughts bigger and more severe, new research shows.