Every day, people protect what matters. These are their stories.
1607 stories
Activists Offer $1M for Climate Nobel Prize A group of climate activists, led by tree-planting search engine Ecosia, has launched a campaign urging the Nobel Committee to create a new award recognizing achievements in climate and planetary health...
Orcas and Dolphins Cooperate to Hunt Salmon Researchers have documented for the first time orcas (killer whales) and Pacific white-sided dolphins working together to hunt salmon off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. The study, published in t...
The elites of Ancient Rome went to great lengths to advertise their status and wealth. Recent archaeological excavations in Egypt have revealed that some high-ranking military officials even showed off with their choice of exotic pets. In the Journa...
As Fish Catches Fall and Seas Rise, Douala's Residents Join Efforts to Restore Mangroves Henry Belle Ekam, a 37-year-old fisherman in Douala, Cameroon, cuts a frustrated figure as he paddles his boat to the shore in the Bojongo neighborhood. Afte...
Africa's Wildlife Has Lost a Third of Its 'Ecological Power,' Study Says A recent study has quantified the impact of biodiversity and abundance losses on ecological functions in Africa by tracking the energy flows within ecosystems. The findings ...
Join 50,000+ readers who receive our daily digest of the most uplifting stories from around the world.
Taking inspiration from anchovies and herrings, researchers have made a new filter that could keep microplastics from entering waterways and oceans. The filter, with a design based on the gill systems in these fish, traps a record high 99% of tiny m...
The return of gray wolves (Canis lupus) to California after nearly a century has presented new challenges for the state's ranching community. In 2011, a lone wolf named OR-7 crossed the border from Oregon, becoming the first wolf to set foot in Cal...
In early 2024, environmental anthropologist Michael Fedoroff trekked to Tuckabum Creek in York County, Alabama to help plant 300 stalks of rivercane, a bamboo plant native to North America, on an eroded, degraded strip of wetland. Despite heavy rains...
Another major scientific warning about the planet's accelerating decline landed this week, and once again, the numbers are sobering. Released at the U.N. Environment Assembly in Nairobi, the seventh Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7) depicts a world ...
Tiny Pencil Tip-Sized Toadlet Discovered in Brazil Researchers have discovered a new species of pumpkin toadlet in the damp, shadowy leaf litter of Brazil's Atlantic Forest. The dazzlingly bright orange creature, named Brachycephalus lulai, is ...
Brightcast is dedicated to restoring faith in humanity by highlighting the progress, solutions, and kindness that often go unnoticed. We believe in a balanced worldview.
Read our full mission →
Corridors, not Culls, Offer Solution to Southern Africa's Growing Elephant Population A young bull elephant known as Z16, collared in Zambia two years ago, has walked nearly 12,000 kilometers (7,500 miles) across four countries and six national p...
The "Sixth Mass Extinction" Might Be a Myth, New Evidence Shows Rethinking the Idea of a Modern Mass Extinction For years, several scientific reports have suggested that Earth may be entering another mass extinction event. These predictions ...
Nature can be captivating, awe-inspiring, and downright metal. It can also be hilarious. Case in point: The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards, a delightful dive into the silliness of the animal kingdom. The preeminent wildlife photography competition for...
Chris Grinter's Life Surrounded by Insects As the senior collection manager of entomology at the California Academy of Sciences, Chris Grinter oversees one of the world's major insect archives. He preserves everything from the smallest moths to t...
EU Greenlights 100 Hydrogen Projects in Major Energy Transformation Plan In a sweeping move to modernize its energy infrastructure and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, the European Union has approved 100 cross-border hydrogen and electrolyzer ini...
Know someone who needs a boost? Share Brightcast with your friends and family.
Scientists Discover Three New Toad Species That Give Birth to Tiny 'Toadlets' Toads can lay between 2,000 and 20,000 eggs in a season, but only one in 50 will typically survive the leap from egg to tadpole to adulthood. "They lay those eggs, and ...
What every good boy and girl needs is a forever home and owners who love them to the moon and back. And, let's be honest, in a perfect world, there'd be no need for rescue shelters because our bestest friends would all have roofs over their derpy hea...
Wildlife and Sports: A Conservation Opportunity More than you might imagine, the common mascot of the tiger connects universities like Clemson, Auburn, Louisiana State, and the University of Missouri to the cause of saving endangered species. The...
The findings suggest that sea cows have been engineering ecosystems in the Persian Gulf for tens of millions of years By Mary Randolph - Staff Contributor December 10, 2025 7:00 a.m. :focal(2850x1954:2851x1955)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-...
A Lost Sea Cow World Resurfaces Beneath Qatar's Desert Dugongs and Their Long History in the Arabian Gulf Today, the Arabian Gulf supports a large population of dugongs, marine mammals that resemble manatees and help maintain seagrass habitats...
Download the Brightcast app for a better reading experience, daily notifications, and offline access.
Download App
Across India, there are unique stays that go beyond the typical bed and breakfast experience. These homestays border wildlife reserves and sanctuaries, offering guests a chance to coexist with nature. 1. Baaghini, Ranthambore National Park, Raj...
When U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly in late 2025 and dismissed climate change as a "con job", the scientific community reacted with alarm. Months earlier, The Guardian had reported that his anti-climate agen...
Climate change, including high temperatures and heat waves, poses serious risks to the environment, food systems, and human health. New research now suggests it may also lead to delays in early childhood development. The study, published in the Jour...
Female Galápagos Birds Flaunt Their Sexual Partners. The Males Don't Seem to Mind. A Galápagos bird species is stunning behaviorists with their "freewheeling" lifestyles. Described in the journal PLOS One, female Nazca boobies (Sula granti) will ...
The planet has been flipping between two main modes of carbon recovery depending on the state of coral reefs, new research suggests :focal(597x336:598x337)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/0b/9a/0b9ab0d9-7b43-4...
Join 50,000+ readers who receive our daily digest of the most uplifting stories from around the world.
In mid-November, members of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians were called in to salvage the remains of a beached humpback whale on the central Oregon coast. The young whale, estimated to be around two years old, was found stranded on November...
A new 'fairy lantern' species is found at a Malaysian picnic site In November 2023, naturalist Gim Siew Tan chanced upon an unusual plant with whitish-peach flowers growing near the buttress of a tree at a popular picnic site in Hulu Langat Fores...
Forget every notion you have about national parks. We are not trekking on dusty trails or climbing ancient granite cliffs. We are going to a place where the very earth is an illusion, a magnificent trick of nature. Welcome to Keibul Lamjao, the world...
New Underwater Acoustic Camera Identifies Individual Fish Sounds Fish have been discovered to make sounds for more than 2,000 years, but they have largely gone unheard by humans. While a typical coral reef may be home to dozens of fish species, i...
Light-filled Apartment-style Tiny House Built for Coastal Living The Urban Park Max 37 by Tru Form Tiny is a spacious and light-filled tiny house designed to withstand the elements of coastal living. With a length of 37 ft (11.2 m) and a width of...
Brightcast is dedicated to restoring faith in humanity by highlighting the progress, solutions, and kindness that often go unnoticed. We believe in a balanced worldview.
Read our full mission →
Rabbit-sized, nocturnal and elusive, the greater mouse-deer (Tragulus napu) hadn't been seen in Singapore for more than 80 years. Researchers long presumed it was locally extinct. However, in 2008, researchers confirmed sightings of the pint-sized ...
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the world's top decision-making body on the environment, opened its seventh session in Nairobi on Monday. The assembly aimed to take action on critical environmental challenges, despite deep geopolitica...
"People bathe in the river, they eat from the river — they live, dance and sing there," says Dora Agudelo Vazquez. "Their whole lives are bound to the river." Agudelo Vazquez, one of the guardians of the Atrato River, is sitting on a park bench in th...
Above the bustle of east London, the white storks will soon return. As part of an ambitious rewilding effort, these charismatic birds will be reintroduced to the UK capital next year, joining beavers in Eastbrookend Country Park. "It's thrilling," s...
Australia's Bold Move to Ban Kids Under 16 from Social Media Starting this week, on December 10th, Australia will become the first country to ban all children under 16 from having social media accounts. This sweeping law covers popular platforms ...
Know someone who needs a boost? Share Brightcast with your friends and family.
Norway Pauses Deep-Sea Mining for Four Years Norway has made a policy U-turn, closing the door to deep-sea mining in its waters until at least 2029. On December 3, Norway's five political parties supporting the new government debated the fiscal b...
Africa's Stakes in Global UN Environment Talks in Nairobi From Dec. 8-12, Kenya will host delegates from governments, civil society, industry and scientific agencies for the United Nations Environment Assembly at a time of profound environmental ...
71 Hilarious Animal Names Found On 'Petfinder' That Take Creativity To A Whole New Level (New Pics) Adopting a pet in need is one of the most meaningful decisions a person can make. But choosing the perfect name for your new furry (or scaly) frie...
Scientists involved in a new deep-sea research effort report that a recent mining test unexpectedly led to the discovery of large numbers of previously unknown species living 4,000 meters (13,123-feet) below the surface. Their findings indicate that...
Cristina Gallardo, 39, a Devoted Guardian of Spain's Wild Places, Lost to a Fall The cliffs above Cala de Moraia are steep and inaccessible. To most people, the terrain would signal danger rather than duty. But dangerous places often shelter life...