A new satellite project by Google and the Environmental Defense Fund will track methane emissions
A new species of mussel has been found in the Gulf of Mexico
Every year, on average, 2,000 new species are discovered through various types of fieldwork, according to the Ocean Census, and an interesting new one has just been identified. A paper published in January of 2024 in Part I of the journal Deep Sea Research, titled Oceanographic Research Papers reported that a tiny shallow oceanic species of mussel has officially been identified and named: Vadumodiolus teredinicola.
Mount Holyoke Climate Justice Coalition celebrates ‘radical hope’ in climate activism
With the clock ticking down on the threshold to prevent irreversible climate damage, it is easy for the climate crisis to feel like an insurmountable obstacle entirely out of the hands of average citizens, The Guardian reported. For many, hope in the face of the climate crisis can be impossible to pick out of the nihilistic tangle of political inaction and daunting news headlines.
Fossil fuel debate dominates discussions at the United Nations’ recent contentious COP28 conference
As anxious citizens and activists across the globe watched the contentious 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change unfold through their phone screens, one pervading question plagued their minds: Would a fossil fuel phase-out make it into the conference’s final agreement? After a week of divisive debates and negotiations — in which a final settlement seemed almost impossible — the COP28 representatives have now concluded their talks, announcing on Wednesday, Dec. 23, a historical agreement to transition away from all fossil fuel consumption, NBC reported.
Desperate sailors turn to heavy metal music to deter orca attacks
Heavy metal music can be used in more ways than one would think. The genre is increasingly used as a killer whale deterrent off the coast of southwestern Europe, according to Focusing on Wildlife. The practice is not scientifically studied or supported but rather began as a suggested trick for sailors to prevent these large marine mammals, also known as orcas, from attacking and sinking boats sailing off the Iberian Peninsula, a Business Insider article reported.
New residents have entered dorms in the form of western conifer seed bugs
Precious Plastic MHC is turning trash into environmental optimism
In a digital world inundated with doomsday headlines and constant reports of natural disasters, it can be easy to slip into a climate anxiety-induced state of dread. One new student organization, Precious Plastic MHC, is on a mission to change this by taking the pessimism out of plastic and inspiring students to find joy in leading more sustainable lives.