The Tiny Miracle That Resulted In Huge Local Conservation Success
Despite their extinction in Eastern Cape due to dwindling game herds and harmful cattle dips, the red-billed oxpeckers were successfully reintroduced into the region in the 90s. The upbeat Birding Day event, showcased on Shamwari TV, lauds their pivotal role in the ecosystem. Shamwari now plans to reintroduce Cape vultures, after facing similar challenges, marking another significant conservation milestone.
Brazil proposes $250 billion “Tropical Forests Forever” fund for rainforests
At the COP28 climate summit, Brazil proposed a $250 billion mechanism, “Tropical Forests Forever”, for conserving tropical rainforests. The funds, sourced from governments and private sectors, would be used by tropical countries meeting deforestation limits. This follows a marked decrease in Amazon deforestation since Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s presidency.
Dolphins Reveal a Mysterious Hidden Sense: They Can Detect Electric Fields
Research by the University of Rostock and Nuremberg Zoo reveals that captive bottlenose dolphins can reliably detect weak electric fields under water, suggesting a sixth sense that may aid in prey detection and even understanding Earth’s magnetic field.
This Antarctic glacier dramatically retreated. Then, its ice shelf totally collapsed
Cadman Glacier in Antarctica retreated 5 miles in just 2.5 years, causing its ice shelf to collapse, according to scientists who used satellite images and ocean measurements. Higher ocean temperatures likely hastened the glacier’s deterioration, which contributes to global sea level rise. This indicates potential similar threats for neighboring glaciers.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year – People’s Choice 2023
Wildlife photography Oscars, anyone? The Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice awards is back with a bang. A shortlist of 25 awe-nature-some pictures, from a sassy mudskipper defending his turf against a crab, to a polar bear taking a snooze on receding ice, awaits your vote. Glamour, drama, and a splash of humor in the natural world, on display now at the Natural History Museum, London. So, go pick your winner!
Mother plucker: Steel fingers guided by AI pluck weeds rapidly and autonomously
Robot that uses AI to pull weeds may reduce poisonous herbicide use by 70% for some crops.
Experts revive ancient techniques to make concrete more sustainable
A team of experts from EPFL, ETH Zurich, and Archiplein has developed a new type of non-reinforced concrete from stone offcuts. Using methods found in historical archives, the team reduced their use of carbon-intensive cement. They built and tested six load-bearing walls using recovered stone-quarry waste and three types of mortar-based binders.
Long-lost species of golden mole found and photographed for first time
A team of conservationists have rediscovered a species of golden mole that hasn’t been seen in almost 90 years.
Extreme rainfall increases exponentially with global warming
State-of-the-art climate models drastically underestimate how much extreme rainfall increases under global warming, according to a study published Monday
Turning the tide: Vietnam’s war against plastic waste
Vietnam has ambitious targets to tackle the challenge posed by plastic waste. Effective enforcement and implementation are key for success.
UN Chief Calls Antarctica ‘Sleeping Giant… Being Awoken by Climate Chaos’
“It is profoundly shocking to stand on the ice of Antarctica and hear directly from scientists how fast the ice is disappearing.”
The Surprise Reappearance of a Rare Frog Has Scientists Leaping to Protect Its Habitat
The marsupial frog, which incubates its young in a pouch on its back, was thought to be extinct in some countries