In the waters close to the southern Californian coast, companies had been dumping their toxic chemicals for decades. Across 14 different sites, barrels containing chemicals such as DDT can be found in great numbers, some of which appear to have hazardous material leaking from them. Many of these barrels are now surrounded by glowing rings,...
Researchers have discovered that glaciers across the United States, Switzerland and Canada are melting at astonishing rates. This is far faster than scientists previously projected. Glaciers in western Canada, the mainland United States, and Switzerland just had their worst year and worst 4-year period on record for ice loss. This rapid ice melt has severe...
What comes to mind when you think of the Sahara Desert? Today, the Sahara is a harsh environment where survival can be extremely challenging. However, it was not always this way, and once it was flourishing with life, including ancient human populations, such as the Takarkori. Recently, two 7,000-year-old Takarkori mummies were found to be...
Three countries came together to preserve the Mayan jungle, including its wildlife and cultural heritage. Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize have formed a Tri-National Reserve spanning over their borders. It includes over 14 million acres (approximately 5.7 million hectares), making it one of the largest nature reserves in Latin America, second only to the Amazon rainforest....
When the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System opened in California’s Mojave Desert in 2014, it was hailed as a monumental achievement – the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) facility of its kind in the world. Backed by a $1.6 billion federal loan guarantee and involving tech giants like Google, the $2.2 billion project was meant...
Crabs are more diverse than most people think. The most well-known ones include the red king crab, brown crab, Dungeness crab, and Mud crab because they appear in popular seafood cuisine. However, crabs can come in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. The largest is the Japanese spider crab, with claws measuring up...
There was a time when man could only dream of walking on the moon. However, that all changed on the 16th of July, 1969, when Apollo 11 first took humans to the moon. Now, Elon Musk wants humans to take their first steps on Mars in the next decade. He is not alone in this...
On the far south-eastern edge of Western Australia, a group of partners is planning to build something massive: the Western Green Energy Hub (WGEH). Picture a huge clean-energy estate on the world’s largest single exposure of limestone bedrock, called the Nullarbor. There, the constant wind and hot sun are harnessed to create “green” hydrogen and...
Caterpillars have the reputation of being harmless larvae who have yet to become butterflies and moths. But don’t underestimate these partially developed creatures. They come with their own unique biology, including defenses against predators. This includes camouflage, foul-smelling repellents, and venom. However, their arsenal is not reserved for hungry birds, reptiles, amphibians, and larger insects....
In many parts of the world, speaking out against the government isn’t just risky, it can land you behind bars. Around the globe, authoritarian governments and regimes along with strict legal systems criminalize criticism, using laws that punish dissent, insult, or defamation of state leaders. From harsh jail sentences to hefty fines, these 16 countries...
Most of us have looked at a map at some point, but recognizing a country by its outline is a different challenge entirely. Some shapes are instantly recognizable, while others leave even experienced travelers scratching their heads. This geography quiz is designed to test how sharp your geography skills really are. Some are obvious, others...
The sun is very active right now, currently surging toward the peak of Solar Cycle 25. During these cycles, solar storms happen more regularly and with greater force than usual. Newly released data indicate that these storms are puffing up the upper atmosphere of our planet. When this occurs, it creates extra drag on objects...
