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Atmosphere

Since 2002, scientific data pointed to a slower decline of CFC-11, one of several chemical substances banned by the Montreal Protocol in 1987. The amount of CFC-11 found in the atmosphere has actually gone up during that time, prompting the United Nations

Scientists detected a spike in ozone-depleting chemicals. They’ll use the Montreal Protocol to stop the pollution.

Environment

Those who have watched over the Montreal Protocol since its formation have never had to take significant measures to enforce it — until now.

This image is from a video made in 2011 that compiled visualizations of the Antarctic ozone hole. Recent findings have shown that the hole is filling up — while other parts of ozone remain on the decline.

The ozone hole over the Antarctic is beginning to fill up. Here’s the bad news.

Science
Smokestack and trees

As global carbon dioxide levels climb, plants are becoming better at photosynthesis

Environment
Beijing power plant

Globe-trotting pollutants pose a larger threat to public health than previously thought

Health
clouds

Bacteria are thriving in the sky — and they influence the weather

Science
The moonset behind Earth, as viewed from the International Space Station.

Some of the oxygen on the moon used to be on planet Earth

Science

The moon may be airless, but we know it has oxygen — Apollo mission samples confirmed its presence in the moon’s soil.

China smog

What deteriorating air quality looks like around the world

Environment

The Chinese government announced Monday that it plans to take more than five million vehicles off the road to improve air quality, including 330,000 cars in Beijing. This announcement comes only weeks after the World Health Organization announced that only 12 percent of cities reporting on air quality meet their standards for safe levels. With the help of our newsroom designers, we put together a list of places recently affected by deteriorating air quality and incidents of smog.The Chinese government announced Monday that it plans to take more than five million vehicles off the road to improve air quality, including 330,000 cars in Beijing. This announcement comes only weeks after the World Health Organization announced that only 12 percent of cities reporting on air quality meet their standards for safe levels. With the help of our newsroom designers, we put together a list of places recently affected by deteriorating air quality and incidents of smog.

Testicles the main ingredient at Serbian cooking contest

Business, Economics and Jobs

Serbia recently celebrated the 10th Annual World Testicle Cooking Championship. That’s right, a group of about 100 people came together to cook — and eat — testicles, of the animal persuasion.

Beijing’s pollution defies measurement, but not history

Environment

Residents of Beijing an other parts of northern China are still dealing with terrible pollution, but it’s not nearly as bad as it was on Saturday, when pollution levels exceeded the scales used to measure such problems. But while the pollution is horrible, China’s not the first place to deal with deadly pollution.

Deadly London smog incident recalled on 60th anniversary

Environment

Some 60 years ago, London was enveloped by an extraordinary fog, even by that soupy city’s standards. And it wasn’t just fog, it was smog, from coal furnaces and factories. It was also deadly, killing as many as 4,000 people over a four-day period.