With hundreds of satellites launched each year and tens of thousands more planned, scientists are increasingly concerned about an emerging problem: emissions from the fuels burned in launches and from the pollutants released when satellites and rocket stages flame out on reentry.
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WILDLIFE
A Troubling Rise in the Grisly Trade of a Spectacular African Bird
Researchers are finding a disturbing uptick in the trade of African hornbills and their body parts in West African voodoo markets and globally on the internet. Conservationists want international protections for these birds, which play a key role in Africa’s forest ecosystems.
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MINING
In Myanmar, Illicit Rare Earth Mining Is Taking a Heavy Toll
As China has cut back on domestic extraction of rare earth minerals, uncontrolled mining in Myanmar has boomed in areas ruled by powerful ethnic armies. New reporting reveals how this activity is damaging water supplies, forests, and the health of workers and communities.
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INTERVIEW
How Batteries, Not Natural Gas, Can Power the Data Center Boom
Tech companies are turning to natural gas to help power the growing number of A.I. data centers in the U.S. Jigar Shah, a former Energy Department official, explains how installing batteries instead can help balance the grid, lower electricity bills, and support renewable energy.
Solutions
From Ruins to Reuse: How Ukrainians Are Repurposing War Waste
Russian bombardments have generated more than a billion tons of debris across Ukraine since 2022. Now, local and international efforts are meticulously sorting the bricks, concrete, metal, and wood, preparing these materials for a second life in new buildings and roads.
E360 Digest
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Growing Number of Satellites Will Leave Streaks on Photos from Space Telescopes
The growing number of satellites overhead may soon obscure photos taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and other orbiting observatories. New research finds that passing satellites could leave streaks on up to 96 percent of images. More about Growing Number of Satellites Will Leave Streaks on Photos from Space Telescopes →
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Scientists Relaunch the 'Internet of Animals'
German scientists have relaunched a satellite system that will be used to track wildlife all across the globe. The "internet of animals" was first launched in 2020, in collaboration with Russian researchers, but was abruptly halted after Russia invaded Ukraine. More about Scientists Relaunch the 'Internet of Animals' →
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Countries Agree to New Protections for Imperiled African Hornbills
Countries agreed Wednesday to new limits on the international trade in African hornbills. The spectacular birds, which play a key role in African forest ecosystems, are threatened by the growing global sale of hornbill parts. More about Countries Agree to New Protections for Imperiled African Hornbills →
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Energy
Facing a Hostile Administration, U.S. Offshore Wind Is in Retreat
Offshore wind had been poised to take off along the East Coast, with about 30 utility-scale farms planned. But the Trump administration’s opposition to wind power has caused most of those projects to be abandoned, with only seven farms now moving ahead or in operation.
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ANALYSIS
As U.S. and E.U. Retreat on Climate, China Takes the Leadership Role
As U.N. talks get underway, China is emerging as a key leader in international climate efforts. It is empowering the global energy transition, and along with India and Brazil, is becoming the driving force in climate diplomacy and filling a vacuum left by the world’s rich nations.
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ANALYSIS
Carbon Offsets Are Failing. Can a New Plan Save the Rainforests?
Brazil is set to unveil an ambitious international plan that would provide up to $4 billion a year to countries that protect their tropical forests. Proponents see it as a potential game-changer for forest conservation, but some ecologists and economists are raising concerns.
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Biodiversity
As Jaguars Recover, Will the Border Wall Block Their U.S. Return?
Decades of conservation efforts in Central and South America are starting to pay off, with increased protections for jaguars and the corridors that connect them. But the construction of the border wall is creating a roadblock to the big cat’s return to the U.S. Southwest.
