PBS NewsHour - Science

The Environmental Protection Agency laid out its latest move to cut the greenhouse gasses that are driving climate change, unveiling a sweeping new set of guidelines for the power plants that generate America's electricity. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

This has been a week where concerns over the rapidly expanding use of artificial intelligence resonated loudly in Washington and around the world. Geoffrey Hinton, one of the leading voices in the field of AI, announced he was quitting Google over his worries about what AI could eventually lead to if unchecked. Hinton discussed those concerns with Geoff Bennett. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

While flooding along the Mississippi River happens every year, water levels are surging this year thanks to record snow across the Midwest that's been followed by a sudden thaw. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Demand for electric vehicles is growing and a new report forecasts that one out of every five vehicles sold worldwide this year will be electric. But charging those vehicles and getting the power you need when you want it can be more complicated. Science Correspondent Miles O'Brien found that out for himself on a road trip in California. He reports in conjunction with Nova's "Chasing Carbon Zero." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As technology grows more sophisticated, so does the potential for deception. Last month, images went viral that purported to show police arresting Donald Trump and the former president in an orange prisoner's jumpsuit -- but they were fakes. Jack Stubbs, vice president of intelligence at Graphika, a research firm that studies online disinformation, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New research shows that climate change is causing the Earth's ice sheets to shrink much faster than previously thought -- the annual rate of sea ice loss has more than tripled since the 1990s. In the Arctic, melting ice is raising geopolitical tensions, kickstarting a global race for potentially priceless minerals, oil deposits and shipping routes. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

According to scientists, 80 percent of the Earth's living species are unknown to humans. Even as more are identified, more are disappearing -- and sometimes, we don't know what's being lost until it's too late. This Earth Day, we begin our series "Saving Species" with a look at the world of plants. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New research shows that the massive ice sheets at the top and bottom of our planet are shrinking much faster than previously thought. The international study compiled satellite measurements over time and depict what one researcher described as a "devastating trajectory." William Brangham discussed the implications of the analysis with Twila Moon of the National Snow and Ice Data Center. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Thursday, Elon Musk's SpaceX launched the first test flight of Starship, its 400-foot rocket meant to one day send people to the moon, and eventually, Mars. The most powerful rocket ever built blasted off from its launch base in Texas but exploded roughly four minutes into its flight. Musk says the next launch attempt will be in a few months. Science Correspondent Miles O'Brien reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In last week's State of the Union, President Biden reaffirmed his administration's commitment to get more electric vehicles in American driveways. It's estimated that half of all new vehicle sales will be EVs by 2030, but the industry still faces infrastructure hurdles, policy challenges and public misconceptions. Forbes senior transportation editor Alan Ohnsman joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Drew Lanham refers to himself as a 'rare bird.' The ornithologist, naturalist and writer says he believes conservation efforts must be a blending of rigorous science and evocative art. Lanham is among the new class of MacArthur Fellows, an honor often called 'The Genius Award.' Jeffrey Brown traveled to South Carolina to speak with Lanham for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Artificial intelligence has the potential to dramatically alter how we gather information, communicate and work. Experts are also raising questions about how it will affect governance and what it will mean for the future of our democracy. Bruce Schneier, a fellow at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

This was an important week in the battle out west over water use. Seven states along the Colorado River basin were supposed to reach a collective agreement on how to use less water from an ever-shrinking river, but they failed to do so. William Brangham spoke with Rhett Larson for our series on water issues, Tipping Point. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Wednesday marks 20 years since the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated on its way home. The tragedy not only killed all seven astronauts on board but also was the beginning of the end for the space shuttle program and changed how we explore space now. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien spoke with retired astronaut and Senator Mark Kelly about the Columbia disaster. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Saturday, tensions remain high after a 13-year-old Palestinian boy shot and wounded two people in Jerusalem, floodwaters are receding in Auckland, New Zealand after record-breaking rainfall, Pope Francis clarified his words after saying that being gay is a sin, Trump hit the campaign trail for his 2024 presidential bid, and the Challenger space shuttle exploded 37 years ago today. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders