Today’s Solutions: May 13, 2024

Conservation

Nature relies on a rich diversity of organisms to keep it in balance. Conservation plays a key role in ensuring that environmental equilibrium is preserved. Learn about the solutions spearheading our efforts to promote biodiversity, safeguard vital ecosystems, and protect endangered species.

Greenland Shark

Researchers study animal evolution to advance women’s health

Researchers find that studying the evolution of certain female animals can offer invaluable insight into women’s health and possible treatments. As if we needed another reason to preserve the environment, the habitats and adaptations of giraffes, sharks, and bears could offer clues on how to Read More...

otters

Researchers teach otters to problem-solve in groups

Researchers from the University of Exeter examined the behavior of otters to see if they could learn to hunt and forage on their own once they were released into the wild. They did this using puzzle boxes filled with food.  Problem-solving for food Looking at Asian short-clawed otters, Read More...

Yosemite

US unveils plan to ban single-use plastic in national parks

Plastic pollution is so prevalent that harmful plastic particles can even be found in drinking water. Robust action on a national scale is needed to stop the flood of plastics into natural environments.  Wednesday, on World Oceans Day, the White House announced its plans to phase out single-use Read More...

Humpback whale breaches water on Gold Coast

Australian whale-watching season gets an early start thanks to conservation

Suppose you’ve ever had the privilege of witnessing the majesty of a humpback whale breaching the water and slapping the surface with its flippers. In that case, you’ll probably agree that the sight is unforgettable. This year, whale watchers off the east coast of Australia are being treated Read More...

view of Eiffel Tower from the Seine

Paris protestors save trees around the Eiffel Tower

Environmental activists defending more than 40 trees surrounding the Eiffel Tower in Paris celebrate a tree-umphant win after weeks of protest.  The city of Paris planned to clear the area around the iconic tower on the Champ-de-Mars to make the tower more accessible and the area around it Read More...

Trail with steps in urban forest

The Ivory Coast is building a wall to protect nature reserve from pollution

The world’s second-biggest urban park is located in the city of Abidjan on the Ivory Coast. Though the Banco National Park provides valuable ecosystem services to the city, the park has been suffering from pollution and illegal tree felling in recent years. In a bid to help protect the natural Read More...

Aerial view of observation tower with Finnish flag among blue lakes and green forests in summer Finland.

Finland is the first country to pass a legally binding carbon negativity act

Many countries are putting forth considerable efforts to fight climate change and reach ambitious targets of net-zero emissions. However, Finland has decided to take it up a notch. Finland’s parliament recently passed a new Climate Change Act which legally binds it to its commitment to Read More...

Chilean Cyprus

World’s oldest tree may actually live in Chile after all, not California

The Great Basin Bristlecone Pine in California is currently considered the oldest living tree in the world, at 4,853 years old. A cypress tree in Chile, however, now challenges that record. Dr. Jonathan Barichivich, a researcher in Chile, believes that a Patagonian cypress, locally known as the Read More...

Crops

Stanford study shows cleaner air leads to more crops

Fertile soil, good seasons, and plentiful water aren’t the only things that affect our crops. Air pollution, and one air pollutant in particular, negatively affect the number of crops we can grow.  Using satellite imaging, Stanford researchers discovered just how many nitrogen oxides affect Read More...

Wandering Salamander

Biologists uncover secrets of parachuting salamanders

A recent study published in Current Biology sheds light on a peculiar adaptation of California’s wandering salamanders, Aneides vagrans. These amphibians are commonly associated with streams, rocks, and decaying logs. The wandering salamander, however, is commonly found in trees and even jumping Read More...