General Awareness

ENVIRONMENT - December 2018

Dec 2018

Jun 07, 2020

Scientists Identify the Cleanest Air on Earth

Scientists have identified an atmospheric region that has the cleanest air on the Earth, in a first study of its kind. They have found that the region in Southern Ocean remains unchanged by human-related activities.
The study, led by Professor Sonia Kreidenweis of Colorado State University, found the boundary layer air that feeds the lower clouds over the Southern Ocean to be pristine – free from aerosols or any other pollutants.

Kenya Bans Single-use Plastics from Beaches and Parks

The Kenyan authorities have banned all single-use plastics, such as water bottles and straws, from national parks, beaches, forests and other protected areas.
The start of the ban coincides with World Environment Day and comes three years after Kenya announced one of the world's strictest bans on plastic bags.
The UN Environment Programme welcomed the ban saying it showed Kenya's commitment to addressing the global scourge of plastic pollution.

Jun 06, 2020

Sixth Mass Extinction Threat Grows

A recent analysis of data has warned of an acceleration in the sixth mass extinction. For the analysis published scientists examined available data related to 29,400 species of terrestrial vertebrates and found that 1.7% of them, or 515 species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, have fewer than 1,000 individuals each and are on the brink of extinction including in India.
Among those facing extinction, 243 (47%) are continental and 272 (53%) insular (island-dwelling). Most of them are from South America, followed by Oceania, Asia, Africa, North and Central America, and then Europe with less than 1% of them. The greatest numbers of mammals on the brink extinction are in Asia and Oceania. Most such birds live in South America and Oceania. The distribution of species on the brink extinction shows they also include those in the biodiversity hotspots of the Himalayas and the Western Ghats.

Jun 05, 2020

Air Pollution in China Back to Pre-Covid Levels

Air pollution in China has climbed back to pre-pandemic levels, and scientists say Europe may follow suit.
Air pollution causes at least 8m early deaths a year, and cleaner skies were seen as one of the few silver linings of Covid-19. Experts have called for action to help retain the air quality benefits of lockdowns, and measures taken to date have included expanding cycle lanes and space for walking in cities.
Data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea) shows concentrations of fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) across China are now at the same levels as one year earlier. At the height of the country's coronavirus response in early March, NO2 levels were down by 38% from 2019 and levels of PM2.5 were down by 34%.

Jun 03, 2020

Cyclone Nisarga

Authorities in India's financial capital Mumbai are bracing for a severe storm which could hit its coast.
Cyclone Nisarga is set to make landfall on India's west coast, near the city in Maharashtra state. Neighbouring Gujarat state is also likely to be impacted.
The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) has deployed to both states.
The storm comes barely two weeks after Cyclone Amphan hit India's east coast.
More than 85 people were killed by Amphan in both eastern India and Bangladesh.

Jun 02, 2020

Millipede From Scotland is World's Oldest-Known Land Animal

A fossilized millipede-like creature discovered in Scotland may represent the oldest-known land animal, a humble pioneer of terrestrial living 425 million years ago that helped pave the way for the throngs that would eventually inhabit Earth's dry parts.
Researchers said the fossil of the Silurian Period creature, called Kampecaris obanensis and unearthed on the island of Kerrera in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, inhabited a lakeside environment and likely ate decomposing plants.
Fossils of the oldest-known plant with a stem, called Cooksonia, were found in the same ancient lake region as Kampecaris.

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