Only about two or three small birds are killed by wind turbines each year for every 225-300 houses supplied with renewable energy, new research suggests. The study collated data from 116 US and Canadian studies on 156 species of passerines (small birds). The study suggests some species are affected more than others, but that wind turbines generally have only a minor impact on these small-bird populations.

Animal-train collisions are an important cause of animal mortality. This study tested the ability of a device that emits natural warning calls to reduce risk of animals being hit by trains in central Poland. Animals, including roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and brown hare (Lepus europaeus) escaped in most cases. The authors say the device is an effective means of risk reduction as it allows animals to escape train tracks earlier and more often.

Eradication of invasive mammal species is a strategy used to help conserve biodiversity on islands and restore populations of native species. Researchers have now assessed the success of this strategy globally, highlighting the importance of controlling invasive species to protect biodiversity on islands and achieve global conservation targets.

A new approach to modelling the spread of mammal populations under climate change has been developed. The method overcomes the problem of missing ecological data for most species by using information on species characteristics, or ‘traits’, associated with population demographic rates and individual movements to deduce which species move too slowly to escape climate change’s effects on their habitat. The model’s results suggest that around 30% of mammal species may not be able to disperse quickly enough to survive.

Atrazine, a herbicide used globally but banned in the EU, can cause chemical castration and complete feminisation in adult male frogs, according to a recent study. The researchers suggest atrazine could contribute to the global decline of amphibians.

Many agricultural pesticides used in Europe could disrupt male hormones and lead to infertility problems, according to laboratory tests. ‘Biomonitoring’ studies to investigate the actual behaviour of pesticides in the human body are now urgently needed to clarify the link between pesticide exposure and male reproductive health.

Populations of otters, grey seals and sea eagles are slowly recovering in Sweden, which is likely to be thanks in part to a ban on organochlorine chemicals, such as PCBs and DDT, in the 1970s, according to a new study. However, the research shows that negative effects of these chemicals on the reproductive health of female animals persisted for more than 15 years after the ban was introduced.

Applying a low voltage to polluted river sediment can boost microbes’ natural ability to degrade harmful polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminants, according to a new study. The approach could be a cost-effective, sustainable strategy to bioremediate polluted sites.

Nutrient leaching, the movement of plant nutrients from soil to water, can have negative effects on aquatic ecosystems due to eutrophication, which reduces the oxygen available in water, causing species and habitat loss. Ecological Recycling Agriculture (ERA), which is based on ecological principles and integrates crop production and animal husbandry, may limit this effect. This study investigated the impact of ERA on agricultural fields in Finland, showing that the practice can reduce nitrogen leaching and may help to achieve agricultural nitrogen-reduction targets.

Intersex fish, in which male reproductive tissues become ‘feminised’, are increasingly being identified. This effect has traditionally been attributed to birth-control medications. This study exposed fish to a widely prescribed anti-diabetic, metformin. Male fish developed female sexual characteristics and reproductive rate decreased, which suggests that metformin may be a non-traditional endocrine-disrupting compound.

A growing body of evidence suggests that endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) are contributing to declines in fertility. This case-control study found that EDCs were associated with changes to sex hormones and risk of subfertility in men. The researchers say environmental levels of these chemicals should be reduced to protect male fertility.

Using hydrogen as an energy carrier can help reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with fossil fuels, according to recent research. However, if used on a large-scale, it is important that hydrogen does not leak significantly into the atmosphere as it might have some negative environmental effects, such as increasing the lifetime of methane, increasing climate effects and causing some depletion of the ozone layer.

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.

Applying a low voltage to polluted river sediment can boost microbes’ natural ability to degrade harmful polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminants, according to a new study. The approach could be a cost-effective, sustainable strategy to bioremediate polluted sites.

Myke fixes problems, Grey automates his to-do list, and they both discuss hiring people.

VIRGINIA BEACH – The Virginia Department of Transportation Hampton Roads District continues to monitor interstate and rural road conditions while...

THE hospitality industry has reacted with both optimism and trepidation to the news that venues will soon be able to serve a small number of in-house diners.

YEAR-on-year unemployment figures for Worcester are up again – but 18-24-year-olds are bucking the trend.

As the lights went out in the Superdome, social media lit up like crazy.

Looking for someone interesting to follow on Twitter? We've got a few recommendations of the non-human variety.

Nobel Prize-winning scientist Tim Hunt talked about his 'trouble with girls' this week, and women in the scientific community responded perfectly.

Exposing and discussing harassment is a way to send the message that it's not OK.

These adorable pictures are sure to warm even the coldest heart.

Humans like to think of themselves as monogamous, but when it comes to true fidelity, many animals engage in true monogamy.

The rare dual-sex butterfly astounded curators at the Natural History Museum in London.

Sex. Many (but not all) animals do it.

Male primates may have become monogamous to protect their offspring from being killed by rival males.

Keeping sperm from being ejaculated may provide the key to creating a birth control drug for men.

Certain female spiders are infamous for eating their partners after sex, but some actually pounce on suitors, fangs first, before mating.

Male chimpanzees that wage a campaign of sustained aggression against females sire more offspring than their less violent counterparts.

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

A brightly-colored fungus found only on Hawaiian lava flows might be the most powerful aphrodisiac ever discovered.

Moorland hawker dragonfly demonstrates the lengths women must go to avoid the opposite sex.

For many wild creatures the line between male and female is decidedly blurry.

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

In the biggest city in America's smallest state, comes a micro-apartment complex that aims to revive a struggling 19th-century indoor shopping center.

Indie retail and urban downsizing collide at this smart example of adaptive reuse that breathes new life into a historic shopping center.

Roughly a third of all scanned mummies contained no body inside.

Many animals have been found buried with the same level of care as humans, suggesting a deep bond between humans and animals.

The annual Olvera Street blessing of the animals was held on March 31 in Los Angeles.

'Betting The Farm' tells the story of a group of organic milk farmers called MOO Milk is struggling to keep their small operations alive.

In just 20 years, the city of Sequim, Washington transformed from a declining arid farmland into a fragrant prairie of purple blooms.

Even a relatively small regional nuclear war could trigger global cooling, damage the ozone layer and cause droughts for more than a decade.

Photographer Emma Phillips describes the series as "a poetic exploration of and tribute to Australia's monolithic landscape."

From sibling cannibalism to daring cliff dives, some animal babies face unimaginable survival tests.

When it's easier for you to attract females, you don't need as potent equipment.

A new study finds the area around the former Fukushima power plant teeming with life.

Christina Broom is widely heralded as the most important women in early press photography.

We have the British to thank for animal crackers, but there's a lot more you should know about this tasty snack.