A global study of 18,000 forest patches reveals unwritten social rules in small communities effectively limit slash-and-burn farming's environmental impact, preserving forest health and biodiversity.
The European Central Bank presented ten finalist designs for future euro banknotes, inviting public participation in a vote between "European culture" (featuring historical figures like Callas, Beethoven, Curie) and "nature" (symbolic birds and EU institutions). The new banknotes are expected to enter circulation from late 2026.
Crop nutrient content has declined for decades, prompting research into solutions. Regenerative agriculture, focusing on soil health, shows promise in boosting nutrient density in some studies, but faces skepticism regarding scalability and cost-effectiveness.
The European Central Bank has presented ten finalist designs for the future euro banknotes, inviting European citizens to vote on two main themes: European culture, featuring historical figures like Maria Callas and Leonardo da Vinci, or the richness of nature, depicting European birds and rivers. The new banknotes are scheduled to enter circulation from the end of 2026.
A study in the Netherlands found that a floating solar farm on Bomhofsplas lake may support biodiversity. Researchers observed bird sounds suggesting nesting and found underwater shelters attracted hundreds of fish and thousands of invertebrates, indicating well-designed farms can benefit local ecosystems.
A study at the Bomhofsplas Solar Farm in the Netherlands found bird sounds suggesting nesting under panels and underwater shelters attracting hundreds of fish and thousands of invertebrates. This indicates that well-designed floating solar farms can support biodiversity, reduce water evaporation, and improve panel performance.
The floating Arctic research station 'Tara' has departed Lorient, France, for a two-year mission to drift with sea ice. An international team will collect over 10,000 samples to study climate change's impact on the rapidly transforming polar region.
Escaped flowerhorn cichlids, human-bred hybrid fish, are integrating into Lake Sampaloc's ecosystem in the Philippines, threatening native species like the endangered ayungin. Research highlights their resilience in polluted waters and potential health risks, urging collaborative solutions.
South Africa is launching a large-scale project to eradicate mice on Marion Island, a subantarctic island, by dropping 550 tons of poison via six helicopters. The mice, introduced in the 19th century, have begun attacking native seabirds, threatening the island's unique biodiversity and ecological balance.
Volkswagen's plant in Poznań, Poland, is using 100 sheep to manage vegetation at its 18.3 MW solar farm. This agrivoltaics approach cuts machinery use, reduces emissions, and allows researchers to study coexistence of renewable energy and agriculture.
Uno studio di Oxford e iDiv/Friedrich Schiller University Jena indica che gli elefanti da guerra furono determinanti nella scelta del percorso di Annibale sulle Alpi (218 a.C.). Il Col de la Traversette è risultato il valico energeticamente più conveniente per l'esercito cartaginese, con 5,42 terajoule, spiegando la sopravvivenza di molti animali.
A new study published in PNAS estimates Earth may have between 14.2 and 20.3 million insect species, three times more than previously thought. Researchers conducted a large survey in Costa Rica and scaled up findings, highlighting the vast undiscovered biodiversity and the urgent need for conservation amid declining insect populations.
A study reveals the top 10% of global consumers inflict up to $5.7tn in annual environmental damage, exceeding the economies of all but the US and China. This damage stems from high consumption of red meat, flights, and energy, with biodiversity loss and climate change as major impacts.
The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), a digital archive of natural world literature, has made over 64 million pages freely available. Despite its crucial role in scientific research and understanding biodiversity crises, BHL faces funding cuts and may cease operations by 2027.
Ecosystems are often described using functional language, implying they have purposes they can fail to perform. This essay argues that ecosystems lack intrinsic ends and cannot truly "break down," challenging the "ecosystem services" framework and advocating for clearer thinking about environmental crises.
Young adults with learning disabilities are gaining green sector jobs and transforming environments through the London Tree Ring project. The initiative aims to create wildlife corridors around the capital, fostering biodiversity and reconnecting a new generation with nature.
A new Natural History GCSE in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will teach students about UK habitats, human impact on nature, and climate breakdown, with at least 20 hours of fieldwork, aiming to make the subject accessible to all despite unequal green space access.
Thousands protested in Tirana against a coastal tourism complex linked to Jared Kushner, citing environmental damage and corruption concerns. The project plans hotels on Sazan island and a protected wetland, sparking investigations and protests.
A report warns that proposed changes to England's planning laws will further disadvantage the poorest communities by reducing their access to green spaces and biodiversity. Exemptions for developers, particularly on small and brownfield sites, disproportionately affect deprived areas, exacerbating existing nature poverty.
A report warns that proposed changes to planning laws in England will further disadvantage the poorest communities in their access to green spaces and biodiversity. Exemptions for developers, particularly for small and brownfield sites, disproportionately affect deprived areas, exacerbating existing nature poverty.
The Supreme Court has ordered the Tamil Nadu government to prepare an action plan within a month to evict thousands of encroachers from the Agasthyamalai biodiversity hotspot. The court also mandated disciplinary action against 118 government servants involved in land encroachment.
Madagascar's exceptional biodiversity is being studied with advanced technologies like eDNA, acoustic monitoring, and camera traps. These methods help identify endemic species and understand their response to threats like deforestation, aiding crucial conservation efforts.
The River Wye catchment has been recognised as a living ecosystem with intrinsic rights in a UK-first charter, aiming to protect the polluted river. This initiative, part of the global 'rights of nature' movement, grants the river rights to flow, biodiversity, and freedom from pollution, with local councils adopting the charter and campaigners pushing for stronger regulation and enforcement.
The River Wye catchment has been recognized as a living ecosystem with intrinsic rights via a new UK charter. Campaigners hope this will aid in saving the polluted river, which faces ecological collapse due to nutrient runoff from industrial farming and sewage spills.
