The best way to experience what our planet was like before modern humans began to dramatically change the landscape is to go where the wilderness is. There are more than 200,000 protected areas across the globe that, as of mid-2021, covered 16.64 percent of the land and 7.74 percent of oceans. These national parks exemplify […]
A new study by an international team of 29 scientists from eight countries provides the third update to the planetary boundaries framework. The update shows how human activities are increasingly impacting our planet, thus augmenting the risk of triggering drastic changes in Earth’s overall conditions. The nine planetary boundaries represent the limits within which humans […]
More than 80 percent of the world is affected by light pollution. Humans have become so accustomed to not seeing stars in the city that, following a blackout caused by a 1984 earthquake in Los Angeles, people reported seeing a “giant silvery cloud,” which was in fact our own Milky Way galaxy showing up in […]
In a first-of-its-kind hearing, small island nations disproportionately affected by the climate crisis are taking high-emitting countries to court. The suit is being viewed as the first climate justice case with the goal of protecting the ocean. The prime ministers of the islands of Barbuda and Tuvalu, acting as representatives of Small Island States on […]
Water is the most overused natural resource on Earth, but the second most might surprise you: sand. Approximately six billion tons of sand is extracted from the planet’s oceans annually, which the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says is unsustainable and poses a serious threat to marine life. “The amount of sand we are withdrawing […]
The CDC has issued an emergency alert over a harmful bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus, in warming coastal waters. The center noted that with extreme weather, like heat waves, flooding and severe storms, people should be careful when participating in coastal water activities. “Amid increasing water temperatures and extreme weather events (e.g., heat waves, flooding, and severe […]
Quick Key Facts What Is Oil? Crude oil or petroleum is a liquid fossil fuel. We use it to generate electricity, heat our homes, and fuel our cars. Petroleum products supply about 35% of energy in the U.S., with transportation accounting for the largest portion. Burning fossil fuels like oil releases greenhouse gases into the […]
The first tribally nominated marine sanctuary has been proposed by the Biden administration in collaboration with the Chumash tribe. The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary would span 5,600 square miles off the coast of central California. The project is now undergoing a public comment period. The sanctuary would include an area off a 156-mile stretch […]
Japan has begun discharging treated water containing radioactive tritium from the decommissioned Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean. The move led to China announcing an immediate ban on all aquatic products from the island nation. China’s customs bureau said in a statement that it was “highly concerned about the risk of radioactive […]
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