Positive parasites, how deer and ruminant pests help the overall ecosystem
Some pests and critters annoy us, but everything in nature has its purpose and its place. Wolves are the villains of fairy tales, but they are in fact keystone predators that control the overpopulation of their prey. Beavers chew on powerline poles, but they also help preserve wetlands. As it turns Read More...
Seasam drone improves underwater research and documentation
Humans have invented various autonomous underwater drones for scientific purposes and more. Some examples include the AutonomousRiver Cleaner (ARC) that uses bubbles and AI to clear plastic from rivers, or MERMAIDs which deep-sea dive to explore the ocean floor. There’s now a new drone in town Read More...
"Alien" flatworm named in honor of COVID-19 victims
How scientists decide to name new animal species they discover doesn't follow a prescribed set of rules. Some aim to go for a humorous approach like the flatworm Ramisyllis kingghidorahi which was named after Godzilla’s enemy, King Ghidorah. Some name the novel creature after a human, like the Read More...
This sustainable concrete alternative helps coastal ecosystems thrive
While necessary to support human settlements, the development of infrastructure in coastal areas is often harmful to surrounding natural ecosystems. That's because most of this construction is made of concrete — a material whose chemical composition and flat surface fails to act as a viable Read More...
Researchers create first-ever aerial map of Hawaii’s coral reefs
Earlier this month, we wrote a piece about Hawaii’s Hanauma Bay and how its incredible coral reefs are teeming with life thanks to the lockdown. Today, we bring your more good news from Hawaii as a team of scientists have created the first-ever aerial map of the island's precious coral reefs. Read More...
Mobile game lets you build ecosystems to help solve real ecological issues
As climate change, deforestation, pollution, and other human activities threaten our natural world, scientists often turn to mathematical models to see what actions need to be taken to ensure that ecosystems are kept in balance. Now, anyone can try their hand at keeping an ecosystem in balance Read More...
We finally see mushrooms for what they really are: guardians of our ecosystems
Benefitting both the body and mind, mushrooms are one of the most under-appreciated things on Earth—so much so that we’ve dedicated the week to them. Sunday’s Optimist View covered how psychedelic mushrooms can be used to resolve mental health issues, but we also want to let you know Read More...
Breathing life back into the New York Harbor with one billion oysters
Once one of the most productive ecosystems in the world and home to a copious amount of oysters, the New York Harbor is now all but bereft of the amazing biodiversity it hosted 200 years ago. The Billion Oyster Project (BOP) wants to change that by reintroducing life into the degraded ecosystem Read More...
Agroecology, the science for food security on a warming planet
UN Special Rapporteur for Food Olivier De Schutter first put agroecology in the public eye with his 2011 groundbreaking report on Agroecology and the Right to Food. Defined as "the integrative study and practice of the ecology of the entire food system, encompassing ecological, economic and social Read More...
Video: Lester Brown on Plan B
Ode Editors | June/July 2009 issue Lester Brown was invited to speak at the Aspen Environment Forum, in Aspen, Colorado on March 25, 2009 on getting the market to tell the environmental Read More...