Toilet snakes becoming a growing problem in Australia after heavy rains

Following heavy rains and flash flooding in various regions of Australia, toilet snakes have become a growing concern for residents. The inundation of floodwaters has forced snakes and other animals into built-up areas, causing them to seek refuge in unexpected places, including toilets and bathrooms. This phenomenon has sparked widespread attention on social media and… Continue reading Toilet snakes becoming a growing problem in Australia after heavy rains

Dye and poison is being used to stop rhino poachers

Gold, platinum, and rhino horn are among the world’s most valuable materials, with rhino horn being the most expensive. According to National Geographic Magazine, late in 2011, it fetched from $33 to $133 a gram on the streets of Vietnam. Samuel Wasser, a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle’s Department of Biology, described… Continue reading Dye and poison is being used to stop rhino poachers

Swimmers to return to the Seine for the first time in a century

Paris wishes the Seine to be sufficiently clean to permit the public to swim in parts of it by 2024 The section of the Seine running through Paris garnered unusually good headlines in 2009 when salmon were caught there, something unknown for decades. The river has been polluted by industry since the beginning of the… Continue reading Swimmers to return to the Seine for the first time in a century

How sign language is adapting to climate change

It used to be that when deaf people wished to discuss ‘carbon footprint’ or ‘greenhouse gases,’ there was a necessity to spell out long complicated scientific terms, one letter at a time. Now, however, they are some of the 200 scientific terms related to the environment, granted new official signs in British Sign Language (BSL).… Continue reading How sign language is adapting to climate change

Did leprosy come from squirrels?

Leprosy, formally known as Hansen’s disease, is a chronic condition affecting the skin, nerves, and mucous membranes. It can be treated with a combination of antibiotics over six to twelve months, but if left untreated, it can lead to severe complications such as crippled hands and feet, paralysis, and blindness. While leprosy has not been… Continue reading Did leprosy come from squirrels?