How the West is adapting for a drier future
What we're writing
The West's challenge is still water scarcity, wet winter or not
With climate change affecting water supplies that are already strained by urban growth, states in the Colorado River basin are being forced to innovate and adapt. First in a series on solutions to the West's water challenge. // Zack Colman
Fracking led to 6,000 spills in 10 years, study finds
A new study looks at fracking sites in four states, finding 6,648 spills between 2005 and 2014. The research highlights the opportunity for a data-driven conversation about hydraulic fracturing – and could help prevent future incidents. // Ellen Powell
US 'bee map' charts a decline – but aims to help
The map shows a dearth of the pollinators in some key farming areas, revealing where conservation efforts are needed. One scientist is also developing an app to help farmers attract and keep more wild bees on their properties. // Charlie Wood
In time of division, can science find a way to unite?
In the current divisive political atmosphere, many Americans appear to be aligning themselves as if ready for battle. But at an annual gathering of the science community, some talked about how to arm themselves for conversation rather than a fight. // Eva Botkin-Kowacki
What we're reading
Changing carbon from waste into gold
Inside the race to make carbon a profitable commodity for industrial use. // Marketplace
Reality check on climate-friendlier air conditioners
A global deal calls for reducing the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). One study finds replacement chemicals so far have problems like flammability. // InsideClimate News
Urban heat islands: how to cool things down
It's not easy, but some of the best options include trees, 'green roads,' and fewer cars. // The Guardian
What's trending
Amid big drought, African famine and response
“The funding system for humanitarian aid is broken. We are stuck in a Kafka-esque situation where humanitarians can see a crisis coming but they cannot mobilize significant funding." // Debbie Hillier, adviser to Oxfam, quoted in The Christian Science Monitor
China suspends all coal imports from North Korea
"Coal has accounted for 34 percent to 40 percent of North Korean exports in the past several years, and almost all of it was shipped to China, according to South Korean government estimates." // Choe Sang-Hun, writing in The New York Times
What's up with warm February weather in most of US?
"The absence of a wandering polar vortex may partly explain the early spring-like weather. In past years the Arctic's polar vortex - a low-pressure system that spins frigid air counterclockwise around the North Pole - has ventured beyond its northerly home into the United States, lowering temperatures." // Laura Geggel writing in Live Science
