Crooked Bough News Round-up

— Antarctic Ocean Circulation Has Slowed Dramatically, Study Finds

 

at 5/26/23 8:00am

Ocean circulation in the deep waters around Antarctica has slowed significantly over the past three decades, posing a threat to the climate system, according to a new study.Read more on E360 →

— Are Sea Cucumbers a Cleanup Solution to Fish Farm Pollution?

 

at 5/25/23 1:00am

Seafood farm operators are breeding and deploying sea cucumbers to vacuum up the massive amounts of fish waste that pose a major problem for their industry. It is part of an effort to redesign fish farms with multiple species so that they work more like natural ecosystems. Read more on E360 →

— Among Some Fish, Heat Stress May Be Contagious, Study Finds

 

at 5/24/23 7:22am

Heat stress not only afflicts fish in uncomfortably warm waters. It may also spread to other fish, a new study finds.Read more on E360 →

— Beyond Factory Farms: A New Look at the Rights of Animals

 

at 5/23/23 1:00am

Philosopher Peter Singer’s book, Animal Liberation, helped launch the animal rights movement nearly 50 years ago. He talks with Yale Environment 360 about how we now better understand how animals feel pain and how other species are not so different from humans as we thought.Read more on E360 →

— As Peak Oil Looms, Exxon Wades into Lithium Mining

 

at 5/22/23 7:14am

Eyeing a future of waning oil demand and rising sales of electric cars, Exxon Mobil is set to begin mining lithium, a key ingredient in EV batteries.Read more on E360 →

— New York City Sinking Under Weight of Skyscrapers

 

at 5/19/23 6:54am

New York City is sinking under the weight of its massive buildings, leaving it more vulnerable to rising seas, a new study finds.Read more on E360 →

— The Upper Atmosphere Is Cooling, Prompting New Climate Concerns

 

at 5/18/23 1:55am

A new study reaffirming that global climate change is human-made also found the upper atmosphere is cooling dramatically because of rising CO2 levels. Scientists are worried about the effect this cooling could have on orbiting satellites, the ozone layer, and Earth’s weather.Read more on E360 →

— April Heat Wave in South Asia Made 30 Times More Likely by Climate Change

 

at 5/17/23 7:21am

Deadly heat and humidity across India, Bangladesh, Laos, and Thailand in late April was made significantly more likely by climate change, scientists say.Read more on E360 →

— Biggest Fossil Fuel Firms Responsible for a Third of Western Forests Burned, Study Finds

 

at 5/16/23 7:07am

Emissions from the world's 88 largest fossil fuel firms and cement makers are responsible for 37 percent of the forest burned in the western U.S. and Canada since 1986, according to a new study.Read more on E360 →

— Amazon Deforestation Down 40 Percent So Far This Year

 

at 5/12/23 7:18am

So far this year, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is down 40 percent from the same period in 2022, according to government data. The drop comes as a win for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has promised to curb forest less.Read more on E360 →

— As Ocean Oxygen Levels Dip, Fish Face an Uncertain Future

 

at 5/11/23 3:00am

Global warming not only increases ocean temperatures, it triggers a cascade of effects that are stripping the seas of oxygen. Fish are already moving to new waters in search of oxygen, and scientists are warning of the long-term threat to fish species and marine ecosystems.Read more on E360 →

— This Zambian Took on a U.K. Mining Giant on Pollution and Won

 

at 5/10/23 3:00am

Chilekwa Mumba led a court battle to hold a U.K.-based company responsible for the gross pollution from a copper mine it owns in Zambia. In an interview, he talks about how he and local villagers faced arrest to overcome long odds and finally win a landmark legal victory.Read more on E360 →

— Birds Are Shrinking as the Climate Warms — and Small Birds Are Shrinking Faster

 

at 5/9/23 7:51am

As temperatures rise, birds' bodies are growing smaller, but their wings are growing longer. A new study finds this shift is most pronounced among the tiniest species.Read more on E360 →

— Spring Brings Record Heat to Europe, North Africa, Southeast Asia

 

at 5/8/23 7:11am

A hot spell in Southeast Asia has broken all-time heat records. It comes on the heels of a record-breaking heat wave in Southern Europe and North Africa that scientists say was "almost impossible" without climate change.Read more on E360 →

— India Aims to Block New Coal Power Proposals

 

at 5/5/23 7:32am

India is seeking to amend its National Electricity Policy to end the construction of new coal power plants.Read more on E360 →

— Avian Flu Outbreaks in Marine Mammals Mark New Era for Deadly Virus

 

at 5/4/23 3:00am

A highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza has killed thousands of wild birds and is now infecting seals and other marine mammals. Researchers know the virus can jump from birds to mammals, but they are on alert to see if it can be transmitted from mammal to mammal. Read more on E360 →

— El Niño to Return This Year, Boosting Warming Trend

 

at 5/3/23 8:02am

El Niño, a phase marked by warm waters in the eastern Pacific, will likely return this year, driving up global temperatures, according to the World Meteorological Organization.Read more on E360 →

— Finland Drained Its Peatlands. He’s Helping Bring Them Back

 

at 5/2/23 5:28am

Tero Mustonen has led a successful effort to restore roughly 80 areas of ecologically critical peatlands across his native Finland. In an interview, he talks about the importance of bringing Indigenous knowledge to rewilding initiatives in far northern regions and beyond. Read more on E360 →

— Only 10 Countries Meeting Basic Needs of Citizens in a Sustainable Way

 

at 5/1/23 8:01am

Just 10 countries are meeting the basic needs of their citizens in a sustainable way, according to a new study that looks at the water use and carbon emissions of 178 nations.Read more on E360 →

— In Australia, a Surge in Renewables Drives Down Power Prices

 

at 4/28/23 7:42am

At one point in March, renewables briefly supplied two-thirds of Australia's power, according to the grid operator, which says that the continued growth of wind and solar is driving down costs.Read more on E360 →

As of 5/29/23 4:15pm. Last new 5/26/23 10:22am.