Marine Protected Areas should be managed as integrated networks rather than isolated units because of the high degree of exchange between them, a new study suggests. The researchers found that the large majority of sea bream (Sparidae) and wrasse (Labridae) fish spawned in MPA study sites in the Mediterranean Sea were transported via currents to other MPAs and unprotected areas, highlighting their interconnected nature.

Urban waterways can provide foraging opportunities for a range of bat species. However researchers have found that bats in the UK are negatively affected by high levels of invasive plant species and urban development near waterways. The researchers highlight the value these often disregarded urban spaces can have for ecosystems, and suggest ways to improve the biodiversity of waterways.

A new modelling study has indicated that rivers could be the main pathway of mercury entering the Arctic Ocean. More research is needed to support this claim, but climate change could be increasing the release of mercury into rivers through thawing permafrost and increased wildfires.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can interfere with the hormonal systems of both humans and wildlife. New research quantifying EDCs in marine environments in Greece found concentrations which present significant risks to sediment-dwelling organisms.

Cyanobacteria — often referred to as blue-green algae — are found in water bodies around the world and can produce toxins with potential health risks. This US-wide study found a significant positive association between cyanobacterial bloom coverage and death by non-alcoholic liver disease. The researchers say their study suggests some evidence of a potential health risk and should be used to generate further investigation into the health impact of cyanobacteria.

Researchers have recommended that fish from some sections of the River Po and the River Lambro, one of the Italian River Po tributaries, should not be eaten due to high levels of some endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the river sediments and fish. This recommendation is based on an extensive update regarding pollution levels of such substances in the rivers.

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide, able to kill a broad range of plants ('weeds') that compete with crops. This study used a validated method to assess its presence in 10 German estuaries that lead to the Baltic Sea. All but one was contaminated with glyphosate, and all were contaminated with its metabolite AMPA. The researchers recommend risk assessments for these chemicals in the Baltic Sea and other marine environments.

Personal Care Products (PCPs) are of increasing global concern, as thousands of tonnes enter the environment every year. Similar to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), some substances used in PCPs are toxic, persist in the environment and accumulate in the bodies of organisms that take them in. This study focused on the presence of ultraviolet filters (UV-Fs) (used in PCPs such as sunscreens and cosmetics) in the unhatched eggs of wild birds.

Four ozone-depleting gases, previously undetected in the atmosphere, have been found by new research. The work suggests that more than 74 000 tonnes of these human-made substances have been released since 1978, and that two are continuing to accumulate in the atmosphere. However, it is not yet known where they come from.

Small streams are important refuges for biodiversity, yet knowledge of the effects of agricultural pesticides on these freshwater bodies is limited. Researchers have used national monitoring data to determine the number of small streams in Germany where regulatory acceptable concentrations (RACs) of pesticides are exceeded. An analysis of data covering almost 500 pesticides and over 2 000 small streams suggests that agricultural land use is a major contributor of pesticides to streams. Overall, RACs were exceeded at 26% of sampled streams, and exceedances were 3.7 times more likely if a stream was near agricultural land. This finding may have implications for environmental monitoring and agri-environmental measures.

The chemical 1,4-dioxane, a solvent suspected of causing cancer, is very difficult to clean up once it enters the environment. However, hope is offered by recent scientific developments that use plants, bacteria and fungi to decontaminate water resources. Scientists provided a round-up of these 1,4-dioxane bioremediation techniques in a recent analysis.

Scientists can only guess at how they have avoided extinction for so long.

Two chubby marsupial species that would literally die for sex (albeit 14-hour sessions) have been discovered in Australia.

The latest black hole discovery opens a whole new universe of not-so-big black holes.

Geologists say they have found a range of volcanoes beneath the ice of Antarctica that rival those of east Africa and North America.

A Chinese statue of a Buddha has revealed a hidden surprise: The mummified remains of a monk who lived nearly 1,000 years ago.

The spells are written in a mysterious language, but a few names of demons could be deciphered.

Researchers have discovered that the butterflies' mutations are multiplying at an alarming rate through successive generations. If genetic damage done to one ge

The newly discovered ichthyosaur fossil challenges the assumption that live birth first appeared in marine reptiles after they took to the seas.

There's more to salmon sperm than making salmon babies, as researchers find it can also be used to help sort out toxic waste.

Tom Gage was one of the creators of the high-performance electric TZero, the car that inspired the Tesla Roadster. But he didn't want to be a carmaker. Instead,

The appeal of quiet, contemplative time lured her to yoga and ultimately transformed her life.

A new study finds that drinking water quality near Marcellus shale gas extraction sites could be compromised.

A dog that was found three weeks after the massive earthquake and tsunami hit Japan was reunited with her owner, who saw the pup on local news.

Fisherman discovered a dock from the Japanese tsunami off the shores of Hawaii.

The fish, which live off the coast of Japan, made their way across the Pacific in a drifting skiff. Of the 5 fish that made the journey, 1 is still alive.

This century's deadly tsunamis kicked off an intense search for buried clues to prehistoric killer waves along Alaska's southern shores.

A powerful earthquake in Alaska sent towering waves up to 30 feet (9 meters) tall crashing down on Hawaii about 500 years ago

The 50,000-year-old, perfectly preserved forest is showcased like never before in a newly released documentary.

The discovery of rare pterosaur eggs is being heralded as one of the most extraordinary discoveries in paleontology.

The finding indicates that life on Earth began much earlier than previously thought.

Triassic fossils found on lands that were previously part of Bears Ears National Monument could fall under 'multiple-use' management.

Covered in a code no one can understand, the Shigir Idol is the oldest wooden structure in the world.

A whole new kingdom will need to be created to classify Hemimastix kukwesjijk, the organisms found in a random dirt sample.

In a small sample, scientists have discovered microplastics in human poop, with every sample containing some. The most common were polypropylene and PET.

The massive, potentially rocky planets orbit in the "habitable zone" of a star 22 light-years away.

Five years later, scientists may have finally found up to 10 million gallons of missing oil from the 2010 BP spill.

Scientists have found structures that resemble an emu's red blood cells, and others that look like collagen, inside 75 million-year-old dinosaur bones.

The discovery offers new insights about dinosaur plumage, hinting at a 'chestnut brown' creature that couldn't fly.

Benny the beagle was the subject of a 1,000-person search that also involved a helicopter.

An organic “garden gin,” Sage uses botanicals like the ones grown by Thomas Jefferson in his Monticello gardens.

The chlorine originates in sea salt and may have a role in climate change.

Experts say it is one of the largest documented bee deaths in the Western U.S.

The aquifer is hundreds of feet under the seabed, spans 200 miles along the U.S. East Coast, and hints at similar deposits elsewhere.

Using tiny eyewear, researchers tricked the insects into revealing secrets that could lead to simpler visual processing in robots.

New research suggests long, happy marriages may be in the genes.

Anna Jarvis created Mother's Day, then was dismayed how quickly the holiday became commercialized.

A natural method for battling bacteria like E.coli and salmonella may be on its way.

The chemical’s makers can’t guarantee Diphenylamine's safety, so the EU doesn't allow its use. Here in the U.S. it’s found on 80 percent of conventional apples.