“Figures released by the IUCN African Rhino Specialist Group, the conservation body, indicate that the global rhino population increased to about 27,000 at the end of last year, with southern white rhino numbers increasing for the first time since 2012, from 15,942 at the end of 2021 to 16,803. In 2021, the world’s rhino population was estimated to be 26,272.”
From The Guardian.
“Over eight years they re-engineered LCC – now LCCICCG – to become a trained PET specialist.
The enzyme is now so efficient that it can completely break the PET polymer down to its constituent monomers—the chemicals producers need to make new plastic.
Prof Marty likens it to breaking apart a pearl necklace.
‘We are using an enzyme that you can consider a molecular scissors,’ he says. ‘We break down the link between the pearls, liberate the pearls and in this way, after purification, we can sell these pearls again.'”
From BBC.
“Blue whales—the largest animals on Earth—are making their home in a part of the Indian Ocean where they were wiped out by whaling decades ago.
Researchers and filmmakers in the Seychelles captured footage of the whales in 2020 and 2021. It features in the Imax film Blue Whales 3D. But a year of underwater audio recording revealed the animals spend months in the region.
This means they could be breeding there, scientists say.”
From BBC.
Wall Street Journal | Conservation & Biodiversity
“Scientists like Enochs are working overtime to engineer more climate-resistant corals. They are creating booster shots to keep them alive, deploying in vitro fertilization to make larvae grow faster, and importing coral species from around the Caribbean to breed with those in Florida.”
From Wall Street Journal.
“Plants will absorb 20 per cent more carbon dioxide than predicted by the end of the century, a new study has found, suggesting climate models are overestimating how fast the planet will warm.
Trinity College Dublin said its research painted an ‘uncharacteristically upbeat picture for the planet’ after finding models had failed to take into account all the elements of photosynthesis.”
From Telegraph.
