Researchers are studying brown fat's calorie-burning power and how it might help ward off obesity and diabetes.

With green hotels, vegan grub and the nation's oldest wildlife refuge, Oaktown stays true to its roots.

Food news and items of interest from around the Web for your weekend reading.

The fast-food chain is becoming increasingly sustainable with vegetarian fare and natural, cage-free meat options.

In Maryland, local restaurants and retailers will be featuring state wines through June 12, 2011.

In this video by Sam Despeaux and Carly Calhoun titled "TVA At the Crossroads" (also check out "American Nightmare"), Lynn and Jean Gibson speak about living ne

It's widely planted to slow the butterflies' decline, but a recent study suggests monarchs' misfortune goes well beyond milkweed loss.

Researchers in the U.K. hope that prettying up fields with strips of wildflowers will attract pest-munching bugs.

Despite the 'D' word, a new survey finds that Americans are still smitten with lush residential landscapes.

More than half of the world's largest aquifers are being depleted, according to satellite system data.

Sure, it's backed by Apple's Tim Cook. But would you spend $300 on a shower apparatus?

Humans have spent countless centuries perfecting the science (and art!) of collecting, storing and transporting water. Here's how ancient India did it.

It might seem counterintuitive, but Anheuser-Busch and The Nature Conservancy are working together to protect a Colorado watershed by cutting down trees.

The well was uncovered in the basement of an old London building that was also used as a 'Harry Potter' set.

Santa Monica's iconic amusement pier is the site of this year's Land Art Generator Initiative. The Pipe is an offshore desalination concept that's making waves.

A company in the United Arab Emirates is already putting an iceberg-towing plan into action.

I know I’m not the only one who finds comfort in writing things down.

.dog domains are reserved for dog lovers and providers of canine products and services, but .cat isn't what you'd expect.

The books on the Library of Babel's digital shelves contain vast amounts of knowledge, but you'll have a hard time finding it.

Looking for something to take you away from all that ever-filling inbox? Relief is just a couple clicks away with these hypnotic webcam feeds.

Reality can never be perfectly simulated if you take into consideration quantum complexity.

The World1 computer program at MIT considered a range of factors and predicted the world might collapse in 2040. So far, it has been right.

Still don't have organic, fair trade sweets for the trick and treaters in your neighborhood? These discounts make eco-ethical candy more affordable.

Find out who won a year's worth of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and how contest promoted the benefits of fair trade.

MNN's lifestyle blogger taste tests organic vegan chocolates infused with flower essences that are said to lift moods and spirits.

The ice cream company names its newest flavor after Alec Baldwin's classic 'Saturday Night Live' character Pete Schweddy. Yes, they're really going there.

One of our food blogger's choices for responsibly made treats for your trick-or-treaters this Halloween that won’t break your budget.

Which flowers are the most environmentally friendly option: Organic, local, fair trade or silk?

This informative chart from Green America rates the candy companies on their commitment to avoiding child labor.

Studying odd couple animal friendships can help researchers learn what goes into normal human relationships.

It's been 5 years since the West Virginia northern flying squirrel came off the Endangered Species List, and the recovery rate is encouraging.

Give a boost to your local economy while supporting clean water access around the world. All you have to do is eat out — and drink tap water — at a restaura

A multi-purpose facility and Arizona's first LEED certified restaurant are featured in this week's LEED roundup.

The ACE Building in Philadelphia, San Francisco's Bentley Reserve, and the first Pizza Fusion in Saudi Arabia are featured this week.

The USDA deputy secretary Kathleen Merrigan did a Q&A with The Washington Post about challenges for the organic food market.

As sourcing ingredients directly from local farms gains in popularity, more chefs are building relationships with farmers to get the pick of their crops.

Instagramming your restaurant could get you a slap on the wrist from the chef. Should it?

Updated standards for furnaces and furnace fans, combined, could save consumers roughly $37 billion over three decades.

HVAC heavyweight Honeywell unveils Lyric, an attractive and eager-to-adapt household thermostat with GPS-based functionality.

A new study finds dogs rush in — but stay calm — when they hear their human crying.

Cody Sullivan received a standing ovation when he received his college certificate.

Do kids still get summoned back with bells and whistles at the end of playtime outside?

Many beloved matrimonial customs, from bridesmaids to the garter toss, got their start for some pretty disturbing reasons.

Take a sneak peak at Microsoft Hohm, a free online app that helps users rein in household energy use.

Popular magazine and testing facility finds that nontoxic paints have improved in recent years, performing just as well as conventional paints.

Health officials have identified a 'very strong culprit' for the devastating sickness linked to e-cigarettes.

Capital One's new contract update raises the hackles of critics who question the company's right to contact customers by 'personal visit.'

Researchers take a closer look at America's charitable giving and find some surprising results.

They might just kill a few sites that you know and love.

Economists might like the idea, but the public doesn't seem to yet.