Solutions
The Thriving Coral Reef That ‘Defeated Time’ in West Africa
A 60-year mystery has been solved as researchers discover a coral ecosystem on the Benin-Togo continental shelf that is still teeming with marine life.
Research•5 min read
Research
Explainer
This Unfathomably Huge Fungal Network Keeps Earth Cool and Green
Spanning 110 quadrillion kilometers, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are critical allies of plants. They also transport an enormous amount of planet-warming carbon.
Research•4 min read
Fishing in the Deep Ocean’s Data-Blind Spot
Twilight zone fish help regulate carbon and are critical to the food web. Yet they are being caught in massive amounts, and scientists say the impact is unknown.
Climate•5 min read
News
Most Agree Fungi-Based Food Is A Greener, Meat-Like Protein
Survey says majority agree fungi-based foods are sustainable meat alternatives with a protein profile that’s similar to meat, despite knowledge gaps around the reasons why.
Research•5 min read
News
Great White Sharks Are Overheating
“The most acute, urgent crisis these animals face is from overfishing, and particularly now from bycatch.”
Research•4 min read
News
Manure Digesters Help Cut Methane — But They Also Leak
On average, methane emissions fell by about 25%. But methane leaks from manure digesters can be so potent that they need to be constantly monitored, researchers say.
Research•6 min read
Feature
How the Humble Hornwort Could Supercharge Agriculture
Scientists studying the plant have discovered a new way to boost the efficiency of rubisco — the enzyme that powers life on Earth — and hope to transfer the trick…
Research•6 min read
News
Grasslands and Wetlands Are Being Gobbled Up By Agriculture, Mostly Livestock
A new study takes a first-of-its kind look at how farming converts non-forested areas and major carbon sinks into cropland and pasture.
Research•4 min read
News
Tree Bark Microbes Capture Greenhouse Gases, New Study Finds
The process plays out separately from photosynthesis, and experts say it could improve reforestation strategies.
Research•5 min read
News
GLP-1 Users Lose Weight, and Their Taste for Meat
People taking blockbuster drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy report eating less meat, dairy and processed foods. These shifts could reshape the food system.
Research•3 min read
News
Bird Flu Virus Might Resist Fever, Study in Mice Finds
A study in mice finds avian flu shares trait with the viruses behind some of the worst pandemics, but more research in humans is needed.
Research•5 min read
News
Nearly Everyone Will Need to Change Their Diets by 2050 to Meet Climate Goals — Study Suggests
Researchers estimate that 44% of the population in 2012 had dietary habits fueling food-related emissions.
Research•4 min read
Explainer
Want to Cut Back on Meat? Studies Suggest a Flexible Approach Has More Staying Power
A flexitarian diet may be easier to maintain than a vegetarian one.
Research•7 min read
News
Meat Consumption in U.S. Cities Produces as Much Climate Pollution as Powering Homes
Researchers found emissions from beef, pork and chicken consumption exceeded the entire carbon footprint of Italy.
Research•6 min read
Feature
The Words We Use To Talk About Nature Are Disappearing. Here’s Why That Matters.
We’ll need to do more than "touch grass" to revive them.
Research•7 min read
Feature
Raising Slower Growing Chickens Could Reduce Their Suffering for a Lower Cost Than You Might Think
A new framework aims to quantify farm animal suffering for better decisions about the way we produce food.
Research•6 min read
Investigation
More Data From Farms Could Help Scientists Better Track Avian Flu, but Privacy Concerns Stand in the Way
Government agencies have refused to disclose farm locations, precise outbreak dates and other metadata associated with poultry and cattle that test positive for avian flu.
Research•12 min read
News
Satellite Research Shows Factory Farm Hotspots as Federal Court Tosses Emissions Lawsuit
New research shows roughly a quarter of the nation’s large cattle, dairy and hog farms are located in just 30 U.S. counties.
Research•6 min read
Feature
Regenerative Agriculture Falls Short As a Climate Fix, New Study Finds
The tradeoffs — better soil health, lower yields — come with steep consequences for climate change.
Research•5 min read
Feature
How Much Meat Can You Eat and Still Be ‘Climate-Friendly?’
Here’s what the latest research says.
Research•9 min read
Solutions
Your Climate Action Works Better With Collective Change, New Research Shows
Combining eating more plants with collective action — like getting hospitals and schools to serve more plant-based dishes — can make your individual climate action far more effective.
Research•5 min read
Explainer
Is Organic Food More Sustainable? It’s Complicated
Organic meat isn’t necessarily better for the environment, but the certification does afford farm animals a bit more living space.
Research•5 min read
Feature
Satellites Reveal Illegal Bottom Trawling in Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems
Research suggests this fishing practice releases up to 370 million metric tons of carbon dioxide every year.
Research•7 min read
Feature
Feeding Cows Seaweed Can Reduce Methane Emissions, but the Additives Still Come With Plenty of Challenges
There are still hurdles to overcome, but growing the seaweed industry in a state known for lobster could be a win for local fishermen, dairy and cattle operations, and the…
Research•10 min read
Reported
Factory Farm Pollution Can Be Seen From Space, Scientists Say
A new study uses satellite data to document environmental inequities in North Carolina.
Research•6 min read
Reported
Nitrous Oxide, a Potent Greenhouse Gas, Is Spreading From Farms
A new study finds the gas is also coming from polluted water.
Research•6 min read
Explainer
How Good People Do Bad Things to Animals
The psychology of animal abuse at livestock auctions and slaughterhouses.
Research•9 min read
Reported
Fish Farms Kill Billions More Wild Fish Than Previous Estimates, Study Finds
Touted as a more environmentally friendly solution, the reality of fish farms is more harmful.
Research•6 min read
Reported
Animal Lab Workers Experience Mental Health Struggles, but Are Rarely Heard From
The human emotional toll of experimenting on animals.
Research•10 min read
Explainer
Animals Can Work Together, and Here Are a Few Notable Examples
What animal cooperation can teach us about our similarities and differences as species.
Research•8 min read
Reported
Plants and Their Pollinators Are Increasingly Out of Sync
As global temperatures rise and seasons shift, bees and other pollinators are missing critical connections with flowers and crops.
Research•7 min read
Solutions
What Does Noninvasive Wild Animal Research Look Like?
Veganized scent lures and camera traps are two tools scientists can use to minimize human impact on wildlife.
Research•6 min read
Solutions
AI Animal Communication Breakthroughs Could Revolutionize Our Relationship With Animals
Advances in AI are paving the way for two-way communication with animals, with profound ethical implications.
Research•8 min read
Reported
Inside Jane Goodall’s Revolutionary Approach to Animal Research
Our improved understanding of animal behavior is a legacy of Jane Goodall’s work.
Research•5 min read
Solutions
Cars Harm Animals — Could Wildlife Crossings Be a Solution?
Freedom of movement is essential to the survival of species, but cars have disturbed the natural movements of animals. Is there a way to fix it?
Research•11 min read
Reported
New Research on Animal Communication Shows Their Cultures Are Often Complex and Cumulative
Two new studies upend decades of research on the ways animals and insects learn.
Research•7 min read
Explainer
Why We Still Test on Animals, Explained
A fraught regulatory environment and human stubbornness help explain the roadblocks.
Research•15 min read
Explainer
5 Arguments for Zoos, Fact-Checked and Unpacked
Why many of the arguments for zoos need fact-checking and caveats.
Research•9 min read
Explainer
The 11 Most Helpful Animals on Earth (Though It’s Quite a Competition)
So many animals assist humans and the ecosystem. These are arguably some of the most helpful.
Research•11 min read
Explainer
7 Animals With Sex Lives That Make Humans Look Vanilla
If you want proof the animal kingdom is queer, kinky and gender-bending, look no further.
Research•6 min read
Feature
The Colleges with the Worst Animal Welfare Violations Might Shock You
Some very well known colleges are some of the worst animal rights offenders.
Research•6 min read
Explainer
How Long Cows Live — If They’re Actually Given the Chance
The record for the oldest living cow might surprise you.
Research•9 min read
Explainer
What Food Justice Is and Why It Matters, Explained
The food justice movement seeks to create a fair and sustainable food system.
Research•9 min read
Explainer
Cosmetic Animal Testing Is Cruel – But There Are Alternatives
Animal testing is an outdated method of testing the safety of cosmetics. While many companies still rely on it, consumers are demanding cruelty-free alternatives.
Research•10 min read
Reported
What Really Happened at That Controversial Octopus Farm in Hawaii
A new coalition has asked state officials to investigate the notorious Hawaii octopus farm and terminate its lease at a state-run research park.
Research•8 min read
Reported
The New Science the Plant-Based Industry Needs To Know
New research suggests plant-based burgers need to be more than tasty, cheap and convenient.
Research•9 min read
Reported
Does Animal Personality Research Actually Help Animals?
By weeding out "undesirable" personality traits, farmers could create vast herds of animals with emotions ideal for factory farm life, and death.
Research•8 min read
Reported
You Can Love Farm Animals and Still Run for Office, New Research Shows
A Harvard researcher tested a field of hypothetical candidates and found talking about animal welfare could actually boost voter support.
Research•5 min read
Reported
Is Avian Flu Already Endemic? Here’s What Scientists Know
The "sick bird markets" of Indonesia hold answers for our future with bird flu, a growing body of research suggests.
Research•6 min read
Analysis
How Queer Ecology Disrupts the Study of Animals and Nature
Myriad examples of queer animals exist, from homosexual mountain goats to gender-bending clownfish to asexual snakes.
Research•6 min read
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Topics
Sentient investigates and explains factory farms and their effect on climate, the environment, animals, health, politics and rural communities.