With most factories closed and a fall in road traffic amid the coronavirus epidemic, air quality has improved in many cities across the globe. This has not only cleaned the skies but also prevented many deaths, according to a recent study. The number of deaths related to air pollution in Europe has decreased by 11,000, […]
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How do you respond to a crisis? It’s obvious that the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been dramatically different to anything provoked by repeated scientific warnings about climate change. The many organisations that declared climate emergencies throughout 2019 and 2020 have so far enacted nothing like the scale and speed of action to limit […]
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Researchers at Cornell University discovered a new species of bacteria that can break down organic contaminants in the soil. The new species was named Paraburkholderia madseniana in honor of the late Gene Madsen, the microbiology professor who started the research. The species is particularly adept at breaking down aromatic compounds (ring-like molecules of carbon), a […]
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A new study analyzed the attitudes of fishermen towards marine litter (and plastic pollution in particular), finding that they are acutely aware that this issue is affecting them, their catch, and the general population. They also want to be a part of the solution, the study suggests. Marine plastic pollution has grown to a gargantuan […]
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After some Thailand supermarkets used leaves as packaging, south-east Asia is highlighting another innovation that could reduce plastic consumption: grass straws. Straws might not seem like much, but they’ve become so ubiquitous that they’re posing a serious problem. According to one estimate, the US alone is producing 500 million straws every day, most of which […]
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Whale shark in Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua, Indonesia. (© Gerry Allen) This year on World Wildlife Day, we turn our attention to life below water — and what you can do for the creatures living there. Human Nature tapped six Conservation International experts for their best tips to help marine species, whether you’re commuting to […]
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Record numbers of volunteers turned out this year to help clear litter from the UK’s beaches, in the 25th annual Great British Beach Clean. But the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), which organises the event, warned there were still shocking amounts of plastic litter on UK beaches, despite a 16% decrease compared with last year. It […]
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Termite mounds have an ingenious built-in methane filtering system. The insects’ approach might help inspire new ways for humans to keep methane out of the atmosphere. Termites, like cattle and other grass-feeding animals, work together with special bacteria in their gut to break down food. It’s a good deal — they get to dine on plants […]
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After decades of thinning, Earth’s ozone layer is slowing recovering, the United Nations (UN) said in a report released Monday, highlighting how international co-operation can help tackle major environmental issues. The ozone layer, which protects humans and other species from the sun’s highly hazardous ultraviolet radiation, has been declining since the 1970s due to the […]
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The European Parliament has voted in favor of a ban on single-use plastic. From 2021, the EU will completely phase out single-use cutlery, cotton buds, straws, and stirrers, as well as all oxo-plastics and some polystyrenes. Several European countries were already considering bans or other measures to reduce single-use plastic, which makes up over 70% of marine litter, […]
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