Environment What's worse for disease spread: animal loss, climate change or urbanization? Scientists are looking at the ways humans change the planet-- and the impact that has on the spread of infectious disease. You might be surprised at some of their conclusions. Jonathan Lambert
Environment Seattle is now an air conditioning town For the first time, most homes in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties now have air conditioning. John Ryan
Environment More than 200 million seniors face extreme heat risks in coming decades, study finds A new study warns that millions of people around the world who are 69 years or older will be at risk of dying in heat waves by 2050. Alejandra Borunda
Environment How warm will Washington state get during summer 2024? Weather forecasters have long been talking about a warmer-than-normal summer 2024 in Washington state, but as the season gets closer, it appears that the region may only get slightly warmer than average. Natalie Akane Newcomb Angela King
Environment A car-free town in the Amazon serves lessons for pedaling to net zero emissions Afuá, a remote town in the Brazilian Amazon, banned motor vehicles over 20 years ago. Writer Mac Margolis and photographer Stefan Kolumban paid the town a visit to see what life is like. Mac Margolis
Environment Seattle stayed cool in April while the planet felt record heat Though Seattle residents might not believe it, April 2024 was the earth’s hottest April on record, with pollution-fueled heat expected to continue. John Ryan
Business Does mining for batteries erase the climate benefits of EVs? No, and here's why NPR listeners wrote to ask whether the environmental harm from building EVs "cancels out" the cars' climate benefits. Experts say the answer is clear. Camila Domonoske
Environment El Niño is on the way out after a record-breaking year of heat El Niño helped drive global average temperatures to new records over the last year. Forecasters say it's waning, but that 2024 may still be one for the record books. Lauren Sommer
Nerves slippery for Washington’s Ski to Sea race In a few weeks, relay teams will race from the snowy hills of Mount Baker Ski Area to the salty waters of Bellingham Bay. But organizers have to really watch the snow. Courtney Flatt
Environment Climate change supercharged the Northwest heat dome “That event really was longer, larger, and more extreme due to climate change.” John Ryan
