Shells to surfboards: how wildlife has adapted to plastic
A hermit crab trundles across a beach in Japan's Okinawa, carrying its home on its back: not a shell, but a disintegrating plastic yellow measuring spoon......»»
Reintroduced Colorado wolf likely died after fight with another wolf, federal wildlife officials say
One of Colorado's reintroduced wolves likely died of wounds it suffered during a fight with another wolf, federal officials announced Thursday......»»
Power of aesthetic species on social media boosts wildlife conservation efforts, say experts
Facebook and Instagram can boost wildlife conservation efforts through public awareness and engagement, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Communication......»»
Europe wants ministers at plastic pollution treaty talks
Europe is pushing for ministers to take part in UN talks this month to ensure that the world's first treaty on plastic pollution will be "highly ambitious"......»»
Not the usual suspects: Research reveals novel genetic basis of pest resistance to biotech crops
If left unchecked, insect pests can devastate crops. To minimize damage and reduce the need for insecticide sprays, crops have been genetically engineered to produce bacterial proteins that kill key pests but are not harmful to people or wildlife. Ho.....»»
Multi-omics approach reveals nanoplastic toxicity in aquatic life
Plastic pollution has become a growing crisis for aquatic environments, with nanoplastics emerging as particularly hazardous due to their minuscule size and broad dispersal. Unlike larger plastic fragments, nanoplastics infiltrate cellular systems an.....»»
Rainwater samples reveals it"s literally raining "forever chemicals" in Miami
PFAS are in Miami's rainwater. And it is the latest evidence the synthetic "forever chemicals"—that have raised health concerns for people and wildlife—hitch a ride on the water cycle, using the complex system to circulate over greater distances......»»
Fossil of huge terror bird offers new information about wildlife in South America 12 million years ago
Researchers including a Johns Hopkins University evolutionary biologist report they have analyzed a fossil of an extinct giant meat-eating bird—which they say could be the largest known member of its kind—providing new information about animal li.....»»
Hubble and Webb probe surprisingly smooth disk around Vega
In the 1997 movie "Contact," adapted from Carl Sagan's 1985 novel, the lead character scientist Ellie Arroway (played by actor Jodi Foster) takes a space-alien-built wormhole ride to the star Vega. She emerges inside a snowstorm of debris encircling.....»»
Paper-aluminum combo can replace plastic for strong, sustainable packaging
Takeout containers get your favorite noodles from the restaurant to your dining table (or couch) without incident, but they are nearly impossible to recycle if they are made from foil-lined plastics. Research published in ACS Omega suggests that repl.....»»
New doubt over production cuts in plastic pollution treaty
A global treaty to end plastic pollution may be in jeopardy, negotiators and environmentalists said Thursday, with new signs that countries may not be able to agree on production cuts......»»
Shells to surfboards: how wildlife has adapted to plastic
A hermit crab trundles across a beach in Japan's Okinawa, carrying its home on its back: not a shell, but a disintegrating plastic yellow measuring spoon......»»
To tackle plastic scourge, Philippines makes companies pay
Long one of the world's top sources of ocean plastic, the Philippines is hoping new legislation requiring big companies to pay for waste solutions will help clean up its act......»»
Satellite imagery now identifies plastic on remote beaches
Australian researchers have developed a new method for spotting plastic rubbish on our beaches and successfully field tested it on a remote stretch of coastline......»»
Microplastics increasing in freshwater, directly related to plastic production
Microplastics have been steadily increasing in freshwater environments for decades and are directly tied to rising global plastic production since the 1950s, according to a new study by an interdisciplinary team of Penn State researchers. The finding.....»»
Report reveals a "vital sanctuary" for wildlife and endangered species in Cambodia"s Central Cardamom Mountains
The first-ever camera trap study of the Central Cardamom Mountains Landscape has recorded 108 species, 23 of which are listed at risk (Vulnerable or above) on the IUCN Red List, underscoring the significance of the region as a global stronghold for b.....»»
"New wave" as start-up sweeps up Thai ocean plastic
As a long-tail boat arrives at a fishing village on the southern Thai island of Koh Chang, residents gather to sell their wares—not seafood, but plastic......»»
African giant rats trained to sniff out illegal wildlife products
In the past, African giant pouched rats have learned to detect explosives and the tuberculosis-causing pathogen. Now, a team of researchers have trained these rats to pick up the scent of pangolin scales, elephant ivory, rhino horn, and African black.....»»
Ecologists suggest animal alcohol consumption more common than thought
Anecdotes abound of wildlife behaving "drunk" after eating fermented fruits, but despite this, nonhuman consumption of ethanol has been assumed to be rare and accidental. Ecologists challenge this assumption in a review published October 30 in Trends.....»»
Open database of plastic products highlights substantial knowledge gaps
Plastics contain a vast number of chemicals, some of which greatly impact the environment and human health. However, information on the presence of individual substances in plastic products is oftentimes not publicly available......»»
The growing scourge of plastic pollution: in numbers
Nations could agree in December on a world-first treaty to reduce the amount of plastic leaking into the environment which, if nothing is done, is forecast to triple by 2060......»»