research
Amazon deforestation has a regional, not just local impact: study
It’s been well-documented that local temperatures rise in an area after the forest has been cleared. There’s no canopy to block the sun from hitting the soil directly and no trees to absorb moisture to stave off extreme heat. But could deforestation have a more regional impact, too? A new study found that deforestation in […]
Gone before we know them? Kew’s ‘State of the World’s Plants and Fungi’ report warns of extinctions
A new report from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) warns that Earth’s vast numbers of plant and fungal species are threatened with extinction, and many may meet that fate before science ever describes them. The “State of the World’s Plants and Fungi” report draws on research from 200 scientists across 30 countries. A […]
Rechargeable battery industry needs better mining regulations, report says
Rechargeable batteries have an important role to play in the fight against climate change, especially when it comes to lowering greenhouse gas emissions through the transition to electric vehicles. It’s one reason the rechargeable battery market is expected to grow to over $180 billion by 2030. But the transition minerals that go into those batteries […]
Seaweed to Slow Down Climate Change: Ready? Or Not?
Seaweed is having a moment. I’ve been working on seaweed for 40 years, and I’ve never seen so many headlines about how seaweed can save the planet. I can understand why. The need to save the planet is more pressing than ever. We must now dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, at the same time, […]
Read MoreIn Panama, a tiny rainfrog named after Greta Thunberg endures
Up in the trees of a misty sky island, folded into the foliage, a tiny rainfrog bears the name of a climate giant. The new-to-science species, found on a mountain in Panama, has been named after climate activist Greta Thunberg. Greta Thunberg’s rainfrogs (Pristimantis gretathunbergae) are minuscule (about 3 to 4 centimeters or 1.1 to […]
Mongabay’s top Amazon stories from 2021
The world’s greatest tropical rainforest continued to come under pressure in 2021, due largely to the policies of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Deforestation rates hit a 15-year-high, while fires flared up again, combining to turn Brazil’s portion of the Amazon into a net carbon source for the first time ever. But the rainforest as a […]
Top 15 species discoveries from 2021 (Photos)
With humans sending probes to explore Mars and the sun, one might think we’ve already explored the full extent of our own planet. But scientists say we’ve only begun to find and describe the riches here on Earth. “I think most people believe that we know most species on Earth … but in the best-case […]
Mongabay reporter sued in what appears to be a pattern of legal intimidation by Peruvian cacao company
In November 2020, Peruvian cacao company Tamshi filed a lawsuit against Mongabay Latam staff reporter Yvette Sierra Praeli for “aggravated defamation” over her reporting of a government investigation into the firm’s activities in the Peruvian Amazon. While the case was formally dismissed by a Peruvian court last month, it wasn’t the first time that Tamshi […]
New study helps cattle ranchers monitor ecological impact on U.S. rangelands
Cattle ranchers in the U.S. will soon have a systematic way of measuring the ecological impact that their industry has on rangeland ecosystems across the country. A new study published in Rangeland Ecology & Management lays out a list of the most important factors for ensuring the sustainability of livestock grazing — something that, until […]
Study chronicles dying of a lake in PNG with advent of oil & gas activities
JAKARTA — Years of deforestation and mining have devastated a wetland of international importance in Papua New Guinea, which, if left unchecked, could lead to the collapse of the ecosystem, researchers have warned. In a newly published study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from Australian National University (ANU) identified signs of […]