For reef mantas, Indonesia’s Komodo National Park is a ray of hope
Tangled up too often in fishing nets, manta rays have been plunging toward extinction as fishing pressure and other stressors take a toll on their populations. But the species has found a safe haven in Komodo National Park, a swath of water around Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands. A new study identified an aggregation of 1,085 […]
Oceans are Hotter, Higher and More Acidic, Climate Report Warns
The world’s oceans grew to their warmest and most acidic levels on record last year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday, as United Nations officials warned that war in Ukraine threatened global climate commitments.Oceans…
Pollution responsible for one in six deaths across planet, scientists warn
Toxic air, water and soil are ‘existential threat to human and planetary health’, says global review Pollution is killing 9 million people a year, a review has found, making it responsible for one in six of all deaths. Toxic air and contaminated water and soil “is an existential threat to human health and planetary health, […]
Air Pollution Can Mean More, or Fewer, Hurricanes. It Depends Where You Live.
Smog from factories and cars has led to more storms in the Atlantic Ocean, but fewer in the Pacific. A new study explains why.
Biologist fighting plastic pollution to save sea turtles wins ‘Green Oscar’
Conservation biologist Estrela Matilde has won the 2022 Whitley Award for her work to save sea turtles on the island of Príncipe in Africa’s Gulf of Guinea. The awards, often referred to as the “Green Oscars,” are given annually by U.K.-based wildlife conservation charity Whitley Fund for Nature, recognizing conservationists from around the world who […]
‘Devastating’: 90% of reefs surveyed on Great Barrier Reef affected by coral bleaching in 2022
Report reveals extent of sixth mass bleaching event with worst-affected reefs between Cape Tribulation and WhitsundaysFollow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our free news app; get our morning email briefingCoral bleaching affected more than 90% of reefs surveyed along the Great Barrier Reef this year, according to a report by government […]
A common sunscreen ingredient turns toxic in the sea — anemones suggest why
Nature, Published online: 06 May 2022; doi:10.1038/d41586-022-01271-4Oxybenzone — a chemical linked to coral bleaching — transforms from a UV-blocking agent into one that damages cells when exposed to light.
Vaquita porpoise could survive … but only if illegal fishing stops immediately
DNA study finds rarest cetacean, only found in Gulf of California, has enough genetic diversity to recover – if gillnet ban is enforced Scientists studying the DNA of the world’s smallest cetacean and rarest marine mammal, the vaquita porpoise, have made a surprising and bittersweet discovery. With a tiny population of fewer than 10 individuals […]
Leading scientist calls for Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching report to be released before election
‘We’re not supposed to live in a secret society,’ expert says after agency delays publishing maps of damage Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our free news app; get our morning email briefing One of the world’s leading coral reef scientists has called on the agency responsible for managing the Great […]
US is recycling just 5% of its plastic waste, studies show
According to the Last Beach Cleanup and Beyond Plastics report, about 85% of plastic ends up in landfills with 10% incinerated When most people toss a plastic bottle or cup into the recycling bin, they assume that means the plastic is recycled – but a new report lays bare how rarely that actually happens. According […]
