Archive for the 'Environment' Category
5 Countries Spew More Plastic Into the Oceans Than the Rest of the World Together
January 18th, 2016Via: GlobalPost: In a recent report, Ocean Conservancy claims that China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam are spewing out as much as 60 percent of the plastic waste that enters the world’s seas. “At this rate, we would expect nearly one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish in our oceans by […]
Floating Dam Could Revolutionize Ocean Clean-Up
January 2nd, 2016Via: Quartz: In a few months, a giant floating dam—in the form of a 328-feet (100 meters) long barrier segment—will be set up in the North Sea, some miles off the coast of The Netherlands. Its ambition: to cleanse the world’s oceans of plastic trash forever. Plastic waste is a major threat to animals in […]
Beijing Red Alert for Smog
December 7th, 2015Via: BBC: Schools in Beijing are to close and outdoor construction to stop after the Chinese capital issued its first “red alert” over smog levels. The red alert is the highest possible, and has not been used in the city before, the state-run Xinhua news agency says. Authorities expect more than three consecutive days of […]
Airpocalypse Now: China Pollution Reaching Record Levels
November 28th, 2015Via: Guardian: In some areas of Shenyang, PM2.5 readings reportedly surpassed 1,400 micrograms per cubic metre, which is about 56 times the levels considered safe by the World Health Organisation. More: Beijing Residents Told to Stay Inside, Air Pollution 15X Safe Level
“Gene Drive” Mosquitoes
November 26th, 2015Via: Guardian: Hundreds of genetically modified mosquitoes that are incapable of spreading the malaria parasite to humans have been created in a laboratory as part of a radical approach to combating the disease. The move marks a major step towards the development of a powerful and controversial technology called a “gene drive” that aims to […]
Genetically Engineered Salmon Approved for Consumption
November 19th, 2015Via: New York Times: Federal regulators on Thursday approved a genetically engineered salmon as fit for consumption, clearing the way for the first genetically altered animal to reach American supermarkets and dinner tables. The approval, by the Food and Drug Administration, comes more than five years after agency reviewers made their initial determination that the […]
The Next Gold Rush Will Be 5,000 Feet Under the Sea
November 18th, 2015Via: Vice: And that will mean dispatching a fleet of giant remote-operated robotic miners 5,000 feet below the surface to harvest the riches scattered across ocean floor. These mammoth underwater vehicles look like they’ve been hauled off the set of a sci-fi film—think Avatar meets The Abyss. And they’ll be dredging up copper, gold, and […]
GreenWave Ocean Farming Model
November 14th, 2015Via: Guardian: A commercial fisherman who admitted to once pillaging the oceans has won the 2015 Fuller Challenge, one of the most important prizes in sustainability. Bren Smith, executive director of nonprofit GreenWave, took home $100,000 for his 3D ocean farming model, designed to address overfishing, mitigate climate change, restore marine ecosystems and provide jobs […]
U.S. Announces Plans to Deal with EMP Threat
November 2nd, 2015In other news, Naval Academy Reinstates Celestial Navigation. Via: USA Today: Space weather, which can disrupt satellites, stifle communications networks and paralyze the electric power grid, is getting some special scrutiny from the Obama administration. The White House announced a new strategy Thursday to identify and respond to interstellar phenomena such as solar flares that […]
EU Countries Won’t Be Able to Opt Out of Genetically-Modified Food
October 28th, 2015Wow. Via: The Journal: EU LAWMAKERS HAVE rejected a hard-won compromise which would have allowed member states to decide whether or not to import Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) for use in food and animal feed. The European Parliament voted 557 to 75 against on a law which took the European Commission years to negotiate amid […]
