Established in 2010, World Photography Day is observed annually on August 19, celebrating the art, craft, science, and history of the visual medium. The date wasn’t chosen at random: Nearly two centuries ago, in 1839, the French government purchased the patent for the daguerreotype process, publicly presenting its details as “a gift to the world” […]
From poppies springing up from cracks in the sidewalk to ivy enveloping a tumble-down building, evidence of nature’s resilience and adaptability is everywhere. But there are few places where it’s more apparent than the Leslie Street Spit, a former garbage dump-turned-wildlife refuge nestled in the heart of Canada’s biggest metropolitan area. Officially named Tommy Thompson
“Accidental Wilderness”: How a Canadian Garbage Dump Became a Wildlife Refuge Continue Reading »
In Kerala, India, a previously neglected river that was biologically “dead” has since been revived, thanks to the combined efforts of the state government, a village council, and the river’s surrounding communities. The Kuttamperoor River, a 7.4-mile tributary of the Pampa and Achencoil rivers, had long been a life-sustaining source for drinking water, irrigation of
On May 9, Ecuador’s record-breaking “debt-for-nature” deal made history: The country sold $1.6 billion worth of bonds to the bank Credit Suisse, which freed up funds that will be used for conservation of its renowned Galapagos Islands. This marked the world’s largest “debt-for-nature” swap to date. The Galapagos Islands is an archipelago celebrated for its
The Beatles once sang, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” And per a recent study, that rings true not only for humans but also for primates, with whom we share more than 90% of our DNA. A recent study published in the journal Science Advances revealed that establishing robust social connections
The California coastline, particularly the land between Malibu and Paso Robles, is sought-after real estate. People move to the area for the salty ocean air, beautiful beaches, and sprawling vineyards, among other natural amenities. But for thousands of years, beginning around 11,000 B.C. by some estimates, that 7,000-square-foot swath of land and sea was the
With at least 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean as of 2015 and a staggering 14 million tons added every year, the world’s governments and scientists are urgently trying to find a solution. Recently, researchers have turned to microbes as a potential remedy, having discovered that bacteria like Rhodococcus ruber can digest plastic.
Microbes Found in Alps and Arctic Could Be Key to Decomposing Plastic Continue Reading »
The University of New England has welcomed a special newcomer to its campus, but not one that will be living in the dormitories. An incredibly rare, bright orange lobster joined other multicolored crustaceans housed at the institution’s Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center on June 5. Sporting just one claw (it likely lost the other
Rare, One-Clawed Orange Lobster Is a 1-in-30 Million Catch Continue Reading »
During a recent oceanic expedition, a team of international scientists found three previously undiscovered hydrothermal vent fields in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge via the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s new research vessel, Falkor (too). Per a press release from NOAA Ocean Exploration, this scientific expedition was the first since the 1980s to find vent fields in the ridge
One mammal, 46 reptiles, 24 amphibians, 19 fishes, and 290 plants make up the massive number of newly discovered species announced by the World Wide Fund for Nature — and they’re all from one remote region of Southeast Asia. The 380 new species were found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, known as the
