T Snyder

Indonesian government threatens to deport Leonardo DiCaprio for palm oil criticism

Immigration chief Ronny Sompie says Oscar-winner’s visa could be revoked after comments made on environmental campaign visit – but DiCaprio appears to have left the country already<p>The Indonesian government has threatened to deport Leonardo DiCaprio after the Oscar-winning actor and film-maker made …

305-Million-Year-Old ‘Almost Spider’ Unlocks Arachnid History

A new fossil found in France is almost a spider, but not quite.<p>The arachnid, locked in iron carbonate for 305 million years, reveals the stepwise …

Virtual reality roller coaster ride unlike any other

VALENCIA, Calif. The experience is jaunting — you are set to ride a traditional roller coaster, you buckle up and get ready to climb a huge hill — but what you see is unlike any theme park ride ever.<p>You still go up, down, upside down and more at super high speeds — but your face is connected to a …

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With glorious mountains to the west, the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean to the east and arid desert to the south, the verdant rainforest in Madagascar is otherworldly, truly a bucket-list destination. Stretched along a narrow strip on the east coast, it's home to most of the country's …

Land bridges linking ancient India and Eurasia were 'freeways' for biodiversity exchange

Now, Grismer has authored research appearing in the journal <i>BMC Evolutionary Biology</i> showing that before the final collision of Eurasia and the Indian …

Monarch butterflies released by Toledo Zoo found in Mexico

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - Nine monarch butterflies released by the Toledo Zoo have been found in central Mexico, supporting the zoo’s belief that its …

Tanzania court jails two Chinese men for ivory smuggling: media

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Tanzania has sentenced two Chinese men to 35 years each in jail for ivory smuggling, local media reported on Saturday, the latest conviction of Chinese nationals in a drive to stamp out poaching.<p>The Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam …

Is Alaska's first new butterfly species in decades an ancient hybrid?

Some might say it takes a rare breed to survive the Alaska wilderness. The discovery of a possible new species of hybrid butterfly from the state's …

Pregnant T. rex Found, May Contain DNA

Fragments of DNA may be preserved in the fossil of the pregnant T. rex.

Researchers turn carbon dioxide into sustainable concrete

Imagine a world with little or no concrete. Would that even be possible? After all, concrete is everywhere—on our roads, our driveways, in our homes, …

The multimillion dollar palm oil deal we should all be worried about

A tie-up is on the cards between two palm oil companies with worrying track records. If it goes ahead it could have huge implications for the palm oil sector<p>It’s a multimillion dollar tie-up that you’ve heard little about, but could have major implications for the drive towards a more responsible …

China Is Building The Largest Waste-to-Energy Plant in The World

It will turn a third of Shenzhen's trash into energy every single day.<p>The Chinese city of Shenzhen plans to tackle its serious waste problem by …

Monarch butterfly migration to Mexico jumps after years of decline

The insects covered over three and a half times more wintering grounds than last season, as diminishing milkweed and illegal logging has disrupted movement<p>Monarch butterflies have made a big comeback in their wintering grounds in Mexico after suffering serious declines, investigators said …

Bees, Butterflies Closer to Extinction

Why the world's largest rhino farmer is cutting off their horns

South African farmer John Hume says he would be "happy" to supply the criminal poaching networks driving the animals to extinction with a legal alternative and the money raised would help him protect his own herd<p>In the half-light of a South African dawn, the team works quickly, pinning the stricken …

The all-female patrol stopping South Africa's rhino poachers

“The Black Mambas are winning the war on poaching,” insists Siphiwe Sithole. “We have absolutely zero tolerance for rhino poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. The poachers will fall – but it will not be with guns and bullets.”<p>Sithole and Felicia Mogakane are members of South Africa’s Black …

Republican senator's convoy chased away by group of elephants

Arizona Senator Jeff Flake got more than he bargained for during a recent trip to learn about wildlife in Africa.<p>The Republican senator shared video …

Critically endangered giant salamander found in Chinese sewage plant

A rare giant salamander was discovered injured at a sewage treatment plant in Zhengzhou, China.<p>Reports say that the amphibian measures 70 cm long and …

Researchers discover a royal flush in powering fuel cells with wastewater

As renewable energy sources goes, solar rays have historically hogged the limelight.<p>But two Virginia Tech researchers have stolen the spotlight from …

Urban farming in a freight container

Boston agritech startup FreightFarms buys old shipping containers and turns them into hydroponic farms. It's a nifty way to grow fresh greens right …

16 Massive Scientific Facilities at the Cutting Edge of Research

To detect some of the biggest mysteries, you need some of most colossal facilities on Earth.<p>To do big research, sometimes you need some massive machines. Here are 16 facilities that have done out-there work in the last decade, whether hunting for mysterious particles, looking for distant stellar …

Introducing Ringo the Rhino -- With Peace and Love From Ringo Starr

The ongoing slaughter of rhinos and elephants for the illegal trade in rhino horn and ivory is such frequent and terrible news that when good news arises, it is worth celebrating. That makes us happy to announce the naming of a baby Southern White Rhino at Kenya's Ol Pejeta Conservancy in honor of …

Global Water Shortage Risk Is Worse Than Scientists Thought

About two-thirds of the world's population faces water scarcity for at least one month during the year.<p>The growing risk of worldwide water shortages is worse than scientists previously thought, according to a new study.<p>About 66 percent, which is 4 billion people, of the world's population lives …

Nine charged over Tanzania murder of British conservationist

Roger Gower, 37, died when his helicopter was shot down during a patrol of the Maswa game reserve last month<p>Nine Tanzanians have been charged in connection with the murder of a British conservationist whose helicopter was shot down while he chased suspected poachers, a senior prosecutor has …

Ivory trafficking in Africa controlled by a powerful few

During the ban, elephants began to rebuild their population in Africa.<p>But he said when the ban was partially lifted in 1997 under pressure from …

Petition Seeks Ban on Trade in Fake Rhino Horn

Wildlife Watch<p>Exclusive: NGOs express concerns that cultured rhino horn undercuts existing law and imperils wild rhinos.<p>Trade in bioengineered rhino horn shouldn’t be allowed. That's the contention behind a petition filed today with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the Center for Biological …

A Mammal’s Brain Has Been Cryonically Preserved and Recovered

A team lead by a researcher at MIT says it has thawed a cryonically-frozen rabbit brain without causing structural damage.<p>A big thing just happened in the world of cryonics, and it has nothing to do with Ted Williams' permafrozen remains.<p>Officials from the Brain Preservation Foundation, a nonprofit …

Scientists warn of last chance to rid Madagascar of invasive toxic toad

New report says there is a ‘diminishing window of opportunity’ to completely eradicate the Asian toad, which poses a threat to biodiversity, human health and the economy<p>Madagascar must wipe out an invasive, toxic toad immediately to save the country’s unique wildlife from disaster, scientists have …

Poachers Arrested After Death Of British Pilot Helping Elephants In Tanzania

Five people have been arrested over the death of a British helicopter pilot who was shot down by a poacher while working with an elephant conservation group in Tanzania.<p>Roger Gower was tracking elephant poachers when he was fatally wounded on Jan. 29, said Dan Friedkin, chairman of the Friedkin …

Apple May Be Developing An Augmented Reality Windscreen For Its (Rumored) Car

Apple, like Facebook and others, is actively exploring its own flavor of a virtual/augmented reality future.<p>Apple is already well into an effort to explore the possibilities of virtual and augmented reality products, and one of the applications may be in the rumored Apple car.<p>If a new report from …