Researchers report that there is 10 times more plastic in the Atlantic Ocean than previously thought. The scientists got their results by collecting samples of "invisible" microplastics below the ocean's surface.
Published in “Science”
California is battling hundreds of wildfires caused by lightning strikes, and is asking nearby states for help. Already the state has lost more area to wildfires this year than it did in all of 2019.
Among the more unusual news stories recently…scientists discover that some bats use "baby talk" to communicate with their cubs, someone in China just paid $325,000 for a phone number, and a town in Switzerland gets hit with "chocolate snow".
Last year, a group working to protect sea animals rescued two beluga whales from an aquarium in China and flew them to Iceland. The belugas have now been moved into a protected ocean area off the coast of Iceland.
Dogs are being trained to sniff out COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. So far, dogs seem to be quite good at detecting the illness, but it's not clear yet how useful these skills will be.
In today's news roundup, scientists use poop stains to locate new penguin colonies from space, Russia has approved a coronavirus vaccine before testing is complete, and Australia struggles to find workers to shear its sheep.
Fabien Cousteau, a well-known ocean explorer, has announced plans to build a large research station under the ocean. The goal of the project is to become an "underwater version of the International Space Station".
Scientists have woken up tiny life forms called microbes that are over 100 million years old. The microbes were found in samples pulled from deep under the sea floor beneath miles of ocean.
Ecuador is carefully watching a huge group of 260 Chinese fishing boats located just outside a special protected ocean area near the Galapagos Islands. The government is worried that the ships could threaten many endangered fish and sharks.
Among the more unusual news stories recently…scientists discover exactly what makes armpits stink, an Elvis Presley imitator sets a new world record, and a fox gets caught stealing shoes.
July has been a busy month in space and an especially busy month for missions to Mars. Here’s a look at the recent launches by NASA and China, as well as the story of two teenage girls from India who discovered an asteroid.