Mongolians fight plastic pollution in vast steppe
Mongolian herder Purev Batmunkh sighs as he picks through waste strewn across a field—the refuse of an unsightly and deadly waste pollution problem affecting swathes of the steppe......»»
Sustaining oyster farming with sturdier rafts
Amid the rising human population and pressure on food supplies, the world can't be everyone's oyster. But perhaps there might be more oysters to eat if an Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team's findings mean sturdy plastic rafts will be us.....»»
At Honeymoon Island State Park, urgency grows to defend "the real Florida"
For Terry Fortner, the fight to save Honeymoon Island State Park from proposed development is personal. Nearly 130 years ago, just offshore from here, her grandmother Myrtle Scharrer was born in a pioneer home on Caladesi Island. She lived for decade.....»»
Bird species are disappearing at an alarming rate in Kenya, study finds
Sub-Saharan Africa has a vast amount of uncultivated, arable land—about 2 million km2, accounting for about 50% of the global total. This land is a critical habitat for many animal species, including birds......»»
Experts meet as final global plastic treaty talks near
With months until crunch talks on the world's first binding treaty on plastic pollution, experts are meeting in Bangkok to discuss financing options and problematic plastics......»»
From recycling to food: Can we eat plastic-munching microbes?
Researchers are trying to turn plastic-eating bacteria into food source for humans. Enlarge (credit: Olga Pankova/Moment via Getty Images) In 2019, an agency within the US Department of Defense released a call for resear.....»»
These colorful diagrams show how air quality has changed in more than 100 countries since 1850
Air pollution is an unseen menace that poses a major threat to human health and the climate. We have created the air quality stripes, a visual tool that captures global air pollution trends, to bring this hidden threat into sharp focus......»»
Pollution drives families to relocate—but only the rich can afford to live in healthier areas
Pollution levels factor in households' decision to relocate within the United States, but only richer households can afford areas with improved air quality, a new study finds......»»
Delay California"s oil drilling protections until 2031? No way
Communities across California, from Los Angeles to the San Joaquin Valley, have fought for more than a decade to stop oil companies from drilling in their neighborhoods and spewing health-damaging pollution into the air......»»
EU sends water bomber planes to fight Madeira wildfires
The European Union said Thursday that two water bomber planes were headed for the Atlantic island of Madeira to bolster firefighting efforts following an emergency request from the Portuguese government......»»
Antarctica vulnerable to invasive species hitching rides on plastic and organic debris, oceanographic model shows
Antarctica's unique ecosystems could be threatened by the arrival of non-native marine species and marine pollution from Southern Hemisphere landmasses, new oceanographic modeling shows......»»
Ancient microbes linked to evolution of human immune proteins
When you become infected with a virus, some of the first weapons your body deploys to fight it are those passed down to us from our microbial ancestors billions of years ago. According to new research from The University of Texas at Austin, two key e.....»»
Bacteria make thermally stable plastics similar to polystyrene and PET for the first time
Bioengineers around the world have been working to create plastic-producing microbes that could replace the petroleum-based plastics industry. Now, researchers from Korea have overcome a major hurdle: getting bacteria to produce polymers that contain.....»»
Study finds Lausanne toxic soil did not worsen health
Soil pollution from an old incinerator in the Swiss city of Lausanne has not resulted in increased health risks to the local population, a study concluded Wednesday......»»
We need far stronger support systems in the fight against gender-based violence, says expert
The COVID-19 pandemic brought renewed attention to the rising rates of gender-based violence, highlighting an ongoing, but growing, crisis......»»
Mosquitoes use gut bacteria to fight the malaria they transmit—scientists are exploring how to use this
The months of September to May are an unfortunate season in South Africa: malaria season. The mosquito-borne disease is found in the north-eastern districts of KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces......»»
Here’s how Google made the Pixel 9’s excellent new packaging
The new Google Pixel 9 phones are coming in new packaging that is 100% plastic free. To celebrate, Google has released a video that explains how it achieved it......»»
Pioneering research discovers PFOS chemical pollution in platypuses
Research from Western Sydney University has discovered PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) chemical contamination in the livers of deceased platypuses across eastern New South Wales......»»
Three-year study suggests air pollution increases thunderstorm danger
Air pollution is increasing the severity of summertime thunderstorms, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at James Madison University and published in the journal Atmospheric Research......»»
Extraterrestrial chemistry with earthbound possibilities
Who are we? Why are we here? As the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song suggests, we are stardust, the result of chemistry occurring throughout vast clouds of interstellar gas and dust. To better understand how that chemistry could create prebiotic mol.....»»
Brazil fishermen turn to mobile app to combat pollution scourge
Brazilian activist and fisherman Alexandre Anderson uses one hand to steer his boat, and the other to film an oil stain spreading over Rio de Janeiro's Guanabara Bay......»»