Ecology
Pay More Attention to Forests to Avert Global Water Crisis, Researchers Urge
Australia’s Murray Darling basin covers more than a million square kilometers (approximately 386,000 square miles), 14 percent of the country’s landmass. It’s the site of tens of thousands of wetlands, but increasing demand for water has stretched its resources to…
Belgian Nude Beach Blocked on Fears Sexual Activity Could Spook Wildlife
The Belgian Naturism Federation has come to the defence of its burgeoning membership after the Flemish wildlife agency blocked an application for a second nudist beach in the country on the grounds that bathers’ “subsidiary activities” would pose a threat…
UN and Google Team Up to Monitor Environmental Damage
UN Environment and Google have joined forces to monitor human impacts on the environment. They aim to establish a platform for open-source data and analysis of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and help governments, NGOs and the public track specific…
Migratory Barnacle Geese Threatened by Rapidly Rising Arctic Temperatures
Migrating barnacle geese that lay their eggs in the Arctic zones of northern Russia are becoming confounded by earlier springs in their traditional nesting grounds, according to a study published in Current Biology. The rising temperatures in the Arctic circles…
Earth’s Resources Consumed in Ever Greater Destructive Volumes
Humanity is devouring our planet’s resources in increasingly destructive volumes, according to a new study that reveals we have consumed a year’s worth of carbon, food, water, fibre, land and timber in a record 212 days. As a result, the…
Is Your Popcorn Laced With Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals
No one should be exposed to toxic chemicals in their food, particularly children. But that’s exactly what the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) found in tests of microwave popcorn bags sold in Dollar Stores. These stores are frequented by communities…
Even Polar Bear Cubs Can’t Escape Plastic Pollution
Plastic bags are often stamped with an all-caps warning: This bag is not a toy. Unfortunately, polar bear moms don’t have much control over their kids’ playthings. British wildlife photographer Kevin Morgans recently spotted this polar bear and her boisterous…