In the Fight to Defend the Amazon, This Indigenous Community’s Secret Weapon Is Science

MAIKIUANTS, Ecuador—By the time Olger Kitiar reached the ridge, his shirt was wet with sweat, clinging to his back. Built with the solid frame of a linebacker, he moved through the rainforest with a quick, even rhythm that defied the steep, slick climb.  Then he froze. “Stop,” he hissed in Spanish, his hand snapping up. … Read more

Two New Marsupials Discovered in New Guinea Were Thought to Have Been Extinct for 6,000 Years

Dactylonax kambuayai. Credit: Carlos Bocos/Records of the Australian Museum Scientists have described an exciting discovery: two marsupials that modern science thought to be extinct are still alive in the rainforests of western New Guinea. The discovery is all the more amazing once you learn these were supposed to have gone extinct 6,000 years ago. Both … Read more

New Study Uses Prehistoric Palm Fossils To Show The Incredible Extent Of Biodiversity In Southeast Asian Rainforests » TwistedSifter

Pexels It’s one of the most fascinatingly species-rich environments in the world, and new research published in the journal Science has given just a glimpse into some of the incredible biodiversity in Asian rainforests. And though these rainforests are known to be incredibly diverse – with over 50,000 plants making up the leafy wilderness, and 7,000 … Read more

Climate Change and Overfishing Hit Indonesia Tuna Catch

Overfishing and climate change have hit the world’s fish stock, pushing Indonesian fishing communities into poverty Fishing industry loses jobs, boats and profits Warming seas and overfishing to blame Indonesia seeks to protect dwindling stock with quotas JAKARTA — Ahmad Solihin used to can tuna; now he drives a cab. Like many Indonesians, the 28-year-old … Read more

Researchers find huge buried reservoir atop Oregon’s Cascade Range

Beneath Oregon’s Volcanic Peaks, a Massive Aquifer Holds Hope — and Risks Deep beneath the central Oregon Cascades, where volcanic rocks cradle the mountain’s crest, lies a hidden treasure that scientists are only now beginning to appreciate. A colossal aquifer, potentially the largest of its kind in the United States, has been discovered by researchers … Read more

The Abandoned Homes of Indonesia’s Tsunami Survivors

Nearly a quarter of a million people died in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the majority of deaths in Indonesia. Now, at least half of the 140,000 houses reconstructed in the hardest-hit province of Aceh, Indonesia, have been abandoned by the survivors who originally received them. The construction of these permanent housing units … Read more