Putting Nature at the Center
Life may be unique to Earth.
Topic
Biology
A collection of 1345 articles
While plastic dominates human consumption, the global economy will remain hooked on fossil fuels
In early December 2024, hopes for a landmark global treaty to curb plastic pollution were dashed as negotiations in South Korea stalled. Leading the campaign against the deal were major oil-producing nations, especially Saudi Arabia and Russia, who argued for a more flexible approach to any legally binding limits on
Future Natures: On Seeing Commons through Popular Genres
In academic research about the commons, few scholars are as venturesome in their creative approaches than the scholars and researchers associated with the Centre for Future Natures, at the University of Sussex in England. Led by anthropologist and research fellow Amber Huff, Future Natures explores “ecologies of crisis, commons, and
Power vs Life: Towards Wide Boundary Sovereignty
(Recorded January 20th, 2025)
Description
We are alive at a critical juncture for human civilization, and the biosphere, where the pursuit and accumulation of power – accelerated by technology and AI – increasingly threatens the support systems of the diversity and majesty of complex life on Earth. These high stakes of our
As climate change supercharges disease, Trump pulls US from World Health Organization
“This story was originally published by Grist.
Are we too smart for our own good?
Evolutionary biologist Ernst Mayr (1904-2005)—who, I’m told, was a very smart person—concluded, late in life, that high intelligence may be a lethal mutation. In this article, we’ll explore some reasons for this startling and paradoxical assessment.
Intelligence is useful and entertaining. Companies go out of their
We Have Entered the Era of ‘Global Boiling’—Marine Wildlife, Ecosystems, and Economies Are Being Devastated
Introduction
The ocean absorbs 90 percent of the excess heat generated by burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions is the primary driver of long-term global warming. Today, humanity is officially in uncharted waters. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, in February 2024, the
Human use of fire has produced an era of uncontrolled burning: Welcome to the Pyrocene
Los Angeles is burning, but it isn’t alone.
Decisions, Decisions
In my continuing pursuit of humility as an antidote to modernity’s human supremacy illness, the atoms that constitute who I am take issue with lofty and self-aggrandizing concepts of idealism, dualism, and free will—replaced by the unflattering material world and its staggering wealth of emergent complexity. I have
Finding our way home. Part I: What are we missing?
Only in the last moment in history has the delusion arisen that people can flourish apart from the rest of the living world.
Coley’s Toxins
Coley’s Toxins, also known as Coley’s vaccine or Coley’s fluid, are a mixture of toxins filtered from killed bacteria of species Streptococcus pyogenes and Serratia marcescens. Developed by William Coley, a surgical oncologist in the late 19th century, these toxins were used as a treatment for cancer.
2024’s extreme ocean heat breaks records again, leaving 2 mysteries to solve
The oceans are heating up as the planet warms.
This past year, 2024, was the warmest ever measured for the global ocean, following a record-breaking 2023.
Letter From The Farm | The West of Ireland Never ‘Dewilded’
Martino Newcombe runs a small farm in Co.
Guide to Preserving Sacred Land Near You
Preserving biodiversity is among the most urgent issues of our time, and it needs to be addressed regionally to succeed.
This article was produced by Earth | Food | Life, a project of the Independent Media Institute.
Anthropogenic climate change and biodiversity loss are the most pressing issues for our planet. Carbon
Federal protection for monarch butterflies could help or harm this iconic species, depending on how it’s carried out
Monarch butterflies are among the most beloved insects in North America.