Gizmodo : Environment

A Tesla Model S burst into flames on Saturday while the driver was on a highway outside Sacramento, forcing authorities to bring in significant manpower and thousands of gallons of water to get the fire under control.

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Gizmodo : Environment

At the first National Forest site we visited in California’s remote Modoc Plateau, nearly every plant had been chewed on by cattle. The botanists, there to track down and collect seeds from rare plants, pointed out the soil erosion from stomping hooves. The cow pies were everywhere, unavoidable on the steep roadside…

Engadget : Environment

Swiss scientists have developed a proof-of-concept method to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) from high-arching forest canopies, an under-observed habitat. Rather than hiring skilled climbers to risk their lives to grab a little bug and bird DNA, the team flew a collection drone into the trees to capture genetic material — giving them a clearer picture of the area’s organic breakdown.

Gizmodo : Environment

Rubble pile asteroids are more common and durable than previously thought, according to new research. The scientists behind the study say this could pose a problem for planetary defense measures. But there may be reason for optimism, given recent insights gleaned from NASA’s successful DART mission to deflect an…

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Gizmodo : Environment, Economy

For the past year on the coast of France, the waves crashing ashore have borne evidence of an unsettling mystery. An untold number of tiny plastic pellets are landing on the beaches of Brittany, Pays de la Loire, and elsewhere.

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Gizmodo : Environment

Thousands of dead fish washed up along the shore of a river in Argentina this weekend, in the latest symptom of the extreme drought and heat that has gripped the country in recent months, the AP reported.

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Gizmodo : Environment

The Mars Sample Return Program is a bold plan to deliver precious samples of Martian soil back to Earth without human intervention.

Engadget : Environment

New York City’s first flood-monitoring network is set to expand. Thanks to $7.2 million in funding from the city, the number of flood-prone areas FloodNet monitors with its sensors will increase from 31 to 500 across all five boroughs. The expansion is expected to start next month and take up to five years.