If intelligent alien civilizations exist in space, it’s possible that we may find signs of their existence before we find the aliens themselves. A new study by NASA suggests that industrialized civilizations on distant worlds may be just as bad at managing their pollution as we are, and we may be able to spot their …
New research suggests that the deepest reaches of Earth’s oceans are being contaminated by mercury created by human activity. The mercury is likely being soaked up by fish close to the surface, the scientists say, and then when those fish die, they carry the toxic substance deep to the bottom of the oceans. This is …
Air pollution on the East Coast of the United States has dropped by as much as 30% according to data from NASA satellites. A side-by-side comparison of air pollution levels from 2015-2019 and 2020 reveals the extent to which the coronavirus lockdown has improved air quality. Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories. Modern life has …
LEGO bricks have the potential to last for up to 1,300 years if they end up in Earth’s oceans. The plastic toys are incredibly durable, but that makes them an absolute nightmare when it comes to ocean pollution. Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories. LEGO bricks last for centuries if discarded into the ocean, contaminating …
Plastics in the ocean smell like food to sea turtles, a new study published in Current Biology reveals. Plastic waste catches microorganisms and algae, becoming indistinguishable from food. Sea turtles are often found with plastic waste in their stomachs, and this study reveals why. Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories. Sea turtles gravitate toward waste …
By now we all know how devastating a heavy smoking habit can be for our overall health, but the air wafting around your neighborhood might not be all that much better. A new study focusing on the air quality of major cities, and the dangers of specific air pollutants, suggests that just breathing the outdoor …
Last year, a report surfaced that suggested someone, somewhere was producing a huge amount of an ozone-destroying chemical which had already been banned worldwide way back in 2010. Scientists knew it was being pumped into the air, but they didn’t know where it was coming from or who was doing it. Now, scientists report that …
You don’t have to look very far to see the negative effects of humanity’s presence on the planet. Walk on any nature trail and you’re bound to find random bits of trash, and we already know all about the tons of plastics mankind is pouring into the oceans. Microplastics — that is, bits of plastics …
The world’s coral reefs are already in serious trouble thanks to climate change that has bleached (read: utterly devastated) massive stretches of ocean habitat, and now it looks like humans are causing yet another headache for some of the planet’s most gorgeous sea life: plastics. New research data on 159 reefs throughout Asia and Australia …
As the evidence that human activity and pollution are quickly warming our planet continues to pile up, researchers are now noticing a particularly shocking side effect. We normally think of migration as the movement of animals (including humans) between two locations, but ecologists from Purdue University have discovered that the effects of climate change — called global …
