Why have wildlife populations declined by 73%?
The Living Planet Report published by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Zoological Society of London provides a snapshot of the health of our natural world. According to this report, over the past 50 years, global wildlife populations have declined by an average of 73%, putting many ecosystems at risk. The main threats to wildlife include habitat degradation, diseases, invasive species, climate change, and pollution. There is still time to act, but this requires measures that go beyond conservation. Instead, we must all adopt what the WWF describes as a nature-positive attitude. So, what are they saying? Click through for a summary of the main outcomes of the Living Planet Report.
2024-03-27T15:21:22Z
The world's most beautiful streets
Every country has its famous landmarks, many of which are streets. But are these famous streets also the prettiest? Well, not always. Sure, what makes a street "beautiful" can be debated, but architectural features, cultural relevance, charm, views, and other unique characteristics, can indeed be used as criteria. With that in mind, have you ever wondered where the world's most beautiful streets are located? Click through the following gallery to find out.
2024-04-04T06:08:50Z
Cities with the worst air pollution in 2024
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 99% of the global population breathes unclean air, and air pollution causes seven million premature deaths a year. Indeed, air pollution remains a prevalent health crisis around the world. PM2.5 concentration (measured as micrograms per cubic meter, or µg/m3), which refers to inhalable particulate matter with a diameter equal to or less than 2.5 micrometers, poses the greatest health threat and is often used as a metric in legal air quality standards. WHO sets a recommended annual limit of 5µg/m3 as an indicator of clean air. However, many cities are recording dangerous levels of air pollution, in some cases 15 times above safe levels! Using average PM2.5 levels, the Air Quality Index (AQI) project has recently put together the 2024 updated ranking of the 25 cities with the worst air pollution in the world. As a general guide, air quality with a PM2.5 (μg/m3) of between 0-12.0 is considered good; 12.1-35.4 is moderate; 35.5-55.5 is unhealthy for sensitive groups; 55.6-150.4 is unhealthy; PM2.5 150.5-250.4 is very unhealthy; and 250.5 or greater is hazardous. Are you holding your breath? Click through and discover the world’s most polluted cities.
2024-03-21T11:07:11Z
A look inside the Peace Corps, the American humanitarian agency
Ever since its official inception on March 1, 1961, the Peace Corps has dedicated itself to providing humanitarian aid in countries all over the world, on every continent besides Antarctica. Thousands of selfless United States citizens volunteer every year to donate their time and energy to the greater good, whether by helping to build irrigation systems, teaching core subjects to schoolchildren, helping to eradicate illness and disease, advising on matters of local economic development, and more. Despite having such a noble mission, there's a lot that we don't know about the Peace Corps. How was it conceived, and what is life actually like as a volunteer? Read on to find out.
2024-01-16T19:22:12Z
Famous figures who accomplished great things at 80 and beyond
Ed Dwight was the first African-American astronaut to be selected by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. Despite making history as the first Black astronaut during the Space Race, he was never chosen for a space mission. However, at 90 years of age, Dwight entered space for the first time on May 19, 2024. He was invited to join Blue Origin's seventh human space flight aboard the New Shepard spacecraft. Blue Origin shared footage from the flight that showed Dwight giggling with joy and awe as he took in the sights on the 10-minute journey outside the Earth's atmosphere. He called it a "life-changing experience," according to AP. “I thought I really didn’t need this in my life,” he explained. ”But, now, I need it in my life .... I am ecstatic.” We all grow old, and there's nothing we can do about it. What we can do, however, is make the most out of our lives while we're still here. And when it comes to accomplishing great things, age is just a number. Click on to meet these outstanding octogenarians, nonagenarians, and even centenarians!
2024-02-19T13:08:46Z
The northern lights: nature's most beautiful phenomenon
The aurora borealis is a stunning natural phenomenon that blows away anyone lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it. Science says it is the result of sun particles colliding with the Earth's atmosphere, but Icelandic legends say the magical lights are angels dancing in the sky! This spectacular natural light show is usually associated with Europe's most northern countries like Iceland, Sweden, and Denmark, where it's most visible. However, this aurora season, the world is getting an extra-special visit. The northern lights have been visible in locations across northern US and Europe where residents rarely see the northern lights, and certainly not with this level of visibility. Now a powerful solar storm could potentially allow residents in the upper Midwest US to see the lights, spanning an impressive 17 states including parts of Illinois and Indiana. According to the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, the areas near Milwaukee and Minneapolis may see the lights overhead, and areas as far south as Chicago and Indianapolis could see them on the far northern horizon, likely in July. Click on for dazzling photos of the phenomena and learn all about the aurora borealis.
2024-05-14T10:21:01Z