China's climate progress may have faltered in 2018, but it seems to be on the right path

Dec 16, 2018 12:52 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature

Despite clear signs that the need to act on climate change is becoming more urgent, global greenhouse gas emissions are set to rise for the second straight year. China, the worlds second-largest economy and ground zero...

Orangutans can communicate about the past just like humans, new research finds

Dec 16, 2018 10:28 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

The evolution of language converted a defenceless naked ape into a world-dominating force. It fundamentally transformed how humans transmit information and knowledge. A large and potent component of language is our ability...

The contest for the worst air pollutant

Dec 15, 2018 16:31 pm UTC| Nature Science

In its report published on June 28, 2018, the French Agency for Health Safety (ANSES) presented a list of 13 new priority air pollutants to monitor. Several air pollutants that are harmful to human health are already...

Some sharks have declined by 92% in the past half-century off Queensland's coast

Dec 15, 2018 16:30 pm UTC| Nature

There has been a striking decline in the number of large sharks caught off Queenslands coast over the past 50 years, suggesting that populations have declined dramatically. Our study, published today in the journal...

Ontario's new climate plan is far from conservative

Dec 15, 2018 10:30 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

In late November, the Ontario government unveiled its game plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change by replacing the previous Liberal governments cap-and-trade program. The first few pages of the...

Native cherries are a bit mysterious, and possibly inside-out

Dec 15, 2018 10:21 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

People dont like parasites. But theres a local Aussie tree thats only a little bit parasitic: the native cherry, or cherry ballart. Its what we call hemiparasitic. It can photosynthesise, but gains extra nutrients by...

From pledges to action: Cities need to show their climate progress with hard data

Dec 10, 2018 02:46 am UTC| Nature

As world leaders negotiate rules for cutting greenhouse gas emissions at the COP24 meeting in Poland, U.S. cities have a vested interest in the outcome. About 85 percent of Americans live in cities, and urban areas produce...