In an unprecedented move, India held the water treaty in abeyance after blaming Pakistan for a deadly attack in April. Pakistan denies involvement in the attack and accuses India of "weaponizing water."

(Image credit: Betsy Joles for NPR)

There was a circle in Maria Burns' yard where grass wouldn't grow and trees died. She knew what it was: An old natural gas well, plugged when she was a little girl, starting to leak again.

(Image credit: Maddie McGarvey for NPR)

Short Wave producer Hannah Chinn has adult-onset eczema. They're not the only one. Up to ten percent of people in the United States have it, according to the National Eczema Association — and its prevalence is increasing. Despite its ubiquity, a lot about this skin condition remains a mystery.
So today, Hannah's getting answers. In this encore episode, they sat down with Raj Fadadu, a dermatologist at the University of California, San Diego, to ask: What is eczema? What triggers it in the first place? And might climate change make it worse sometimes?

If you liked this episode, check out our episode on the science of itchiness. Also, follow us! That way you never miss another episode.

Interested in hearing more about climate change and human health? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear your feedback!

Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

(Image credit: Alexander Spatari)

The deadly floods in Central Texas were caused by extremely heavy rain. Climate change is causing even more rain to fall during the heaviest storms.

(Image credit: Julio Cortez)

There could be about a million 'orphan' oil and gas wells across the U.S. As they age, they can leak greenhouse gases or unhealthy chemicals.

(Image credit: September Dawn Bottoms for NPR)

A warming climate doesn't just affect dry land — it affects the ocean, too. For years, Earth's ocean has acted as a heat sink for climate change: A large part of the heat generated by human use of fossil fuels is being absorbed by the ocean. And while the deep sea is largely unaffected by this heat absorption, oceanographers have discovered that the upper ocean currents are accelerating. That acceleration has the potential for huge knock-on effects, including sea level rise, changing fish migration cycles, shifting storm patterns, and more.

This is the first episode of Sea Camp, Short Wave's summer series exploring the intriguing and otherworldly depths of the ocean. Follow us every Monday through August as we travel from the sunlit zone to the sea floor.

Interested in more stories about the ocean? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

(Image credit: Teekay Merah)

About 40 million people rely on the Colorado River for drinking water. It also irrigates agricultural fields. It's also shrinking. Now, states might agree on a potential deal on sharing the river.

Under the Great Plains, there's an aquifer powering the region's agriculture system. But it's running out of water, prompting farmers in middle America to consider more environmentally friendly crops.

The National Climate Assessment is the most influential source of information about climate change in the United States.

(Image credit: Ethan Swope)

Under the Great Plains, there's an aquifer powering the region's agriculture system. But it's running out of water, prompting farmers in middle America to consider more environmentally friendly crops.

The Metals Company is applying for permission from the Trump administration to mine for nickel and cobalt beneath a remote patch of the Pacific Ocean. Other countries say the minerals aren't America's to mine.

(Image credit: Charly Triballeau)

Hurricane forecasters and scientists rely on weather data collected and processed by Department of Defense satellites. The Navy has decided to stop sharing the data.

(Image credit: Luis Alberto Cruz)

Abruptly ending tax incentives that encourage solar developers to buy American could upend a booming manufacturing sector.

(Image credit: Mike Stewart)

The object was likely either a meteor or space junk, with most sightings of the streak of light and fireball coming from Georgia and South Carolina, the National Weather Service said.

(Image credit: Bryan Jennings Updyke)

The Ecosystems Mission Area helps researchers track everything from birds and bees to floods and fires. Trump wants to cut it by about 90%, gutting a key federal ecological program.

(Image credit: Mike Tome)

Every year, millions of Americans rely on FEMA assistance after hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes and other disasters. The president says state governments should do more.

(Image credit: Etienne Laurent)

The Trump administration is considering a first-of-its kind mining project at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. But deep-sea mining has raised major environmental questions.

Divers are getting excited about the planned sinking of the SS United States. The once glorious luxury ocean liner is slated to become an artificial reef.

Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on the planet, and some of them may be on the rise. At least in listener Abigail Krich-Starr's area, that's due to warmer, wetter weather — which, yes, is linked to climate change. But it doesn't stop there: Ecologists and entomologists say increased heat could also alter mosquito behavior, shift their natural habitat, and even change how pathogens incubate and spread inside their bodies.

So how do you protect yourself against the (mosquito) masses? Our experts suggested several things:
- Assess your risk by checking local mosquito surveillance efforts, like this one for the state of Massachusetts
- Consider rescheduling outdoor events happening between dusk and dawn, which is peak biting time for multiple mosquito species
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, weather-permitting, to limit exposed skin
- Use an EPA-approved DEET repellent, and/or a permethrin spray for clothing and outdoor gear

This episode is part of Nature Quest, a monthly Short Wave segment that answers listener questions about the local environment.

Got a question about changes in your local environment? Send a voice memo to shortwave@npr.org with your name, where you live and your question. We might make it into our next Nature Quest episode!

Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

(Image credit: Roger Eritja)

Divers are getting excited about the planned sinking of the SS United States. The once glorious luxury ocean liner is slated to become a coral reef.