مقالات البيئة

While we humans need every organ of our body, animals seem to adapt and even thrive when they are missing body parts that we consider crucial to survive - There is the Borneo frog that breathes without lungs, the ice fish that has no hemoglobin and now, an earless frog that can hear perfectly....

How cool would it be if instead of learning about exotic animals like Patagonian maras (large rodents that resemble rabbits) and bearded dragons from textbooks you could do it by touching, feeling and maybe even breeding them? That is how the students fortunate enough to be taught by Michael Bechtel at Saydel High School in Des Moines, Iowa experienced biology for many years....

Every year four of the world's seven species of marine turtles arrive on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica to nest. Among them is the Olive Ridley, an ancient turtle that has been around for more that 100,000,000 years and was at one time amongst the most prolific and abundant of all turtle species....

A few weeks ago, scientists reported that climate change might actually be helping California's ancient redwoods thrive. Now there seems to be more positive news - This time about the coral in our oceans whose population has been severely impacted in last few decades by rising temperatures and ocean acidification, disease and human carelessness....

If humans can participate in art contests why can't chimpanzees? After all they do share over 90% of our DNA and are likely to do as good a job, if not better! In order to highlight their art talent as well as the amazing work of the eight chimpanzee sanctuaries around the country that provide care for the mammals retired from research, pet trade and entertainment, the folks at the Humane Society of the United States decided to hold a competition....

Imagine living on a planet where you could celebrate almost three birthdays in one day - Think that is just out of this world? Well actually it is - About 700 million light years away in the small constellation of Lyra, where scientists have discovered an exoplanet that zips around its star in a speedy 8.5 hours...

The scientists at US Space Agency NASA are planning a radical new mission, one that entails capturing an asteroid and then sending over a manned spaceship so the astronauts can obtain some samples and bring them back to earth....

The unsolved mystery of the 'crop circles' - Intricately carved large designs that magically appear on farms all across the world, has been plaguing scientists for centuries. Some speculate that they are the work of farmers trying to attract tourists, whilst others believe that they are alien art. But when similar creations started to appear underwater off the coast of Southern Japan, there seemed to be no explanation - logical or otherwise!...

Climate change always seems to be about things going wrong - The Arctic is melting faster, sea water levels are rising rapidly . . . and the list goes on. Now finally there is some good news. According to a team of experts led by Emily Burns, Science Director at Calfornia's Save the Redwoods League, it is actually helping the world's tallest trees thrive....

With its large brown eyes, fluffy red-orange hair and bushy tail, the Olinguito could easily be mistaken for a stuffed teddy bear. But this cute as a button mammal that belongs to the raccoon family is very much alive and extremely precious - That's because it is the first new carnivore to be 'discovered' in the western hemisphere in over three decades....

Mention cotton candy and most parents will 'tut tut' and shake their heads in disapproval. For while those wisps of spun sugar that melt in the mouth may be yummy, they have absolutely no nutritional value. But what if you could somehow incorporate that taste into something that your parents would thoroughly approve of? Say like grapes for instance? Think that's impossible? Read on . . ....

While scientists know that the first life found on Earth almost three billion years ago began with the simplest form, its origins still remains a mystery. Sure Charles Darwin's theory of Evolution by means of Natural Selection presented in his 1859 book 'The Origin of Species' sounds plausible, but it still does not explain how that first living microorganism came into being. A team of scientists led by University of California Santa Cruz Professor Andrew Fisher believe that an unusual ecosystem located at the bottom of our oceans may provide some clues....

The fact that elephants never forget and hold a grudge against their abuser(s) when one them is injured has been proven many times, both anecdotally as well as by the results of a formal study of African elephants who reacted negatively to the scent of Masai clothing because the young tribesmen often spear them to demonstrate their bravery. Now a herd of Indian elephants is showing that they are no slouches either, when it comes to revenge!...

People normally start to think about ticking things off their 'bucket list' i.e. list of things they wish to do before they die, as they get older and believe that time is running out. However, Nkaitole was recently able to experience every single thing he has ever wished for (so far), at the tender age of four....

Though there is a slew of meteor showers that are visible from Earth every year, none comes even close to the show put on by the Perseids annually around mid-August. They are so spectacular that the experts at NASA call them the 'fireball' champion of all annual meteor showers! The best part is that this year's event is coming up soon....

New Zealand's North Island is known for many things - it's active volcanoes, pristine beaches, waters that harbor about 8000 marine species as well as the rich Maori culture and heritage. However, none come even close to one of nature's most amazing and unique offerings - The Glowworm Grotto Cavern....

When dolphins get caught accidently in fishing nets, the outcome is usually dire - They either get injured and lose a tail or, spend their lives in captivity entertaining humans. But while thirteen-year-old Sampal's story began that way, it has a perfect fairy-tale ending....

With global warming on the rise, innovative solutions to combat pollution are becoming increasingly important. While there are many that are unveiled each week, only a few have the capability of tackling the issues on a scale large enough, to make a real difference. Here are two ingenious ones that definitely make the cut....

On July 23rd, a team of paleontologists comprising of experts from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History and students from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, excavating in the Chihuahuan Desert in the Northeastern State of Coahuila, stumbled upon an exciting and rare discovery - An almost perfectly preserved tail of a dinosaur that inhabited the area, 72 million years ago....

Solar Impulse, the world's first single passenger solar-powered airplane has come a long way since its first flight in 2009, when it rose a mere 3 feet above the ground and flew for just 1,150 feet in the 30 seconds it was in air. In 2012, the elegant green flying machine successfully completed an intercontinental trip from Europe to Africa and on July 6th, 2013, added another feather or should we say 'wing' to its cap, with a flight across the United States of America....

First there was the revelation that roosters really do have an automatic built-in clock, alerting them to the time of day. Now, a new report claims that chickens are no bird brains - In fact they are smarter then most four-year old human toddlers! The review which was commissioned by Britain's Happy Egg Company, was compiled using twenty years of research data. Here are some of the things University of Bristol Professor Christine Nicol, was able to uncover in her recently release report entitled 'The Intelligent Hen'....

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, June 21st may seem like a day when the sun has forgotten to set and depending on where you live that may actually be true, because today happens to be not just the first day of summer, but also, the longest day of the year!...

For the lucky few that live in developed countries, having access to fast reliable Internet is a no-brainer. It is therefore easy to forget that over five billion people or a majority of the world is not as fortunate. But if search giant Google has its way, that may soon, be a thing of the past....

Imagine walking to your local park on a warm summer afternoon and settling down under a tree with a good book and a freshly picked juicy apple or peach - That is exactly what the brilliant minds behind Seattle's Beacon Food Forest Project are hoping to accomplish for all its residents, in the not too distant future....