Can you think of an unlimited source of energy? Our Sun, of course! 

Scientists have been trying to re-create this solar magic on Earth. A company in the U.K has developed a fusion reactor that simulates a process similar to our Sun.

Tokamak Energy has recently demonstrated that it can achieve temperatures as high as 27 million degrees Fahrenheit (15 million degrees Celsius) by heating plasma of hydrogen. Plasma is a state of matter that occurs when gas is heated.

That’s even hotter than the sun’s core! 

If there is an example of how humans are altering ecosystems in their lifetime, consider the Aral Sea in Central Asia.

Once considered the fourth largest lake in the world, it has shrunk to a mere 10% of its original size over the past sixty years.

The lake bed has turned into a desert. Earlier this month, violent salt storms damaged crops, affected livestock farms, and caused respiratory problems in people living in the region. Where is the Aral Sea and what led to the current situation?

The Decline Of The Aral Sea 

What is the most eccentric dish you have ever tried? In countries across the world, odd dishes such as tuna’s eyeball, fried spiders, or kangaroo are prevalent on the dinner table.

In Japan, whale meat is often found in supermarkets or restaurant menus. Despite new laws prohibiting whale hunting, or whaling, Japan continues to send whale hunters to Antarctica in search of Minke Whales to kill.

In early May, a farm helper at a dairy farm in New Zealand narrowly missed driving into a gaping hole while on his motorcycle. After alerting his manager, they fenced off the hole so that livestock wouldn't wander nearby.

Meanwhile, a much smaller sinkhole opened up on the lawns of the White House in Washington DC recently and has been fixed.

A sinkhole is a depression in the ground that is caused by the collapse of the soil above it. But why does the Earth open up suddenly to form sinkholes? 

Why Do Sinkholes Form?

Did you know that humans make up just 0.01% of all living things on our planet? Yet we are responsible for the loss of 83% of wildlife and 50% of plants!

Let us think about this for a minute...

Did you know that certain types of sunscreens are having adverse effects on marine life?

Hawaii recently passed a bill that bans sunscreens containing certain chemicals due to their connection to coral bleaching.

The ban will likely result in 3,500 over-the-counter sunscreens being removed from stores; this includes 70% of sunscreens on the market.

What are corals and why are they susceptible to certain sunscreen lotions? What can we do to save them?

Corals and Bleaching

Plastic is used in many products we use daily, from plastic bottles to plastic bags to carpets, containers, electronics, and so much more.

However, a problem that comes with plastic is pollution. Many plastic products can be used only once before ending up in the trash can as waste.

Even worse, these plastic products end up in our rivers and oceans. Since plastic does not disintegrate, they float around for many years causing problems to the surrounding natural environments. 

Plastic Problems 

Did you know that bees pollinate 70% of the crops that feed the world? Without bees, many crops and ecosystems would collapse- including our food supply.

However, in the past few decades, the bee population around the world has been on a steady decline. Their dwindling numbers have had farmers and even the government very worried. 

Recently, members of the European Union have voted to almost completely ban the use of neonicotinoid insecticides in hopes of protecting bees and the important environmental services they provide.

Did you know that an average family of four wastes enough food to provide for an entire extra family member?

A study published in the journal PLOS ONE analyzed the relationship between food waste, diet quality, and environmental sustainability. They found that the amount of food wasted by the United States can be compared to 30 million acres of cropland wasted- that is approximately the size of Pennsylvania.

The PLOS ONE study also found that the average person produces a pound of food waste per day.

Consequences of Food Waste

When your parents buy a car assembled in Japan or a furniture made in China, have you wondered how they got to a shop near you?

That's right - they were shipped to your country on containers aboard ships. The shipping industry is huge and is responsible for transporting 90% of all global trade, such as raw materials, fuel, electronics, clothing, cars, and food.