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Commentary: When conservation becomes entertainment
My parents love to tell the story about the time I protested going to the aquarium when I was eight years old.
Salamander Migration Has New Citizen Science Component
Each spring, blue-spotted salamanders emerge from their underground burrows at Presque Isle Park in Marquette and venture across the road to lay their eggs. Northern Michigan University students have been involved in conservation, data collection and public education efforts for this annual event, but this year, the general public is invited to play a more active role in salamander migration research. Northern Michigan University Biology Department Head Jill Leonard encourages community members to participate in the Marquette Citizen Science Project.
Shorebird science and conservation collective shows big data can protect birds
New research from the Shorebird Science and Conservation Collective at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), published in the journal Conservation Biology, provides ...
Shorebird Science and Conservation Collective Shows Big Data Can Protect Birds
New research published in the journal Conservation Biology provides a model for big data to inform conservation.
Why Denver should care about conservation easements — even if you’ve never set foot on a ranch
By Jason Swan I live in Denver. I drink tap water from my kitchen sink, hike close to home when I can, worry about wildfire smoke every summer, and try, like many families, to keep up with the rising cost of living. I don’t own land. I don’t ranch. I don’t farm. And yet one […]
Indigenous knowledge confirms what scientists observe: Large birds are disappearing
Many Indigenous peoples and local communities live in close contact with nature and learn to identify the wildlife around them from an early age. New research published in the International Journal of Conservation draws on that knowledge to better understand a scientifically documented trend: large bird populations are shrinking. Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares, an ethnobotanist with the […]
A rare look inside the nation’s film archives
The Audio-Visual Conservation Center IS in Culpepper, Va.
Somerset conservation carpenter helping fix remote science base
Jo Oliver from Wedmore has been working in extreme conditions in Antarctica.
The Wild League aims to turn sports mascots into conservation champions
Lions, tigers and bears aren’t just among the world’s most iconic wildlife. They’re also among the most popular mascots in professional sports. A new study published in BioScience finds that across 50 countries and 10 team sports, 727 professional organizations use wild animals in their names, logos or fan nicknames. The most frequently represented species […]
UA Little Rock to Host Hands-On Workshop on the Science of Art Conservation
Students and faculty at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock will have the opportunity to explore how chemistry helps preserve works of art during a hands-on conservation science workshop ... UA Little Rock to Host Hands-On Workshop on the Science of Art Conservation
This Cheetah Hits the Brakes Inches from a Human (And the Science Explains Why)
Conservation in Namibia, Africa, has an orphaned cheetah who lives with them because his mother was shot when he was just a...
Chris Cobos expands soil, water conservation science in Rollings Plains
Chris Cobos is the Texas A&M AgriLife Research environmental soil scientist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon.
Seymour Studios goes live with new community science podcast
The Seymour Marine Discovery Center launched a new podcast Tuesday to connect Santa Cruz County’s scientists, problem-solvers and community members. While the new show spotlights local environmental success stories, the studio itself offers an inclusive space for anyone in the community to record and share their message, conservation-focused or not.
The cost of casting animals as heroes and villains in conservation science
New research shows how these storytelling choices can distort science – and how to move beyond them.
The cost of casting animals as heroes and villains in conservation science
New research shows how these storytelling choices can distort science – and how to move beyond them.
The Politics of Wildlife Protection
At the latest Washington Convention meeting in Uzbekistan, countries, conservationists, NGOs and traders negotiated over the fate of the world’s endangered animals
Organic molecules found in a 500-million-year-old fossil, upending the science of paleontology
Biological polymer chitin survives 500 million years in fossils, revealing carbon conservation and ancient chemistry.
Blue-faced, puffy-lipped monkey scores a rare conservation win
Vietnam's Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys are one of the world's most endangered primates.
Trump administration is erasing history and science at national parks, lawsuit argues
Conservation and historical organizations sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over National Park Service policies that the groups say erase history and science from America's national parks.
Coalition sues to block removal of history, science displays from US national parks
A coalition of six conservation and education organizations sued the US Department of the Interior on Tuesday, challenging a policy that has led to the removal of exhibits about slavery, climate chang...
U.S. groups sue to block Trump effort to rid parks of history, science information
Groups representing park conservationists, historians and scientists filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to prevent Trump from scrubbing parks and monuments.
Trump administration is erasing history and science at national parks, lawsuit argues
WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservation and historical organizations sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over National Park Service policies that the groups say erase history and science from America’s national parks.
National Parks Conservation Association Joins Coalition Lawsuit to Stop Censorship of History, Science in Parks
Visitors deserve the full picture of history at America’s national parks, as well as key information about climate change, pollution, development, and other environmental threats to these iconic places.
To aficionados, fungi are freaky, mystical and overlooked. They’re helping scientists learn more
Fungi have long fascinated scientists and aficionados alike.
Celebrating Women and Girls in Science at DZCA - Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance
This International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we’re honoring the women advancing wildlife care, conservation, and discovery.
The physics of the Winter Olympics : Short Wave
Watching a ski jumper fly through the air might get you wondering, “How do they do that?” The answer is – physics!That’s why this episode, we have two physicists – Amy Pope, a physicist from Clemson University and host Regina G. Barber – break down the science at play across some of the sports at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Because what’s a sport without a little friction, lift and conservation of energy? They also get into the new sport this year, ski mountaineering - or “skimo” as many call it - and the recent scandal involving the men’s ski jump suits. Interested in more science behind Olympic sports? Check out our episodes on how extreme G-forces affect Olympic bobsledders, the physics of figure skating and the science behind Simone Biles' Olympic gold. Also, we’d love to know what science questions have you stumped. Email us your questions at shortwave@npr.org – we may solve it for you on a future episode!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Seagrass Saviours – Citizen Science, Divers and the Fight to Restore Plymouth Sound
Citizen science divers are helping restore vital seagrass habitats in Plymouth Sound. Inside a hands-on marine conservation success story.
Making science more visible
As he enters a laboratory with saltwater pools full of fish, Luka Žuvić explains how climate change is affecting the feeding ecology and reproductive biology of Atlantic bluefin tuna, and how the species is adapting.It is a topic that may seem remote to many people. But in a country where fishing and aquaculture are important to the economy and national identity, Žuvić’s research is at the intersection of science and society. “In Croatia, marine and environmental science are closely connected to people’s lives because fisheries, aquaculture, tourism and coastal development are a big part of our lives,” explains Žuvić, a doctoral student working at the Croatian Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in the Adriatic coastal city of Split. He also serves as one of Croatia’s ambassadors to Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a European Commission-funded project that aims to make scientific research more accessible, while inspiring young people to study the sciences. The project kicked off in Spilt on 20 January with a conference attended by partner institutions, community representatives, policymakers and scientists. Along with Split, Brest (in France) and Kiel (in Germany) will host a year of activities connecting scientists with the public.Žuvić, 31, is part of the Young Researchers' Career Development Project, a doctoral programme funded by the Croatian Science Foundation. His research on Atlantic bluefin tuna builds on a foundation-backed project focusing on the reproductive potential of farmed tuna, including their sexual maturation and spontaneous spawning in captivity, which has implications for the restoration of the Adriatic Sea's natural tuna populations. He also studies the tuna's feeding ecology through stomach-content analysis, using DNA metabarcoding and morphological approaches, and employs geometric morphometrics to improve the identification of juvenile tuna and related species. The research aims to enhance understanding of the tuna farming ecology, improve fish farm management and contribute to sustainable aquaculture and fisheries research.Engaging with local communitiesConnecting with the community is crucial for Žuvić’s research. Conversations with fishermen help him better understand the bluefin tuna's habits and how marine pollution affects the fish. “They are also curious about the biology and ecology of bluefin tuna,” he says of local fishermen, adding that sharing research with non-scientists benefits everyone. “Sometimes scientific research is invisible,” he explains. “That's why we as researchers need to go out from our institutions and labs to the public so that we can show them what we are working on. This helps create more trust in the scientists and their research.”Engaging the public also raises awareness about the anthropogenic changes to the marine environment resulting from human activities and pollution. Žuvić helps remove plastic and other rubbish from the Adriatic Sea that pose a direct threat to marine species. Predators, such as bluefin tuna, are especially vulnerable to ingesting waste churned up by fishing trawlers. “They are very opportunistic fish that follow trawlers and ingest everything,” he notes. To illustrate the impact, he has shown students the contents of bluefin tuna stomachs. “Finding a plastic bottle cap in the stomach of a bluefin tuna is concerning,” he says. "Science can be a powerful way to turn curiosity into practical solutions,” Žuvić adds, and sharing research outcomes “helps increase public awareness and improve understanding of human impacts on the marine environment.”The research also has implications for Croatia's economy. The Atlantic bluefin tuna’s rich, flavourful meat is highly valued for sushi and other raw fish dishes. However, overfishing nearly brought its population to collapse by the early 2000s. Although the species has made a comeback in the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions, catches continue to be managed through agreements with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. Croatia was a pioneer in developing commercial aquaculture as an alternative to open-sea fishing and accounts for about 10% of the EU’s farmed production of the bluefin tuna, with Japan being a key export market.A history of European collaborationCroatia has participated in Europe’s framework programmes for research and innovation since 2007, six years before officially joining the EU. Žuvić believes that EU funding and collaboration with other European researchers is vital for Croatian science. As part of the SCTT opening conference, the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, the University of Split and other local institutions were part of a science fair to showcase research on topics, such as robotics and an EU LIFE project on the protection of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean. “I hope that Science Comes to Town will help increase scientific literacy and curiosity among citizens, particularly students, and show that science is not something that is distant or abstract, but something that directly affects everyday life,” Žuvić concludes. “Ultimately, I hope that projects like it contribute to building a society that values knowledge and critical thinking, and that we can think about long-term sustainability using knowledge from science.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
‘Everything is quagga mussel now’: can invasive species be stopped?
While ecologists believe invasive species play a major role in more than 60% of plant and animal extinctions, stopping them in their tracks is almost impossible. Biodiversity reporter Phoebe Weston tells Madeleine Finlay how invasive species spread, how conservationists are trying combat them and why some think a radical new approach is needed.
Pro-ag or pro-development? Conservationist Travis Thompson asks Florida leaders to support Florida Farm Bill
'Remember this, the final crop will be houses if we don’t protect agriculture.'
750-year-old Indian poems reveal a landscape scientists got wrong
Old Indian poems and folk songs are revealing a surprising truth about the land. Scientists found that descriptions of thorny trees and open grasslands in texts written as far back as the 1200s closely match today’s savannas in western India. This suggests these landscapes are ancient and natural—not ruined forests. The discovery could reshape how conservation and tree-planting efforts are planned.
Outdoor learning at Burke Lake shows students science career pathways
Environmental science and policy professor Cynthia Smith organizes outdoor education programs for seventh graders across the county, diving into the importance of hands-on research and environmental conservation.
The influencer racing to save Thailand’s most endangered sea mammal
Amateur conservationist and social media influencer Theerasak 'Pop' Saksritawee has a rare bond with Thailand’s critically endangered dugongs. Pop raises an urgent alarm — before Thailand’s dugongs vanish forever
Lompoc students return to Dangermond Preserve for hands-on science learning
Students from the Lompoc Unified School District again participated in hands-on science learning at the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve, a 24,000-acre conservation area operated by The Nature Conservancy just
Adirondack Loon Center welcomes new director of science and conservation
Comings and goings highlights organizations across the Adirondacks as they welcome a new team member and post job opportunities.
Conservation’s unfinished business
Conservation often presents itself as a technical enterprise: how much land to protect, which species to prioritize, what policies deliver results. A recent paper in Nature argues that this framing misses something fundamental. Many of the field’s most persistent failures, the authors contend, cannot be understood without confronting how race, power, and historical exclusion continue […]
Salina Art Center Cinema gets Science on Screen grant
Salina Art Center Cinema received a Science on Screen grant to host expert-led film events on science, technology, DNA, conservation and geology.
Scientists detect alarming bird population decline in Bay Area: Here's what can be done
To understand the state and health of birds across the Bay Area, scientists have been watching them closely. The latest report by the San Francisco Bay Joint Venture and Point Blue Conservation Science points to a concerning decline of shorebirds over the last two decades.
Loon center welcomes new director of science and conservation
SARANAC LAKE — The Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation announced Monday the appointment of Lizz Schuyler as senior director of science and conservation. A native New Yorker, Schuyler grew up in the Pottersville/Schroon Lake area. She attended State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry for her undergraduate degree and then earned […]
We are living in a golden age of species discovery
The search for life on Earth is speeding up, not slowing down. Scientists are now identifying more than 16,000 new species each year, revealing far more biodiversity than expected across animals, plants, fungi, and beyond. Many species remain undiscovered, especially insects and microbes, and future advances could unlock millions more. Each new find also opens doors to conservation and medical breakthroughs.
Small Stories, Big Science at the Smithsonian’s Conservation Biology Institute in 2025
Take a look at some bite-sized stories about our science programs this year.
Sponsored: Science vs. Spin: The Truth About Menhaden Fishing in Louisiana Waters
Louisiana’s coast supports a wide variety of uses, including conservation, recreation, commercial fishing, energy, and shipping. The debate over menhaden harvest and the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC)’s proposed
Prairie strips can rapidly improve soil health
Prairie strips can improve measures of soil health faster than expected, according to new research by Iowa State University scientists working in cooperation with the Soil Health Institute. Earlier studies have shown that prairie strips established in approximately 10% of a field can significantly increase biodiversity and pollinator habitat, reduce erosion and improve water quality. However, strips’ impacts on soil health have remained largely unexamined until now. Findings published recently in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation showed that prairie strips improved a number of soil health measures within 10-12 years.
Cox Enterprises Launches New Cox Outdoors Business Segment
Cox Outdoors unites the company’s recent investments in outdoor-recreation businesses and expands its focus on conservation.
Tybee Island Marine Science Center hosts Whale Week to educate about endangered North Atlantic right whales
Conservationists continue working to ensure the species doesn’t disappear forever as the whales face ongoing threats in their critical habitat areas.
McWane Science Center unveils terrapin conservation lab. How to help in 2025
The Birmingham museum partners with UAB to raise endangered Mississippi Diamondback Terrapins before releasing them back to Alabama's coastal marshes.
Shark scientists want their research to help save threatened species, but don’t know how. Our new paper can help.
Sharks are some of the most threatened animals on Earth, and accordingly many scientists who study sharks want their research to be useful for conservation. However, most scientific training does n…
Indigenous knowledge and science join forces to save the choro mussel in Chile
Huellelhue means “place for swimming” in Mapudungun. It’s also the name of one of the rivers that flow through the Lafken Mapu Lahual Multiple-Use Conservation Area, established in 2005 in southern Chile’s Los Lagos region. The name of this area is more than just a grouping of words, says Eduardo Vargas, president of the Nirehue […]
Uniting Citizen Science for Leporidae Conservation in Mexico
In a ground-breaking study set to be published in December 2025, researchers led by Emili Ramírez-Bravo have embarked on a crucial exploration aimed at the conservation of three distinct Leporidae species in the central mountains of Mexico. This unprecedented investigation
Seen but not forgotten: How citizen science helps document biodiversity in remote Borneo villages
In Borneo’s remote villages, locals earn money by recording wildlife — reshaping conservation and redefining how communities value their forests.