Fish have been swallowing microplastics since the 1950s
Forget diamonds—plastic is forever. It takes decades, or even centuries, for plastic to break down, and nearly every piece of plastic ever made still exists in some form today. We've known for a while that big pieces of plastic can harm wildlife—.....»»
Study shows invasive silver carp reduce movement in Chicago-area water
Invasive silver carp have been spreading throughout the Mississippi River Basin since their introduction a half-century ago. Yet, try as they might, the fish have not advanced beyond a particular stretch of the Illinois River north of Kankakee. Resea.....»»
Scientists Photograph Giant Python Swallowing a Full-Sized Whitetail Whole in First-of-Its-Kind Discovery
Scientists Photograph Giant Python Swallowing a Full-Sized Whitetail Whole in First-of-Its-Kind Discovery.....»»
Warming lakes and rivers may spread fish pathogens
Michigan's rivers and lakes were once cold enough that fish were protected from some infection-causing parasites. As the Great Lakes ecosystem warms, a Michigan State University researcher is investigating new pathogens that may become relevant to th.....»»
Biologists discover a new fossil species of prehistoric fish
What do the ginkgo (a tree), the nautilus (a mollusk) and the coelacanth (a fish) all have in common?.....»»
"Paleo-robots" provide an experimental approach for understanding how fish started to walk on land
The transition from water to land is one of the most significant events in the history of life on Earth. Now, a team of roboticists, paleontologists and biologists is using robots to study how the ancestors of modern land animals transitioned from sw.....»»
Insect and spider biodiversity increases organic nutrient availability across ecosystems, large-scale study shows
Insects and spiders are important elements in the food webs of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. With declines in their biodiversity, the food supply for birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals is not only becoming scarcer, but also poo.....»»
Biodegradable microplastics study helps quantify their climate change and ecotoxicity impacts
Over 20 million tons of plastic are estimated to end up in the environment every year, with much of it breaking down into microplastics that are harmful to the health of humans and wildlife. Biodegradable and bio-based plastics made from organic mate.....»»
Giant fish thought to be extinct is spotted in the Mekong River
A huge fish in the Mekong River thought to be extinct has been spotted three times in recent years......»»
Microplastics and PFAS: Daphnia study finds combined impact results in greater environmental harm
The combined impact of so-called "forever chemicals" is more harmful to the environment than single chemicals in isolation, a new study shows. Researchers at the University of Birmingham investigated the environmental effects of microplastics and PFA.....»»
Dolphins Are Exhaling Microplastics
New research highlights how extensive plastic pollution is—and how nonhuman species, including dolphins, are exposed......»»
Bizarre fish has sensory “legs” it uses for walking and tasting
Some sea robin species can use their legs to sense prey. Evolution has turned out bizarre and baffling creatures, such as walking fish. It only gets weirder from there. Some of th.....»»
Better ocean connectivity boosts reef fish populations, finds study
Research led by the University of Oxford has found that oceanographic connectivity (the movement and exchange of water between different parts of the ocean) is a key influence for fish abundance across the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). The findings are.....»»
Coastal cities have a hidden vulnerability to storm-surge and tidal flooding that"s entirely caused by humans
Centuries ago, estuaries around the world were teeming with birds and turbulent with schools of fish, their marshlands and endless tracts of channels melting into the gray-blue horizon......»»
Aquaculture uses far more wild fish than previously estimated, study finds
A study published in the journal Science Advances suggests that global fish farming, or aquaculture, may rely on significantly larger quantities of wild-caught ocean fish than previously calculated. The study is part of a special issue focused on exp.....»»
Study suggests dolphins could be exposed to potentially harmful microplastics through inhalation
U.S. researchers have detected microplastic particles in air exhaled by wild bottlenose dolphins, suggesting that inhalation may be a relevant route of exposure to these potentially harmful contaminants. Miranda Dziobak of the College of Charleston i.....»»
Global north"s growing appetite for farmed salmon imperils communities" access to local fish, study warns
A paper published in Science Advances exposes the global aquaculture sector's growing dependence on wild fish. Despite industry claims to the contrary, these findings highlight how the growing appetite for expensive farmed salmon can leave coastal co.....»»
Bacteria discovered in healthy vertebrate brains point to a potential role in brain function
Researchers at the University of New Mexico have identified the presence of bacteria in the healthy brains of fish. Understanding this connection between bacteria and animal brains could have future implications for the study of Alzheimer's disease......»»
Reoxygenating oceans: Startups lead the way in Baltic Sea
European scientists have teamed up with two startups in a pioneering experiment to tackle one of the major problems facing sea life—the depletion of oxygen in the ocean, causing the disappearance of fish and marine biodiversity......»»
State backs environmentalists after water shutoff kills thousands of fish in Kern River
California officials have joined a legal effort to restore water to the Kern River after an abrupt shutoff of water dried up the river and killed thousands of fish in Bakersfield......»»
Study suggests that "Jedi" rodents remotely move matter using sound to enhance their sense of smell
Scientists have debated the purpose of the ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) produced by rodents since the discovery of these sounds in the 1950s. There's a wide research consensus suggesting USVs are a form of social communication, a courtship display.....»»