A newly discovered orangutan species is once again bringing to light the risks these animals face. 

The Pongo tapanuliensis, or Tapanuli orangutan, was originally discovered in 1997. But it has taken 20 years to prove that they are a distinct species!

The Tapanuli orangutan is part of the Great Ape family, which consists of eastern and western gorillas, bonobos, chimpanzees, and three types of orangutans.

Did you know that 175 species go extinct every day? This number is over 1,000 times the “natural” rate of extinction!

On October 23, National Geographic hosted the first celebration of Half-Earth Day. Half-Earth Day is a celebration that brings together scientists and leaders in conservation to share their ideas.

The day’s name is based on studies that show that if we can conserve half of our land and seas, 85% of species will be protected from extinction.

Have you seen bugs crashing on your car's windshield? Known as the windshield phenomenon, it is very common in national parks where insects are abundant.

However, lately, researchers in Germany have been noticing a decline in this phenomenon, which has them concerned.  

Studies show that at many nature preserves in Germany, insect biomass (or the overall number of insects in an area) has decreased dramatically. 

While some might be happy with fewer buzzing bugs, did you know that insects actually play an important role in our ecosystems? 

Did you know that 75 countries are expected to be powered by wind power by 2018?

Currently, China has the most wind farms in the world. But other countries, including the United States, have continued to expand their wind power capacity in recent years.

In an innovative move, Scotland just completed the Hywind project to install a wind farm off the coast of the town Peterhead. This will be the world’s first floating “wind farm.”

Have you visited a natural museum and seen collections of native animals and birds?  

Usually, these specimens were only for historical value. However, now, scientists are using dead birds to measure air quality in the U.S over the past century, going all the way back to the Industrial Revolution!  

There are many ways we vote on a decision, whether it is raising our hands in agreement, or filling out anonymous ballot forms.

But outside of the human world, how do you think groups of animals make their decisions?

Recently, researchers who were observing the behavior of five separate packs of African wild dogs in Botswana reported that wild dogs make a noise similar to a sneeze to vote!

We all know that life on Earth would not be possible without the light and warmth of the Sun.

But sometimes the Sun can send out sudden and unexpected bursts of high-energy radiation, known as solar flares.

This is what happened between September 4 and 11. Our Sun released several solar flares which caused a disruption of high-frequency radio communications and slowed down GPS navigation systems for nearly an hour!

Can you figure out what all these items have in common? Toothpaste... Bowling Alley Lanes... Piano Keys...Ping Pong Balls...

Believe it or not, they all come from trees. However, did you know that 33 million acres of forest are lost each year, the equivalent of 36 football fields per minute?

In response to this frightening statistic, the International Union for Conservation proposed the Bonn Challenge.

Who would have thoughts that the smallest of creatures would have their own adaptations to escape hurricanes!

Citizens in Houston, Texas have spotted colonies of fire ants assembled together, battling out the flood-ravaged area by clinging on to one another until they reach dry land. 

At a glance, these tightly woven colonies do not look fearsome at all. In fact, it is almost easy to mistake these terracotta-brown colonies for a pile of dirt.

Did you know that orange peels take six months to decompose? If you don’t compost, those remnants of your healthy snack pile up in a landfill.

Now imagine how much waste large juice companies produce, with 64 oranges per 128 oz. bottle!

A one-of-a-kind experiment in Costa Rica has turned a barren patch of land into a thriving jungle, in what researchers consider a miracle.

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