So Volkswagen has this new concept car — give it two gallons of gas, and it will go 416 miles without a stop. But German engineers, meet your fuel-efficiency master: the honey bee.

The former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says collective global diplomacy rather than isolation is the preferred course of action when handling Iran and its nuclear program. Mohammed ElBaradei also says sanctions should not be the only tool while dealing with the Islamic republic.

With snow blanketing much of the country, the topic of global warming has become the butt of jokes. But most scientists who study the climate don’t see a contradiction between a warming world and lots of snow.

A century after the Weather Bureau began to offer regular forecasts, the government is proposing the creation of a similar service focused on climate change and its effects. NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco discusses the proposed “National Climate Service.”

The famously liberal and environmentally conscious city of Santa Monica leads the country in sales of the Toyota Prius. But analysts say Toyota’s recall of 437,000 Prius and other hybrid cars could push Californians toward other gas savers.

A group of scientists says the idea that life emerged from a prebiotic broth is past its expiration date.

Blue whales are updating their playlist, according to new research on the huge mammals. One scientist says it’s because they’ve got more reason to sing.

New research dispels the notion that migrating insects are simply at the mercy of the wind. Researchers have found that the moths can actually select wind currents and often end up traveling faster than many migrating birds.

After years of polluting and contaminating the environment, the American Smelting and Refining Company’s notorious copper-smelting plant in El Paso, Texas, will be cleaned up this year. Asarco will also pay $1.79 billion to settle claims for pollution at more than 80 sites throughout the country.

President Obama’s proposed 2011 budget would triple the money available to companies who build nuclear power facilities. Obama supports nuclear energy as a way to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental groups oppose the move, maintaining that nuclear power plants generate harmful toxic waste.

Recent rainy weather notwithstanding, California is still reeling from the effects of a long-term drought and mandated water conservation. Many water districts are hiking up rates for water use. In southern California, one water district has come up with a system that rewards conservation and penalizes water waste. The system is a model for other water districts around the state and, increasingly, around the country.

To some, deer are a beautiful symbol of nature. To others, they’re a nuisance and a hazard to public health and the ecosystem. Much of that population growth is in suburbs, where hunting isn’t a big part of the culture. But as Craig LeMoult reports, some Connecticut suburbs are so fed up they’re opening up their parks and woods to hunters.

The star resident of the National Zoo is leaving Washington next week. Four-year-old Tai Shan will board the “FedEx Panda Express” to Chengdu, China. Where will they find a mailer large enough for him?

It was a meteorological mystery: global temperatures hadn’t increased dramatically over the Past decade, even though greenhouse gas levels did. It turns out that a temporary decline in water vapor in the Earth’s upper atmosphere has been holding global warming in check.

As China and the United States promise emissions cuts, coal consumption takes center stage. By Monday, as many as two dozen countries will have listed their emissions targets. Experts say countries need to weigh the costs and benefits of continuing to use a technology that produces the largest amount of greenhouse gases.