New study provides a blueprint for engaging indigenous peoples in REDD+ forest monitoring
By Mike Gaworecki Accurately evaluating forest carbon stocks is difficult to do in remote rainforests where researchers are afforded limited access. It is widely believed that only experts can properly measure forest biomass, but a new study found that well-trained indigenous technicians are just as effective at collecting the necessary data to monitor forest carbon variability. […]
What dung beetles are teaching us about the genetics of sex differences
Cris Ledón-Rettig, Indiana University, Bloomington Picture a lion: The male has a luxuriant mane, the female doesn’t. This is a classic example of what biologists call sexual dimorphism – the two sexes of the same species exhibit differences in form or behavior. Male and female lions pretty much share the same genetic information, but look […]
Here’s how air pollution kills 3,450,000 people a year
Top image: Pollution is a global problem. Pexels Coal is costly Pexels Pollution is a global problem. Air Pollution kills. A study released yesterday in the journal Nature found that in 2007, air pollution lead to the premature deaths of 3.45 million people worldwide—a number equivalent to the population of the state of Connecticut. And […]
Current Regulations Unable to Control Trade in Products from Slave Labor, Expert Says
By Ana Aranha and João Diaz – Repórter Brasil Leading expert on modern-day slavery Kevin Bales talks about the lack of tools available to stop the flow of money from consumers to networks facilitating human rights abuse and environmental destruction. Kevin Bales is co-founder of the advocacy group Free the Slaves and professor of Contemporary Slavery […]
For scientists, research cuts proposed by Trump are alarming – and deeply personal
The Trump administration’s call on Thursday to slash almost 20 percent of the National Institutes of Health’s budget led scientists to warn that such cuts would sap biomedical research in the United States. But it also left many of them with more personal feelings: Anxiety. Fear. Sadness. The NIH has bipartisan defenders in Congress who […]
Suppliers of Lowe’s in the U.S. and Walmart in Brazil Linked to Slave Labor in the Amazon
By André Campos – Repórter Brasil An investigation has revealed U.S.-based companies bought timber from Brazilian traders that sourced forest products from several sawmills in the Amazon where loggers worked under slave labor conditions. HIGHLIGHTS: Slave labor-analogous conditions were revealed by investigation of logging camps in Pará, Brazil. A supply chain investigation of the timber harvested […]
Actual Living Scientists Dress Like Women
Two Twitter hashtags signal new era for science outreach By Ben Lybarger Two events last month generated an incredible response on social media. One was triggered by Donald Trump’s reported pressuring of female staff members to “to dress like women.” This spurred the hashtag #dresslikeawoman, which has managed to deconstruct antiquated gender norms related to fashion […]
Getting there: The rush to turn the Amazon into a soy transport corridor
The Amazon’s rivers once were sufficient for commerce; now international commodities traders want to build roads, railways and industrial waterways thru the Amazon’s heart. By Sue Branford and Maurício Torres Top photo by Mauricio Torres: The Bunge commodities terminal in Miritituba on the Tapajós River. Tapajós basin fishermen have complained that the Miritituba port has polluted […]
What do gorilla suits and blowfish fallacies have to do with climate change?
Article by John Cook, George Mason University Image: Pardon me while I blow this out of proportion. Blowfish image via www.shutterstock.com. A famous psychology experiment instructed participants to watch a short video, counting the number of times players in white shirts passed the ball. If you haven’t seen it before, I encourage you to give the following […]