PBS News Hour - Science

Wisconsin is coming back from its worst drought in decades. Along with unusually high temperatures, it’s affected wildlife in and around the state’s rivers. While spring rains ended the drought, recovery in some places has been slow. PBS Wisconsin’s Nathan Denzin reports on one species that’s been hit particularly hard. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In Southern California's Tijuana River Estuary, a blind scientist is leading a tour that encourages visitors to experience nature a little differently. He introduces visitors to the native plants with an emphasis on the other four senses besides sight. This story was produced by Kori Suzuki and Carolyn Cor-Ellis of KPBS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

NASA's initial launch with the Boeing Starliner capsule has not worked out well. The space agency announced this weekend it has finally decided the two astronauts stuck at the International Space Station will come back on a SpaceX Dragon capsule next year. The pair were initially sent on an eight-day mission in early June. Amna Nawaz discussed the latest with science correspondent Miles O'Brien. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Rising waters due to climate change and erosion are diminishing the landmass of Tangier Island, Virginia, a tiny speck of land in the Chesapeake Bay, and threatening a centuries-old culture fostered by the island's isolation. PBS News Student Reporting Labs' Sabrina Tomei reports on how the community is trying to restore their land and preserve their history and traditions. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

From defunct satellites to rocket parts, debris from everything humans have launched into space since the 1950s is orbiting the Earth. That space junk is threatening our technology, both up there and down here. Marcus Holzinger, a professor of aerospace engineering at University of Colorado Boulder, joins Laura Barrón-López to discuss what's at stake. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Scientists say much of the persistent and dangerous heat blanketing wide swaths of the country is a long-term result of greenhouse gas emissions. Climate scientist Kristina Dahl joins John Yang to discuss how it's affecting everything from the power grid to trains, planes and automobiles. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Among greenhouse gases, methane is more harmful than carbon dioxide in terms of trapping heat. According to the United Nations, about 32 percent of human-caused methane emissions comes from livestock. Ali Rogin speaks with Ben Lilliston at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy to learn more about Denmark's new and controversial approach to reducing these emissions. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As hurricanes grow stronger and more common due to climate change, they raise new threats for island nations -- not just to infrastructure, but also to artifacts and documents that help define cultures. Now, two island nations in the Atlantic and the Pacific are taking steps to preserve their threatened histories for future generations. Ali Rogin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Fewer than 300 human beings have visited the International Space Station, and an even smaller number have spent more than 150 days living there. John Yang speaks with Cady Coleman, one of those select few astronauts, about her new book, 'Sharing Space: An Astronaut's Guide to Mission, Wonder, and Making Change.' PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Google announced this week it is well behind on a pledge to all but eliminate its net carbon emissions by 2030. The company's greenhouse gas outflow has increased in recent years mainly due to artificial intelligence and the energy required to power it. The AI arms race has experts worried about its climate consequences for energy and water. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders