How whales struggle to navigate in a sea of noise pollution
In 1490, Leonardo da Vinci wrote, "If you cause your ship to stop and place the head of a long tube in the water and place the outer extremity to your ear, you will hear ships at a great distance from you.".....»»
Air pollution from fires linked to 1.5 million deaths a year
Air pollution caused by fires is linked to more than 1.5 million deaths a year worldwide, the vast majority occurring in developing countries, a major new study said on Thursday......»»
Traces of a giant landslide deep in the southern Baltic Sea—researchers investigate a potential tsunami
Off the coast of Blekinge, in southern Sweden, at a depth of around 50–60 meters, the bottom sediment has scars that are tens of kilometers long and appear to have been caused by a huge submarine landslide. However, what caused this landslide and e.....»»
Five fairness flaws the UN"s new plastics treaty must change
The UN's new plastics treaty is about to be finalized—marking a crucial opportunity to form an international agreement to tackle the plastic pollution crisis. Plastic waste is ubiquitous—damaging human health and livelihoods, as well as ecosystem.....»»
Scientists use acoustic data to track blue and fin whale occurrences in the Arctic
The long-term analysis of blue whale and fin whale vocalizations in the eastern Fram Strait offers valuable insights into seasonal and annual patterns regarding these species' occurrence in the region. For example, blue whales can primarily be heard.....»»
Chinese island plastic pollution turned into artistic omens
As storm clouds gathered on a forgotten beach in China's Miaodao islands, artist Fu Junsheng picked his way through piles of plastic waste washed up along the shoreline, looking for inspiration......»»
"Very, very slow": plastic treaty talks grind forward
Negotiations on a first global treaty to curb plastic pollution are moving "very, very slowly", diplomats and observers told AFP on Wednesday, threatening the chances of reaching an agreement......»»
Submarine canyon plastic accumulation is driven by turbidity currents, simulation study shows
Plastic pollution is an ever-pressing concern for the health of our ocean ecosystems and their inhabitants, with estimates of over 10 million metric tons of plastic litter entering the marine realm each year. While evocative images often highlight su.....»»
Future of deep-sea mining stands at a crucial juncture
Torn between the defenders of the world's seabeds and industrialists eager to exploit the vast, untapped resources of the deep, the international community faces a crucial year that could decide the future of mining in the high seas......»»
Gurman: Apple has no ‘meaningful’ AirPods Max plans after USB-C refresh
According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, Apple has no ‘meaningful’ plans to refresh after the introduction of the USB-C model earlier this year. If you were waiting for a bigger refresh with a newer chip, improved noise cancellat.....»»
Study finds opposing effects of short-term and continuous noise on western bluebird parental care
Research led by Kerstin Ozkan and published in PeerJ has uncovered the complex and contrasting effects of human-generated noise on Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) parental behavior, raising critical questions about how anthropogenic noise affects.....»»
Deep divisions on display at plastic pollution treaty talks
A final round of talks on a treaty to curb plastic pollution opened on Monday, with deep differences between nations emerging almost immediately......»»
First right whales of season gorge on critical food off Massachusetts, giving hope for a strong year
Scientists who study a critically endangered species of whale that lives off New England said encouraging early signs suggest the animals could have a strong season for feeding and breeding......»»
Plastic pollution talks must not fail: UN environment chief
Talks to agree the world's first treaty to curb plastic pollution cannot fail and must tackle both production and consumption, the UN's environment chief told AFP on Monday......»»
New Zealanders save more than 30 stranded whales by lifting them on sheets
More than 30 pilot whales that stranded themselves on a beach in New Zealand were safely returned to the ocean after conservation workers and residents helped to refloat them by lifting them on sheets. Four of the pilot whales died, New Zealand's con.....»»
"Existential challenge": plastic pollution treaty talks begin
A final round of talks on a treaty to curb plastic pollution opened on Monday, with deep differences between nations emerging almost immediately......»»
New tools filter noise from evolution data
While rates of evolution have appeared to accelerate over short time periods, new analysis suggests that statistical noise is affecting the data patterns. A professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and his colleague have developed new too.....»»
First successful test of wild minke whales reveals they have ultrasonic hearing
A team of marine biologists from Norway, the U.S. and Denmark has conducted the first hearing test of a live baleen whale. For their study published in the journal Science, the group corralled a pair of wild minke whales and recorded their brain wave.....»»
Time is running out for a treaty to end plastic pollution—here"s why it matters
On March 2, 2022, delegates to the UN environment assembly adopted an ambitious resolution to develop the text of a new treaty by the end of 2024 to end plastic pollution. With 24 days of formal negotiation between almost 200 countries completed, spr.....»»
Satellite data and algorithms reveal which ships emit excessive nitrogen
Ships are still emitting too much nitrogen oxide. Until now, it has been impossible to measure this at sea, but that is set to change. Solomiia Kurchaba combined satellite data and developed algorithms to identify which ships are emitting too much. K.....»»
Exploring the impact of offshore wind on whale deaths
In the winter of 2022–2023, nearly a dozen whales died off the coast of New Jersey, near the sites of several proposed wind farms. Their deaths prompted concern that related survey work being conducted in the area somehow contributed to their death.....»»