Daily Insights on Saving the Planet
Buried Dangers: Coal Ash Contamination in Mooresville
Buried Dangers: Coal Ash Contamination in Mooresville
Mooresville, North Carolina, a town known for its charm and scenic beauty, faces a grave environmental challenge that has sparked concern among its residents. The issue revolves around coal ash—a byproduct of coal-fired power plants—buried beneath parts of the town. This hidden hazard is now under scrutiny due to its potential connection to elevated rates of thyroid cancer among locals.
Coal ash contains hazardous substances such as arsenic, lead, and mercury. When improperly disposed of, these toxins can leach into the soil and water, posing significant health and environmental risks. In Mooresville, reports suggest that coal ash may have been buried decades ago without adequate safeguards, creating a ticking time bomb for public health and the environment.
A Community in Distress
Residents of Mooresville have voiced growing concerns about an unusual cluster of thyroid cancer cases. According to local accounts, the rate of thyroid cancer in the area appears to be alarmingly higher than the national average. While direct scientific links between the buried coal ash and these cancer cases have not been conclusively established, the suspicion has prompted calls for comprehensive investigations.
Families living in proximity to the suspected coal ash sites describe a mix of fear and frustration. Many worry about the long-term health impacts and the potential decline in property values. Community activists are urging local authorities and environmental agencies to act swiftly, demanding transparency and accountability.
Regulatory Challenges
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state environmental agencies have guidelines for the disposal and management of coal ash. […]
Wildlife Comebacks: Species Return to Natural Habitats
In a landmark year for wildlife conservation, several species have made triumphant returns to their natural habitats, signaling progress in restoring ecosystems and reversing biodiversity loss. Reintroductions include the northern bald ibis in central Europe, pine martens in Devon, and beavers throughout Britain. Each success story emphasises the importance of coordinated conservation efforts and provides hope for future ecosystem restoration.
The Northern Bald Ibis Returns to Europe
Once considered critically endangered, the northern bald ibis has taken significant strides toward recovery thanks to decades of conservation work. This distinctive bird, with its glossy black feathers and bald head, was nearly extinct in Europe due to habitat loss and hunting. However, through targeted breeding programs and coordinated reintroduction efforts, populations are now thriving in parts of Austria, Germany, and Italy.
Organizations like the Waldrappteam project have played a pivotal role in these efforts, using innovative techniques such as teaching migration routes to young birds using ultralight aircraft. The sight of these birds soaring across European skies after centuries of absence is a testament to what focused conservation strategies can achieve.
Pine Martens Make a Comeback in Devon
In Britain, the pine marten, a small carnivorous mammal, has been successfully reintroduced to Devon’s woodlands. Once abundant, their numbers plummeted in the 20th century due to deforestation and persecution. Today, thanks to rewilding initiatives led by organizations like the Vincent Wildlife Trust, these elusive creatures are reclaiming their place in the ecosystem.
Pine martens are not just a delight to observe; they play a critical ecological role by controlling rodent […]
Amazon Deforestation at 8-Year Low: A Win for Conservation
In a startling reversal, a welcome and significant milestone in the fight against climate change has emerged: deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has reached its lowest rate in eight years. This development signals meaningful progress in preserving one of the planet’s most vital ecosystems and combating the dire consequences of environmental degradation.
A Critical Turning Point
The Amazon rainforest, also known as the “Lungs of the Earth,” is critical to preserving global ecological equilibrium. It covers around 5.5 million square kilometres and absorbs large amounts of CO2 while creating oxygen, making it critical to climate change mitigation. However, this essential ecosystem has suffered constant threats from illicit logging, livestock ranching, mining, and agricultural expansion, resulting in worrisome rates of deforestation over the decades.
According to recent data issued by Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE), deforestation rates are down 33% over the previous year. Between August 2023 and July 2024, the Amazon lost about 4,000 square kilometres of forest, the lowest total since 2016. This victory marks a watershed moment in the quest to safeguard the Amazon and provides a ray of hope for worldwide conservation efforts.
The Impact of Policy and Enforcement
Deforestation has decreased significantly as a result of the Brazilian government’s increased commitment to environmental preservation under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. When President Lula took office in January 2023, he prioritised rectifying his predecessor’s environmentally destructive policies, which had drawn international criticism for eroding environmental laws..
Key measures implemented include:
- Strengthened Law Enforcement: The government increased funding for environmental enforcement […]
Earth Hits 1.5° Warming Mark for the First Time: A Dire Warning from 2024 Climate Report
2024: A Global Warming Milestone According to EU’s Copernicus Climate Report
The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has released its annual climate report, marking 2024 as the first year on record where the global average temperature surpassed the critical threshold of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This alarming milestone highlights the accelerating pace of climate change and its increasingly dire implications for the planet.
Key Findings from the Report
- Global Average Temperature The report reveals that the global average temperature for 2024 was 1.51°C higher than the pre-industrial baseline (1850-1900). This marks the first time this threshold has been breached over the course of an entire calendar year. Notably, the temperature increase was consistent across all months, underscoring the persistence of warming trends.
- Role of El Niño The intensifying El Niño event played a significant role in 2024’s temperature anomalies. The phenomenon, which involves warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, contributed to record-breaking heatwaves and amplified global warming impacts. However, the report emphasizes that the underlying cause remains the accumulation of greenhouse gases due to human activities.
- Record-Breaking Weather Events 2024 witnessed an unprecedented series of extreme weather events, including:
- Heatwaves: Europe experienced its hottest summer on record, with temperatures in several regions exceeding 45°C. Similar patterns were observed in North America, Asia, and parts of Africa.
- Wildfires: Massive wildfires swept through the Mediterranean, Canada, and Australia, exacerbated by prolonged droughts and high temperatures.
- Flooding: Torrential rains led to catastrophic flooding in South Asia […]
Is the Digital Euro a Trojan Horse for Government Surveillance?
Is the Digital Euro a Trojan Horse for Government Surveillance? Privacy Risks and Freedom at Stake
The European Central Bank (ECB) is moving on with plans to launch a digital euro, a central bank digital currency (CBDC) designed to supplement physical cash and existing electronic payment mechanisms. This program intends to establish a secure, efficient, and widely accepted digital payment method across the eurozone. However, major concerns have been voiced about the potential impact on individual freedom and the prospect of increased government surveillance.
Progress and Timeline
In October 2023, the ECB transitioned into the preparation phase of the digital euro project, focusing on finalising the design and distribution models. This phase is scheduled to last two years, with a decision on whether to proceed expected by the end of 2025. The ECB emphasises that any decision to issue a digital euro will only be considered after the completion of the European Union’s legislative process.
Privacy Concerns and Surveillance Risks
A significant concern surrounding the digital euro is the potential erosion of financial privacy. Unlike cash transactions, which are inherently private, digital transactions can be recorded and traced. Critics argue that without robust privacy safeguards, a digital euro could enable unprecedented levels of government surveillance over individual financial activities. The Cato Institute warns that CBDCs could become gateways to surveillance and control, posing serious threats to financial freedom and privacy.
The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) has highlighted that, depending on technical design choices, different privacy and data protection challenges might emerge. […]
Microplastic pollution reaches crisis point in UK waters
With the strain on the inland rivers and coastal waterways in the UK, plastic pollution has become a major environmental issue. Despite growing awareness and efforts to curb the issue, evidence reveals that the scale of plastic contamination remains alarming, threatening ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.
Extent of Plastic Pollution
Recent studies conducted by environmental organisations and research institutions provide a sobering picture of the UK’s waterways. According to a 2023 report by the UK Environment Agency, microplastics were detected in 80% of surveyed river sites. These tiny plastic fragments, often invisible to the naked eye, originate from degraded larger plastics, synthetic clothing fibres, and microbeads used in cosmetics and cleaning products.
Larger plastic debris is also prevalent. A joint study by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and Keep Britain Tidy revealed that over 1 million plastic items are found per year on UK beaches during organised clean-ups. Inland rivers such as the Thames and Mersey act as conduits, carrying this waste to the sea. Research published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology highlights that the Thames alone deposits an estimated 94,000 microplastics per second into the North Sea.
Sources of Pollution
The sources of plastic pollution in UK waters are diverse and often interlinked. Mismanaged waste disposal, littering, and industrial activities contribute significantly. Single-use plastics—including bottles, packaging, and cigarette filters—account for a large portion of the debris found in both rivers and coastal regions. Additionally, urban runoff during rainfall events washes plastics into drainage systems, ultimately discharging them into natural water bodies.
Agricultural practices […]
Should Thames Water be allowed to fail ?
Thames Water, the UK’s largest water provider with nearly 16 million users, is currently facing serious financial issues. Should it be allowed to fall into administration?
As of December 2024, the company’s debt exceeded £19 billion, raising questions about its operational viability and the likelihood for government intervention.
It recorded an operational deficit of £189 million in the first half of 2024, attributable to pollution penalties, consultancy payouts, and losses on inter-company loans. The corporation also faced exceptional charges of £465 million, including a £104 million provision for anticipated fines and a £40 million restructuring program.
This significant debt burden has stretched its financial resources, limiting its capacity to invest in critical infrastructure projects. Thomas Water has stated that it may run out of money by March 2025.
A 40% increase in pollution events has resulted in substantial fines, severely stressing the company’s budget. Thames Water was fined £18.2 million by Ofwat in December 2024 for violating dividend regulations on payments made in 2023 and 2024. Ofwat also stated that it will “claw back value” to recover £131 million of the payments.
Should Thames Water be allowed to fail ?
Thames Water is currently seeking permission for a potential £3 billion financial rescue package to address its current financial challenges – but will a new bail-out be merely “kicking the can down the road” ?
As an alternative, going into administration would support a full restructuring of the company’s operations, allowing a greater focus on efficiency and service quality without the immediate strain of debt commitments. This procedure […]
Ocean treaty agreed in momentous success after 10 years negotiation
After ten years of discussions, nations have secured a historic agreement to safeguard the world’s seas. The High Seas Treaty intends to conserve and restore marine life by designating 30% of the oceans as protected areas by 2030.
After 38 continuous hours of talks and 10 years of negotiations, the deal was struck on Saturday evening at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The talks had been stalled for years due to conflicts over finance and fishing rights. The latest international accord on ocean conservation, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, was signed 40 years ago in 1982. This agreement established the high seas – international waters in which all countries have the right to fish, ship, and conduct research – however just 1.2% of these waters are protected. Sea species living beyond these protected regions have been under risk from climate change, overfishing and maritime traffic. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s most recent estimate of worldwide marine species, approximately 10% are at risk of extinction (IUCN).
These new protected zones, established by the treaty, will limit the amount of fishing allowed, the routes of shipping channels, and exploratory operations such as deep sea mining, which involves extracting minerals from a sea bottom 200m or deeper below the surface.
Environmental organisations have been concerned that mining methods might damage animal mating areas, produce noise pollution and be harmful for marine life. The International Seabed Authority that handles licencing have stated that “any future activity on the deep […]
Time’s up for the mismanagement of the UK’s most precious resource – our rivers and coastal waters
For years, the UK’s management of its rivers and coastal waters has been deteriorating at a greater pace than we have seen since the Industrial Revolution and has never been fit for purpose. With the pace of deterioration of our water quality accelerating at a truly alarming pace, we need an urgent, coordinated and comprehensive national review, driving prompt action including law changes to force improvements by our water companies, business and agriculture.
In this new series, Save the Planet lays down its manifesto for change – a “carrot and stick” approach of strengthening regulations with punitive penalties for failure, yet actively promoting and rewarding sustainable initiatives for a better future.
There are several pragmatic and effective measures that the UK could take to fix the high levels of contamination and pollution of its rivers and inland coastal waters. These include:
Strengthening regulations: To reduce pollution levels in rivers and inland coastal waters, the UK government must strengthen existing regulations or enact new ones. Setting even stricter limits on pollutant discharge from industrial and agricultural activities, for example.
Increasing monitoring: The government must conduct more extensive monitoring of water quality in rivers and inland coastal waters in order to identify pollution hotspots and take action to address them, including the use of new technologies such as sensors to monitor water quality in real time.
Promoting sustainable agriculture: Agricultural activities are a major source of pollution in rivers and inland coastal waters. The government should increase its promotion of sustainable agriculture practices that reduce fertiliser and pesticide […]
Will Steffen: The dilemma of pioneer climate scientists
by Andrew Y GliksonWill Lee Steffen: 25 June 1947 – 29 January 2023The name of Will Lee Steffen will stand tall as a pioneer Earth systems and climate change scientist at our critical time when the life support systems of our planet are increasingly threatened. Along with other pioneer climate scientists over the last ~40 years or so, such as Wallace Broecker, James Hansen, Ralph Keeling, Paul Crutzen, Richard Alley, Stefan Rahmstorf, John Schellenberg, William Ruddiman, John Kutzbach, Guy Calendar, Michael Mann, Kevin Anderson, Andrew Weaver, Eric Rignot, Gavin Schmidt, Katrin Meissner, Kevin Trenberth and other, trying to communicate the scientific message of the greatest peril the planet is facing since at least 55 million years ago. There cannot be a more painful position for scientists than to find themselves compelled to issue severe warnings of the demise of the natural world, civilization, society, family and future generations due to the sharp rise in greenhouse gas concentrations and temperatures originating from emissions from human industry. Yet this is precisely what climate scientists have been called to do, Cassandra-like, based on the physical and observed evidence for the rapid elevation in atmospheric, land and marine temperatures since the end of the 18th century at a rate exceeding geological mass extinction events. Not all scientists have risen-up to the challenge. A small number have become climate change denial advocates, often supported by oil and gas corporations. Many in companies, government, institutions and in some instances even in universities had to subdue or moderate their warnings. Personal attitudes and politics became evident where, in some instances, scientists regarded as “optimists” were favoured by the authorities while other, labelled as “alarmists”, were penalized for their views. Nowadays the so-called “alarmists” are vindicated as extreme weather events are taking over large parts of the world.Will Steffen avoided these pitfalls, sticking to the authentic scientific evidence and the manifest consequences of global warming around the world, yet disappointed by the refusal of many in authority to understand the implications of climate science for future generations, as reported in his communications (The Guardian 6/10/2018): “I think the dominant linear, deterministic framework for assessing climate change is flawed, especially at higher levels of temperature rise. So, yes, model projections using models that don’t include these processes indeed become less useful at higher temperature levels. Or, as my co-author John Schellnhuber says, we are making a big mistake when we think we can “park” the Earth System at any given temperature rise – say 2C – and expect it to stay there … Even at the current level of warming of about 1C above pre-industrial, we may have already crossed a tipping point for one of the feedback processes (Arctic summer sea ice), and we see instabilities in others – permafrost melting, Amazon forest dieback, boreal forest dieback and weakening of land and ocean physiological carbon sinks. And we emphasise that these processes are not linear and often have built-in feedback processes that generate tipping point behaviour. For example, for melting permafrost, the chemical process that decomposes the peat generates heat itself, which leads to further melting and so on.” Will Steffen wrote to me in our correspondence (27/03/2022): “For all practical purposes i.e., timescales that humans can relate to, the levels of climate change we are driving towards now will be with us for thousands of years at least. The PETM (Palaeocene-Eocene thermal maximum) might be an appropriate analogue - a rapid spike in CO₂ concentration and temperature followed by the drawdown of CO₂ over 100,000 to 200,000 years. For all practical purposes, that time for recovery is so long (in human time scales) that it could be considered irreversible. Of course, extinctions are irreversible. So when the twin pressures of climate change and direct human degradation are applied to the biosphere, the resulting mass extinction event, that we have already entered, is of course irreversible.” Will was one of a kind. While he would not let his presentations, expressed in scientifically objective and accurate terms, to be too coloured by optimism or pessimism, the congenial nature of his personality and gentle delivery could not hide the severe implications of his message. Rising above the fray, even his detractors found it difficult to refer to him in terms they commonly use toward other climate scientists. Nowadays in many forums climate scientists are replaced by economists, vested interests, marketing agents, sociologists and politicians, with only a vague idea of the basic laws of physics and the atmosphere. Young generations, represented by Greta Thunberg, will see Will as one of last defenders of their future. A/Professor Andrew Y GliksonEarth and climate scientistThe University of New South Wales.11 February 2023
The Anglophone Dilemma in the Environmental Humanities
By Dan Finch-Race and Katie Ritson Transnational discussions of the climate crisis generally use English as a primary language so as to facilitate direct communication among a high number of stakeholders. Translations into other languages tend to be limited, if available at all. We believe that multilingualism should be an important feature of research into interactions between the human and the more-than-human.
Why Ecocriticism Needs the Social Sciences (and Vice Versa)
By Matthew Schneider-Mayerson, Alexa Weik von Mossner, W.P. Malecki, and Frank Hakemulder it. This is the situation we find ourselves in today. Most environmental scholars, thinkers, and activists agree that to respond to the existential socio-ecological challenges we currently face, we need new narratives of who we are, how we are entangled with the rest of the natural world, and how we might think, feel, and act to preserve a stable biosphere and a livable future. But what kinds of stories should we tell? To which audiences? Are some stories more impactful than others? Might some even be counterproductive?
The Great Blasket Island, Storytelling, and the Environment
By Matthias Egeler and Anna Pilz We are standing on the headland of Dunmore Head on the western edge of Dingle Peninsula, on the western edge of Ireland, on the western edge of Europe. One moment, the slope is speckled with light, the next it is in the shadow of a heavy rain cloud. Then the winds push away the rain leaving behind a sparkling rainbow that disappears after five minutes.
Celebrating Earth Day 2021 !
The theme for Earth Day 2021 is ‘Restore Our Earth’, urging everyone to focus on how we can both reduce our impact on the planet and actively repair ecosystems.
EARTHDAY.ORG™ works in countries around the world to drive meaningful action for our planet across:
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Food & Environment: Simply put, the event’s organisers want you to combat climate change by changing your diet – better known as reducing your “foodprint.” While we should all be working to reduce our foodprints, there are several factors to consider, such as access, availability, health, and sustainability.
- Climate Literacy: Climate and environmental awareness, when combined with civic education, is expected to create jobs, develop a green consumer market, and enable people to meaningfully engage with their governments in the fight against climate change, according to Earth Day organisers. They believe that climate and environmental education should be mandatory, measured, and include a strong civic participation aspect in every school around the world.
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The Canopy Project: By planting trees all over the world, this initiative aims to enhance our common climate. Since 2010, Earth Day organisers have worked with global partners to plant tens of millions of trees with The Canopy Project, reforesting areas in desperate need of rehabilitation.
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The Great Global Clean Up: Did you know that unregulated burning of household waste causes 270,000 premature deaths per year, and that 2 billion people lack access to waste collection services? It’s also reported that 79 percent of all […]
Nine-year-old is first UK person to have air pollution listed on death certificate
The Government has been urged to set much tougher legally binding pollution targets by the coroner in an inquest into a nine-year-old girl who died of a fatal asthma attack after being exposed to toxic air.
Philip Barlow, assistant coroner for Inner South London, ruled in a landmark second inquest last year that air pollution contributed to the death of nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah from an asthma attack.
In a report to prevent future deaths, he said legally binding targets for particulate matter in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines would reduce the number of deaths from air pollution in the UK and the Government should take action to address the issue.
The WHO limit is 10 micrograms of tiny “particulate” matter per cubic metre – and if the UK were to introduce such a limit about 15 million people would be living in areas with illegally high levels of pollution.The current UK – and EU – limit is 25 micrograms per cubic metre, which far exceeds the level of air pollution any part of the country, yet air pollution is responsible for an estimated 36,000 early deaths a year.
Mr Barlow also said greater public awareness of air pollution information would help individuals reduce their personal exposure.
And he warned the adverse effects of pollutants were not being sufficiently communicated to patients and their carers by medical staff
Responding to the report, Ella’s mother Rosamund Kissi-Debrah called on the Government to act on the recommendations in the coroner’s report, warning “children are dying unnecessarily because the Government is […]
A Sketch for Teaching the Anthropocene in the Alps
By Heidi E. Danzl (trans. Kristy Henderson) The Alps can be considered a hot spot for climate change due to changing growing seasons and tree lines, species migration, more intense weather events, increased glacial melt, droughts, mudslides, avalanches, flooding, and the omnipresence of micro-technofossils. They are therefore well suited to teaching the Anthropocene and exploring its impacts. In the following, I sketch several ideas for teaching the Anthropocene based on existing cultural events, institutions, and practices within contemporary Alpine communities.
Global Climate Change: What you must know Today
Climate change links with disturbance in the concentration of greenhouse gases, resulting in the rise of average global temperature. As goes by the studies, the effects of global climate change are impacting every sphere of life today. While this is very much told about climate change in the current sources of information, some facts still […] The post Global Climate Change: What you must know Today appeared first on Nature Talkies - We Talk about Nature.
Dazzling and Dangerous: Epidemics, Space Physics, and Settler Understandings of the Aurora Borealis
By Jennifer Fraser and Noah Stemeroff Earlier this year, Explore, a multimedia company that operates the largest live nature camera network on the planet, noticed that one of its livestreams was going viral. The feed in question broadcasts from Churchill, Manitoba. Positioned directly beneath the auroral oval, this camera offers viewers a chance to catch a glimpse of the spectacular auroral displays that grace the city’s skyline nearly three hundred days of every year.
Resisting Climate Change Apocalypticism: Environmental Justice Activism from the South Pacific
By Hanna Straß-Senol In late 2013, an Australian newspaper reported that a man from Kiribati “stood to make history as the world’s first climate refugee.” The New Zealand High Court, before which the man appeared, rejected the claim because the category of climate refugee was not included under the United Nation’s provisions for refugees.
Animal Cruelty: It’s Time You Actively Fight The Menace
Animal cruelty practices are making over the world every day where millions of animals are killed ruthlessly. And perhaps there seems no end to this brutality of people starving their dogs to death or killing them to dine on a delicious meal for the day. The animal cruelty cases present several menaces acts, including intentional […] The post Animal Cruelty: It’s Time You Actively Fight The Menace appeared first on Nature Talkies - We Talk about Nature.
Global Warming, Sea-Ice Loss Intensify Polar Bear Decline
The unabated global warming and the melting Arctic sea ice can result in the extinction of Polar years in the near-century, say the scientists. Meanwhile, studies show that all the 19 subpopulations of polar bears have experienced ice loss over the current times. If not taken charge, the situation would worsen, forcing the animals to […] The post Global Warming, Sea-Ice Loss Intensify Polar Bear Decline appeared first on Nature Talkies - We Talk about Nature.
Book Review: Elizabeth Hennessy, On the Backs of Tortoises: Darwin, the Galápagos, and the Fate of an Evolutionary Eden
By Rodrigo Salido Moulinié The reports said they wanted to kill the turtle. They surrounded the research station and refused to let supplies go through to the 33 people—and the colony of reptiles—inside the building. Yet the fishermen went on strike and took the building not because they hated that turtle (they did not even intend to harm it), but because of what it meant: an allegory of the politics of conservationism, development, and the local making of science.
Increasing Natural Disasters Are “Not So Natural” Afterall
Do you ever wonder why the news channels are always flashing news about a natural disaster raging in some or the other part of the world? The Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) states that the occurrence of natural disasters has hiked three-fold merely in the last four decades. When the world is standing amidst a climate […] The post Increasing Natural Disasters Are “Not So Natural” Afterall appeared first on Nature Talkies - We Talk about Nature.
Understanding Ecology: A beginner’s handbook
Ecology, as we have all studied in our school times, is the study of organisms and how they interact with their surrounding environment. All living beings make up the biotic component while the nonliving things of our ecosystem comprise the abiotic component. Changes occurring in the ecosystem due to different factors like increase in temperature, […] The post Understanding Ecology: A beginner’s handbook appeared first on Nature Talkies - We Talk about Nature.
Air Pollution: Is There Any way Out?
If you look at the world that we live in, you will see both luxury and misery. However, that’s just the surface level observation — beneath it all exists the misery that nature endures due to our luxury. Pollution and air pollution mainly is what we are talking about. We gave birth to it, and now […] The post Air Pollution: Is There Any way Out? appeared first on Nature Talkies - We Talk about Nature.