· 7 min read
Plastic was invented in the late nineteenth century to replace materials derived from nature, like ivory from elephant tusks. For this reason, plastics were celebrated. They could protect the natural world from the destructive needs of human beings – it turns out, big oil misled us. After World War Two, the plastics industry began booming. […]
· 4 min read
Rituals surrounding death are deeply ingrained into our religious and cultural past. Throughout history, humans have gone to great lengths to preserve those traditions, and in almost every culture there is great ceremony surrounding the passing of a loved one. In many societies, burying the deceased is the traditional way of handling the passing of […]
· 3 min read
Devastating photos have emerged of two polar bear cubs eating a plastic bag they dug up on the shore. Hungry polar bears aren’t the only ones who unintentionally eat plastic waste in the arctic, and this leftover trash is a big problem. Hungry Polar Bears Eat Plastic Bag Jens Wikström is an Arctic Expeditions leader […]
· 4 min read
There are not many happy results from dangerous weather. However, this one is downright mesmerizing. As Storm Francis raged across the United Kingdom, the rain and winds revealed a petrified Welsh woodland area. A forest that has been hiding underwater for thousands of years. Its photos are like something out of a fairy tale. Revealing […]
· 5 min read
Empathy is one of the more complex and integral emotions that humans experience. The question is, are animals capable of experiencing it too? The idea that animals are capable of experiencing a full range of human emotion is not new. Early scientists believed that it was possible. Charles Darwin even once wrote that there is […]
· 4 min read
“Glass Gem” corn went viral in 2012 when a photo of the rainbow-colored kernels was posted on Facebook. Imagine the excitement of peeling the husk of a corn of the cob to find the purple, pink, blue, red, and yellow of a kaleidoscope. You may not find rainbow corn at a farmer’s stand by the side […]
· 3 min read
Imagine how different your life would be if you didn’t have access to clean drinking water? This nightmare is a reality for the Navajo people, and has been for many years. A new type of solar panels, however, might just be the solution they’ve always needed. These solar panels are able to pull water right […]
· 4 min read
Every year as the temperatures begin to drop, we start to take many of our activities indoors. Unfortunately, humans are not the only ones who prefer the warmth of central heating. Bugs, too, find their way into our homes in search of warmer conditions – including stink bugs. This year, scientists are expecting the “great […]
· 4 min read
Nature is an awe-inspiring force, as are the creatures in it. Many photography competitions work to capture these stunning moments and show how magnificent our world really is. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards take another approach. Instead of focusing on how breath-taking, fearsome, or unreal nature is, they find the humanity in it. The competition […]
· 4 min read
As lockdowns are let up, people are itching to get out of the house and see the world. Of course, it’s imperative to stay safe — the coronavirus pandemic isn’t over. For people setting out on day trips, be aware that, when it comes to crowded spaces, it’s safer to stay outdoors than indoors as […]
· 5 min read
So much of green energy is all about using the resources that are abundant locally. Most often people think of things like wind, water, and solar power. This new Himalayan invention, however, is using something far less “conventional”: Pine needles. Himalayan Invention Uses Pine Needles for Power A large portion of the Indian state of […]
· 3 min read
Currently, in the southwestern United States, there are hundreds of thousands of migratory birds dying, and biologists can’t figure out the reason. This is what we know so far. Hundreds of Thousands of Birds Dying in the Midwest Researchers from New Mexico State University’s department of fish, wildlife, and conservation ecology have a growing concern […]
