Feds sue Virginia dog breeding facility, seize more than 140 dogs after extensive animal welfare violations
Federal officials have accused the parent company of a Virginia medical research dog-breeding facility of violating animal welfare law, and seized 145 beagles from the Cumberland Facility who were determined to be in “acute distress,” as defined in the lawsuit as any animal needing “immediate veterinary treatment or other care to promptly alleviate life-threatening illness, […]
The startups developing synthetic palm oil to save the world’s tropical forests
The world’s cheapest and most widely used vegetable oil, palm oil production is a primary driver of deforestation and biodiversity loss in the tropics. These and other problems with the palm oil industry, such as exploitative labor practices, have for years driven interest in more sustainable options. But good alternatives have proven difficult to come […]
‘We have a donut’: Astronomers react to first image of Milky Way’s black hole
The fuzzy, bright-orange trappings of a cosmic beast that lurks in the heart of our galaxy made quite the impact today on scientists and space nerds alike. The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration released its first image the black hole at the center of the Milky Way, known as Sagittarius A*, in another major scientific […]
Plantish (Plants Make the Best Fish)
With the demand for seafood at an all time high, we will not be able to sustainably feed the growing and hungry world population. We are here to change that. We are foodie scientists on a mission to create boneless fish whole-cuts made entirely out of plants!
Ringling Bros. announces comeback tour without animal acts
“The Greatest Show on Earth” is making a comeback featuring extraordinary humans and no animal acts five years after shutting down its three-ring circus, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey announced. Talent teams have already conducted auditions in Argentina, Mongolia, Ethiopia, France and the United States, with more than 1,000 performers applying to join a […]
Bird-watcher wrongfully accused in Central Park video gets a bird-watching TV show
Christian Cooper, the bird-watching Black man who was the target of false accusations during an encounter in New York City’s Central Park in 2020, has a new TV show airing on National Geographic. The channel announced that Cooper, a lifelong bird-watcher, will host a series called Extraordinary Birder.
Plant-based ‘whole’ eggs could be served in U.S. restaurants this year
If you’re a vegan or eco-conscious consumer, there are plenty of options when you want a burger or chicken nuggets. But there aren’t many plant-based eggs. Sure, you can find powdered substitutes, but a “whole” egg with a runny yolk is a different matter. A startup wants to change that.
Zimbabwe seeks EU backing to sell $600-mln worth of ivory
International trade in ivory has been banned since 1989 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority director-general Fulton Mangwanya told E.U. ambassadors to Harare that the country has 163,000 tonnes of ivory and 67 tonnes of rhino horns in vaults. He […]
Great Barrier Reef suffers sixth mass bleaching event
Warming waters from escalating climate change have caused coral bleaching in 91% of reefs surveyed along the Great Barrier Reef this year, according to new findings from an Australian government agency. Scientists from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) confirmed in March this was the sixth mass bleaching event of the reef on […]
Millions of tonnes of dead animals: the growing scandal of fish waste
In February 2022, a Dutch-owned fishing trawler released a silvery stream of 100,000 dead fish, which carpeted several thousand square metres of ocean off the coast of France. The vessel’s owners blamed the discharge on a faulty net. Environmental groups alleged that the fish were intentionally dumped. Whatever the truth, that spectacle of squandered sea […]
‘Towns just turned to dust’: how factory hog farms help hollow out rural communities
Analyzing census data from 1982 to 2017, alongside data from the US Department of Agriculture and other sources, the report found that Iowa counties with the most hogs have experienced higher levels of depopulation, heavier job losses and have seen more retail businesses close, including grocery stores, than other rural counties. The average farm in […]
There are only 10 of the world’s smallest marine mammal left in the world
The world’s smallest marine mammal is so critically endangered that there are only about 10 remaining in its sole habitat of Mexico’s Gulf of California. But that may not yet spell doom for the vaquita porpoise, according to new research. Vaquitas have been pushed to the brink of going extinct due to illegal gillnetting, which […]
