“Glaciers All Over the World Are Shrinking Fast”

Melting Glaciers Can Now Be Seen From Space (bloomberg.com)

Glaciers in the Gulf of Alaska and in Asia’s High Mountain region are melting so fast that the changes can be seen from space, with the shrinkage now measured in years rather than decades. 

Just over 4% of the ice volume in these two regions disappeared between 2011 and 2019, according to the first study to monitor large-scale changes in glacier thickness, mass and sea-level contribution. Researchers used radar altimetry technology embedded in a European Space Agency satellite, which they say is the first step toward year-round observation of all of the Earth’s glaciers from space in high resolution. 

“Self-healing concrete eats CO2 to fill its own cracks in 24 hours”

https://newatlas.com/materials/self-healing-concrete-co2-blood-enzyme/

Concrete has a massive carbon footprint, so technologies that boost its performance and enable it to last longer could have profound benefits for the environment. This has led to the development of self-healing concrete that can repair its own cracks, and scientists have now demonstrated an exciting new form of this that makes use of an enzyme found in human blood.

“More pets are eating insect-based food to fight climate change for their owners”

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/12/more-pets-eating-insect-food-to-fight-climate-change-for-owners.html

• Mars and Nestle pet food divisions have begun selling dog and cat food including insect protein as the idea of a ‘carbon pawprint’ is tested alongside the carbon footprint of climate-conscious consumers.
• The pet food market in the U.S. is estimated at $42 billion in sales, and a key U.S. animal food regulatory body has voted to accept dried black soldier fly larvae for use in adult dog food.
• Globally pets consume an estimated 20% of meat and fish in their countries; insects take up 80% less land than beef per kilogram of protein; and demand for insect protein as an ingredient in pet food and animal feed could hit half a million metric tons in 2030.

“Atmospheric CO2 Just Hit a Peak Not Seen on Earth in 4 Million Years”

https://www.sciencealert.com/carbon-dioxide-just-hit-a-peak-not-seen-on-earth-in-4-million-years

Newly released measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels in fact show that concentrations of the heat-trapping chemical have surged to record levels not seen by scientists in the era of modern readings.

“‘Hero rat’ Magawa retires after five years spent sniffing out landmines in Cambodia”

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/05/asia/magawa-hero-rat-retires-scli-intl/

Magawa the “hero rat,” whose work sniffing out landmines in Cambodia won him a medal for life-saving bravery, is retiring after a distinguished five-year career. The African giant pouched rat has found 71 landmines and 38 items of unexploded ordnance during his service, according to APOPO, the mine-clearing non-governmental organization that trained him. His work saw him win a gold medal from the British veterinary charity the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) last year.