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Pipes carrying brackish feed water run through the Carlsbad desalination plant in Carlsbad, Calif., Dec. 2, 2025.

What you need to know about desalination, a growing source of drinking water

As droughts worsen and freshwater grows scarce, desalination is expanding rapidly. More than 20,000 plants now convert seawater to drinking water worldwide. Most use reverse osmosis, forcing seawater through membranes that filter out salt.

The sun sets over the Cottonwood Fire near Marysvale, Utah, on Friday, June 26, 2026.

Critical fire weather complicates firefighting efforts in massive Utah wildfire

Firefighters working on the nation's largest current wildfire, burning in southern Utah, are being challenged by historic weather conditions. Extreme wildfire behavior is expected to continue through the weekend.

Haze from Canadian wildfires blankets the Manhattan skyline as seen from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck on July 16, 2026 in New York City.

Dangerous wildfire smoke continues to blanket parts of the U.S.

Orange skies and heavy smoke covered large parts of the U.S. on Thursday as Canada and Minnesota grapple with wildfires. Hazardous air quality is expected to continue.

American Ben Ogden wins silver, breaking 50 year medal drought for U.S. men's cross-country skiing

Ben Ogden of Vermont skied powerfully, finishing just behind Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway. It was the first Olympic medal for a U.S. men's cross-country skier since 1976.

Cows stand in a feed barn at Hallstead Farms in Lexington, Ky., in February. Although the U.S. cattle herd size has shrunk in recent decades, U.S. beef production has remained strong, partly because cattle now weigh hundreds of pounds more than they did in the 1950s.

Why the U.S. cattle herd is at a 75-year low — and what it means for beef prices

The overall number of U.S. beef and dairy cattle has shrunk to its lowest level since 1951. Drought, rising operating costs and increased consolidation are among the causes.

Lima, Peru's beach is bathed in unseasonal winter sunshine as scientists predict a "Godzilla" El Niño.

Scientists warn 'Godzilla' El Niño could intensify climate impacts worldwide

Peru's capital, Lima, is sweltering, with unusually warm winter sunshine and ocean waters. Scientists warn that a record-breaking "Godzilla" El Niño may be forming, driven by climate change.

The building site for the Project Jupiter data center in Doña Ana County, New Mexico

Worries over water as a giant data center moves into the New Mexico desert

Developers say there's plenty of water for a giant data center in southern New Mexico. Some locals are skeptical.

Grasses and flowers grow in a San Diego yard, July 6, 2026.

San Diego pollen allergies now among worst for major US cities

A recent report shows San Diego is now the second most challenging large city for those who suffer from tree, grass or weed pollen allergies.

School children walk through the shallows past submerged and abandoned school buildings at the El Molo Bay primary school in Komote, Kenya. Teachers at the school say the buildings have become a breeding ground for crocodiles.

The biggest permanent desert lake threatens with rising waters and hungry crocs

Kenya's Lake Turkana is the world's largest permanent desert lake. Its waters have long sustained hundreds of thousands. Now the lake is facing multiple threats — and threatening those who rely on it.

A helicopter drops water on the Cottonwood Fire in Beaver, Utah, on Saturday, June 27, 2026.

3 firefighters killed on Colorado-Utah border as wildfires intensify

The deaths occurred as crews battled multiple fires across a parched region. Two other firefighters were injured.

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