Lauren Sommer appears in the following:
Everything Is Unprecedented. Welcome To Your Hotter Earth
Friday, August 28, 2020
Hurricanes, wildfires, heat waves and disease outbreaks are all a preview of our hotter future. Dramatically cutting greenhouse gas emissions would help.
Major Real Estate Website Now Shows Flood Risk. Should They All?
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Millions of home listings on Realtor.com now include information about climate change-driven flood risk. Other real estate sites are holding off.
To Manage Wildfire, California Looks To What Tribes Have Known All Along
Monday, August 24, 2020
Native American tribes are restoring traditional burning in California, which could help the state reduce the risk of extreme wildfires.
Wildfires Hit California's Redwoods And Condors, But There's Still Hope
Sunday, August 23, 2020
Growing wildfires have overtaken old-growth redwoods and endangered condor nests, but biologists say they could survive.
Climate Change Lesson From California's Blackouts: Prepare For Extremes
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Extreme heat waves are on the rise, but California regulators didn't plan for what that would do the state's electricity grid.
California Scrambles For Another Day To Avoid Rolling Blackouts
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Extreme heat across the western U.S. is creating huge challenges for keeping the lights on in California. Experts say it shows states need to be planning for climate change extremes.
California Teaming Up With Native American Tribes To Prevent Wildfires
Thursday, August 13, 2020
For more than a century, California's Native American tribes were largely banned from doing traditional burning of the landscape. Now, they're restoring that practice to help prevent fires.
Save The Whales. Save The Tigers. Save The Tapeworms?
Monday, August 10, 2020
Scientists say parasites are important parts of ecosystems, but many are at risk of extinction. So, they're calling for a parasite conservation movement.
Scientists Say Many Parasite Species Are At Risk Of Extinction And Need Protection
Friday, August 07, 2020
Saving endangered species usually brings to mind tigers or whales. But scientists say parasites need protection, too. They play an important role in the ecosystem, and many are at risk of extinction.
Why Sprawl Could Be The Next Big Climate Change Battle
Thursday, August 06, 2020
Zoning for single-family homes has been tied to racial inequity and climate change, but in California, efforts to pass new laws keep falling short.
California Struggles To Fix Zoning That Promotes Racial Inequity And Climate Change
Wednesday, August 05, 2020
Around the U.S., cities have been grappling with how single-family zoning can exacerbate racial inequity and climate change. States like California are struggling to fix that.
Whales Get A Break As Pandemic Creates Quieter Oceans
Monday, July 20, 2020
A drop in shipping traffic is reducing underwater noise, so scientists are listening for how whales and other marine life are responding.
Pandemic Reaches All Parts of The Globe Including Underwater
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
The global coronavirus crisis has lead to a decline in ship traffic around the world, which means the oceans are quieter. That could be providing some relief to whales and other marine mammals.
Minneapolis Has A Bold Plan To Tackle Racial Inequity. Now It Has To Follow Through
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Racial discrimination shaped the map of Minneapolis. Community groups are calling on the city to follow through on a new land use plan designed to address housing disparities and climate change.
California Was Set To Spend Over $1 Billion to Prevent Wildfires. Then Came COVID-19
Sunday, June 07, 2020
Communities were counting on historic levels of funding to prepare for climate change-driven disasters. Now, efforts are on hold.
Traffic Is Way Down Because Of Lockdown, But Air Pollution? Not So Much
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Car traffic took a big dip beginning in late March, and headlines celebrated clean air around the U.S. But an NPR analysis of EPA data tells a more troubling story.
How What You Flush Is Helping Track The Coronavirus
Thursday, May 07, 2020
Researchers are testing sewage in hopes of getting a jump on COVID-19 outbreaks in communities — monitoring for when they begin and how quickly they spread.
How The Coronavirus Pandemic Is Affecting Environment
Tuesday, May 05, 2020
NPR's science correspondent answers listener questions about the impact the pandemic has had on climate change and wildlife.
Antarctica And Greenland Are Losing Thousands Of Gigatons of Ice — That's A Lot
Thursday, April 30, 2020
A new NASA satellite is providing a detailed look at how much polar ice is melting, raising sea levels around the world.
Why The Warning That Coronavirus Was On The Move In U.S. Cities Came So Late
Friday, April 24, 2020
U.S. health officials said equipping six cities with extra testing would pick up under-the-radar viral spread. But an NPR investigation finds conflicts and shortages caused painful delays.