Enlarge / The vaquita’s population is small, but it may have purged most of its harmful mutations in the past. (credit: David Schneider) With only around 10 individuals left in the world, a tiny porpoise called the vaquita is facing extinction. Somewhat surprisingly, despite the relative shallowness of its gene pool, inbreeding isn’t likely to […]
When a rare species is a product. Alive or dead, rare or mundane, insects are weirdly easy to find for sale online. However, in some cases, the insects or spiders sold through the various e-commerce sites, both niche and large-scale, may be of dubious provenance. Some may be bred and reared in sustainable programs. Others […]
Enlarge / Solar power and habitat preservation are likely to conflict, but only in some areas. (credit: Zhi Hao ) Compared to fossil fuel plants, renewable energy facilities cover a lot of ground. That ground can be put to additional uses; many wind farms are also farms, and even solar plants can work well with […]
Enlarge / Detailed rock-art recording by ARKENAS archaeologist in Maros-Pangkep. (credit: Adhi Agus Oktaviana) The limestone caves and rock shelters of Indonesia’s southern Sulawesi island hold the oldest traces of human art and storytelling, dating back more than 40,000 years. Paintings adorn the walls of at least 300 sites in the karst hills of Maros-Pangkep, […]
Enlarge / How much is preserving something like this worth? (credit: Karen Chan 16, Miguel.v, and Jorge Morales Piderit) Is there a way to put a dollar amount on pristine forests or marshlands? The United Nations believes so—and that the ability to do it might be a valuable step toward combating the slew of environmental […]