Madagascar’s lemurs are going extinct
Lemurs are a family of primate found only on the African island of Madagascar. Most species of lemur are in danger of going extinct, as indicated by a report from…
Climate change and extreme weather
Climatologists have released a report that indicates that climate change is not only a threat to the future, but is having consequences in present day weather systems. Texans experienced a…
Snow leopards collared for the first time
Scientists managed to capture and collar two snow leopards for the first time, in Afghanistan. Snow leopards live in mountainous regions and live at high altitudes within ranges such as…
The soccer ball that produces electricity
Two university graduates have successfully invented a soccer ball that produces electricity. Jessica O. Matthews and Julia Silverman - graduates of Harvard University have invented a soccer ball that converts…
Colorful rainforest frog discovered and named after Prince Charles
Researchers discovered two frog species in Ecuador and named one in honor of Prince Charles. Two previously unknown frog species were found in the highly endangered cloud forests of Ecuador.…
Meet the world’s rarest snake: only 18 left
What is slithery, brown, and doesn't mind being picked up? A Saint Lucia racer! Along with all of these things, the Saint Lucia racer is also the world's most endangered…
Tiny crustacean species discovered off the coast of Spain
A new species of ‘squat lobster’ was discovered recently off the coast of Spain. Scientists discovered a tiny crustacean on a deep-sea mountain (1,410 meters below sea level) off the…
The risk of fires is increasing in the Amazon rainforest
The risk of fires in the Peruvian Amazon increases because of droughts, the construction of new roads, and people moving out of the rainforest and into the city. Fire risk…
Massive algae bloom discovered in arctic
ICESCAPE (Impacts of Climate on EcoSystems and Chemistry of the Arctic Pacific Environment) is a program sponsored by NASA study the impacts of climate change on the Arctic The ICECAPE…
Leeches are tattletales…how scientists are using leech feeding habits to tell us about rare wildlife
At the University of Copenhagen (in Denmark), a geneticist named Tom Gilbert has discovered a new method for detecting the presence of rare animals in remote locations. Blood from wild-caught…
Global climate change = extreme weather worldwide
On May 5th 2012, 350.org (a climate change awareness organization) organized a planet-wide movement to show people (government, media, the public) how climate change is causing patterns of extreme weather…
Brazil is trying to put a stop to deforestation…for good
Pará is a state in Brazil. It is about the size of California and is covered in rainforest. Pará has lost more rainforest in the past 15 years than any…
Native Peruvian communities coming together to save their environment and culture
Back in the 1970’s a petrol company (Pluspetrol) set up petroleum operations near the Rio Corrientes (in the Peruvian Amazon) that were very close to some tribal villages; the machinery…
Scientists need more data to save the great apes!
There are 6 species of great apes currently living: bonobos, chimpanzees, 2 species of gorillas, and 2 species of orangutans…all of them are critically endangered Poor and incomplete data (scientific…
Where have all the critters gone: the sad reality of ‘empty forest syndrome’
Unsustainable and illegal hunting is reducing populations of wildlife at alarming rates. This is particularly a problem in Africa and Asia, and is a growing concern in the Amazon region.…
Will big companies tell the truth about their impact on the environment?
A new initiative called the Forest Footprint Disclosure (FFD) asks big companies to reveal their impacts on the environment in terms of 5 raw materials commonly produced from forest areas:…
Toy airplane used to explore rainforest
Aerial photograph from the drone showing forest clearing. Courtesy of Lian Pin Koh. A pair of scientists have modified a model airplane with a camera and other sensors so it…
Conflict over forests in Indonesia
The Indonesian government will soon require logging companies to show that the forests they log aren't used by other people. In Indonesia, forest land is owned by the government, but…
Facts: Coal mining in Mongolia
Mongolia is a land-locked country north of China that is historically very poor. But a mining boom may soon cause dramatic changes for the economy — and the environment. Mongolia…
