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Faz pelo menos 5 milhões de anos que a mesma área das profundezas do oceano Índico tem funcionado como um imenso cemitério de baleias ?e, em vez de produzir cenas macabras, o processo levou ao surgimento de um ecossistema inteiro, com espécies únicas, em torno dos restos mortais dos mamíferos aquáticos. Leia mais (06/10/2026 - 18h15)

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Draft defense bill funds Pentagon at requested discretionary levels but excludes $350 billion in proposed reconciliation spending, casting doubt on Golden Dome and other space programs

The post House appropriators back $55.5 billion Space Force budget, omit reconciliation funds appeared first on SpaceNews.

There is a pattern found in nature. It is indeed the largest pattern there is. It is so vast that it spans the universe, filling up its observable volume. The pattern is made of individual units in the same way your body is made of cells — if each of your cells were a galaxyContinue reading "Untangling the cosmic web"

The post Untangling the cosmic web appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Scientists find fog droplets host growing bacteria that may help clean polluted air.

Rare Element Resources (RER) has issued a project update on its Bear Lodge rare earth element deposit in Wyoming, one of the largest known carbonatite-hosted rare earth deposits in North America. According to the update the environmental review and mining site permitting is in progress and is anticipated to be completed by March 2028. The update also states that the demonstration rare earth element (REE) separation plant will commence operations by late summer 2026. It is scheduled to run for up to 12 months and will produce an up to 10 tons of neodymium-praseodymium (Nd/Pr) oxide.

The mineral deposits at Bear Lodge contain both the magnet rare earth materials neodymium, praseodymium, samarium and terbium as well as cerium (Ce), lanthanum, yttrium, gadolinium, europium and dysprosium. All these elements are on the U.S. Geological Survey`s list of 60 critical minerals. The minerals on the list have been identified as critical due to their role in national security or economic development and by their risk of supply chain disruption.

The project details

The vertically integrated Bear Lodge Rare Earth Project encompasses mining of rare earth element (REE) ore which will become feed material for a state-of-the-art commercial processing facility. The facility will produce high-purity separated neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) oxide using the company`s patented, environmentally friendly technology. It will be designed as a zero discharge facility and will located approximately 40 miles from the mining area.

The full scale commercial processing facility will be built based on the operational, economic, and engineering data derived from the demonstration plant. This US Nuclear Regulatory Commission certified plant is located at Upton, Wyoming.

Ken Mushinski, President and CEO of RER said “The primary objective of a Demonstration Plant is to systematically uncover and resolve mechanical and operational challenges before scaling to a commercial facility”.

He further said “By fine-tuning our primary processing circuit and resolving these filtration inefficiencies now, we are effectively de-risking our commercial trajectory. Once this front-end optimization is complete, the primary circuit will continuously feed our completed separation circuits to yield high-purity NdPr.

The separation process

According to the company the proprietary separation process involves four steps. It commences by crushing and screening of the feed sample to 1mm size followed by counter-current leaching and selective precipitation, to chemical digestion and solvent extraction, and finally to REE separation and refining.

The final REE separation and refining process involves multiple steps, these remove the Nd/Pr (at greater than 99.5 percent purity) as well as samarium, europium, gadolinium, lanthanum and heavy rare earth concentrates.

The company states that it has done extensive laboratory bench-scale and pilot plant testing on metallurgical processes to recover saleable rare earth products and has been granted two patents on its metallurgical processing. These involve removal of thorium from REE containing acidic solution, as well as the selective extraction of REEs using oxalic acid. These patented processes have been further advanced in collaboration with General Atomics, the company’s majority shareholder.

Supply chain context

The United States currently has limited domestic capacity for separating and processing rare earth elements into refined oxides or metals. Mountain Pass in California remains the only operating rare earth mine in the country, though its concentrate is largely shipped to China for separation (which accounts for 91 percent of the global refined output). Projects like Bear Lodge are positioned as potential contributors to a more complete domestic supply chain, from ore to separated material.

Although permitting timelines, metallurgical recovery rates, and sustained financing are the primary variables that determine whether a deposit moves from resource estimate to operating mine.

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Eight endangered Asiatic lions recently died at a national park in India, with officials initially suspecting a tick-borne parasitic disease that had previously plagued the area. However, the Gujarat government later revealed the true culprit: extreme heat. This tragic incident highlights a growing crisis as rising temperatures threaten wildlife populations across the globe.

The lion deaths underscore the urgent need for better protection strategies as climate change intensifies heat stress on vulnerable species. Animals face numerous challenges during extreme heat events, from dehydration and heat stroke to habitat disruption and food scarcity. Endangered species are particularly at risk, as their already small populations cannot afford significant losses.

In response to this mounting threat, scientists have developed a new forecasting tool designed to predict heat-related risks to wildlife months in advance. The system aims to provide early warnings that could help conservation managers take preventive measures, such as providing additional water sources, creating shade structures, or temporarily relocating animals to cooler areas.

While this technological advancement represents a promising step forward in wildlife conservation, significant questions remain about its practical implementation and effectiveness. The challenge lies not just in predicting dangerous conditions, but in having the resources and infrastructure to act on these forecasts quickly enough to save lives at scale. As extreme heat events become more frequent and severe, protecting vulnerable wildlife populations will require both innovative tools and coordinated conservation efforts.

The post New Heat Forecasting Tool Aims to Prevent Wildlife Deaths as Extreme Temperatures Kill Endangered Animals first appeared on EnviroLink Network.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the world’s largest infrastructure development program, is generating enormous greenhouse gas emissions that threaten global climate goals. Two comprehensive new studies reveal that more than half of the program’s carbon footprint comes from a single source: steel production, with the vast majority manufactured within China itself.

The Belt and Road Initiative spans over 130 countries and involves massive construction projects including highways, railways, ports, and power plants across Asia, Africa, and Europe. While these infrastructure developments promise economic growth and connectivity, the environmental cost is staggering. The steel required for bridges, buildings, and transportation networks carries an enormous carbon burden, as steel production is one of the most energy-intensive and polluting industrial processes.

The research highlights a critical challenge in global climate action: even as countries commit to reducing emissions, mega-infrastructure projects continue pumping massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Steel manufacturing typically relies on coal-fired furnaces and generates substantial emissions both from energy consumption and chemical processes that release CO2 directly from raw materials.

Addressing this climate impact will require fundamental changes in how infrastructure projects approach materials and manufacturing. The studies emphasize that stronger environmental regulations and major investments in cleaner steel production technologies are essential. Without these shifts toward low-carbon manufacturing methods, large-scale construction projects will continue undermining global efforts to limit temperature rise and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

The post China’s Massive Infrastructure Program Creates Climate Crisis Through Steel-Heavy Construction first appeared on EnviroLink Network.

A striking contradiction has emerged in American environmental policy: while domestic marine protections face systematic rollbacks, the United States is actively policing illegal fishing operations in international waters with unprecedented vigor.

Last month, the State Department imposed visa restrictions on 26 foreign nationals caught engaging in illegal fishing activities worldwide. The targeted individuals include a former Argentine official allegedly connected to an illegal Patagonian toothfish harvesting scandal, highlighting the administration’s willingness to take concrete action against international marine crimes.

This enforcement represents a significant escalation in how America projects its conservation authority globally. The visa restrictions demonstrate that the US is prepared to use diplomatic tools to combat illegal fishing operations that threaten marine ecosystems thousands of miles from American shores. These actions suggest robust international environmental standards are being upheld through direct consequences for violators.

However, this aggressive international stance creates a puzzling policy paradox. The same administration implementing these overseas conservation measures has simultaneously pursued the systematic dismantling of marine protection frameworks within US territorial waters. Domestic environmental regulations that have safeguarded American marine ecosystems for decades are being reduced or eliminated entirely.

This dual approach raises fundamental questions about environmental policy consistency and priorities. While foreign fishing fleets face meaningful penalties for conservation violations, domestic marine environments appear to be losing long-established protections. The contrast highlights how geopolitical considerations may be driving conservation policy more than consistent environmental principles.

The post US Enforces Marine Conservation Abroad While Weakening Protections at Home first appeared on EnviroLink Network.

At nearly 80 years old, retired Texas shrimper Diane Wilson had every reason to stay home. Instead, she embarked on an extraordinary 8,000-mile journey to Taiwan as part of a bold environmental activism campaign targeting one of Asia’s largest petrochemical corporations.

Wilson joined two other Gulf Coast environmentalists in traveling to Formosa Plastics Corporation’s annual shareholder meeting in Taipei, bringing their fight against industrial pollution directly to the company’s doorstep. The retired shrimper, who has only a high school education but decades of experience witnessing environmental degradation along the Texas coast, agreed to make the grueling international trip as part of what she calls a strategy of being “relentless” in holding polluters accountable.

The confrontation represents a growing trend of grassroots environmental activists taking their local battles to global corporate headquarters. For Wilson and her fellow activists, the Taiwan trip symbolizes the international nature of environmental challenges, where pollution generated by multinational corporations affects communities across continents. Their presence at the shareholder meeting aimed to give voice to Gulf Coast residents who live with the daily impacts of petrochemical industry operations.

This David-and-Goliath story highlights how ordinary citizens are increasingly willing to go extraordinary lengths to demand corporate environmental responsibility, crossing oceans to ensure their voices are heard in boardrooms where crucial decisions about industrial operations are made.

The post Texas Shrimper Travels 8,000 Miles to Taiwan to Confront Petrochemical Giant at Shareholder Meeting first appeared on EnviroLink Network.

A chemical repackaging and distribution company in Durham, North Carolina is being sued by the state for allegedly polluting a local creek with dangerous chemicals for decades. State regulatory documents reveal that Brenntag has discharged high levels of toxic substances including acetone, ethanol, and 1,4-dioxane, along with unidentified materials described as “mucilaginous goo,” into the waterway.

The contaminated creek flows directly behind an elementary school and winds through a public park located in a predominantly Black neighborhood, raising serious environmental justice concerns. The pollution has exposed children and community members to potentially harmful chemicals through their local water system and recreational areas.

The contamination issue has been ongoing, with Durham city officials taking enforcement action against the company. Since 2023, Brenntag has been fined $157,000 for water contamination violations, indicating the persistence and severity of the pollution problem.

This case highlights the broader issue of industrial facilities operating near schools and residential areas, particularly in communities of color that often bear a disproportionate burden of environmental hazards. The lawsuit represents an escalation in efforts to hold the company accountable for the environmental damage and protect public health in the affected neighborhoods.

The post Durham Chemical Company Faces Lawsuit for Decades of Toxic Creek Contamination Near Elementary School first appeared on EnviroLink Network.

The cycle of life and death in nature extends far beyond what meets the eye, with deceased organisms playing crucial roles in shaping the fate of entire ecosystems long after they’ve perished. While the sight of mushrooms sprouting from fallen logs or insects colonizing dead trees is familiar to many nature observers, new research reveals that this phenomenon operates on a much grander scale than previously understood.

Scientists have discovered that when “foundation species” – the cornerstone plants and animals that provide structure and resources for entire ecological communities – die, their remains continue to exert powerful influence over the survival and prosperity of other organisms. These dead giants don’t simply disappear; instead, they become environmental architects, creating new habitats and resource opportunities that can sustain diverse communities for years or even decades.

The research highlights how a single fallen tree can transform into a bustling metropolis of life, hosting everything from decomposer fungi to predatory beetles, each playing their part in an intricate web of interactions. This “afterlife ecology” demonstrates that death in nature isn’t an ending but rather a transformation – dead wood becomes nursery habitat, decaying leaves enrich soil chemistry, and empty shells provide shelter for new inhabitants.

Understanding these post-mortem ecological relationships is becoming increasingly important as climate change and habitat destruction threaten foundation species worldwide. When these keystone organisms disappear, their ecological influence continues, but the loss of new recruitment means ecosystems may face long-term structural changes that ripple through entire food webs.

The post How Dead Trees and Plants Continue to Shape Thriving Ecosystems After Death first appeared on EnviroLink Network.

These squirrels had no quarrels about what they were eating.

Even as President Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the U.S. and remains the leading source of new power. New reports released Wednesday by global energy think tank Ember and the Solar Energy Industries Association show the continued growth of solar and decline of coal in the United States despite federal policy. Ember says in May, for the first time, solar supplied more of the nation’s electricity than coal, or 12.8%. Coal supplied 12.2%, its fourth-lowest monthly share ever. The Republican president has been helping the struggling U.S. coal industry while curtailing solar and wind. A Democratic California congressman says the coal industry is dying. By Jennifer McDermott, Associated Press Banner image: Solar panels operate on a farm with cattle Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Christiana, Tenn. Image by Joshua A. Bickel via Associated PressThis article was originally published on Mongabay

The pharmaceutical cabinet of the future might look a lot like a garden.

Scientists found evidence that Chicxulub remained hydrothermally active four times longer than earlier estimates.

An airport in the Netherlands has started operating the world’s first fully electric TaxiBot, which is designed to tow passenger aircraft from the gate to the runway while keeping their engines switched off.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, also known as Schiphol Airport, unveiled the system in May 2026, together with easyJet, Airbus, ground-handling company Menzies Aviation, and supplier Smart Airport Systems.

The electric TaxiBot is now transporting Airbus A320 aircraft to the Polderbaan Runway. This is the airport’s longest and newest runway, measuring 2.36 miles (3.8 kilometers). It is also the most distant runway and the one with the longest taxi times.

“By deploying the TaxiBot, we’re taking another practical step towards reduced emissions and noise on the apron,” Esmé Valk, Royal Schiphol Group people and transformation chief, revealed. This is how we’re creating a healthier and cleaner workplace, and an ever more sustainable and modern airport that is ready for the future.”

How TaxiBot works

The TaxiBot is a specialized tow vehicle that connects to an aircraft’s nose wheel and transports it across the airport at speeds of up to 23 knots (about 26 miles per hour, or 42 kilometers per hour). It can reduce fuel use by up to 65 percent before takeoff, while lowering emissions and noise.

In contrast to conventional airport tugs, the electric TaxiBot is controlled directly by the pilot from the cockpit. Meanwhile, aircraft engines remain off during the journey from the gate to the runway. They are once again started shortly before departure.

Once the aircraft reaches the runway, the TaxiBot disconnects. An operator drives the vehicle back to the terminal area to assist the next flight. “With TaxiBot, we are taking a tangible step towards making our operations at Schiphol more efficient,” William Vet, easyJet’s director for the Netherlands and Scandinavia, pointed out.

Schiphol selected the Polderbaan Runway for the rollout because it’s the runway with the longest taxi time. This can reduce fuel consumption by up to 65 percent. At the same time, lower fuel use also cuts carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and (ultra)fine particle emissions.

Cleaner airport operations

Still, the aircraft tug does far more than just slash emissions. Reduced engine use means cleaner air for the employees working on the apron and lower exposure to pollutants generated by aircraft during ground operations. It additionally reduces noise levels and creates a more comfortable working environment around aircraft stands and service areas.

The electric TaxiBot joins two hybrid TaxiBots that have been towing KLM Boeing 737 aircraft to the same runway since 2022. It is being deployed on four of the Airbus A320neo aircraft, allowing engine-off taxiing to the runway.

“This immediately leads to lower fuel consumption, emissions, and ground noise,” Vet concluded in a press release. “This is only possible thanks to the commitment of our partners, and in particular the Menzies Aviation team, who play a crucial role in our ground operations.”

Schiphol currently runs the world’s only electric TaxiBot. The airport expects three additional electric units to arrive later this year. The expansion will allow the technology to support more aircraft types. Schiphol is also working with KLM Cityhopper and industry partners to certify the system for Embraer aircraft, while Transavia plans to participate with its Boeing 737 fleet.

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DEDURU OYA, Sri Lanka – On April 16, eight members of Priyantha Kumara’s family including his wife, son, brother, father-in-law, and four other relatives were swept away by strong currents in the Deduru Oya, a river in Sri Lanka’s North Western province. Sri Lanka Police reported more than 30 drowning deaths between April 12 and 21 this year, underscoring the risks posed by flooding rivers. Sri Lanka Police media spokesperson Udaya Kumara Wootler told Mongabay that 376 individuals have died due to drowning in rivers last year while 595 fatalities were reported in 2024. Buddhika Sampath, spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Navy told Mongabay that the Navy Diving Unit recovered 148 bodies of people between May 2022 and May 2023. While the police are yet to disclose official statistics of deaths due to drowning from January to May 2026, the number of reported incidents show over 50 fatalities. Kumara is a resident of Gopallawa in the northwestern district of Kurunegala. His son had requested that they all go for a bath in the river. The group had been bathing at a popular spot named Kuriyagas Mankada when they met the tragedy. “My son was only 13 years old, and he was a bright student,” Kumara told Mongabay. “My brother was about to hold a housewarming ceremony at his newly built house. But all these dreams were shattered within seconds. My father used to take us to this same spot to bathe when we were young. But the river has changed…This article was originally published on Mongabay