Bats are seeking sanctuary in churches – but they’re making an unholy mess
A new study estimates that about half of all churches in England have bats living in them.
Environment & Sustainability
Learn about climate change, renewable energy, and sustainable living practices. CurioAtlas brings together research and solutions shaping the future of our planet.
Brazil’s Amazon deforestation falls 11% even as fires surge to record levels
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest fell by 11% from August 2024 to July this year, the government said Thursday, even as wildfires tracked by Brazil’s space agency surged to record levels amid a severe drought. According to Brazil’s…
Paint me cool: scientists reveal roof coating that can reduce surface temperatures up to 6C on hot days
Sydney researchers commercialising a product they say can cool indoor spaces and will cost little more than standard premium paints Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Australian scientists have developed roof coatings…
Stronger arctic cyclones speed up polar melting, impacting global weather
Powerful winds are ripping through the Arctic, breaking up critical sea ice that once acted as a shield against disturbance from wind and waves. Scientists warn the loss of sea ice is speeding up the region’s ecological collapse and could…
Climate Change Made Hurricane Melissa Four Times More Likely, Study Suggests
Unusually warm ocean temperatures fueled one of the worst hurricanes on record. New research finds climate change increased the storm’s likelihood. By Kiley Price Fueled by unusually warm waters, Hurricane Melissa this week turned into one of the strongest Atlantic…
Heading into COP, Brazil’s Amazon deforestation rate is falling. What about fires?
As the world’s attention turns toward COP30 in Belém next month, the story of Brazil’s Amazon is shifting—though not quite in a straightforward way. According to the government’s satellite-based monitoring system, INPE’s PRODES, deforestation in the region known as the…
NJ Residents to Receive $4.9 Million Settlement for PFAS Contamination in Drinking Water
The case could become a template for other communities whose water has been contaminated with the chemicals. By Jon Hurdle Some 60,000 residential water customers in New Jersey will share $4.9 million in the settlement of a lawsuit that charged…
First documented case of plant smelling like an ant to attract pollinators
In a greenhouse in Tokyo, researcher Ko Mochizuki noticed something unusual. Flies were swarming around the delicate flowers of an obscure plant species. The blooms, however, weren’t offering nectar or bright colors to attract these insects. Instead, they were releasing…
Norway’s proposal to double krill harvests raises tension at Antarctic conservation summit
Norway proposed almost doubling the catch limit for krill in the Southern Ocean during the annual conference of the intergovernmental body that manages Antarctic fisheries taking place Oct. 20-31, according to confidential documents seen by Mongabay. The proposal heightened diplomatic…
A Meteorologist Explains Hurricane Melissa
The hurricane that tore through the Caribbean this week broke records, rapidly intensifying and surprising some meteorologists.