PBS News Hour - Science

As the climate crisis worsens, so does pressure on wildlife. The number of birds in North America has declined by 3 billion in the last 50 years. Brooke Bateman, director of climate science at the National Audubon Society, joins Ali Rogin to discuss why and what can be done to preserve and renew the populations of bird species at risk of extinction. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Saturday, Trump spoke on the campaign trail a day after his federal indictment was unsealed, Ted Kaczynski died in federal prison, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said his country's counteroffensive against Russia has begun, skies over the East Coast have started clearing of smoke from Canada's wildfires, and four children were found alive 40 days after a plane crash in the Amazon. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A heavy pall of polluted air still blankets much of the eastern U.S and it may not dissipate for days as fires in Canada send vast curtains of smoke south. The bad air has officials warning that breathing it can be hazardous to your health. It's also scrambling schedules from airports to schools to the White House. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Hundreds of wildfires continue to burn across Canada and many of them are out of control. The smoke is putting millions of Americans under air quality alerts, prompting warnings to stay indoors to avoid exposure to pollution. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Dr. Joe Dituri, also known as Dr. Deep-Sea, has been living underwater for more than 75 days, breaking previous records and aiming to reach 100. Dr. Dituri fills his days with science and outreach in an effort to raise awareness about the value of the oceans. Nicole Ellis reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As plastic waste piles up in the world's landfills, sewer systems and oceans, the United Nations has set a goal to reduce plastic pollution by 80 percent by the year 2040. Inger Andersen, head of the United Nations Environment Programme, joins William Brangham to discuss the upcoming negotiations over how to realize this goal. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Supreme Court has again weakened the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency. The case involved the EPA blocking an Idaho couple from building a house near a lake on their property, saying the construction would pollute water protected by the Clean Water Act. William Brangham discussed the case with Coral Davenport. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Biden administration reached a landmark deal with several western states to stave off an immediate crisis with the Colorado River and the communities that are dependent on it. Under the agreement, California, Arizona and Nevada will take less water from the drought-stricken river in exchange for federal funding for cities, tribes and water districts. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

AI is finding its place in all sorts of scientific fields, and health care is no exception. Programs are learning to answer patients' medical questions and diagnose illnesses, but there are problems to be worked out. Dr. Isaac Kohane, editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine AI and chair of Harvard's department of biomedical informatics, joins John Yang to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In Louisiana, coastal erosion is claiming an average amount of land equivalent to a football field every hour. Some Native American communities in the southeastern part of the state are the hardest hit. Special correspondent Megan Thompson brings us the story of three Indigenous communities fighting to save their tribal lands. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders