ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Some coral communities are becoming more heat tolerant as ocean temperatures rise, offering hope for corals in a changing climate.

Scientists uncover how natural archives recorded Atlantic hurricane frequency over the past 1,000 years. More data is needed to help model how climate change will affect storms in the future.

By the end of the century, scientists expect climate change to reduce corn yield significantly, with some estimating losses up to 28%. But those calculations are missing a key factor that could drag corn yields down even further: weeds.

Climate change is not only a human problem; animals have to adapt to it as well. Some 'warm-blooded' animals are shapeshifting and getting larger beaks, legs, and ears to better regulate their body temperatures as the planet gets hotter.

An avocado a day could help redistribute belly fat in women toward a healthier profile, according to a new study. One hundred and five adults with overweight and obesity participated in a randomized controlled trial that provided one meal a day for 12 weeks. Women who consumed avocado as part of their daily meal had a reduction in deeper visceral abdominal fat.

Scientists have discovered that the humble blue-tongue lizard is largely resistant to the venom of the deadly red-bellied black snake, while giant carnivorous monitor lizards which feed on Australia's most venomous snakes are not.

The open oceans are harsh and hostile environments where insects might not be expected to thrive. In fact, only one insect group, ocean skaters, or water striders, has adapted to life on the open seas. How these insects evolved to conquer the high seas, however, was not known. Now, a study of the genetics of skaters provides a clue. The answer has to do with when major currents in the eastern Pacific Ocean came into existence with each species of skater evolving to match the unique conditions of those currents, according to scientists who examined the genetics of three ocean skater species collected across the eastern Pacific between Hawaii and Peru. The findings could unravel the mystery of how each skater species came to occupy habitats vastly different from those of other insects, and also deepen our understanding of how climate change affects ocean-dwelling organisms.

Researchers have developed a new comprehensive questionnaire for surveying feline personality and behavior. A dataset of more than 4,300 cats representing 26 breed groups revealed seven personality and behavior traits, with significant differences observed between breeds.

A new study has found surprising results that show that increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air can negatively affect the survival and size of dung beetles.

Corals may be able to cope with climate change in the coming decades better than previously thought -- but will still struggle with rapidly intensifying rates of climate change.

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has pledged to protect 30% of land to support the recovery of nature, but a new study finds that much of the new land that has been allocated to meet this aspiration is not in the highest priority areas for biodiversity conservation.