📰 EwA News Digest: Vegan Spider Silk, Threatened National Parks, and Philippine Forest Turtles

[kldanziger]

Hi everyone!

Kate here with the first news digest of the month. I hope everyone is having a great summer so far and staying cool!

To start us off with some good news, researchers at the University of Cambridge have created a sustainable, plant-based “vegan spider silk” that could replace single-use plastics in many consumer products. This pioneering material is made from renewable plant proteins and is still as durable as many common plastics in use today. Additionally, it can be manufactured in a way that uses less energy and can be composted right at home. Read more at Phys.org.

In some less positive environmental news, the Pacific north-west is experiencing a record heat wave. This massive heat wave is caused by an extended “heat dome” that engulfed the region, prompting the temperatures in Seattle and other cities in the area to exceed 100°F (43°C). Temperatures in Portland even reached a scorching 115°F (46°C) on Monday, June 28 while temperatures in western Canada skyrocketed to 116°F (47°C) the day before. Learn more about the heat wave here and why it happened here.

Likely sparked by this extreme heat, the Greater Yellowstone Climate Assessment outlining the extent of the threat climate change poses to Yellowstone National Park has been released. The report discusses how global heating not only threatens beloved aspects of the park like the Old Faithful geyser and herds of bison but also threatens entire ecosystems in the region. Read more about this important yet formidable analysis here. 

Even though Yellowstone and the other US national parks have been negatively impacted by climate change, they are still prime travel destinations. As COVID-19 restrictions have loosened, more and more people are eager to get out of the house and visit the parks. As a result, in order to protect the wildlife of the parks from pollution and other tourist-incited threats, a reservation system is now in place for many of the more popular national parks, like Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, and Glacier national parks. Find out more about the restrictions, their history, and their significance at the Conversation.

On the topic of the recently loosened Coronavirus restrictions, a new study at the University of Liverpool used an AI that can predict the links between viruses and susceptible mammals. They were able to predict more than 20,000 unknown associations, which is an incredible feat because there are thousands of viruses known to affect mammals, yet less than one percent of our viral diversity has been discovered. Overall, this study can help scientists mitigate the future spread of zoonotic and livestock diseases caused by viruses like the Coronavirus. Learn more here. 

In addition to positive news for preventing the spread of zoonotic disease to mammals, there is also hopeful news for a species of reptile: the Philippine forest turtle. This rare yet highly traded turtle has become critically endangered. In efforts to conserve the species, researchers successfully bred a pair of turtles in captivity and released them into the wild. After tracking the pair for three months, they are optimistic that the turtles can likely survive on their own and even mature and reproduce if protected in guarded areas. Find out more about this encouraging news here.

That’s all I have for my news digest this month! Have a great rest of the week and be sure to keep a lookout for Olivia’s July news digest later this month!

Best,

Kate