How ‘Dune’ became a beacon for the fledgling environmental movement − and a rallying cry for the new science of ecology
Frank Herbert wanted to tell a story about the environmental crisis on our own planet, a world driven to the edge of ecological catastrophe
Of Saint Patrick and the serpents
As the Irish celebrate the feast day of their patron saint globally, some insights into why the Emerald Isle is ‘snake-less’ and how …
Burkina Faso, Mali & Niger hint at a new west African currency: what it’ll take for it to succeed
Close coordination of macroeconomic and budgetary policies, establishment of robust monetary management institutions and creation of an …
Simply Put: Endangered species
Gut microbes that digest cellulose are declining, especially in industrialised nations
Industrialised nations tend to prefer processed food ingredients over a plant-based diet with increased fibre levels
Climate-friendly beef? Argentina’s new certification could help reduce livestock emissions — if it’s done right
Certification will only work if consumers are willing to pay a higher price for carbon-neutral, or even just climate-friendly, meat and dairy products
There will be more human-bull shark interactions in future; the species is adapting to warming seas, and thriving
Five-fold increase in the abundance of juvenile bull sharks over the last 20 years in Mobile Bay coincides with increasing sea surface temperatures
Britain’s seas are warming from John O’Groats to The Lizard, data collected by all-female rowboat crew finds
Kent, Thames Estuary, East Anglia, Yorkshire & the Humber, Northumberland and Scottish Lowlands notable exceptions
Pacific Islanders have long drawn wisdom from the Earth, the sky and the waves. Research shows the science is behind them
Much of traditional knowledge in the Pacific for coping with climate change is scientifically plausible
Neurological conditions primary cause of ill health, disability globally: Lancet study
Number of people affected by or dying from neurological conditions increased over past 3 decades; People in LMICs disproportionately …
Over 50 million people may be food insecure in eastern Africa, warns WFP
Sudan (17.7 million), Ethiopia (15.8 million people) and South Sudan (5.7 million) most concerning
Fair sex, unfair pay: Women in healthcare paid 24% less than men, highlights WHO report
Gender pay gap despite women comprising 67% of global health & social care workforce, specialties still dominated by men
What is the Darien Gap? And why are more migrants risking this Latin American route to get to the US?
The challenging topography of humid, swampy rainforest as well as criminal gangs who control the area, make the route an extremely challenging …
Climate change: Over a million farming households face acute food shortage in Zambia, warns Oxfam
A severe drought, worsened by climate change & El Nino, has caused massive crop failures for half of the nation’s planted area
It’s a myth that male animals are usually larger than females — new study
Male-biased size dimorphism was found in only 28% of 429 mammal species examined
Poverty reduction in reverse, far-right populism to blame, says UN 2023 Human Development Report
A ‘democracy paradox’, coupled with a sense of powerlessness & lack of control over government decisions, has fuelled political …
Climate change matters to more and more people — and could be a deciding factor in the 2024 election
Between the 2016 and the 2020 presidential elections, climate change became increasingly important to voters
The next pandemic? It’s already here for Earth’s wildlife
Species already threatened with extinction are among those which have died due to bird flu in the past three years
Trendy fashion is not always great for the planet, but circular fashion choices can help
Fashion waste reduction, rental options and consumer awareness are some ways to reduce textile industry’s impact on environment
What’s behind the worldwide shortage of cholera vaccines? For starters, they’re only made by one company
Oral cholera vaccine stockpiles ran dry at the beginning of 2024
Almost 5 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2022, finds UN report
A neonatal death happened every 14 seconds, one under five death every 6 seconds
Scaling sustainable food production in face of climate change is the defining challenge of our times
Localised and climate-smart agriculture can help preserve agrobiodiversity and reshape the larger narrative of responsible food production &…
Nigeria risks losing all its forest elephants – what we found when we went looking for them
Habitat fragmentation, forest degradation, illegal hunting, genetic isolation and human-elephant conflict means the future of these elephants is …
Microplastics have been found in human placenta: Is it a ticking bomb?
Several studies have documented presence of nano and microplastics in foetuses; unrealistic to assume they pose no risk
Why are dates used to break the Ramadan fast?
The answer lies in geography, theology and modern science