Invasive Species

The U.S. is officially saying goodbye to 21 species that have been feared gone for years. These animals, which include many birds and marine mammals, have been delisted from the Endangered Species Act because they are now declared extinct, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said this week.

Everyone’s favorite squishable pest—the spotted lanternfly—might be less of a nuisance than we thought, new research suggests. The four-year-long study found that the insects caused little to no long-term damage to a variety of different tree species. The authors say the invasive bugs should still be carefully managed…

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Insects are cool (if you look past all the legs). They break down dead things by eating them and pollinate plants so that we can grow enough crops to feed the world.

Millions of tons of sargassum wash up on beaches across North America every year. Exposure can lead to breathing problems, and it costs millions to clean it up.