Natural Sciences feed

Amazon deforestation rate up 88 percent over last year

Stephen Messenger — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:45:19 -0400

Despite a steady decline in deforestation in recent years, the latest figure suggests indicate a change of direction.

See what it's like to be eaten by a Grizzly bear in Alaska (video from GoPro camera)

Michael Graham Richard — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:25:22 -0400

Ever wondered what it's like to be eaten by a grizzly bear? Probably not... Except maybe in a nightmare. In any case, it's now possible to see (if not feel) what it's like from the safety of your home.

Mysterious anteater birth is ripe for an anteater-themed soap opera

Stephen Messenger — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:57:00 -0400

Armani has some explaining to do. But she is, of course, an anteater, and they're notoriously tight-lipped.

Cats are going extinct: 12 most endangered feline species

Jaymi Heimbuch — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:57:00 -0400

It is Endangered Species Day and we are acknowledging it by bringing attention to these feline species that are on the verge of disappearing.

Dogs are going extinct: 8 most endangered canid species

Jaymi Heimbuch — Fri, 17 May 2013 06:00:00 -0400

It is Endangered Species Day and we are acknowledging it by bringing attention to these canid species that are on the brink of disappearing.

Kindhearted cop halts traffic pursuit to escort a family of ducks off the road (Video)

Stephen Messenger — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:37:06 -0400

Who says the motto "to protect and serve" only applies to people?

Fewer trees mean less rain, decreased hydropower

Chris Tackett — Thu, 16 May 2013 09:20:00 -0400

A new study published by The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences serves as a great example of the interconnectedness of nature and how human activity can disrupt life-sustaining systems.

Researcher decodes prairie dog language, discovers they've been talking about us (Video)

Stephen Messenger — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:15:09 -0400

The results show that praire dogs aren't only extremely effective communicators, they also pay close attention to detail.

Need some perspective on time? Here is Today

Michael Graham Richard — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:45:43 -0400

It's very hard for our puny human brains to understand the vastness of space and the immensity of time that has passed since the formation of the Earth or the universe.

Former landfill transformed into a nature reserve opens in the UK

Stephen Messenger — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:29:04 -0400

"What you have done here...is a monument to what can be done to restore nature."

Poacher trampled to death by the elephant he was trying to shoot

Stephen Messenger — Mon, 13 May 2013 01:37:03 -0400

As their numbers continue to slip lower despite efforts to curb illegal hunting, the elephants themselves may soon prove to be a poacher's greatest deterrent.

Tree surgeon in England goes out of his way to save 20,000 bees

Stephen Messenger — Sun, 12 May 2013 20:46:37 -0400

Thankfully, there are folks like John Joinson who are doing their part to keep those black and yellow bugs in the pink.

Indian villagers rush to the rescue of a baby elephant (Video)

Stephen Messenger — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:07:58 -0400

While it's safe to say that the kindhearted locals were driven by empathy and compassion, thankfully a video has emerged to ensure that their show of altruism doesn't go unnoticed by the world.

Oops. Dangerous Giant African Snail found in Texas turns out to be Rosy Wolf Snail

Michael Graham Richard — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:19:29 -0400

It looks like the Giant African Snail that was discovered in Houston, Texas, was actually a Rosy Wolf Snail, which is native to North-America.

'Critter cams' capture life from a bear's point of view (Video)

Stephen Messenger — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:19:04 -0400

Biologists are now beginning to get a better idea of what urban bears are up to when they think no one is watching.

ESA Biomass satellite will "weight" the world's forests from orbit

Michael Graham Richard — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:10:25 -0400

The more we know about our planet and how its ecosystems function, the better we should be able to protect it (or at least know if what we're doing is working or not working).

Hundreds of starving sea lion pups get a helping hand [Photos]

Jaymi Heimbuch — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:15:00 -0400

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California, is overflowing with rescued sea lion pups. The center has taken in over 300 of the 1,300+ sea lion pups that have turned up starving and dehydrated. Here is their rescue efforts, in photos.

It's 5.8.13 or Fibonacci Day in America

Lloyd Alter — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:12:00 -0400

The numeric sequence and the related golden rectangle have had a significant effect on design and architecture, and are found all over in nature.

Dangerous invasive Giant African Snails discovered in Texas

Michael Graham Richard — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:55:17 -0400

An invasive species of Giant African Snails has been popping up all over the map recently, from Australia to the US.

One year of the sun's activity captured in one image

Jaymi Heimbuch — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:33:00 -0400

Curious about how much activity is really going on at the sun's surface? This photo reveals it all.

Poachers have now killed all the rhinos in Mozambique

Stephen Messenger — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:23:35 -0400

No one can say for certain how many millions of years African rhinos roamed within the borders of Mozambique -- but now there are none.

Study finds mice in New York City are evolving

Stephen Messenger — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:40:58 -0400

Cancel your expedition to the Galapagos; evidence of evolution may be closer to home than you thought.

Back from the dead: Groundbreaking Canadian freshwater research center finds savior

Michael Graham Richard — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:07:04 -0400

Last Summer, we wrote about the tragic decision by Canada's federal government to shut down the ground-breaking Experimental Lake Area (ELA) freshwater research project. At the time, the decision seemed purely based on politics and ideology.

Watch these baboons ransack a home in South Africa (Video)

Stephen Messenger — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:09:41 -0400

They arrive to places unannounced, bring a bunch of their friends and start making a mess of things, almost as if they own the place. But enough about humans; baboons do it too.

Describe the world for The Encyclopedia of Life!

Chris Tackett — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:10:34 -0400

Maggie Koerth-Baker at Boing Boing and The Encyclopedia of Life want you to become an Armchair Taxonomist.

Baby Southern White Rhinoceros playing in the mud (videos)

Michael Graham Richard — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:49:06 -0400

The calf is named Anna and was born on April 6, after 16 months of gestation. She was named Anna in honor of rhino conservationist Anna Merz who died on April 4th.

Indian man who planted a 1,360-acre forest now plans to plant another

Stephen Messenger — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:24:11 -0400

“It may take another 30 years," says Payeng. "But I am optimistic about it."

Non-profit wants to clone the world's oldest trees to reforest the planet

Michael Graham Richard — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:09:32 -0400

Let's say that some trees have great genes that allow them to live for millennia and grow to be almost as big as skyscrapers, but that because they are so big, they are ideal targets for lumberjacks so they almost all get cut down...

World's largest instrument makes incredible organ music from limestone rock (Video)

Kimberley Mok — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:00:00 -0400

Spanning over acres and taking decades to build, The Great Stalacpipe Organ makes beautiful music by tapping on the cavern's hanging stalactites.

The Colorado River named most endangered river in America [Video]

Jaymi Heimbuch — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:35:00 -0400

A beautiful video by photographer Pete McBride shows how this epic and ancient river is now the most endangered in the country.