By: Leslie Lopez Ibanez

There are many animals going extinct. Some of them are: tigers, elephants, black rhinos, sloths, and red pandas.

There were, in total, 8 subspecies of tigers. 3 of them are now extinct. Tigers are endangered for a couple of reasons. Their habitat is being destroyed by human activities, by building road networks and clearing forests for agriculture and timber, and by the growth of human population. According to WWF, they have lost 95% of their historical range. Also, in some cultures, they use tiger parts to cure diseases like convulsions, rheumatism, dysentery, and typhoid fever.

There are around 40,000 elephants left in the world. The species is classified as endangered. They are going extinct because they are being killed to use their ivory tusks, which later are traded illegally in the international market. They also go through habitat destruction by building roads, mines, dams, and industrial complexes.

Black rhinos are critically endangered. They can be found in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. They are going extinct because they are a part of an illegal wildlife trade. They kill them and take their horn. According to WWF, some Asian consumers, in Vietnam and China, use them for folk remedies. There are about 5,500 black rhinos left in the world.

There are 6 different species of sloths but only 2 of them are going extinct. The maned sloth is one of them. They are going extinct because of habitat loss. Pygmy sloths are actually one of the most critically endangered mammals in the world. There are less than 100 of them hanging in their island home. They can only be found on a tiny island off the east coast of mainland Panama.

Red pandas are another animal that is endangered. They are only found in the mountainous areas in the forests of Asia. The main threat to their extinction is habitat loss by human growth in the area. Climate change has also affected them by the temperature rising and them having to adapt to that. Climate change has led them to fragmentation, and a loss of land that they can no longer live in anymore. Red pandas eat bamboo but only a specific part of it. But since their habitat is shrinking, it is becoming more difficult for them to find food. Red pandas are also hunted. People like them for their fur and meat. According to the WWF, they have found red panda fur hats for sale in Bhutan.

By: Irene Cohen and Ellie Mulvaney

Since the beginning of the earth, from the first single celled organisms to modern species, evolution has developed life as we know it. We see variance in this evolution all around us in the diverse animals that span our environment (for example, the genus canis includes the species: wolfs, dogs, jackals, and coyotes).

With many examples in nature such as this, a frequent question refers to whether or not modern day humans (genus homo) have separate species. Race, though sometimes believed to be, is not a difference in species. Humans everywhere are Homo sapiens, no matter the slight phenotypical differences between them.

To understand this, we have to go back in time to the earliest humans. According to Britannica, ape-like species, around 16-5.3 million years ago (also known as the Middle and Late Miocene Epoch), lead to the first humans. Based on genetic information, scientists are confident that, more specifically, they existed in the later years (11.6-5.3 million years ago).

These primates from Eurasia and Africa are assumed to have become the first Hominins, or the beginnings of human lineage, in the Pliocene Epoch. Among the species that were developed in that era, Graecopithecus, prevailed as ancestral to the following: Australopithecus, Parenthropus, and Homo of the human lineage, while some additionally believe that great apes such as Pan (chimpanzees and bonobos) and Gorilla also came from the species Graecopithecus.

The catalyst for the aforementioned Hominins, was the climatic changes in the Miocene Epoch, as told by BBC.. Forests were replaced by open plains and prairies, which benefited terrestrial life. This meant walking creatures had advantages over terrestrial, or tree-living, creatures, which was a defining factor in the development of bipedalism (the trait of walking on two feet).

Bipedalism is a defining feature of humankind, and though it is not exclusive to humans, we are the only mammalian bipeds to solely use it, while others combine jumping and waddling. Humans advanced further and further into this bipedalism to survive, being able to run away from predators and quickly find food.

As reported by Nature.com, the species Homo sapien, as we now know it, evolved in Africa 315,000 years ago. At the time, Homo sapiens lived alongside Neanderthals and Denisovans (both of which were branches of humanity that are now extinct), and also occasionally interbred, resulting in Neanderthal DNA in most humans excluding those originating from Africa.

The fossils of this species have been found in Europe and West Asia, while the less common Denisovan fossils have been found in Eastern Asia, just 12 years ago.

Neanderthals were defined by their large noses and prominent brow ridges. In stature, they were short and stocky, and had a long, low skull. Overall, they were more compressed and ape-like than humans today, weighing in at anywhere between 64-82kg. They had large front teeth for tough food, and a weak chin, alongside a wide nose, which is theorized to have helped internally warm and moisten the air in their colder environment.

While there is not enough fossil evidence to recreate the appearance of Denisovans, the genetics that we have received lead many scientists to agree on some key features. They may have had a wider jaw and skull, and are theorized to have large molar teeth. This was concluded from a Denisovan jaw bone that was found sporting a high dental arch that suggested the adaptation.

These species went extinct through a pure example of survival of the fittest. Natural selection ran its course as population increased, and, consequently, so did competition.

As mentioned above, climate conditions changed and food became more scarce, leading to a higher death rate. By chance, the random variation that made homosapiens unique, were well suited to these changes and they survived over their counterparts.

Overall, humans did once have multiple species, but one has reigned successfully to become the sole remaining Homo sapiens.

For more information, please visit:

• https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02820-0
• http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150929-why-are-we-the-only-human-species-still-alive

By: Grace Helmke

The ocean is a great mystery. It is the alien world that exists on earth. It houses life so captivating we can’t help but stare at its beauty in awe and fear. Although this great expanse of saltwater accounts for most of our earth, we don’t know a lot about it. The deepest depths of the ocean, where unusual and interesting life resides, remains largely unexplored. However, the few that have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of oceanic discovery, have explored some of the most interesting places on our earth, and have discovered some of the most frightening and enlightening things.  

What is ocean exploration?

Ocean exploration is a process that focuses on discovery. It is the observation and recordation of new species or geological features within these bodies of water. It is not random wandering in hopes of finding the kraken. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, ocean exploration “Is disciplined and organized and includes rigorous observations and documentation of biological, chemical, physiological, geological, and archaeological aspects of the ocean.”

Most of the ocean and its species residing on the continental shelf (the area in the ocean that is shallow, but still submerged), have been discovered, so most of the ocean exploration that goes on today revolves around the deep ocean. 

Current Exploration Missions

The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) currently have a few missions in place.

The first is the E/V Nautilus field season. Professionals will pilot the Nautilus (an exploration vessel) to explore the coast of North America – starting at the west coast of British Columbia, and moving to California.

Another mission in place is the “Bioprospecting for Industrial Enzymes and Drug Compounds in an Ancient Submarine Forest.” Scientists working for the NOAA are hoping to discover new compounds, found within this forest, that will be used for medicine and biotechnology.

Of course, there are many more missions going on around the world, but these are the most significant projects that are funded by the United States. 

What are some of the most interesting things that have been discovered in the ocean?  

1. Bioluminescence

Bioluminescence is the production of light by an organism. There are examples of this throughout all depths of the ocean, but the most common place that bioluminescent organisms reside, is the deep sea. Because the depth, where so many organisms live is completely pitch black, it has been discovered that light is a form of communication between deep sea dwelling organisms.

According to ‘Smithsonian,’ bioluminescence may be the most common form of communication on the planet because of the fact that there is such an abundance of life in the deepest regions of the world. 

2. Deep sea gigantism

Organisms in the deep sea have an inexplicable tendency to grow WAY larger than their family members on the continental shelf, or in the more shallow areas. Of course, there are some animals that reside in the deeps that are of regular size, but there is a large portion that has evolved to become incredible monsters of the deep.

The Oarfish is a great example of this. Their relatives, the ribbon fish, reside in shallow areas, and can reach about 18 inches. However, Oarfish reside in the deep depths of the ocean, and can reach over 50 feet.

Another example of deep sea gigantism is the giant squid, the largest invertebrate on earth. They can reach over 33 ft, and weigh over 440 pounds. This is comparable to squid of the shallows that only grow to about 2 ft. 

3. The Mariana Trench 

An underwater trench containing a pit, that has now been declared the deepest part of the ocean, and subsequently the lowest point on earth, has been discovered in the Pacific Ocean east of the Mariana Islands.

The trench itself is crescent shaped and stretches 1,584 miles on the ocean floor. The pit has been named Challenger deep, and sinks to a depth of 35,800 ft below the surface. 

4. The Immortal Jellyfish 

Only one organism has ever been discovered to have the ability to live forever. That is the Turritopsis Dohrnii, a jellyfish originating in the Carribean and Mediteranian seas. When threatened, they are able to revert back to their juvenile form and start the process of growth all over again.

Essentially, they age in reverse.

Because this is the first of its kind on earth, scientists have speculated that they hold secrets that may provide incredible insight in the medical field. Some even believe we may learn the secret to immortality, however, that speculation is not backed up by any scientific evidence, so it’s likely untrue.  

Our planet is home to some amazing creatures and features, most of which reside in the most foreign place on earth: the oceans. Countless individuals have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of discovery within these bodies of water. It is their mission to understand the mystery that is our oceans, and discover what has yet to be unearthed.

For more on deep sea exploration and some of its wonders, please visit:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDZ39JJsSp0
• https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/backmatter/whatisexploration.html
• Giant squid: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/g/giant-squid/
• Oarfish: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131022-giant-oarfish-facts-sea-serpents/#:~:text=Giant%20oarfish%20are%20the%20longest,600%20pounds%20(270%20kilograms).
• Immortal jelly: https://thebiologist.rsb.org.uk/biologist/158-biologist/features/1510-everlasting-life-the-immortal-jellyfish#:~:text=Where%20do%20’immortal’%20jellyfish%20live,and%20the%20Mediterranean%20(dohrnii).

By Olivia Kendle

Magnetars are neutron stars that form into magnetars themselves. Neutron stars are created when a huge star emits nuclear fuel and explodes, which is then a supernova. The outside layers are released and the very dense core is left which is called the neutron star.

Most cores measure around 14 miles across but weigh more than the Sun because of its density. 90% of the time, those neutron stars are what are called “pulsars,” which spin at a very high rate and shoot off jets of radiation. Only around 10% of those neutron stars turn into magnetars.

Magnetars are surrounded by magnetic fields that are way more stronger than Earth’s magnets,
and they are so magnetic that they could break away at the appropriate atomic level, to any traveler too close.

So far, there have been 29 magnetars discovered in the Milky Way.

Scientists and astronomers have found that magnetars are the main source of FRBs. These blasts of radio wave energy are shot out in less than a millisecond. Astronomers have been confused about magnetars producing FRBs for years, since 2007.

FRB stands for: Fast Radio Burst. Astronomers guess that the FRBs release the same amount of energy as the Sun does in 3 days. FRBs are a short radio pulse of length that is estimated to be a fraction of a millisecond, to a few milliseconds, fast. They are caused by a high-energy astrophysical process that is still a mystery to astronomers.

In April of 2020, astronomers detected, and discovered, with several media telescopes, a magnetar releasing FRBs by the center of the Milky Way. The magnetar was named SGR 1935+2154.

Some FRB rays were too far away from the Milky Way to find the FRB source, but this magnetar was close enough that astronomers were able to track its activity.

For more information, please visit:

• https://astronomy.com/news/2020/11/magnetars-city-sized-magnets-born-from-dying-stars

By: Joxery Mezen Camacho

Phobias are one of the most common mental disorders in the world. According to ‘Medical News Today’, phobias are specifically known as a type of anxiety disorder. Most of us know the common phobias such as arachnophobia (fear of spiders) and acrophobia (fear of heights), but there are some phobias that are rare and many do not know. 

Turophobia: 

The first rare phobia is Turophobia: the fear of cheese.

People with this phobia tend to steer clear of having to see, taste, or smell cheese. They also avoid the cheese aisles at grocery stores, or stores that only sell cheese. Those with Turophobia begin to get sweaty or have panic attacks when they’re near cheese. 

Catoptrophobia (or Eisoptrophobia):

This phobia is the fear of mirrors.

People with this phobia try to steer away from mirrors and other objects that have reflecting surfaces. It is believed that people who have this phobia are superstitious or religious and that it’s sometimes connected to witchcraft. This can also be tied into the idea that mirrors can work as portals for ghosts, spirits, and many other fear rising things. 

Chorophobia: 

This next phobia is the fear of dancing.

Those with this phobia attempt to keep away from places that involve dancing like clubs, parties, and studios. Many also can’t watch or be near others who are dancing. It’s believed that this fear stems from lack of confidence and social anxiety. 

Decidiophobia: 

This is the fear of making decisions, and is one of the rarer phobias listed.

People with this phobia steer towards superstitions or rituals in order to decide for them. They can do this through astrology, the flipping of a coin, or going to the universe and asking for signs. Many with this phobia don’t trust themselves enough which causes them to not be able to make a decision. 

Ancraophobia: 

This phobia is extremely rare and is the fear of wind.

Those with this phobia tend to avoid being near windows, hair and hand dryers, windmills, doors, and air vents. This fear relates to many other ideas that surround the idea of air such as swallowing wind and/or being blown away by strong waves of wind. It’s believed that this phobia is caused by a connection between wind and disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes. 

For more information, please visit:

• ‘Medical News Today’

By Olivia Kendle

Air pollution is caused by pollutants that have been released into the air, harming the environment. Most pollutants are from energy sources like factories or power plants. This article will explain how different types of air pollution is affecting not only our environment, but also ourselves.

First up, are wastes disposal plants. Most trash is burned, which releases pollutants such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide. These types of pollutants can cause difficulty breathing, asphyxia (choking), headaches, etc. Sometimes it can result in death. Burning waste also takes a lot more energy and money. Incinerator workers often are exposed to these risks when working in waste plants.

Second, are greenhouse gases. Heat is being trapped in our atmosphere. Greenhouse gases play a huge role in air pollution because the toxins from it are heating and killing the environment. Although more carbon dioxide is being released, methane (the second greenhouse gas) is far more harmful and destructive to the environment. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, hydrofluorocarbons cause way more harm to the environment than carbon dioxide.

Our last pollutant, for now, is actually very surprising: mold and pollen. The air pollution and climate change have made allergens and mold hazardous. The wind, trees, grass, etc., carry the allergens and mold around. Carbon dioxide is affecting plants with pollen, like the common goldenrod, and they are growing bigger and spreading, exposing more people who are allergic to pollen. This means more people will suffer from fever, itchy eyes, runny nose, etc. Mold can also have a dangerous effect. Some molds, for example, if consumed, can result in asthma attacks. If inhaled, they can also be just as dangerous.

Some ways to reduce these pollutants are to stop burning waste, recycle, and use different ways of transportation that involve less to no gas release (like biking, or walking, or riding a public transit). Also, you could try using partial solar power, or trying to save power by turning off the lights in one room before re-entering another (if you don’t already). You can also work or volunteer to help against air pollution companies.

For more information, please visit:

• https://www.nrdc.org/stories/air-pollution-everything-you-need-know

By Nora Doyle and Liv Miller

Global warming, by definition, is the unusual rapid increase in the earth’s average surface temperature over the past century. There are many different views and opinions regarding climate change and how much of an impact it has, or will cause, on the earth. Whether we choose to believe it or not, global warming is a huge issue affecting our earth and it’s only getting worse, and needs to be resolved.

To break it down, there are certain gasses in the atmosphere called greenhouse gasses. According to Biologicaldiversity.com, those gasses allow shortwave radiation from the sun to pass through the atmosphere and warm the Earth’s surface. The energy that then radiates from the surface is called “long wave radiation”. That radiation is trapped in by the greenhouse gasses and then warms the land, oceans, and air. This whole process is called “the greenhouse effect”. The greenhouse effect is not bad in itself, it actually is what keeps our earth warm, and we wouldn’t be able to survive without it. It’s when coal, oil, and natural gasses are burned at such a high rate that start to create a problem because they are sending enormous amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere that can’t be absorbed quickly enough. This is what is causing global warming.

Scientists have said that global warming most likely started around the late 1800s, but recently, they have been led to believe that it could have started even before that, around the early 1800s.

As far as to when it was discovered, there were many people who had findings of global warming, but their ideas weren’t fully processed so it never was made public. There were many events that led up to how global warming was made an issue. There was never a breakthrough to some long awaited mystery as to why the earth was getting warmer, as much as multiple scientists, mathematicians, etc. were piecing together findings over the years. But according to Theguardian.com, there was a Swedish chemist by the name Svante Arrhenius who “became the first to quantify carbon dioxide’s role in keeping the planet warm. He later concluded that burning of coal could cause a “noticeable increase” in carbon levels over centuries.” So, if you are searching for a founder there’s your guy.

According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, the August 2020 average global land and ocean surface temperature was +0.94 degrees celsius (1.69 degrees F) above the 20th century average of 12.7 degrees C (54.9 degrees F). This year’s temperature increase is the second highest temperature since global records began in 1880. Only August 2016 was warmer with an average temperature of +0.98 degrees C (1.76 degrees F). Since 1880, the global temperature has increased by 0.8 degrees C or 1.4 degrees F.

Why should we be concerned about a 1 degree increase in global temperature? Well, according to ‘The World Counts,’ “global temperature primarily depends on the amount of energy it receives from the sun and how much of it is radiated back into space.” The numbers should barely, if even at all, change, unless there is another factor “affecting the change in temperature. The amount of energy that the planet radiates back into space is dependent upon the chemical composition of our atmosphere – like greenhouse gases.”

So if this is such a disaster, what are we doing about it now? Short answer; clearly not enough. Although, according to ‘National Geographic,’ countries around the world did acknowledge that they needed to do something about climate change back in 2015 with the Paris Agreement. This agreement was to make pledges to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.

Scientists are also currently “working on ways to sustainably produce hydrogen, most of which is currently derived from natural gas, to feed zero-emission fuel cells for transportation and electricity. Other efforts are aimed at building better batteries to store renewable energy.”

People are switching to solar powered energy as well. There are many organizations that are trying their best to raise awareness and collect donations to stop climate change. If more people believed in it and participated, we could maybe start to see some real change.

Another topic of discussion is about what happens if we do something about climate change and why we should. We should take action against climate change because it affects our oceans, our weather, our food sources, and our health. Sheets of ice like in Greenland and
Antarctica are melting. The new water from melted glaciers causes sea levels to rise and spill out of the oceans causing floods. Warmer temperatures cause extreme weather. This extreme
weather includes droughts that make it harder to grow crops. Water supplies are limited for plants and animals. If we don’t do anything about it, all of these things will get much worse,
putting all lives on earth at danger.

By Olivia Kendle

Many people think that it is a good idea to burn trash rather than put it in a landfill. Many parts of the country have waste incinerators to burn much of their trash. This article will look at how waste incinerators might not be the best way to handle trash.

First of all, the economics of incinerators might not be as good, because they are more expensive to run, and they are risky investments. Tip fees, which are the fees paid by the trash haulers, are more expensive than the alternative of composting and/or recycling. In one city, they discovered that recycling $18 per ton, and incineration cost $50 dollars per ton.  

Incinerators are also another form of environmental injustice. The people working and living by the incinerators are often exposed to toxic pollutants such as mercury and lead. They release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, and also dangerous ash. Also, many people with low-incomes end up coming to work at incinerators.

There are 76 incinerators around the country, out of 23 states that have made incinerators legal. In many states, incinerators are classified as “renewable” energy. According to the Institute for Local Self- Reliance; “The perverse designation of incineration as ‘renewable’ subsidizes a practice that wastes energy, kills jobs, and produces toxic pollution.” By recycling and composting, etc., you are opening jobs for others, but also creating a safer and healthier environment for you and everyone else around you. 

So, as you can see, incinerators are not only hurtful to the environment but to people and creatures around it. They are more expensive than just recycling or composting and they don’t really make renewable energy. We should take another look to see if we want to use waste incinerators over other healthier ways to dispose of our trash.

For more information, please visit:

• https://ilsr.org/waste-incineration-renewable-energy/ 

By: Olivia Kendle

Ozone layers are found in the stratosphere in the atmosphere. The layers absorb ultraviolet (UV) radiation that is harmful to living organisms. The UV rays can cause health problems from eye damage to skin cancer.

Though the depletion of ozone layers does not play a role in global warming, it is dangerous for us if the ozone layers cannot shield us from this UV radiation or other dangerous rays emitted from the sun.

Depletion of the ozone layers is caused by the pollutants that humans have been putting in the atmosphere. These pollutants are chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons. The ozone hole, located in the upper stratosphere, shadows over the polar regions. Every living being below the hole, on Earth, is being affected by the radiation coming through the hole and touching Earth’s surface.

In 1987, scientists organized a program called the Montreal Protocol which was designed to phase out the depleting chemicals and reduce their concentration in the atmosphere. The Montreal Protocol has been successful and the whole project will be completed in around 2030. 

Global warming is also causing depletion of the ozone layers. The warming in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) leads to cooling in the upper atmosphere (stratosphere). Warming in the lower atmosphere is mostly caused by greenhouse gases. Because Earth’s heat would usually pass through the troposphere and the stratosphere and eventually travel out of the atmosphere but is now being trapped in the stratosphere. 

The heating in the lower atmosphere and the cooling in the upper atmosphere also explains the blanket analogy. The ‘blanket’ that covers Earth’s surface warms up as the Earth warms up with it. The heat gets trapped in the atmosphere or under the ‘blanket’ and no heat gets to the upper atmosphere while it is all in the lower atmosphere. The cooling in the upper stratosphere causes even more loss of ozone depletion.

Overall, the heating of the Earth (global warming) is affecting and changing the ozone layers or the ‘ozone hole’. More UV radiation rays and other dangerous rays are starting to come through the ozone layers but fortunately, the Montreal Protocol is helping prevent that.

For more information, please visit:

• https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/ozone-hole-and-global-warming