Gaia. For those with a working knowledge of Greek mythology, you will recognize the word as the name given to the goddess of the Earth, and the mother of the entire pantheon of Greco-Roman deities. In a modern context, the word Gaia has adopted a new, secular significance. The scientist James Lovelock famously appropriated the term in the 1970s to…read more →
Once a photograph of the Earth, taken from the outside, is available, a new idea as powerful as any in history will be let loose. — attributed to Sir Fred Hoyle, 1948. In the year 1972, a luminous, indigo marble, wrapped in a lustrous halo of incandescent radiance floated against a silken backdrop, an environment so dark it could…read more →
A new study in the American Chemical Society journal Environmental Science and Technology suggests that greenery such as trees and bushes in cities plays a larger role in reducing pollution levels than previously believed. The study conducted by The American Chemical Society, a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress, concluded that plant life placed in urban street canyons (areas…read more →
Twenty young flightless rowi kiwis got the chance to fly this week, as part of intense conservation efforts by the BNZ Save The Kiwi Trust to preserve this rarest of kiwi birds. The wingless kiwi is sometimes referred to as an honorary mammal, because it has such un-bird like habits and characteristics. For example, kiwis nest in burrows, sleep standing…read more →
The Denver Zoo has created a system that converts waste into energy, as part of the zoo’s campaign to become the “World’s Greenest Zoo.” Later this year, when the system goes online, three million pounds of annual waste created by zoo animals and trash left behind by zoo-goers will be converted into a sustainable and renewable energy source. Instead adding…read more →
What do horseshoe crabs, and red knots have in common? Survival. Two different, but vital, annual migrations bring these animals together every year. Both are fighting to survive. The red knot is a shorebird known for it’s brilliant, rusty red breast feathers and patterned black, grey, and white plumage. Although small and delicate, these birds show astonishing strength and endurance…read more →
Today we’re talking about the Gran Chaco. And no, despite its name, we’re not talking about the newest line of comfy sandals. The Gran Chaco is a semi-arid region of South America between (and shared by) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. The Chaco forest is roughly the size of Poland, but it’s shrinking quickly. At least 1.2 million acres of…read more →
In eco-immunology, a young new field of scientific research, the main goal of researchers is to understand how the spread of disease in wildlife is exacerbated by human and environmental elements (like climate change). These researchers are also trying to determine how deadly diseases move from animal to human populations. In the last 30 years there have been more than…read more →
The wolverine plays a prominent role in American culture – it’s the mascot of a traditional college football powerhouse, the University of Michigan, as well as the inspiration for an X-Men character – but why? Part of the reason for wolverines’ popularity undoubtedly lies in their incredible strength and ferocity for their small stature. Although wolverines are normally the size…read more →
The International Institute For Species Exploration at Arizona State University recently released its annual Top 10 New Species list, and among those chosen was the Sneezing Monkey. The Sneezing Monkey, or Burmese snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri), was first discovered by scientists in the mountains of northern Myanmar in 2010 – but was not caught on tape until a camera trap…read more →
Every year, Eastern Canadians look forward to the springtime arrival of migrating butterfly populations. Often the butterflies have flown up to 100 kilometers a day, journeying from the southern states and Mexico. The numbers of arriving butterflies and the time they arrive vary slightly each year, but this year’s migration has varied drastically from the norm. Beginning as early as…read more →