Humans have been discovering the plants and animals that reside alongside us for millennia. After all this time, there must be no major species left to discover, right? You might be surprised to learn that this is not the case! Over 200 new species were discovered globally in 2024, from the depths of our Earth's oceans to the rainforests of Southeast Asia. Let's take a look at five exciting species that were discovered in 2024. Clouded-Tiger Cat The clouded tiger cat ( Leopardis pardinoides ) was discovered by De Oliveira, a tiger cat expert in Brazil, from camera traps in the Andes mountains...

Did you know that arid deserts in several countries have turned into lush, fertile land? In countries such as the United Arab Emirates and China, fruits and vegetables now flourish, providing fresh produce for their inhabitants. But what caused this miraculous transformation? Let’s find out! What is Nanoclay? In the 1980s, the Nile Delta in Egypt, known for its reliable farming, suddenly became barren. For decades, the Nile floodwaters had spread minerals, nutrients, and clay particles over the soil. However, the newly built Aswan Dam prevented clay particles from flowing, reducing the soil’s...

In cities across the globe, up to a fourth of office buildings are vacant, along with other urban properties, from warehouses to abandoned skyscrapers. Some estimates suggest that more than 300 million square feet of U.S. office space could end up disused by 2030. To put this space to use, many city officials are transforming empty buildings for other uses. One of the most innovative solutions emerging has been indoor vertical farming. What is Vertical Farming? Vertical farming is just as the name suggests: it’s the practice of growing crops in stacked layers as opposed to traditional...

With its strong flavor and the dose of caffeine it offers, coffee is one of the most popular beverages. With denizens of all seven continents enjoying the drink regularly, it is easy to forget that coffee comes from a plant that needs very particular conditions to grow. With climate change affecting the global coffee supply, the decrease in supply is causing prices to increase. Let's find out more. The Coffee Belt Tightens Coffee beans are actually the seeds of the coffee plant. These evergreens can only grow in the Coffee Belt, a limited region around the equator that covers parts of Central...

New York City is widely known for its traffic gridlock and commuting times. It was even named the world’s most congested urban area for the past two years by a traffic data analysis firm. But this year, officials are trying to change that. On January 5, the city implemented a new policy that charges drivers to enter the most congested parts of Manhattan during rush hour. Let's find out more and how the new policy is being received. What is Congestion Pricing? The Congestion Relief Zone spans many frequented locations in Manhattan, including Wall Street, Times Square, SoHo, and Hell’s Kitchen...