Climate

Altered Carbon

Data Centers Are Driving a US Gas Boom

Gas projects in the US pipeline explicitly linked to data centers increased by almost 25 times over the past two years, according to new research from Global Energy Monitor.

The Big Chill

Skip the Shovel: How to Prep for the Biggest Storm of the Season

Better or Worse

The AI Boom Will Increase US Carbon Emissions—but It Doesn’t Have To

Regulations and Solutions

People Are Protesting Data Centers—but Embracing the Factories That Supply Them

As the data center backlash grows, support is growing for server factories and the hundreds of jobs they’re expected to bring.

No One Is Quite Sure Why Ice Is Slippery

A thin, watery layer coating the surface of ice is what makes it slick. Despite a great deal of theorizing over the centuries, though, it isn't entirely clear why that layer forms.

This Mega Snowstorm Will Be a Test for the US Supply Chain

Shipping experts say the big winter storm across a wide swath of the country should be business as usual—if their safeguards hold.

What Happens When a Chinese Battery Factory Comes to Town

Chinese firms are building battery plants from Europe to North America, promising jobs while prompting local concerns about the environment, politics, and who really benefits.

Oceans and Waterways

The Best Water Leak Detectors for Your Home

Don’t let busted pipes or an overflowing washing machine dampen your day. These WIRED-tested smart water sensors can help you catch problems quicker.

The Oceans Just Keep Getting Hotter

For the eighth year in a row, the world’s oceans absorbed a record-breaking amount of heat in 2025. It was equivalent to the energy it would take to boil 2 billion Olympic swimming pools.

The Earth Is Nearing an Environmental Tipping Point

Today’s global coral bleaching events are the worst kind of climate warning.

People Who Drink Bottled Water on a Daily Basis Ingest 90,000 More Microplastic Particles Each Year

Drinking water in plastic bottles contains countless particles too small to see. New research finds that people who drink water from them on a daily basis ingest far more microplastics than those who don’t.