In effort to protect children, France bans smoking at parks and beaches
Eleanor Beardsley PARIS — A restrictive outdoor smoking ban has come into force in France, a country where café culture, which often includes a glass of wine and a cigarette, is a way of life. As of Sunday, smokers are no longer allowed to light up in public parks, at swimming pools, or at beaches, […]
Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: ‘Deep Regrets’
Can you keep your sanity while fishing up increasingly strange things from the ocean? Deep Regrets is a strategic, horror-themed fishing game for 1-5 players, ages 16 and up, and takes about 30-150 minutes to play. The base game, along with the new expansion, Even Deeper Regrets, is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with a […]
Could the Solar System Lose a Planet to a Passing Star?
The UniverseFridays How a Passing Star Could Oust Planets from the Solar System Close stellar encounters could change the structure of our planetary system, potentially dooming Earth or other worlds to oblivion By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings This artist’s concept depicts one of the solar system’s inner planets slamming into Earth after being […]
‘Kisses yes, Bezos No,’ protesters say, as Bezos wedding stirs controversy in Venice
By The Associated Press VENICE, Italy — Hundreds of protesters marched through Venice’s central streets on Saturday to say “No” to billionaire Jeff Bezos, his bride and their much-awaited wedding extravaganza, which reached its third and final day amid celebrity-crowded parties and the outcries of tired residents. On Friday, the world’s fourth-richest man and his […]
A Conversation with Kickstarter and Crowdfunding Tabletop Roundup
Earlier this week I got to chat with Asher McClennahan, the head of games at Kickstarter. I was curious to hear how tariffs had affected things like the number of projects launching or being backed, and also whether some of the “tried-and-true” advice about launching projects is actually true. As far as tariffs go, McClennahan […]
‘Protecting nature, building peace’: Indigenous activist wins prestigious award
From the deserts of Chad to the halls of the United Nations, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim has been a tireless advocate for indigenous peoples in the fight to solve the climate crisis. In recognition of her unrelenting efforts, Ibrahim, Conservation International’s Senior Indigenous Fellow, was recently awarded the 2019 Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award presented by…
The strange story of how one researcher’s photo made it onto a banknote
Everyone has a hobby. Trond Larsen’s is photography. As the Rapid Assessment Program director at Conservation International, Larsen spends his days organizing international teams of scientists to find and document wildlife in far-flung locales. His camera goes with him to the wild, and his photos — predominantly of the animals he encounters in the field…
How are race, environment linked? Start here
The protests that swept across America — and the globe — in recent weeks laid bare the deep racial inequality permeating society. And as Conservation International CEO M. Sanjayan said recently, “the conservation community is not exempt from this legacy.” With that in mind, here is a list of books, podcasts and more recommended by…
How are gender, environment linked? Start here
Environmental issues and the climate crisis affect women disproportionately: They’re 14 times more likely to die during a disaster and constitute 80 percent of all climate refugees. But women are also powerful forces in the fight to halt climate change and prevent environmental collapse. With that in mind, here is a list of books, podcasts…
New science: protecting high seas hotspots, wildlife and more
Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent scientific research published by Conservation International experts. More than 60 percent of the world’s oceans lie beyond the jurisdiction of any nation — an area commonly known as the “high seas.” However, only about 1 percent of this vast and largely unexplored expanse is protected. …
For these women, sustainable business is buzzing
Industrious and indispensable, bees are nature’s “essential workers.” Their pollination powers entire ecosystems and food systems — with more than 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants and a third of all crops relying on bees and other pollinators to reproduce. Yet bees are declining at alarming rates. Mass die-offs have been linked to pesticides,…
Monday Briefing: A Plane Crash in South Korea killed 179
Plus, Falun Gong’s money engine. By Gaya Gupta A Boeing 737-800 plane operated by Jeju Air crashed while landing at an airport in South Korea yesterday, killing 179 of the 181 people on board. It was the worst aviation disaster involving a South Korean airline in almost three decades, officials said. The flight, which had…
Cause of South Korea plane crash unclear as officials focus on bird strikes
Experts say bird strikes are relatively common and should not have been enough to cause landing gear failure No one knows for certain what caused Jeju Air flight 2216 to crash, killing all but two of its 181 passengers and crew. As darkness fell at Muan international airport in South Korea and officials fielded questions…
Defending champion Luke Humphries knocked out of World Darts Championship
Luke Humphries was number one seed but the bookmakers’ second favourite for the tournament behind teenager Luke Littler Defending champion Luke Humphries is out of the PDC World Darts Championship in the fourth round after an astonishing performance from former winner Peter Wright. Humphries was far from his fluent best and was eventually beaten 4-1…
How to Manage Holiday Grief in Yourself and Others
How to Manage Holiday Grief in Yourself and Others The holidays can be a difficult time for people who are grieving. Here’s how to get through it or support a loved one By J. Kim Penberthy & The Conversation US The holidays can be an especially difficult time for those grieving a loss. The following…
Please Don’t Take Moral Advice from ChatGPT
Opinion Please Don’t Take Moral Advice from ChatGPT Before turning to a large language model for ethical counsel, consider what makes for good advice By Ana Gantman edited by Daisy Yuhas Should I tell my friend their boyfriend is cheating on them? Should I intervene when I hear an off-color joke? When faced with moral…
Lost city found by accident and a fly’s brain mapped: 2024’s scientific wins
A total solar eclipse seen by millions, a lost jungle city discovered by accident and hope for the almost extinct northern white rhino – science has given us a lot to get excited about this year. One of the biggest news stories was about making space travel cheaper and easier, with Elon Musk’s Starship making…
Tres ahogamientos durante el fin de semana se suman al creciente número de víctimas en Australia mientras los socorristas piden precaución
Drowning deaths in 2024 were overwhelmingly male, accounting for 22 of the 29 lives lost Another three people have drowned in Australian waters as the summer death toll continues to climb during the festive period. Police said on Sunday that two tourists were unable to be revived after a group of swimmers were pulled from…
Jimmy Carter, 39th U.S. President, Is Dead at 100
Jimmy Carter (1924-2024) Rising from Georgia farmland to the White House, he oversaw the historic Camp David peace accords, but his one-term presidency was waylaid by troubles at home and abroad. transcript “Mr. President, 50 years from now, 100 years from now, what do you want your legacy to be?” When Jimmy Carter was sworn…
Long silenced, an African park roars back to life
EDITOR’S NOTE: Few places on Earth are as evocative — or as imperiled — as the vast grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa. In a new Conservation News series, “Saving the Savanna,” we look at how communities are working to protect these places — and the wildlife within. BEIRA, Mozambique — Werner Myburgh couldn’t shake the feeling…
Report issues ‘sobering reality check’ for world’s oceans
As global leaders head to the U.N. Biodiversity Conference next week, a new report issued a stark warning: The world is falling short of its pledge to protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. Despite ambitious goals set two years ago at the last biodiversity conference, only 8.3 percent of marine areas are currently…
Caught on camera: New study reveals a refuge for rare wildlife
“Before, we were working blind”: A new Conservation International study gives scientists an unprecedented view into a remote tropical forest. The Central Cardamom Mountains are some of Southeast Asia’s most pristine expanses of wilderness — long considered a refuge for rare species. Now, a new study from Conservation International and the Cambodian government provides an…
Amid a vanishing savanna, new corridor a ‘big win’ for wildlife
Conservation International is helping recover a savanna habitat nearly twice the size of Manhattan. Brazil is home to a vast, but overlooked, tropical savanna called the Cerrado. This sprawling patchwork of open grassland and scattered woodlands covers almost a quarter of the country — an area about the size of Greenland — providing habitat for…
In Kenya, global crisis sparked ‘a new way to do conservation’
EDITOR’S NOTE: Few places on Earth are as evocative — or as imperiled — as the vast grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa. In a new Conservation News series, “Saving the Savanna,” we look at how communities are working to protect these places — and the wildlife within. MARA NORTH CONSERVANCY, Kenya — Under a fading sun, Kenya’s…
How cool are forests? A hot new study has answers
A new study from a Conservation International scientist measures the cooling effects of forests against extreme heat — with eye-opening results. The shade of a tree can offer instant relief from the heat. But how much can forests buffer scorching temperatures during an extreme heat wave? A lot, according to a new study. During the…
Climate change charts a dangerous course for the world’s largest fish
A Conservation International scientist shares what can be done to prevent an ‘outright alarming’ future for whale sharks. Warmer oceans are putting two giants of the sea on a collision course. Even at the size of a school bus, whale sharks — the world’s largest fish — are no match for cargo ships in busy shipping…
New study reveals seaweed’s hidden climate benefits
Humble seaweed is having a moment. It’s been heralded as a sustainable superfood, a biodegradable replacement for plastic packaging and a feed supplement to cut cows’ methane emissions. Now, new research shows that seaweed forests — such as massive underwater towers of kelp — may play a bigger role in fighting climate change than previously…
Amid Israel-Hezbollah Crossfire, Fish Farmers Stay Put
Middle East Crisis Israel dispatch The war with Hezbollah has cleared out the north of the country — save for a hardy few and their thousands of prized fish. By Jack Nicas Jack Nicas traveled to the Israel-Lebanon border to speak with caviar producers. He also joined them in taking shelter from Hezbollah fire. Shrapnel…
As Putin reaches 25 years in power, has he ‘taken care of Russia’?
I will never forget New Year’s Eve 1999. I was working as a producer in the BBC’s Moscow bureau. Suddenly there was breaking news: Russia’s President Boris Yeltsin had stepped down. His decision to resign took everyone by surprise, including the British press corps in Moscow. When the news broke there was no correspondent in…
In climate fight, ‘nature vs tech’ a false debate
How much can — or should — humanity rely on nature to help solve the climate crisis? That’s the question at the center of a new study, and the study’s conclusions have some scientists scratching their heads. As the United Nations climate talks recently concluded (with disappointing results), the study calls for a focus on…
Doctors without biodiversity? New plan prescribes actions linking human health, nature
If you read only the news headlines, you’d have learned that last month’s global summit on biodiversity — known as “COP16” — was not a success: “COP16 fizzles out as rich countries block global nature fund” “The COP16 biodiversity summit was a big flop for protecting nature” “COP16 ends in disarray and indecision despite biodiversity breakthroughs”…
Upon reflection: Study gauges grasslands’ climate-fighting powers
Plant more trees, cool the climate: It’s a message that readers of this website know well. But new research confirms that this “rule” doesn’t apply everywhere. Take southern Africa: In some places, grasses are far more effective climate allies than trees. Why? Grasses better reflect the sun’s radiation than darker, woody vegetation. This effect, called…
Meet the scientist helping women find their voice
In a community center in rural Madagascar, Kame Westerman noticed something that changed her career. As the men debated the closure of an octopus fishery, the women — who stood to gain or lose the most from the decision — were silent. “They either weren’t included in the decision-making or didn’t feel comfortable engaging in…
2024 in review: Amid hottest year on record, nature takes center stage
As 2024 comes to a close, global temperatures are at an all-time high — topping the previous hottest-year on record: 2023. As the rising temperatures fuel extreme weather around the world, communities are left to grapple with catastrophic floods, severe droughts and devastating wildfires. Yet amid this backdrop, new research consistently shows nature is a…
2024 in review: Turning the tide for the world’s oceans
It was a year of rough seas for the world’s oceans. Despite some progress on both fronts, overfishing and pollution persisted, while waters continued to warm at a rate that scientists “cannot fully explain,” according to Johan Rockström, chief scientist at Conservation International. But that didn’t stop conservationists and communities from working to protect the…
2024 in review: Amid crisis, victories for nature emerge
Alarm bells screamed for nature in 2024. Each week seemed to bring fresh warnings of the loss of wildlife, habitat destruction and the escalating impacts of climate change. But amid the gloom, quiet victories emerged, as ordinary people made extraordinary progress for nature. This year, Conservation News highlighted unlikely partnerships bringing wildlife back from the…
South Korea in mourning after plane crash kills all but two onboard
Flight data and cockpit voice recorders recovered from wreckage of Jeju Air flight 2216 at Muan airport Distraught family members gathered at Muan international airport in South Korea on Sunday after a plane carrying 181 people from Bangkok crashed, killing all but two people onboard, in the country’s worst domestic civil aviation disaster. Officials said…
Los incendios forestales amenazan la astronomía y lo peor está por venir
Opinion Wildfires Are Threatening Astronomy, and the Worst Is Yet to Come As wildfires grow in severity and frequency, they’re not only threatening lives but also our visual connection to the cosmos By Peter McMahon edited by Lee Billings & Daniel Vergano An aerial photo shows wildfire smoke rising over Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada…
Church in Kenya for L.G.B.T.Q. Africans Thrives Despite Attacks
The congregation in Nairobi, Kenya, has been forced to move to 10 different locations over 10 years, and yet it has survived as a sanctuary in an increasingly hostile environment. Pastor Caroline Omolo.Kang-Chun Cheng for The New York Times By Sarah Hurtes Reporting from Nairobi For nearly a decade, Kenya’s only church led and attended…
Did bird strike contribute to South Korea plane crash? What we know so far
More than 170 people have died after a plane crashed as it was landing in South Korea on Sunday morning. The Jeju Air plane came off the runway before colliding with a wall at Muan International Airport in the south west of the country. The plane, which was returning from Bangkok, in Thailand, was carrying…
Carter’s single White House term still stirs controversy after more than 40 years
Ron Elving 1 of 12 Few presidents have come as far as fast in national politics as Jimmy Carter. In 1974, he was nearing the end of his single term as governor of Georgia when he told the world he wanted to be president. Two years later, he was the president-elect. Although his name recognition…
A Year Both Brutal and Bright: 13 Favorite Dispatches From 2024
The Dispatches of 2024 In a year marked by wars, extreme weather and general wickedness, many dispatches defaulted to a distinctly dark tone. But as our correspondents traversed the globe, they found pockets of light, too. By Bryant Rousseau Bryant Rousseau has been editing dispatches since the series launched in 2017. With major conflicts raging…
US sends investigators to help establish cause of South Korea plane crash
Team from NTSB, FAA and manufacturer Boeing to assist investigation of Jeju Air crash that killed 179 The US is sending air accident investigators to South Korea to help determine what went wrong with the Jeju Air plane that crash-landed at Muan airport and skidded in a barrier early on Sunday, killing 179. The team…
8 cosas fascinantes que aprendimos sobre el lenguaje en 2024
Eight, Ocho, Acht Most Fascinating Language Discoveries of 2024 By Allison Parshall edited by Andrea Thompson How do you say “ouch” in languages around the world? If you pick a random language, odds are that this pain-expressing word involves the vowel sound “ah” or sounds made by combining it with other vowels, such as “ow”…
Fog causes flight delays at Gatwick Airport for a third day
Fog is continuing to disrupt flights at Gatwick Airport with restrictions imposed to maintain safety. While the weather is improving, the UK’s main air traffic control (ATC) provider Nats said temporary air restrictions were in place for the rest of the day at affected London airports. Flights are still being delayed across some of the…
Should You Throw Out Your Black Plastic Spatula?
Flame Retardants in Black Plastic Spatulas Concern Scientists The scientists behind a popular study on the health effects of flame retardants in black plastic cooking utensils and toys made a calculation error but still say their revised findings are alarming By Lauren J. Young edited by Dean Visser Should you throw out your black plastic…
2 men were found dead from exposure after looking for Sasquatch
By Chandelis Duster Two men from Oregon who went missing after going on a search for Sasquatch have been found dead, Washington state officials announced Saturday. The men, both from Portland, were reported missing by a family member on Christmas Day and were set to return from searching for the legendary creature in eastern Skamania…
Inside a Sinaloa Cartel Fentanyl Lab in Mexico
Mexico Dispatch New York Times reporters witnessed the dangerous fentanyl production process inside a secret lab in Culiacán run by Mexico’s most powerful criminal syndicate. Mexico Dispatch New York Times reporters witnessed the dangerous fentanyl production process inside a secret lab in Culiacán run by Mexico’s most powerful criminal syndicate. A Sinaloa cartel cook working…
Two reporters and a police officer killed in shooting at Haiti hospital reopening
Gunmen target press conference at Haiti’s largest public hospital after street gangs forced its closure earlier this year Two reporters and a police officer were killed and others injured on Tuesday when armed men opened fire on a group of journalists who gathered for a government press conference scheduled to announce the reopening of Haiti’s…
Latin America’s rise in tuberculosis linked to imprisonment rates
Study warns region’s exponential rise in incarceration is fuelling the disease, with cases increasing by 19% between 2015 and 2022 High incarceration rates in Latin America – the region with the world’s fastest-growing prison population – are exacerbating tuberculosis in a region that is bucking the global trend for falling incidents of the disease, experts…
Las exenciones fiscales para las escuelas privadas son un “lujo”, dice Phillipson
Tax exemptions on private schools are a “luxury we cannot afford”, the education secretary said ahead of a new policy coming into effect. Bridget Phillipson defended the government ending the exemption from Wednesday. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, she said “very few families” would leave the schools as a result. Separately, she told the Sunday…
Ignoring Warnings, a Growing Band of Tourists Venture to Afghanistan
With the war now over, the Taliban are welcoming foreign travelers, even as governments advise their citizens to stay away. With the war now over, the Taliban are welcoming foreign travelers, even as governments advise their citizens to stay away. Yi-Pin Lin, a tourist from the United States, and his Afghan guide, Hijrat Ullah Sahak,…
Teen Mom’s Kailyn Lowry Undergoes Breast Reduction Surgery
Teen Mom 2 star Kailyn Lowry shared she underwent breast reduction surgery, more than a year after welcoming her twins, her sixth and seventh child. For Kailyn Lowry, the holidays marked the most wonderful time for a body transformation. The Teen Mom 2 star has announced that she has undergone breast reduction surgery. In an Instagram…
What were the biggest life lessons in 2024? Here’s what NPR listeners learned
By Brittney Melton In almost a blink of an eye, 2024 came and went. A lot of people are reflecting on the past 12 months. They may be thinking about what they accomplished – or didn’t – and what they learned along the way. Regardless of how big or small life’s lessons are, they can…
78 Books Scientific American Recommends in 2024
Opinion 78 Books Scientific American Recommends in 2024 A collection of nonfiction and fiction books Scientific American editorial staff and contributors read and recommend in 2024 By Brianne Kane edited by Daniel Vergano Every story is a science story, even the ones that sound more like science fiction. This year Scientific American introduced readers to…
Jimmy Carter, former U.S. president and peace activist, dies at 100
By Kathy Lohr Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter takes questions from the media during a news conference at the Carter Center in Atlanta on Aug. 20, 2015. Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died Sunday at age 100. The Carter Center announced he died in his hometown of Plains, Ga. Carter was…
New elections could take up to four years, Syria rebel leader says
Holding new elections in Syria could take up to four years, rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has said in a broadcast interview. This is the first time he has given a timeline for possible elections in Syria since his group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led a rebel offensive that ousted former President Bashar al-Assad. In the…
Georgia Inaugurates Mikheil Kavelashvili as President Amid Anti-Western Drift
Even though a figurehead, Mikheil Kavelashvili occupies a symbolic role as the country moves further from the West and toward Russia and China. By Ivan Nechepurenko Reporting from Tbilisi, Georgia A former soccer star and conservative critic of the West was sworn in on Sunday as the new president of Georgia, a strategically important republic…
Will the World’s First Nuclear Fusion Power Plant Be Built in Virginia? Here’s Why We’re Skeptical
Will the World’s First Nuclear Fusion Power Plant Be Built in Virginia? Here’s Why We’re Skeptical A fusion power plant will go live in the next decade and produce 400 megawatts of electricity, Commonwealth Fusion Systems says By Ben Guarino edited by Dean Visser Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ new fusion power plant is expected to come…
La historia de amor de ocho décadas de Jimmy Carter y Rosalynn Carter
Former President Jimmy Carter, who died at the age of 100 on Dec. 29, and Rosalynn Carter fell in love, raised a family and spent most of their 77 years of marriage living in Plains, Ga. When Eleanor Rosalynn Smith first laid eyes on Jimmy Carter, he was a fascinating older boy. She was a few…
Trump tells 37 people on death row with commuted sentences to ‘go to hell’
On Truth Social, president-elect also lashes out at Chinese troops in Panama Canal and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Donald Trump has told 37 people on death row who had their sentences commuted by Joe Biden to “go to hell” in a lacerating Christmas Day social media post. The president-elect – long a vocal advocate of…
Por qué los gatos se obsesionan con el árbol de Navidad
Compartir ¡Especial Navidad! Suscríbete a National Geographic por solo 1€/mes Nuevos packs de libros y ediciones especiales de National Geographic a un precio especial. No es ningún secreto que los gatos sienten una fascinación malsana por los árboles de Navidad. Evitar que muerdan el árbol o sus adornos o, aún peor, que lo tiren, puede…
Israel Struggles to Halt Attacks From Houthis in Yemen, Once Off Radar
Middle East Crisis news analysis Even as battles with its enemies on its borders appear to be winding down, Israel is being challenged by intensifying attacks by the Houthi militia in Yemen, 1,000 miles away. By Isabel Kershner Reporting from Jerusalem For years, the Houthis were the enemy most Israelis didn’t know they had. Now…
Former President Jimmy Carter Dead at 100
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. Read on for details of his passing. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old. He passed away peacefully Dec. 29 at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by family, his charity the Carter Center announced in a statement. Carter,…
The fall of Syria’s dictatorship ripples out to one family in Toledo, Ohio
By Ari Shapiro , Matt Ozug , John Ketchum When Syria’s dictatorship fell in early December, a celebration broke out nearly 6,000 miles away in Toledo, Ohio. At the parking lot of a Kroger supermarket, families danced and sang to Syrian music. Women ululated, and men wrapped themselves in the flag of their home country.…