Illinois and New York opt back into WHO despite US withdrawal
As Trump finalises the US withdrawal from the World Health Organization, individual states are already pushing back, signalling early resistance to the decision. Anyone who is well informed about world affairs knows about the World Health Organization, and the powerhouse that it is. The organisation was founded shortly after World War...
Current in Planet
UK to increase ‘forever chemicals’ tests due to concerns
Following environmental and health concerns, the UK has announced it will increase testing for ‘forever chemicals’ in the environment as part of a nationwide plan. Critics say it fails to match the EU’s much ‘tougher’ stance. The UK is planning to crack down on ‘forever chemicals’ with increased testing,...
Antarctica inaugurates the world’s first ice sanctuary
With climate change raging over glacial ice, the landmark sanctuary was built to preserve Earth’s historical records held within the ice. Time machines have long captured human imagination but have remained firmly in the realm of science fiction. Yet, understanding the past may not require such sophisticated piece of...
Is a ‘recycling lottery’ the way to get people fully on board?
Would people be more inclined to recycle their waste if they had a slim chance of winning $1,000 each time? Unsurprisingly, the data says yes. A sense of moral responsibility or pang of guilt not cutting it? How about four figures of cold hard cash for that garbage? Around 10 US...
Indonesia involves military to accelerate deforestation
Such a move tells us all where the nation’s priorities lie on the environmental front. Covering 52% of Indonesia’s land is lush rainforests, making it one of the largest tropical rainforest systems in the world after the Amazon and Congo Basin. Contrary to popular belief, its rainforest isn’t just a...
Seismic ‘popping’ alarms scientists over megatsunami in Alaska
The ongoing Barry Arm landslide has alerted experts, driving a push to understand and monitor its progress before it triggers a megatsunami that could devastate all surrounding life. In 2019, Valisa Higman was boating around the Barry Arm fjord when she noticed massive and unusual fractures on the cliffs above...
UK announces ‘most ambitious’ livestock welfare laws in a generation
England is set to phase out caged hens and pig farrowing crates under a new package of animal welfare laws announced by the government. The changes mark a major shift in how farm animals are treated, with ministers confirming plans to end the use of cages for laying hens and ban farrowing crates for pigs. Both systems have long criticised by animal welfare groups for causing unnecessary suffering. While traditional battery...
Illegal mining sites are threatening the Mekong River
The global demand for rare earth minerals is starting to overwhelm Southeast Asia’s largest river system, with an increase in illegal mining sites tallying with reports of mutated fish in the Mekong River. The Mekong Basin, located in Southeast Asia, is the region’s longest river system. While the river itself is 4,900km, the basin spans a whopping 795,000 across six countries: China, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar. This massive river...
IAEA confirms damages to Chernobyl’s containment unit post-Russian strikes
Strikes from Russia early this year resulted in a breach in the Chernobyl’s radioactive containment unit. Now exposed, the IAEA is putting in a rush on repairs to prevent a new radioactive fallout. 39 years ago, a disaster occurred that would for the years to come be known as one of the world’s biggest nuclear accidents. In late April of 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in what was...
Lemurs are being eaten and it’s causing biodiversity breakdowns
Madagascar's lemurs have little time left. The animals are facing a new danger from the urban elite of the country who are paying handsomely for their meat. How is this impacting biodiversity and ecosystems in the region and beyond? A new study published in the Conservation Letters says that wealthy urban residents of Madagascar are eating the flesh of one of the world's most endangered primates. Eating lemurs has gained...
