The number and extent of so-called marine “dead zones” -areas of coastal ocean waters where nearly all forms of marine life have been snuffed out due to lack of oxygen—has been on the rise for decades now, posing increasing threats to commercial and subsistence fisheries, recreational fishing and human health. Terrestrial runoff containing relatively high…

The hour-and-a-half long debate between President Barack Obama and ex-governor Mitt Romney last night ended without a single reference to climate change. Frustrated with the lack of discussion on the issue from both candidates, environmental activists sent a petition with over 160,000 signatures to debate moderator, Jim Lehr, urging him to ask a question about…

Lab-grown meat could help reduce the environmental footprint of intensive farming. But will it ever appeal to vegetarians or even more eco-conscious consumers? Tom Levitt reports Lab-grown meat will create up to 96 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions. Before the end of the year, Dutch scientists are promising a high-profile debut for a burger…

Two brother bear cubs rescued from suspected smugglers in Vietnam have become poster children for a campaign against the use of capturing and harvesting bears for their bile. The two men arrested said “they bought the cubs for $1,500” and were “going to sell them for a much higher price,” most likely to a farm…

Experts believe the next deadly human pandemic will almost certainly be a virus that spills over from wildlife to humans. The reasons why have a lot to do with the frenetic pace with which we are destroying wild places and disrupting ecosystems. Emerging diseases are in the news again. Scary viruses are making themselves noticed…

Following alarming reports from the United States about the discovery of high arsenic levels in rice sold in the US market, experts from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines have reassured consumers that rice is safe to eat. In a statement released to SciDev.Net, IRRI said that “that there is no evidence…

An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. There are several possible methods to remove the oil from the environment. A new absorbent has been proposed which is a polyolefin-based petroleum superabsorbent called PETROGEL that not…

Over millions of years, animals like the chameleon and cuttlefish, octopus and squid, have adapted color-changing abilities through natural selection. Depending on the trait, these adaptations can help organisms stay camouflaged from predators, better communicate warning signals, or even attract mates. While humans do not have the color-changing ability minus maybe a seasonal tan, researchers…

Diaz Chemical was a manufacturer of specialty organic intermediates for the agricultural, pharmaceutical, photographic, color and dye, and personal care products industries. The Diaz Chemical product line varied over the years of operation but primarily consisted of halogenated aromatic compounds and substituted benzotrifluorides. The Diaz Chemical facility has a long history of spills, releases and…

Kalomt’e K’Abel was one of the great warrior queens of the Maya and bore the title Kaloomte which is Supreme Warrior. She is mostly forgotten because Mayan history is not very well known and is even now well hid in jungles. Archaeologists in Guatemala have now discovered the tomb of Lady K’abel, a seventh-century Maya…