Pesticides have been used, in one way or another, for thousands of years to protect crops against invasive species, fungi and other “pests.” While there are organic options, chemical pesticides are commonly used, with industrial agriculture relying heavily on it for their crops. However, as many studies and literature over the decades have shown, […]
Even as miners, loggers and ranchers fell them at record rates, scientists are still learning about all the things that forests do to keep the local and global climate comfortable and stable. Most recently, they have provided “compelling evidence” for the first time for a link between deforestation and rainfall decline across the tropics as […]
More than 90 scientists from around the world have written an open letter recommending that research be done on the potential of increasing solar radiation modification (SRM) — the reflection of sunlight away from Earth’s atmosphere, sometimes referred to as “solar geoengineering” — in order to slow planetary warming and lessen climate impacts. The scientists […]
In October of 2020, the town of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was in the process of recovering from Hurricane Laura, a Category 4 storm that had damaged nearly every structure in the town six weeks earlier. Then Category 2 Hurricane Delta bore down, flooding several of the already damaged buildings. “Add Laura and Delta together and […]
If you’ve ever bitten into a juicy, red strawberry only to find that it was watery and somewhat flavorless, certain pesticides could be to blame. In a recent study, scientists found that two common fungicides used on strawberries — boscalid (BOS) and difenoconazole (DIF) — can affect the fruit’s cellular mechanisms and mute its sweetness […]
From spills to fires at industrial facilities to the recent train derailment in Ohio, it seems chemical accidents are making the news more and more. But it’s not just your imagination — a map by the Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters shows that chemical accidents are happening at a rate of one every two days […]
Alongside drought, famine, and climatic destabilization, you can add war to the list of potential (un)intended consequences of geoengineering, the Washington Post reports. As fossil-fueled climate changes continue to exacerbate drought, extreme heatwaves, and other disasters, so grows the incentive for governments to use geoengineering to block the sun or change rainfall patterns, despite the inevitable impacts outside their borders.
Plastic is everywhere and now, scientists have confirmed plastic as a new threat to Andean condors even in protected areas of Peru. Research revealed high amounts of plastic in the diets and the regurgitated pellets of these birds. Researchers were studying Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) feeding interactions in Peru when they noticed that samples from […]
If you’ve ever cared for an orchid, you know that they’re pretty special. From their practically microscopic seeds, to their tasty seed pods, to their worldwide range, these flowering beauties are nothing short of amazing. Here are a few things you probably didn’t know about them. 1. They Are the Largest Family of Flowering Plants […]