Meet LEB: An aquatic scarecrow protecting birds from diving into fishing nets
Fishing is a problematic industry, not just for marine life, but for many different species. All over the world, when fishermen and women cast their nets into the water, they run the risk of catching animals they don’t intend to entangle, such as dolphins or birds. “Bycatch” is the term Read More...
Philadelphia doctor raises $500,000 to send oxygen tanks to India
As the Covid-19 crisis intensifies in India, many organizations and individuals are stepping up to offer whatever help they can to alleviate some of the sufferings. One such individual is Philadelphia doctor Ruchika Talwar. Talwar, a 28-year old resident at the University of Pennsylvania, has Read More...
This company uses logging waste to 3D print furniture
Every year, billions of trees are cut down to supply a growing demand for wood products. Most of the logging, however, is unsustainable and negatively impacts biodiversity, land rights, and livelihoods. This process also compromises forests' potential to tackle climate change. We’ve previously Read More...
Solar panels and California's water canals: A match made in heaven
About 4,000 miles of canals transport water to some 35 million people and 5.7 million acres of farmland across California. As the state enters another year of severe drought, researchers from the University of California have come up with a proposition to cover these canals with solar panels to Read More...
World’s largest jewelry maker will soon sell only lab-grown diamonds
There are few other things in the world that symbolize luxury like diamonds, but these status symbols often come at a price that goes beyond their monetary value. In recent years, for instance, concerns about the environmental impact and human rights abuse associated with the mining industry have Read More...
Solar Mountain installation could power Burning Man with clean energy
Burning Man is an annual music and arts event that attracts a lot of creative, expressive, and entrepreneurial individuals. However, because of its expansive desert setting, visitors tend to use a lot of motorized fossil-fuel vehicles to navigate their way around, while several displays require the Read More...
These Florida waterways are taking developers to court
If nature could speak, would it defend its rights from damaging human activity? Last November, Orange County, Florida passed a measure called the “rights of nature” that allows for entities such as waterways to bring people to court should someone infringe on their rights. Two weeks ago, a Read More...
Mosquito monitors prove that these pests can be useful after all
Many of us have probably wondered to ourselves while swatting away pesky mosquitos if these itch-inducing creatures exist solely to ruin our fun and buzz in our ears. As it turns out, Ethan Jackson, a researcher at Microsoft, has found that mosquitos can actually serve a great Read More...
2020 Coal consumption was lowest in US since 1965
2020 marked an important milestone in our transition away from coal as a means of producing electricity. In the US, coal power plants experienced the country’s lowest annual coal consumption since 1965, and the fossil fuel is expected to reach levels last seen in the 19th century in coming years, Read More...
Eight activities to ease you back into post-pandemic socialization
So, positivity rates in your community are dropping and you and your friends are fully vaccinated, what’s next? For many, it’s safe to start engaging in in-person socialization again, but fear and anxiety holds us back from exercising this freedom. If it’s safe for you to begin interacting Read More...