and

NASA video captures comet, Earth and Mercury together

A video from a NASA spacecraft studying the sun has captured an unexpected sight.




and

How to see Mercury and 2 comets in the pre-dawn sky this week

This week in the hour before sunrise early morning stargazers will get a double treat: the planet Mercury and two special comets.




and

How much do you know about the birds and the bees?

Test your knowledge of the wild world of animal mating.




and

How much do you know about pandas?

From what they eat to wear they live, test your giant panda knowledge with this quiz.




and

How smart are you about crows and ravens?

Crows and ravens are some of the smartest animals on the planet. So what do you know about them?




and

What does your handwriting reveal about you?

Want to delve inside someone's subconscious? Graphology might hold a key.



  • Arts & Culture

and

Think you know rocks, minerals and gemstones?

How well-versed are you with our planet's fascinating geology? Test your knowledge and find out.



  • Wilderness & Resources

and

How much do you know about birds and bees (and other pollinators)?

Life across the globe depends on bees, butterflies, birds, bats and other pollinators. Test your knowledge about these vital creatures.




and

How were these iconic landforms created?

They're massive, they're all-natural and, in most cases, they're millions of years older than we are. So how were these amazing landforms created?



  • Wilderness & Resources

and

The Earth's mountains, rocks and water bodies are ancient. Do you know how old they are?

The Earth's mountains, rivers, animals and rocks have been around for millions or billions of years. Do you know which ones have been around the longest?



  • Wilderness & Resources

and

Guess the health benefits of these herbs and spices

Sure herbs and spices taste wonderful, but do you know what benefits they provide to your body?




and

Study reveals gaps between Tea Party and everyone else on energy policy

A study from the Civil Society Institute reveals that party lines divide many people's feelings about global warming, energy independence and green jobs. Here a




and

Bin Laden and oil: Some things change, others stay the same

In the 10 years since Osama bin Laden became a household name, we have fought a war on terror, watched oil prices skyrocket and continued to get oil from the sa




and

Mark Ruffalo urges tar sands action

Actor joins fight against the Keystone XL pipeline, a route connecting the tar sands in Canada to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico.



  • Arts & Culture

and

In rural India, solar power is the cheap and easy option

Harish Hande launched his solar company to dispel the myth that renewable energy was too expensive for poor people. The West could learn something from him.




and

For this romantic couple, home was an island

For almost 40 years, Art and Nan Kellam lived off-grid on a Maine island, eschewing modern technology, but not each other.




and

Solar industry is evolving — and experiencing growing pains

A well-known Chinese solar power company has filed for bankruptcy, but this may actually be a sign of health for the industry.




and

Spanish island first to be powered only by wind, water

El Hierro, the smallest of the Canary Islands, is becoming energy self-sufficient by relying solely on wind turbines and hydroelectricity.




and

Let the Guest-Imator help create the perfect (and less wasteful) Thanksgiving meal

The Guest-Imator is a digital portion calculator that even considers the amount of leftovers you want to have. It works for vegan meals, too.




and

The Netherlands has too much cow poop

Illegal dung dumping is on the rise as the already-strong Dutch dairy sector continues to grow.



  • Organic Farming & Gardening

and

Why we need time alone and time with other people to thrive

We need a mix of solitude and interactions for a healthy social diet.



  • Fitness & Well-Being

and

Science and sensibility: The danger of jargon

Science lingo may hurt efforts to inform the general public, a new study warns.



  • Research & Innovations

and

Hackers break into university in attempt to revive 'Climategate' scandal

'Hackergate' — a desperate attempt by climate skeptics to revive the manufactured 'Climategate' scandal in advance of U.N. climate conference — will backfir



  • Climate & Weather

and

Israeli researchers host competition to find best robotic handshake

Are the days of 'Star Wars'-type droids upon us? Israeli researchers host a tournament to see who can create a robot with the most human handshake.



  • Research & Innovations

and

TVs and a little yellow sticker: An easy and cheap way to save energy

Empowering consumers to make smart decisions can change the marketplace and shrink our national energy footprint.




and

Start o' the week links: Costa Rica, spiders and a drying world

Soil is drying up all over the world, Google is dropping big bucks building a wind power transmission line, and a spider and centipede battle it out.



  • Wilderness & Resources

and

Yahoo Livestand to bring the magazine rack to tablet computers

Meanwhile, rumors of a pending iPad 3 spread around the Web, but are they to be believed?




and

Augmented reality goggles set new standard in wearable computers

A prototype wearable computer runs on its own OS, features 720p displays over both eyes and recognizes facial and hand movements.



  • Gadgets & Electronics

and

Take a foodstagram and help feed the hungry

FoodShareFilter aims to sell its Instagram filter specially made for food pics and donate the money to an El Salvadorian charity.



  • Gadgets & Electronics

and

Motes: Remote sensors that transmit temperature, light intensity and more

If the Motes project is successful, it will make remote sensing as easy as using an iPhone. They are currently raising funds on Indiegogo,



  • Gadgets & Electronics

and

How new electronics can withstand body fluids

Innovative technology enables electronic devices to function in contact with body tissues.



  • Research & Innovations

and

Lost beagle found after 9 days (and 1,000 searchers and a helicopter)

Benny the beagle was the subject of a 1,000-person search that also involved a helicopter.




and

10 (almost) deserted islands

While there are no remaining unmapped islands waiting to be discovered, these destinations live up to the deserted island lore.




and

Startlingly big sinkhole opens in New Zealand

A giant sinkhole, the length of two football fields and six stories deep, opened up in a New Zealand farm in Rotorua.



  • Wilderness & Resources

and

5 things that probably aren't killing honeybees – and 1 thing that definitely is

Scientists scramble to understand the causes of colony collapse disorder.




and

Cats, dogs and a bobcat are the latest burn victims saved with fish skin

A team of veterinarians use tilapia skin as a healing bandage on their paws.




and

This couple created and hiked a new 2,600-mile loop through the Pacific Northwest

The UP North Loop offers a unique but daunting tour through an array of wild landscapes.




and

Why the new U.S. public lands bill is such a big deal

Here are a few highlights from legislation that's poised to boost wilderness protection across the country.



  • Wilderness & Resources

and

This stray tagged along with mountain climbers and set an elevation record for dogs

A street dog named Mera tagged along with a expedition and climbed 23,389-foot Baruntse, a mountain in Nepal.




and

It's time to start demanding justification for drilling in the Arctic refuge​​

Alaska professor discusses why the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should not be opened for oil drilling.



  • Wilderness & Resources

and

Stranded hikers saved by message in a bottle

Family sends an SOS message in a bottle from California's Arroyo Seco River — and it saves them.



  • Wilderness & Resources

and

How can I get my green husband to wear underwear again?

Columnist Matt Hickman offers advice on how to get a crunchy-granola, green husband to wear underwear.



  • Natural Beauty & Fashion

and

Whole Foods' John Mackey on Obamacare, fascism and capitalism's moral code

The granola guru John Mackey has a new book and is once again making waves with his outspoken views.



  • Sustainable Business Practices

and

5 reasons you should switch to beeswax candles

Did you know you could be polluting the air in your house by burning candles? Learn more here.




and

Coupon clipping: Natural and organic printable coupons for May 2014

Free printable coupons plus recipe ideas to use them to make cooking at home a little easier.




and

Black bean spaghetti and other tasty gluten-free options

You can still enjoy a wide variety of pasta dishes while following a special diet with these suggestions.




and

What is arsenic and why is it bad for you?

Found in everything from rice to apple juice, arsenic can be a serious health concern, but how worried should you be? Here's what you need to know.



  • Fitness & Well-Being

and

What is kratom and is it dangerous?

The FDA says kratom acts like an opioid and warns against using the popular supplement.



  • Fitness & Well-Being

and

What is brown fat and can it help you lose weight?

Researchers are studying brown fat's calorie-burning power and how it might help ward off obesity and diabetes.



  • Fitness & Well-Being

and

Men and women feel pain differently

Several studies reveal how each gender responds — and it has a lot to do with what's causing the pain and if it has happened before.



  • Fitness & Well-Being