"Every day at remote oil fields across the globe, unwanted gas burns skyward. What goes up in flames could meet a quarter of the United States' natural gas demand. A small nonprofit using satellite imagery puts it on the map."

"Belize has made a great effort to protect its coral reef system — the largest in the Western Hemisphere — by establishing more than a dozen protected areas. But patrolling large stretches of ocean and coastline and enforcing fishing regulations takes time, people and boats. Or drones."

"An independent journalist says he's found a way around the so-called 'ag-gag' laws by flying drones over large livestock operations to document animal welfare problems and pollution."

"The scientists want to be very clear: They are not saying we should build a storm-surge barrier across the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay."

"Google is teaming up with an environmental group map methane leaks from natural gas pipelines in US cities. Methane contributes to global warming, and Google hopes its new maps will encourage utilities to patch and replace old pipelines."