What If the Asteroid Never Killed the Dinosaurs?

An asteroid slammed down and did away with all the dinosaurs, paving the way for such developments as the human race, capitalism, and posting on the internet: it’s the story we all know and love. Yet if things had shaken out differently—if the asteroid had stayed in its place, and the dinosaurs allowed to proceed with their business—what would things have looked like?

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I worked on David Attenborough’s documentary. The grim reality gave me climate anxiety | Liv Grant

We live in a time of loss. Wild places dwindle, the animals and plants that live in them disappear. Climate change is now a certainty, and it will without a doubt lead to the loss of land, species, and ways of life. In the abstract this is disconcerting. Up close it is devastating. I worked on the BBC’s Climate Change: The Facts, presented by David Attenborough, and have felt this pain first-hand.

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Australia can be powered 100% by renewables by early 2030s, says Garnaut

Leading economist and climate change policy expert Professor Ross Garnaut says that Australia could be powered 100 per cent by “intermittent” renewables by the early 2030s, and have a grid that is both reliable and secure and cheaper than it is now.

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Biodegradable plastic bags could be just as bad for the environment, research finds

Supposedly ‘eco-friendly’ biodegradable and compostable plastic bags exist in the environment for three years, littering scenery and potentially trapping animals, new research has found. Single-use plastic bag use in the UK has been cut from 8 billion a year in 2014 to just over a billion in 2018, but the research from the University of Plymouth has raised serious questions over the sustainability of alternatives which claim to be better for the environment.

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'You did not act in time': Greta Thunberg's full speech to MPs

My name is Greta Thunberg. I am 16 years old. I come from Sweden. And I speak on behalf of future generations. I know many of you don’t want to listen to us – you say we are just children. But we’re only repeating the message of the united climate science. Many of you appear concerned that we are wasting valuable lesson time, but I assure you we will go back to school the moment you start listening to science and give us a future. Is that really too much to ask?

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Loyal dog watches over owner for two days after he dies by river

A loyal dog stayed with her owner for almost two days after he fell to his death while hiking. Daisy was found with the 64-year-old man's body in bush near the town of Eatonville, about 60 miles south of Seattle in Washington. The pair went hiking on Wednesday but had not returned by dark, prompting the man's worried wife to call for help.

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Indonesia Plans To Move Its Capital Out Of Jakarta, A City That's Sinking

It's not clear when this will happen, or where the new capital will be located. The idea has been out there for decades, though previous leaders have been unable to accomplish the ambitious plan.

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Beto O’Rourke proposes $5-trillion climate plan for net-zero emissions by 2050

Beto O’Rourke, who has described climate change as the top issue of his presidential campaign, released a proposal Monday that would spend trillions of dollars to wean the country off fossil fuels with a goal to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050.

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A Voice For Nature

The Whanganui River in New Zealand is a legal person. A nearby forest is too. Soon, the government will grant a mountain legal personhood as well. Here's how it happened, and what it may mean.

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Ottawa River flood levels smash records | CBC News

According to the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board, the river is at record-breaking levels in Lac Coulonge, east of Pembroke, Ont., Arnprior, Ont., and Ottawa. Records for those areas date back to 1985 and 1950.

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Mapping the second brain: The latest science on the effect of your gut bacteria and how to boost them

Greater diversity of gut bacteria has been associated with better gut health, although the mechanisms are still not well understood. Less diversity has been linked to conditions including irritable bowel, diabetes and obesity.

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If we care about plastic waste, why won’t we stop drinking bottled water?

or all the innovation and choice that define the food and drink industries, if you want to make money, you could do a lot worse than bung some water in a bottle and flog it. A litre of tap water, the stuff we have ingeniously piped into our homes, costs less than half a penny. A litre of bottled water can cost well over a pound, especially for something fancy that has been sucked through a mountain.

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Duterte calls for ‘collective action’ on climate change

President Rodrigo Duterte has called on different countries to have a “collective action” on climate change amid the concerning impacts of weather disturbances on developing countries. During the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China, Duterte thanked countries that helped the Philippines in times of calamities and called for a more “proactive measures” on climate change.

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Activists enter Abbotsford pig farm after 'troubling' footage emerges

Dozens of activists have entered a pig farm in Abbotsford, B.C., on Sunday morning, days after "troubling" footage showing conditions inside the farm sparked an SPCA investigation. The video in question, released by PETA, appears to show female pigs and their piglets living in confined gestation crates, along with the bodies of some deceased pigs in varying degrees of decomposition at the Excelsior Hog Farm.

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China targets nuclear fusion power generation by 2040

China aims to complete and start generating power from an experimental nuclear fusion reactor by around 2040, a senior scientist involved in the project said, as it works to develop and commercialize a game-changing source of clean energy.

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U.S. to Consider Listing Giraffes as Endangered Species

Federal wildlife officials said Thursday that they would officially consider listing the giraffe as an endangered species, a move long sought by conservationists alarmed by the African mammal’s precipitous decline and a growing domestic market for giraffe products.

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Almost 200,000 Never-Before-Seen Viruses Were Just Discovered Hidden in Our Oceans

The oceans hide all kinds of secrets and unknowns in the deep – like the 195,728 viruses that scientists just found lurking underwater, during the course of a pole-to-pole expedition carried out to survey marine life. The researchers say the vast m

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LA City Departments Saw 40% Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The first municipal report to cover emissions from all Los Angeles city departments, operations and facilities was released Friday and found that by the end of 2017, the city had reduced its operational emissions by 40 percent relative to its 2008 baseline. The report was a collaborative effort between LA Sanitation and other city departments.

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Coffee waste 'could replace palm oil'

Two Scottish entrepreneurs are aiming to go global with their hope to replace palm oil using coffee waste. Scott Kennedy and Fergus Moore said they came up with a unique way to extract oil from used coffee grounds which had a wide range of uses. Palm oil is found in many household products, but environmentalists say demand for it is devastating rainforests in Asia.

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$13.6 billion solar park rises from Dubai desert

Under the Arabian sun, a monumental construction effort is making headway. Located deep within Dubai's desert interior, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park -- named after the emirate's ruler and the UAE's vice president and prime minister -- continues to grow and has just passed another milestone.

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Climate change and population growth are making the world’s water woes more urgent

As it scours the universe for signs of extraterrestrial life, nasa has a motto-cum-mission-statement: “Follow the water”. About 70% of the human body is made up of water, it says, and 70% of Earth’s surface is covered in the stuff. “Water creates an environment that sustains and nurtures plants, animals and humans, making Earth a perfect match for life in general.”

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How One Man Singlehandedly Repopulated a Rare Butterfly Species in His Backyard

Long gone from their home in San Francisco, the California pipevine swallowtail is back thanks to one man transforming his yard into a habitat for them. The iridescent blue wings of the California pipevine swallowtail are considered by collectors to be among the most magnificent in North America.

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Magic and the Machine — Emergence Magazine

Reflecting on our undying urge to recreate a primal experience of intimacy with the surrounding world, David Abram offers notes on technology and animism in an age of ecological wipeout.

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China and India Lead the Way in Greening

The world is literally a greener place than it was twenty years ago, and data from NASA satellites has revealed a counterintuitive source for much of this new foliage. A new study shows that China and India—the world’s most populous countries—are leading the increase in greening on land. The effect comes mostly from ambitious tree-planting programs in China and intensive agriculture in both countries.

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Michigan Republicans ordered to redraw gerrymandered legislative maps

Judges found 34 districts were so severely gerrymandered that they violated the U.S. Constitution

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New type of plastic is a recycling dream

These plastics can easily be disassembled to chemical building blocks.

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African Teen Builds Windmills from Junk and Supplies His Village with Electricity

His native Malawi had gone through one of its worst droughts seven years ago, killing thousands. His family and others were surviving on one meal a day. The red soil in his Masitala hometown was parched, leaving his father, a farmer, without any income. But amid all the shortages, one thing was still abundant. Wind. "I wanted to do something to help and change things," he said. "Then I said to myself, 'If they can make electricity out of wind, I can try, too."

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Woodpigeons and crows can no longer be freely killed in England

“Pest” bird species such as crows, woodpigeons and jays can no longer be freely killed in England after the government’s conservation watchdog revoked the licence permitting it. The move by Natural England came after a challenge to the legality of the “general licence” by a new environmental group, Wild Justice, created by conservationists Mark Avery, Ruth Tingay and Chris Packham.

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North American drilling boom threatens major blow to climate efforts – report

More than half of the world’s new oil and gas pipelines are located in North America, with a boom in US oil and gas drilling set to deliver a major blow to efforts to slow climate change, a new report has found. Of a total 302 pipelines in some stage of development around the world, 51% are in North America, according to Global Energy Monitor, which tracks fossil fuel activity. A total of $232.5bn in capital spending has been funneled into these North American pipeline projects, with more than $1tn committed towards all oil and gas infrastructure.

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Wolf numbers in Yellowstone Park decline

The gray wolf population in Yellowstone National Park has dropped to about 80 wolves, officials say — less than half of the high population mark in the park. While Yellowstone leaders won’t have an accurate count until the fall after surviving pups are visible, the park’s top biologist doesn’t expect numbers to rise dramatically after litters are included in population estimates.

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Chimpanzee browsing Instagram on iPhone with precision goes viral

Unique animals get a lot of attention on social media, and the latest example is a savvy chimpanzee intentionally browsing Instagram on iPhone

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Shelter dog who loves his food bowl gets adopted after story goes viral

The story of a dog with Memphis Animal Services that became viral sensation now has a happy ending. Oliver is a stray who loves food and treats. In fact, he loves food so much that he became attached to his bowl at MAS.

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Extreme weather, including widespread spring flooding, is ‘new reality’ of climate change: Trudeau

As swathes of the country face yet another year of spring flooding, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the extreme weather is the “new reality” of climate change. Speaking briefly with reporters during a visit to a flood evacuation centre in Gatineau, Que., Trudeau called for all levels of government to work together to help with the response to the flooding as water levels continue to rise and stressed the need to prepare for more such events in the future.

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The number of Americans breathing polluted air is rising, report says

More Americans are breathing air that will make them sick, according to the American Lung Association's annual State of the Air report. The country had been making progress in cleaning up air pollution, but during the Trump administration, it has been backsliding, the report says. Deregulation and climate change are largely to blame.

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Sharks cope with levels of heavy metals in their blood that would kill other animals

Researchers studying Great White sharks have found lethal levels of mercury and arsenic

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A Neanderthal tooth discovered in Serbia reveals human migration history

In 2015, our Serbian-Canadian archaeological research team was working at a cave site named Pešturina, in Eastern Serbia, where we had found thousands of stone tools and animal bones. One day, an excited Serbian undergrad brought us a fossil they had uncovered: a small molar tooth, which we immediately recognized as human.

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The Fantastically Strange Origin of Most Coal on Earth

The absence of the tiniest creature can shape the world in the biggest way. By Robert Krulwich.

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The Healing Power of Gardens

Even for people who are deeply disabled neurologically, nature can be more powerful than any medication. By Oliver Sacks.

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Johns Hopkins announces major solar power commitment

Through agreement with Constellation, Hopkins will meet roughly two-thirds of its overall energy needs with solar power—the largest commitment to solar energy in Maryland.

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Ocasio-Cortez releases 'Green New Deal' short film

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is broadening her push on the "Green New Deal," narrating an animated short film outlining the policy advocated by progressive lawmakers. By Rebecca Beitsch.

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The Extinction Rebellion

Johnathan Pie

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Corporations and private investors are backing new ‘green’ deals as climate worries mount

In the nine years since private equity and venture capital investments into sustainable technologies last crossed the $6 billion threshold, the problems caused by global carbon emissions have only intensified. Now, as the world confronts the reality that there’s not much time left to reverse course on carbon emissions and the impact they will have on life on earth, both corporate and private investors are once again stepping up their commitments to startups in the space.

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Wild Bee Population Collapses By 90% In New England, Study Warns

Researchers from the University of New Hampshire conducted a study to document declines in about 100 wild bee species critical to pollinating crops throughout New England. What they discovered, according to the study, was a collapse in the wild bee population across the state, reported AP.

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Green material for refrigeration identified

Researchers from the UK and Spain have identified an eco-friendly solid that could replace the inefficient and polluting gases used in most refrigerators and air conditioners.

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Exploding Aphids Plaster Holes in Their Home With Bodily Fluids

In an extreme version of the clotting process, the bugs suicidally erupt to save their nest. By Ed Yong.

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We are living on "the planet of the chickens," says this scientist

The humble chicken is dominating the planet, with more than 23 billion walking the earth at any one time.

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Greenland is melting even faster than experts thought, study finds

Climate change is eliminating giant chunks of ice from Greenland at such a speed that the melt has already made a significant contribution to sea level rise, according to a new study. With global warming, the island will lose much more, threatening coastal cities around the world.

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Judge Delivers Major Setback to Trump Policy to Increase Coal Mining on Federal Land

A federal judge late Friday delivered a significant setback to the Trump administration’s policy of promoting coal, ruling that the Interior Department acted illegally when it sought to lift an Obama-era moratorium on coal mining on public lands. The decision, by Judge Brian Morris of the United States District Court of the District of Montana, does not reinstate President Barack Obama’s 2016 freeze on new coal mining leases on public lands.

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A Global Pact for the Environment

With each successive Earth Day, the scale of the global environmental crisis becomes more disheartening. So too does the collective failure to respond to the planet’s plight. Over the past year, scientists have issued dire warnings about global warming, mass extinction, the extent of plastic pollution and the death of the world’s oceans. Humanity is now deep in the Anthropocene, a new geologic era defined by the human transformation of the natural world, and the lights are blinking red.

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Gorillas pose for selfie with DR Congo anti-poaching unit

Two gorillas have been photographed posing for a relaxed selfie with the rangers who rescued them as babies. The image was taken at a gorilla orphanage in Virunga National Park, DR Congo, where the animals were raised after poachers killed their parents. The park's deputy director told BBC Newsday that they had learned to imitate their carers, who have looked after them since they were found. The gorillas, he added, think of the rangers as their parents.

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