On the Great Barrier Reef, management by Traditional Owners is growing
Traditional Owners in Australia are increasing their management role over the Great Barrier Reef along Queensland's coast. Mercy Singleton, a Yirrganydji director at Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation, emphasizes the importance of protecting the coral network for recovery.
A ukulele pick. A paintbrush. Now a steering wheel. For nearly a decade, Shriners Children’s has helped Shelby pursue what’s next.
Shriners Children's has supported Shelby over nine years as she learned to use various tools including a ukulele pick, paintbrush, and steering wheel. The organization helped her pursue different activities and capabilities across this extended period of care.
Indigenous food sovereignty is one of the most overlooked conservation strategies (commentary)
Indigenous communities manage or hold tenure rights to roughly a quarter of Earth's land surface and maintain food sovereignty as an effective approach to addressing biodiversity loss, climate change, and food insecurity. Governments and conservation organizations overlook this strategy despite its proven effectiveness on the ground.
Service dog wouldn’t stop pawing a stranger on a flight. Months later, doctors confirmed why.
A service dog repeatedly pawed a stranger during a flight because the dog detected a health problem. Months later, doctors confirmed the stranger had a heart condition that the dog had identified.
Construction Worker Discovers Gold Hoard After Literally Striking a Gold Bar with His Jackhammer
A construction worker in Dendermonde, Belgium discovered gold coins while jackhammering under an old brewery foundation located 19 miles outside Brussels. Police found the hoard during excavation work at the property.
The ‘Sisterhood’ Protecting Indonesia’s Coral Reefs
A group of women divers began protecting Indonesia's coral reefs after Gabriela Nathania H first dove with four strangers off Gili Air at age 21. The Gili Islands archipelago, comprising three islands, is known worldwide for its marine biodiversity.
On an Indonesian island, an ancient ritual evolves to protect an endangered cockatoo
The Huaulu people of Seram Island adapted their centuries-old Cidaku initiation ceremony to protect the endangered salmon-crested cockatoo through collaboration with conservationists and government authorities. A study published in July in the Journal of Ethnobiology documents how this sacred coming-of-age ritual evolved to serve conservation purposes.
Threatened Bird Species Given Tiny Foot Casts to Help Recovery After Hit by Car
A threatened bird species hit by a car received custom cardboard and tape foot casts at an animal hospital. The bird is progressing well and will be released back into the wild.
Mobile queen conch hatcheries strive to help the species, engage Caribbean communities
Mobile hatcheries are breeding queen conch to restore declining populations across the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. The program engages local communities while addressing the species' collapse from overfishing and habitat loss.
Cement Kilns Could Become Carbon Negative if Run on Clean Energy as Limestone Absorbs CO2
Cement kilns powered by clean energy could become carbon negative because limestone naturally absorbs CO2 during production. The cement industry currently generates around 4 billion metric tons of CO2 annually through its energy-intensive manufacturing process.
Company Aims for ‘Moonshot’ Replacement for Trees in Paper Products with Humble Desert Plant
Kimberly-Clark is developing hesperaloe, a desert succulent plant, as a wood fiber replacement for tissues, toilet paper, and paper towels. The long-leaved plant grows in arid environments and could reduce dependence on trees for paper product manufacturing.
270,000 Square Miles Around Easter Island to Become Indigenous-Managed Ocean Reserve
A 270,000 square mile ocean reserve around Easter Island will be managed by the indigenous Rapa Nui people. The reserve represents one of the largest marine protected areas, with governance controlled by the island's native residents.
Garbage Workers in Italy Help Woman Find Her Million Jackpot
A woman in southern Italy accidentally threw a winning million-euro lottery ticket into the trash. Garbage workers from local sanitation company SANB conducted an hours-long search through an entire truck of waste and found the ticket still intact.
Traveling Doctors Are Filling the Gaps in Rural France
A family doctor in the rural French town of Ajain retired after over 40 years of practice, leaving a community of 1,000 residents without a permanent physician. Traveling doctors are now filling this gap in medical care across rural France.
‘We like breaking the rules’: the radical farm that yields results
An Italian farm uses biomimicry and agroecological technology to help crops withstand heat. The farm employs radical methods that break conventional farming rules while maintaining crop yields.
South Africa’s top court blocks Shell oil exploration off country’s Wild Coast
South Africa's Constitutional Court invalidated oil exploration rights held by Shell and Impact Africa off the Wild Coast on August 14. The decision prevents fossil fuel exploration in the region following a lawsuit brought by local communities and environmental groups.
Boyfriend Secretly Trains For Two Months To Surprise Girlfriend and Run Alongside Her in Dreaded First Half-Marathon
A boyfriend trained secretly for two months to run a half-marathon alongside his anxious girlfriend during her first race. He kept his running shoes hidden in the trunk as a surprise for the 13-mile event.
Two Hours of Sleep Restored in Alzheimer’s Brains in Research Breakthrough
Researchers restored approximately two hours of sleep in Alzheimer's disease brains through intervention. The advancement involved counteracting automatic immune responses that were damaging brain tissue during sleep disruption.
A Real Rockin’ Horse: Music Tames a Rescue Foal Who Learns to ‘Play’ Instruments for Album Debut
A rescue foal learned to chomp guitar strings while musician Mikayla Khramov played Dolly Parton's "9-to-5" on Instagram, creating an unexpected duet. The horse participated in creating an album debut by interacting with instruments through string manipulation.
California Creek Restoration Helps Young Salmon Grow Twice as Fast—And Doubles Their Survival Rate
Prairie Creek restoration in California allowed young salmon to grow twice as fast and doubled their survival rate. The project removed barriers to let the creek function naturally for three threatened salmon species including California Coastal Chinook, Northern California steelhead, and coho salmon.
The king of the Andes: How a village learned to coexist with condors
Andean condors in a Colombian village shifted from being hunted as livestock threats to being protected through community conservation efforts. Doris Torres, a local sheepherder, changed her perspective on the birds that were previously killed by poisoning or shooting in the remote mountain region.
South Africa school uses cattle dung to generate biogas for cooking meals
A South African school uses cattle dung to generate biogas for cooking meals for over 1,000 students instead of relying solely on firewood. The biogas system at Tiyani Secondary School in Limpopo province processes dung collected from the local village.
From one deer’s DNA, a road map emerges to save an endangered Philippine species
Scientists sequenced the complete genome of a Visayan spotted deer, an endangered Philippine species, using DNA from a single animal named Abraham. The genetic roadmap will help guide conservation efforts for this critically threatened deer species.
Surf’s Up for Pups at World Dog Surfing Championship Where Rosie Leads the Pack (Video)
A 5-year-old Labrador Retriever named Rosie competed at a World Dog Surfing Championship in California. Rosie has nearly 340,000 Instagram followers and is recognized by local surfers.
A 13-year-old boy spent his whole summer 3D printing a custom wheelchair for a baby in need
A 13-year-old boy spent his summer 3D printing a custom wheelchair for a baby using designs from MakeGood. The organization provides free wheelchair designs that anyone can use to manufacture mobility devices.
Ospreys Recover Thanks to ‘Pioneering Pairs’ Who Nest Away From Main Population
Osprey populations in Britain are expanding through pairs that establish nests away from main colonies rather than clustering together. The birds first went extinct in the British Isles in 1916 and began recolonizing starting in 1954.
Cat Named ‘Toast’ Survives Intense Heat of 4-Alarm Fire By Hiding in Closet
A cat named Toast survived a four-alarm fire in a five-story Utah apartment building by hiding in a closet after a mechanical issue ignited the structure. The black and gray cat went missing during evacuation but was later found alive in the closet.
Guard Becomes Celebrity Making Mini Statues For Each Event at Virginia Tech As Free Giveaways
Bryan Newton, a security guard at Virginia Tech's 1,274-seat performance hall, creates custom mini statues featuring a warrior rhino for each event as free giveaways to attendees. He produces these handmade sculptures to celebrate different campus occasions and build connections with the Virginia Tech community.
These Wetlands Treat the Wastewater of a Megacity
Constructed wetlands treat wastewater from a megacity using natural biological processes in large ponds lined with mango, date palm, and neem trees. The system processes wastewater through vegetation and soil filtration across multiple pond sections alongside an embankment landscape.
Bringing the thrill of live music to deaf audiences – with the help of air guitar
A deaf interpreter named Luke Holdsworth uses air guitar techniques while translating live concerts into British Sign Language for deaf audiences. This approach enables deaf concertgoers to experience the energy and emotion of performances through visual interpretation synchronized with the music.