environment Archives - Page 5 of 5

Nov122024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Kenyan Lesser Mealworm Larvae Show Promise in Plastic Degradation, Offering New Hope for Pollution Control

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Learning & Developments

In an innovative approach to tackling plastic pollution, a team of scientists from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology has discovered that Kenyan lesser mealworm larvae can consume polystyrene a common yet hard-to-recycle plastic. This is the first time an insect species native to Africa has been found to break down polystyrene, adding it to a small but promising group of plastic-degrading insects. How Do They Do It? Polystyrene, often known as Styrofoam, is widely used in packaging and is notoriously difficult to recycle due to its durable nature. While traditional recycling methods are costly and polluting, the Kenyan lesser mealworm has a unique ability to chew through polystyrene with the help of gut bacteria that aid in breaking down the plastic. These larv...

Nov92024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

UN Climate Talks Begin Amid Record Heat and Health Warnings

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment, Thoughts & Talks

With record-breaking heat, extreme weather, and rising health risks, experts warn that climate change poses a grave threat to human health worldwide. As the COP29 negotiations open in Azerbaijan next week marking what could be the hottest year on record climate impacts on human well-being are in sharp focus, particularly given increasing global fossil fuel emissions. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the urgency of climate action, declaring that “climate change is making us sick, and urgent action is a matter of life and death.” Here’s how global warming is already impacting health. Extreme Heat This year is set to be the hottest on record, surpassing previous years and likely marking the first time temperatures exceed 1.5°C above the pre-industrial average. The n...

Jun292024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

FDA Approves First Non-Tobacco Flavored E-Cigarettes, Raises Concerns for Youth

Breaking News, Environment

US Food and Drug Administration authorized the first non-tobacco flavored electronic cigarettes to be sold in the US. Two of the four newly licensed products are sealed, pre-filled containers of menthol-flavored nicotine liquid that can be used in various types of e-cigarettes. The other two are disposable nicotine e-cigarettes meaning the device cannot be reused after the pre-filled menthol liquid has been used. In an interview, Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, a smoking and e-cigarette health policy expert, was asked to explain the downsides of FDA licensing and what it means for vulnerable populations. What does the new announcement from the FDA mean? An electronic cigarette, also known as a vape, is a hand-operated, battery-powered device that heats a liquid to create a vapor that can be...

Jun152024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Microplastics Detected in Human Semen: Scientists Sound Alarm Over Pervasive Pollution’s Potential Reproductive Impact

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment

Scientists are finding microplastics in virtually every nook and cranny they inspect in the human body. The alarming discoveries are now stacking up with such speed, there's barely any time to let the news sink in before another part of our anatomy joins the list of contaminated sites. Shortly after researchers in the US confirmed that microplastics had infiltrated the tissue in human testicles, researchers in China have now detected the pollutants in sperm as well. The team found microscopic fragments of plastic in every sample of seminal fluid supplied by 36 male participants from inland China. Polystyrene (PS) particles were the most abundant type found, making up nearly a third of the plastic identified in the average sample. Researchers aren't sure, but they suspect that the ...

Jun152024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Haryana Chief Secretary Declares Solid Waste Emergency in Gurugram: Urgent Measures Launched Following Supreme Court Directive

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Haryana Chief Secretary TVSN Prasad announced that there is a huge amount of solid waste in Gurugram due to the large amount of untreated sewage, which is adversely affecting the environment and public health. The move is in response to the Supreme Court's May 13 judgment and the National Green Tribunal's observations on the need for a cleaner environment. In its May 13 decision, the Supreme Court said that a large amount of unprocessed solid waste destroys the environment, which is the main factor affecting the unpolluted life of citizens guaranteed in Article 21 of the Constitution. The NGT, in its order dated September 23, 2022, observed that the situation is an environmental emergency, but the required seriousness has not yet been resolved. The chief secretary, in an order issued...

Dec222023 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change’s Chilling Impact on Global Rivers leads to Troubling Tale of Water Quality

Breaking News, Environment, Learning & Developments

In the intricate tapestry of our planet’s ecosystems, rivers have long been the lifeblood, nurturing not only the lands they flow through but also the communities that depend on them. However, a recent review of nearly a thousand studies has cast a somber shadow on the state of our world’s rivers. It tells a tale of climate change‘s relentless assault on water quality, a narrative of concern for the vital resource that sustains life. An international team of experts, led by Utrecht University in the Netherlands and including scientists from the University of Adelaide, delved into 965 studies from every corner of the globe, conducted between 2000 and 2022. Their findings paint a picture of climate change’s profound impact on our rivers, shaking the very foundations of these ecosystems. ...

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

Climate Change Poses Growing Risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in the Third Pole Region

Breaking News, Environment, Thoughts & Talks

December 17, 2023, A new study published in the journal Nature Communications has raised climate change alarms about the increasing threat of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in the Third Pole region, encompassing the Tibetan Plateau, the Himalayas, Hindu Kush, and Tianshan Mountain ranges. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have highlighted the vulnerability of this ecologically crucial area to the impacts of climate change. The research indicates that the expansion of glacial lakes and the emergence of new ones in the Third Pole region are likely to result in a higher frequency of GLOFs in the coming years. This calls for the development of improved analytical methods and datasets to anticipate and mitigate potential disasters associated with these events. The Thi...

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

Octopus DNA Reveals Evidence of West Antarctic Ice Sheet Collapse During Last Warm Spell

Breaking News, Environment

In a groundbreaking study published in Science, scientists have turned to the DNA of octopuses living in Antarctica’s frigid waters to uncover evidence of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet’s (WAIS) collapse during the Last Interglacial, a warm period 129,000 to 116,000 years ago. Lead author Sally Lau from James Cook University and her team analyzed the genes of geographically-isolated populations of Turquet’s octopus, discovering genetic mixing that indicated the existence of trans-West Antarctic seaways connecting the Weddell, Amundsen, and Ross seas. The findings suggest that WAIS collapsed during the Last Interglacial when global temperatures were approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels, reflecting current conditions due to human-induced climate change. The st...

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

Arctic Witnesses Record-Breaking Warmth in 2023, Signaling Alarming Climate Changes

Breaking News, Environment

The year 2023 has set a disturbing record as the warmest summer ever recorded in the Arctic, with far-reaching consequences for both the region and the global environment. This revelation comes from the recently released Arctic Report Card for 2023, a collaborative effort involving 82 scientists worldwide who assessed the Arctic’s vital signs, highlighting the profound effects of climate change. The summer of 2023 shattered the previous temperature record set in 2016, with temperatures in July, August, and September rising significantly, surpassing the 2016 record by four times the usual increment. Wildfires ravaged Canada, Greenland experienced unusual warmth leading to ice melting, and sea surface temperatures in various Arctic seas soared to 9 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit (5 to 7 degrees...