World's Freshwater Fish in Crisis, U.N. Report Warns
A new United Nations report reveals that freshwater fish populations have plummeted 81 percent over the past 50 years, endangering hundreds of species that feed millions of people. The decline is driven by warming waters, pollution, dam construction and intensive fishing, with the Amazon, Danube, Nile, Ganges and Mekong basins identified as hotspots. Only 24 species are currently listed under the UN Convention on Migratory Species, while the report adds 325 more as candidates for protection. The findings underscore the urgent need for cross‑border cooperation to safeguard migratory fish and the ecosystems they support.
Can America’s Wolves Survive an Onslaught of Political Attacks?
Gray wolves are facing a coordinated legislative push that could strip federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections from both Mexican gray wolves and the larger Northwestern and Great Plains subspecies. The House Natural Resources Committee advanced the "Enhancing Safety for...
The Quiet Pennsylvania Town Facing a Data Center Boom
Archbald, Pennsylvania, a borough of under 8,000 residents, is poised to host five massive data centers that would together occupy 13 million square feet and demand up to 1.6 gigawatts of electricity. The borough council raised industrial building height limits from 55...
Medieval Farms Were a Boon for Biodiversity, Research Finds
A new study of the Lake Constance region shows that medieval farms created a mosaic of fields, pastures, and forests that drove a steady rise in plant diversity from 500 AD to around 1000 AD. The research, based on fossil pollen, archaeological...
Species Slowdown: Is Nature’s Ability to Self-Repair Stalling?
Researchers at Queen Mary University analyzed the BioTIME database and found species turnover has slowed by about a third since the mid‑1970s. The slowdown, measured over five‑year intervals, contradicts earlier expectations that climate change would accelerate community change. Ecologists note...
Older Humpbacks Prove Better at Wooing Mates
Researchers studying humpback whales in New Caledonia found older males outperform younger ones in securing mates. Genetic sampling revealed that age correlates with song mastery, and females preferentially select seasoned singers. The study, published in *Current Biology*, underscores how decades...