Many people may wonder what happens in the vast stretches of the world's oceans. For some, it is simply a matter of "out of sight, out of mind". Fortunately that is not the attitude at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at the University of California, Santa Barbara. For one of their latest projects, they decided to estimate and visualize the global impact humans are having...

While many websites provide information about the science of climate change, A People's Archive of Sinking and Melting provides a unique perspective on the cultural, social, and personal impacts of the rising sea levels that will likely accompany the warming of the globe. Here readers will find a "collection of materials contributed by people living in places that may disappear because of the...

A Whaling Season in Alaska is an interactive documentary film by journalist Zoe Lamazou and artist Victor Gurrey that centers on the lives of people who live in northwestern Alaska, where oil drilling has drastically altered daily life over the past five decades. In particular, the project focuses on the Inupiat community in this region and the importance of spring whaling season in these...

Like many great institutions in Philadelphia, the Academy of Natural Sciences has a long and storied history. The Academy was started in 1812, and in no time at all, the members of this institution were making expeditions to all corners of the globe. Today, they still sponsor such scientific expeditions, and their website is a great way to learn about their educational outreach activities as well...

The African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG) operates under the auspices of the Species Survival Commission of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The AfESG is composed "of technical experts focusing on the conservation and management of African elephants. The broad aim of the AfESG is to promote the long-term conservation of Africa's elephants and, where possible, the recovery of their...

The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service produces new and compelling research on the world of sustainable agriculture and organic farming. Recently, specialists Jeff Schahczenski and Holly Hill wrote this 16-page paper on "the relationship between agriculture, climate change and carbon sequestration." Broadly speaking, the paper looks at the science of climate change and also...

One name looms large for the general public when the word "evolution" is mentioned: Charles Darwin. Of course, others are quite aware that Alfred Russel Wallace co-discovered the theory of evolution with Darwin, a fact that the prescient individuals at the Natural History Museum in Britain are well aware of. In 2002, the Museum was able to purchase a rather large collection of Wallace's personal...

With much of the United States becoming interested in the world of organic farming, sustainable agriculture, and related pursuits, it is nice to know that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a very nice online presence dedicated to alternative farming systems here at the Alternate Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC). The site has been recently redesigned, and visitors can...

In late 1969, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson hired Denis Hayes to organize a national teach-in day about the importance of protecting the environment for future generations. On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day was held and over 20 million Americans participated via a variety of celebrations and demonstrations. This website is designed to be a companion to the American Experience documentary...

Originally aired on January 24, 2017, this PBS American Experience episode about marine biologist and Silent Spring author Rachel Carson is currently available for online streaming. This two-hour episode traces Carson's biography, describing her Pennsylvania childhood, her graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University (which she was forced to abandon in order to financially support her family), her...