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Nanotechnology Behind a Giant Leap Forward in the Detection of Toxins and Pollutants

For centuries, animals have been our first line of defense against toxins. A canary in a coalmine served as a living monitor for poisonous gases. Scientists used fish to test for contaminants in our water. Even with modern advances, though, it can take days to detect a fatal chemical or organism. Until now.

17 Feb 2009

Culling Whales Will Not Save Fish Populations in Tropical Areas

Culling whales will not increase fisheries catches in tropical waters, according to a new paper supported by the Lenfest Ocean Program and published today in the journal Science

16 Feb 2009

Antarctica Found to be Cradle of Life

The first extensive study of underwater marine life in Antarctica has revealed it is home to 7,500 animals, prompting WWF-Australia to call for an urgent expansion of marine protected areas in the region

16 Feb 2009

Nitrogen Pollution Reduced By Crop Diversity

Researchers have identified a link between the diversity of crops grown in farmlands and the pollution they create in lakes and rivers. In a Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment e-View paper, ecologists show that when the biodiversity of crops is high, less dissolved nitrogen is found exiting the surrounding watersheds

12 Feb 2009

Learning About Climate Change From An Antarctic Worm That Makes Its Own Anti-Freeze

Brigham Young University researchers who just returned from Antarctica are reporting a hardy worm that withstands its cold climate by cranking out antifreeze

9 Feb 2009

Study Shows Toxicity Levels of Particulate Matter From Wildfires

A study of coarse and fine particulate matter (PM) generated by the California wildfires of 2008 suggests a toxicity level greater than that of an equivalent dose of PM in ambient air, as reported in the January 2009 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives

9 Feb 2009

Biodiversity Important For Heidelberg Cement Mine Sites

As the first company in the industry, HeidelbergCement today publishes its Group guideline for the promotion of biodiversity at mineral extraction sites

4 Feb 2009

Research Finds New Reason for Wheezing Caused by Air Pollution Ozone and Potential Treatments

Researchers at NIEHS and Duke University have discovered a cause of airway irritation and wheezing after exposure to ozone, a common urban air pollutant. Using an animal model, the researchers were also able to identify several ways to stop the airways from narrowing.

3 Feb 2009

Quantum Dots, Part of the Nanotechnology Revolution May Be Toxic to Health and the Environment

Researchers in Texas are reporting that quantum dots (QDs) — a product of the revolution in nanotechnology increasingly used in electronics, solar cells, and medical imaging devices — may be toxic to cells under acidic or alkaline conditions

29 Jan 2009

Top Ten Animals Battling to Survive in Australia

With Australia Day, the official national day of Australia, coming up on 26 January WWF-Australia has announced its own Australia Day Honours list - the top ten Aussie Battlers of 2008

22 Jan 2009