The dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico are in the midst of a massive die-off. The reasons why remain a complicated and mysterious mix of oil, bacteria, and the unknown. Normally an average of 74 dolphins are stranded on the northern shore of the Gulf of Mexico each year, especially during the spring birthing season….
Humans hunted Australia’s giant vertebrates to extinction about 40,000 years ago, the latest research published in Science has concluded. The cause of the widespread extinction has provoked much debate, with climate change being one theory. However, scientists studied dung samples from 130,000 and 41,000 years ago, when humans arrived, and concluded hunting and fire were…
As the seas rise, so will the costs associated with them. The impact of climate change on oceans alone could cost $2 trillion by the end of the century, according to a report by the Stockholm Environment Institute in Sweden. That figure comes from a scenario in which Earth’s temperature rises 4 °C by 2100,…
Facing an ever-increasing din of background noise from traffic and other human activities, many animals are adapting by changing their behavior or just moving to quitter locales. In turn, noise pollution is altering the landscape of plants and trees, which depend on noise-affected animals to pollinate them and spread their seeds. Some plants do worse…
Illegal logging generates $10-15 billion around the world, according to new analysis from the World Bank. Its report, Justice for Forests, says that most illegal logging operations are run by organized crime, and much of the profit goes to corrupt officials. The bank says that pursuing loggers through the criminal justice system has made a…
Continued inefficient use of water could threaten Europe’s economy, productivity and ecosystems, a report has warned. The European Environment Agency (EEA) said that the continent’s water resources were under pressure and things were getting worse. It said limited supplies were being wasted, and nations had to implement existing legislation more effectively.
Once again, science, religion and politics have become entwined in a thorny public policy debate. This time, however, the discussion is not about abortion, birth control or health insurance mandates. It’s about wolves. Specifically, a bill in the Wisconsin Legislature to authorize a hunting season on wolves. Hunters approve of the season, and Republicans are…
In his Dot Earth blog, Andrew Revkin writes about Jonathan Foley, director of the Institute of the Environment at the University of Minnesota, and a scientist on the leading edge of climate change analysis: Foley proposes an end run around paralyzing climate disputes by focusing on energy and forest policies with multiple benefits and on…
The fringes of Antarctica are being invaded by alien plants and tiny animals, scientists have found. Researchers scoured the clothes and boots of tourists and scientists visiting the continent and found that most were carrying plant seeds. The research team says the plants are likely to spread as the climate warms, estimating that about 70,000…
Ships’ propellers emit sound in the same frequency range that some whales use for communicating, and previous studies have shown the whales change their calling patterns in noisy places. Now, researchers have measured stress hormones in the faeces of the endangered North Atlantic right whale, and found they rose with the density of shipping. Ocean…