When you think of the Himalayas, you may picture tall, rocky, snow-covered peaks. But did you know that researchers have recently discovered plant life expanding in this region? 

To observe changes in vegetation cover, scientists used satellite technology from NASA’s Landsat, using data from 1993 to 2018.

Every rainy season, southeast Asians dread the arrival of mosquito-borne diseases. About one million people across the world die from them each year. 

In 2011, scientists first injected the bacterium Wolbachia pipientis into the eggs of mosquitoes.

This bacterium blocks the ability of a mosquito to spread deadly viruses such as dengue and Zika virus.

Recently, scientists have found results to show how effective their attempts have been. 

Injecting Wolbachia

If you live in a city, you probably only encounter typical animals such as cats, dogs, and birds.

But the residents of a town in Russia recently found themselves face to face with an unexpected species - polar bears.

Let’s talk about the problems polar bears can pose for Arctic settlements and why their normal habitat is at risk of disappearing.

Too Many To Bear

Ryrkaypiy, a village with about 700 people, is located in Russia’s northeastern Chukotka district.

Changing weather patterns, retreating glaciers, stronger storms, longer droughts -- these are just a few signs that our climate is changing rapidly. 

The Paris Climate Treaty has been adopted by 200 countries to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases that are the culprit behind climate change. The goal of the treaty is to limit global temperature rise to within 2 degrees C. 

Recently, lawmakers in New Zealand signed the Zero Carbon Bill, which lays out a path for the country to reduce its carbon emissions to zero by 2050. 

Imagine a creature that is part-deer and part-mouse. Can you picture it? Now make the creature the size of a rabbit and add fangs. This is what a chevrotain looks like!

On November 11th, scientists published photographs from southern Vietnam of the silver-backed chevrotain, a species that hadn’t been seen in three decades and was thought to be extinct. They are currently not giving out the location to ensure the safety of the animal. 

The Discovery

A smoky haze is covering many cities across Australia, including Sydney.

The country is experiencing one of its worst bushfires in decades and faces overwhelming losses. Approximately one-fourth of the population is in fire danger, and four people are already confirmed dead. The state of Victoria has issued a code red -- the highest alert in a decade.

Built on islands in the Adriatic Sea, Italy’s city of Venice is used to experiencing the power and danger of the ocean.

But the flood that inundated the city on Tuesday night caught even longtime residents off guard. The water level rose to six feet (1.9 m) above normal - the second-highest in Venice’s history.

Seawater submerged the iconic San Marco Square and flooded many buildings, including homes and churches. Repairing the damage is expected to cost billions of dollars.