Polyester is the most commonly used synthetic fiber in the world and represented over 50% of global fiber production volume in 2019. Polyester has gained wide popularity, but is also a major health and environmental hazard. Investigating how polyester affects health and why moving to natural fibers is an important and necessary step towards a more sustainable and […]
Why We Should Move from Synthetic to Natural Fibers Read More »
In the wake of COVID-19, bats have swooped into the spotlight due to their ecological role as natural reservoirs for viruses. Some of these viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, can cross into different species, becoming zoonotic viruses. But despite the cocktails of viruses existing in bats across over a thousand species, they remain mostly asymptomatic when
In the shallow waters of the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, the star of the Netflix documentary “My Octopus Teacher” plays with a shoal of stream fish. By “star,” I of course mean the octopus. Flinging her arms out and scattering a group of fish, it’s clear she’s not hunting.
Opinion: Octopus farming as an ethical and environmental misstep Read More »
Wildfires ravage the land, water is in scarce supply, and climate refugees seek shelter from greed and environmental catastrophe. Once, this was a 2024 dystopian fantasy built by Octavia Butler in her 1993 novel “Parable of the Sower,” but these fictional warnings seem eerily prophetic given today’s headlines. Many readers have a fascination with climate
Disharmony: Does climate fiction inspire climate change action? Read More »
Nature is filled with synchronized tunes: the melodic songs of birds, croaks of frogs, and bladders of urgent chimps. As chimpanzees urinate, a new study reveals that surrounding chimps may join in synchronized streams. Scientists now hypothesize that this contagious urination could shine insights on social dimensions and behaviors beyond the chimpanzee species. This past
When nature calls: a study’s findings on contagious chimp urination Read More »
During the prime migration months of August through November, hundreds of millions of birds fly over the United States each night. But how do they know what path to take? New research indicates that groups of birds “talk” to each other in the sky in order to decipher the path. Scientists are gaining insight into
Migrating birds communicate mid-flight Read More »
Every drop of water on Earth holds a unique story, carrying a chemical fingerprint of its journey through oceans, rivers, and the atmosphere across the hydrologic cycle. Just as humans are all tied to their own distinct backgrounds and identities shaped by their origins and experiences, scientists can track down the origins and travels of
The chemical fingerprint of water: Isotope hydrology for sustainable resource management Read More »
Trees have symbolized life, strength, and connection across cultures and millennia. Recently, these silent sentinels have garnered recognition as heroes in the fight against climate change. Carbon storage, combined with reductions in fossil fuel use, is a critical component of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Trees offer an accessible, relatively inexpensive solution. Through photosynthesis, trees
While clouds rolling in on a sunny summer day may be a disappointing sight for many, clouds play a critical role in regulating Earth’s climate. A key gas produced by marine microalgae, known as dimethyl sulfide (DMS), is largely responsible for cloud formation. DMS is not widely known, but its characteristic “smell of the ocean”
Cloudy with a chance of climate change: How ocean acidification alters the atmosphere Read More »