When Ronnie and Terry Urbanczyk spotted a 245-acre ranch nestled in the wooded grasslands of western Comal County, Texas, three decades ago, it was love at first sight. They put an offer on it and soon moved their family of five from a nearby subdivision into the 600-square-foot farmhouse, envisioning a peaceful life away from […]
Something big, blue, and beautiful is happening in the waters off of the Southern California coast: Blue whales are thriving again — an incredible comeback many decades in the making. While blue whales are the biggest animal in the world, weighing up to 330,000 pounds (about the same as an average commercial airplane), they are
Whale Wonder: How Blue Whales Made a Big Comeback Off California’s Coast Continue Reading »
This article, originally titled “Rare Spotless Giraffe Born at Tennessee Zoo Believed to Be the Only One ‘on the Planet,’” was updated on 9/12/23 with the name of the giraffe and information about another one recorded in the wild, pictured above. Giraffes are defined by their long necks and spotted pattern, but one young animal
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 »
