Water News

Satellites Track Vanishing Groundwater

Scientists are using data from NASA's GRACE satellite to calculate increasing groundwater losses, which serve as a blow to the Earth's dwindling freshwater resources.
Dams Trigger Stronger Storms

Scientists have long suspected that dams create their own weather. But now some researchers say dams might also trigger more frequent and fierce storms that could erode these enormous, and often aging, structures.
Amazon Losing "Flying Rivers," Ability to Curb Warming

The Amazon's flying rivers"—humid air currents that deliver water to the vast rain forest—may be ebbing, in turn hampering the region's ability to help curb global warming, experts say.
"Wired" Irish River Detects Pollution

Nature is going wireless as scientists outfit rivers with sensors that can detect spikes in pollution and stream the information to data centers and cellphones.
Will Water Footprints be the Next "Energy Star"?

Companies, including beer giant SABMiller, are starting to account for their water use. But will consumers get to see this information on labels?
Cocaine, Spices, Hormones Found in Drinking Water

Some unusual ingredients, from heroin and cinnamon to rocket fuel and birth control, are lurking in the world's freshwater supplies.
Climbing Kilimanjaro for Water Awareness

A team of celebrities and NG explorers reach the summit in the name of water access.
Kilimanjaro's Snows Gone by 2022?

Ernest Hemingway must be reaching for a bottle of grappa in his grave. The snows of Kilimanjaro—inspirations for a Hemingway story of the same name—could be gone by 2022, a new study confirms.
Dragonflies Disappearing

Habitat loss is having a serious impact on Europe's butterflies and dragonflies, threatening many species with extinction.
Elephants, Other Iconic Animals Dying in Kenya Drought

Scores of animals are dying of thirst, starvation, and disease amid the country's worst drought in over a decade, conservationists say.
Blog: Help Needed to Buy Water for Dying Elephants

Rare desert elephants are struggling to get enough water as a drought strikes their habitat in Mali.
Blog: Intersex Fish More Widespread in U.S. Rivers Than Thought

A new study by the U.S. Geological Survey says smallmouth and largemouth bass with both male and female characteristics are now widespread in U.S. rivers, which may be a result of pollution.
Booming Middle-Class Diet May Stress Asia's Water Needs

Asia's growing appetite for meat threatens the already water-stressed region with severe food shortages, scientists warned at an international conference in Sweden last week.
Salmon in the City: Fish Return to Paris River

After a century of pollution in the Seine, salmon are once again swimming by the Eiffel Tower in numbers that exceed "anything we could imagine," a French official says.
Blog: Food Shortages Loom in Asia Without Irrigation Reform

Without major reforms and innovations in the way water is used for agriculture, many developing nations in Asia face the politically risky prospect of having to import more than a quarter of the rice, wheat and maize they will need by 2050, according to a report presented at 2009 World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden.
Sunlight Not the Solution for Clean Water -- New Study

A popular method of disinfecting water with sunlight may not help protect people from water borne disease, due partly to stigma, a new study shows.
Blog: Air Pollution Cuts China's "Useful" Rainfall, Study Finds

The results of a study suggest that bad air quality might be affecting China's ability to raise crops and contribute to health and environmental problems, according to U.S. researchers.
BEFORE-AND-AFTER PHOTOS: Vast Aral Sea Vanishing

Once Earth's fourth largest lake, the Aral Sea has shrunk substantially, with its eastern section losing about 80 percent of its water between 2006 and 2009, new satellite images show.
Fog Catchers Bring Water to Parched Villages

A rain-starved community in Peru collects hundreds of gallons of water a day using special fog-catching nets.
PHOTOS: Fog Catchers Harvest Air's Water in Arid Places

Special fog-catching nets that can pull hundreds of gallons a day out of the air are helping conservationists in Peru bring water to rain-starved communities.

« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next »

Latest News

Farmed Fish More Popular Than Beef

As a milestone is passed for aquaculture, environmentalists suggest the most sustainable choices for consumers.
Tourists to Blame for Dead Dolphin?

Handling stranded marine mammals can be dangerous both to the animal and to humans.
Reading Viral Pepper-Spray Photo

After a woman is subdued during protests, questions arise about the use of force.
Male Spiders Sacrifice Themselves

The male dark fishing spider has a rough love life—his mate mutilates his genitalia and then eats him after mating.
U.S. Pet Poll: Key Takeaways

Americans love their pets, and a new poll shows just how much we dote on our animals and reveals some interesting views on animals.
Solar Boat Harbors Climate Ambitions

A solar-powered boat en route from New York to Boston this week is admirably pollution-free but has deeper ambitions for climate science.
Atlantic Ocean to Disappear?

A newly discovered crack in the Earth's crust is slowly drawing North America and Europe closer together.
Pictures: Six Pink Animals

The newly identified hot-pink slug is just one of nature's rosy critters—check out a pink hippo, grasshopper, and more.
Top 10: Ancient Murals, Farming Record

On our radar today: An ancient mural tomb has been uncovered in China, farmed fish overtakes farmed beef for first time in history, and ...
Sky-Show Alert: Prime-Time Saturn View

Armchair astronomers can see a live web broadcast of Saturn this week and pose for a snapshot of Earth from space next month.

From Our Blogs

More news and perspective from National Geographic.

All News Blogs »

News Photos

All News Photos »

Latest News

The World's Water

The world's increasing population and development of agricultural land are putting pressure on the Earth's limited freshwater supplies. Find out what's at stake and how you can help.

Why Should You Care?

Learn more about the world's water challenge with photos, stories, videos, and more.
Visualizing Our Water Footprint

You might be surprised to see how the daily choices you make affect critical watersheds around the world.
How Much Water Per Pound?

How much water does it take to put beef, pork, wheat, and more on your plate? Explore our water footprint interactive and find out.

Learn More About Freshwater »

Posts From National Geographic Freshwater Fellow Sandra Postel

Ireland to Charge for Water for the First Time

New plan aims to boost water conservation.
The Water Costs of the Choices We Make

Everything we do has an impact, but there are simple steps we can take to reduce water use.
Australia's Bold Plan to Save a Dying River

Authorities hope better management can restore an iconic ecosystem.

Stories From the Field

Why We Shouldn’t Dam the Mekong

National Geographic Fellow Zeb Hogan tells us what needs to happen in order to save the region's giant fish.
Rainwater Harvesting in India

Sunita Narain tells us how one remote village is setting an example for the rest of the country—and world.
Boston Water Conservation

National Geographic Freshwater Fellow Sandra Postel describes one of the biggest success stories in urban water management.