Fast-moving stars seen in a nearby star cluster within the Milky Way suggest the presence of an elusive black hole which may be the closest one to Earth, researchers say. The star cluster, Omega Centauri, is a collection of around 10 million stars, visible as a smudge in the night sky south of the Equator.… Continue reading Astronomers find nearest massive black hole to Earth
The COVID-19 pandemic’s rapid onset led to immediate reductions in travel and economic activities worldwide, drastically lowering air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions within weeks. This abrupt change provided scientists with a rare opportunity to observe outcomes typically achieved over years of regulation. A comprehensive new study, utilizing satellite data from NASA and other international… Continue reading Pandemic emission reductions led to unexpected atmospheric effects
A recent study by the School of the Environment at Queensland University in Australia found that humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) off the country’s eastern coast experienced significantly lower stress levels and better overall health during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic due to the reduction of human activity in the ocean during this period.… Continue reading Reduced human activity during early Covid pandemic lowered stress levels in whales
Carbon dioxide is often highlighted in discussions about climate change, but methane is a more potent greenhouse gas, trapping 28 times more heat per molecule than CO2, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Recent reports and scientific papers have underscored the significant impact of animal production on climate change. Denmark has become the first… Continue reading Denmark to tax cows, sheep and pigs for emitting methane
Scientists have observed wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) consuming plants that have anti-bacterial and pain-relieving properties to heal themselves. They conducted detective work in the forests of Uganda, studying injured or sick animals and gathering evidence to construct a case. There were 13 members of the team who were botanists, ecologists, ethnopharmacologists, parasitologists and primatologists.… Continue reading Chimpanzees Use Plants as Medicine: A Breakthrough in Animal Behaviour and Pharmacology
In the vast desert of Kutch district, northwest India, where salt is harvested in colorful rectangular ponds, a circular feature in the otherwise flat Banni Plains has intrigued scientists for over a decade, with suspicions that it resulted from a meteorite impact remaining unconfirmed until recently. This crater, named Luna after the nearest village, measures… Continue reading Study Confirms Meteorite Caused Crater in India
The contraceptive pill revolutionized human society in the 1960s, ushering in the sexual revolution. Now, scientists are aiming to bring similar transformative effects to wildlife control. Trials are underway in the United Kingdom and other European countries to administer contraceptives to animals such as pigeons, squirrels, and wild boar. Deer and invasive parakeets are also… Continue reading Pigeons to Be Put on the Pill
What if you never saw the stars again? In fact, you’ve probably never seen a real night sky in your entire life due to the damage that urban areas have on the light. We all find a starry night mesmerising. So why do we all ignore the immense issue that is progressively getting worse: Light… Continue reading Let there be night: how light pollution is destroying our sky
Record low sea ice in late 2023 led to breeding failures in one-fifth of Antarctica’s emperor penguin colonies. Emperor penguins suffered mass breeding failures due to record low sea ice in 2023, according to scientists with the British Antarctic Survey. “We’re predicting that we’ll lose around 99 percent, possibly at least all the emperor penguins… Continue reading “We’re predicting that we’ll lose around 99 percent, possibly at least all the emperor penguins by the end of this century — that’s 75 years from now.”
Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the recent boom in EV purchases, they’re still a tiny minority of the cars on the road. We would get more immediate benefit by focusing on electrifying… Continue reading Electric vehicles will start to cut emissions and improve air quality in our cities – but only once they’re common
