Science

Amazon Deforestation Is Down, but Degradation Spiked Nearly 500% in 2024

Amazon Deforestation Is Down, but Degradation Spiked Nearly 500% in 2024

A recent analysis of the Amazon Rainforest has revealed that while deforestation declined in 2024, the level of degradation from factors like wildfires and logging increased 497% in the same time period. According to Amazon Institute of People and the Environment (Imazon), a nonprofit and research institute based in Brazil, deforestation, or the complete clearing […]

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    Chemours Chemical Plant Still Polluting West Virginia Water With Toxic PFAS After Almost 25 Years, Lawsuit Claims

    Chemours Chemical Plant Still Polluting West Virginia Water With Toxic PFAS After Almost 25 Years, Lawsuit Claims

    A Chemours chemical plant in West Virginia is polluting nearby waters with toxic PFAS “forever chemicals,” according to a new lawsuit brought by the West Virginia Rivers Coalition. The complaint is the most recent in a fight that has been ongoing since 2001 over pollution from the Washington Works plant, reported The Guardian. The PFAS-contaminated […]

    Trump Freezes $50 Billion in DOE Funding for Programs Including Clean Energy Innovation

    Trump Freezes $50 Billion in DOE Funding for Programs Including Clean Energy Innovation

    The Trump administration has halted spending from the United States Department of Energy (DOE)’s approximately $50 billion budget while a “comprehensive review” is conducted to ensure its spending and other actions — which include funding for new energy technologies — are in alignment with the priorities of President Donald Trump, according to an agency memo […]

    Scientists Identify Bacteria That Can Break Down Some PFAS and Their Byproducts

    Scientists Identify Bacteria That Can Break Down Some PFAS and Their Byproducts

    Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have taken on the nickname “forever chemicals” for their inability to break down in the environment. These chemicals, which are found in everything from food packaging to camping gear, are popular for their stain-, moisture- and grease-resistant properties, but they have been found to accumulate in the environment and […]