Tag: earth
Why Are Rare Earth Metals So Precious?
Why Are Rare Earth Metals So Precious? China is blocking exports of these vital minerals. What makes them so special? By Madhusree Mukerjee edited by Dean Visser Annealed neodymium iron boron magnets sit in a barrel prior to being crushed into powder in a factory in Tianjin, China. Join Our Community of Science Lovers! In…
Earth Month: Helping nature help the climate
Editor’s note: April is Earth Month, when we honor humanity’s shared responsibility for nature and the climate. At Conservation International, this responsibility drives us — and in honor of Earth Month, Conservation News is highlighting stories of our impact. We hope that this inspires you to carry the spirit of Earth Month throughout the year.…
What on Earth is a ‘conservation agreement’?
In this installment, we break down “conservation agreements,” an approach that helps conserve biodiversity while improving the quality of life for local communities. So: What is a ‘conservation agreement’? It’s a deal between a community and a group or person funding a conservation project (that could be a government, a non-profit, a foundation, a business…
What on Earth is ‘HFLD’? (Hint: It’s about forests)
Editor’s note: From “blue carbon” to “ecosystem services,” environmental jargon is everywhere these days. Conservation International looks to make sense of it in an occasional explainer series we’re calling “What on Earth?” In this installment, we explore the role “HFLDs” play in storing climate-warming carbon. You climate people and your acronyms. Yes, we really do…
Pakistan Is Trying to Integrate the ‘Most Dangerous Place’ on Earth. It’s Failing.
The country’s former tribal areas bordering Afghanistan are plagued by escalating militancy, leading to widespread disillusionment. By Zia ur-Rehman Zia ur-Rehman traveled to Pakistan’s former tribal districts bordering Afghanistan for this story. The rugged borderlands of northwestern Pakistan have long had a reputation for lawlessness and militancy, labeled by President Barack Obama as “the most…
What on Earth is ‘natural capital’?
In this installment, we break down “natural capital,” a concept that could revolutionize the way nature is protected. What is “natural capital”? It’s the stock of renewable and non-renewable natural resources (e.g., plants, animals, air, water, soils, minerals) that combine to provide benefits to people. What kind of benefits are we talking about? The air…
What on Earth is ‘reforestation’?
In this installment and video, we explore “reforestation,” a practice critical to stopping climate change. What’s reforestation? That’s easy: It’s helping to bring forest back to an area where it was destroyed. I have a feeling there’s more to it than that. Well, yes: Reforestation involves indigenous peoples, wildlife, breathable air — even the cocoa…
What on Earth is ‘land tenure’?
Editor’s note: In this installment, we break down “land tenure,” a concept with major implications for conservation. What is land tenure? At its most basic, “land tenure” refers to the rights of people or communities to manage (own and use) the land that they reside on. Meaning, if you reside on the land, you get…
Astronauts Butch and Suni finally back on Earth
After nine months in space, Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have finally arrived back on Earth. Their SpaceX capsule made a fast and fiery re-entry through the Earth’s atmosphere, before four parachutes opened to take them to a gentle splashdown off the coast of Florida. A pod of dolphins circled the craft. After…
After 286 Days in Space, NASA Astronauts Return to Earth with a Splash
After 286 Days in Space, NASA Astronauts Return to Earth with a Splash NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams had been “stuck” at the International Space Station since June 6, 2024, after Boeing’s Starliner, the vehicle they rode to get there, ran into multiple hardware problems By Gayoung Lee edited by Lee Billings NASA…
Life on Earth May Have Been Jump-Started by ‘Microlightning’
Life on Earth May Have Been Jump-Started by ‘Microlightning’ Charged water droplets generate sparks that can forge organic compounds By Cody Cottier edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier In this landmark experiment, Miller produced several amino acids out of inorganic molecules. (Amino acids combine to form proteins, which in turn combine to form living organisms.) He…
EPA targets dozens of regulations. And, ‘stranded’ astronauts may return to Earth
Suzanne Nuyen here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. The Environmental Protection Agency announced yesterday plans to target more than two dozen rules and policies. The agency is reconsidering rules that limit climate pollution from cars and power plants,…
‘City Killer’ Asteroid’s Earth Impact Risk Rises to Highest Ever Recorded
‘City Killer’ Asteroid’s Earth Impact Risk Rises and Falls Again Asteroid 2024 YR4’s risk of hitting Earth is shifting with new data, astronomers say By Lee Billings edited by Dean Visser The asteroid 2024 YR4 probably won’t come nearly as close to Earth anytime soon as the space rock in this artist’s illustration. But astronomers…
How Can We Know If an Asteroid Will Hit Earth?
The UniverseFridays How Can We Know If an Asteroid Will Hit Earth? “Keep your eye on the ball” is a motto for many athletes—and for astronomers trying to find Earth-threatening space rocks By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A not-to-scale illustration of an asteroid’s orbital path crossing the orbit of Earth around the sun.…
Will Asteroid 2024 YR24 Strike Earth in 2032?
Newfound Asteroid May Hit Earth in 2032, Scientists Say The possibility of the asteroid 2024 YR4 impacting our planet might not be ruled out until 2028, raising the prospect we’ll need to prepare for the worst By Jonathan O’Callaghan edited by Lee Billings An illustration of an asteroid approaching Earth. In late December astronomers using…
Trump Asks SpaceX to Return NASA’s ‘Stranded’ Astronauts to Earth ASAP
Trump Asks SpaceX to Return NASA’s ‘Stranded’ Astronauts to Earth ASAP Despite a recent request from Trump, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were already scheduled to return to Earth on a Crew Dragon capsule this spring By Mike Wall & SPACE.com NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore on the International Space Station. Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Well, this…
We asked global thinkers how to improve life on earth in 2025. Here are their wishes
By NPR Staff Making a wish is such a basic human instinct. Like when your birthday rolls around and candles are lit on a cake. Blow them out and make a wish. But of course you can’t tell anyone your wish or it won’t come true. But not every wish is kept secret. Over the…
Earth Life Found inside Ryugu Asteroid Samples
Scientists Discover Earth Life inside an Asteroid Sample Material from asteroid Ryugu riddled with earthly microbes provides a cautionary tale for scientists seeking signs of alien life By Sharmila Kuthunur edited by Lee Billings An artist’s concept of microbes floating in deep space. In November 2022 Matthew Genge was peering through a scanning electron microscope…