Environment – Articles, Analysis, Comment – The Conversation

Eating meat only when it is served in a social setting is a growing dietary trend. Bobex-73/Shutterstock

As veganism grows in popularity, some people are still eating meat with friends – could a ‘social omnivore’ diet work for you?

Susan Jebb, University of Oxford and Elisa Becker, University of Oxford

More people are opting for a “social omnivore” lifestyle – could it save the planet, your health and your social life?

The small and unassuming *Steatoda nobilis*. JorgeOrtiz_1976/Shutterstock

Noble false widows: the tiny spiders taking a big bite out of British and Irish wildlife

Michel Dugon, University of Galway and John Dunbar, University of Galway

Once confined to the Canary Islands, noble false widow spiders are casting their web worldwide.

15-minute cities: how to separate the reality from the conspiracy theory

Alex Nurse, University of Liverpool; Alessia Calafiore, The University of Edinburgh, and Richard J. Dunning, University of Liverpool

It’s about designing cities that prioritise people not cars.

Collared leopard being released into North Ossetia, Russia in 2022. Pavel Padalko

Reintroducing top predators to the wild is risky but necessary – here’s how we can ensure they survive

Seth Thomas, University of Oxford

New research studies the factors that determine whether large carnivore reintroductions will be a success.

Energy-efficient heat pumps can wean households off oil and gas heating systems. Island Images/Alamy Stock Photo

For developing world to quit coal, rich countries must eliminate oil and gas faster – new study

James Price, UCL and Steve Pye, UCL

Developing countries are expected to quit coal faster than any energy transition in history.

Tropical seagrass meadows are sand factories that can help defend coral reef islands from sea-level rise

Holly East, Northumbria University, Newcastle and Jamie Johnson, Northumbria University, Newcastle

One meadow made enough sand to create a new island in 18 years.

Russia–Ukraine war has nearly doubled household energy costs worldwide – new study

Klaus Hubacek, University of Groningen; Jin Yan, University of Groningen; Yuli Shan, University of Birmingham, and Yuru Guan, University of Groningen

116 country assessment shows huge direct and indirect impacts of expensive energy.

Insects are vanishing worldwide – now it’s making it harder to grow food

Stuart Reynolds, University of Bath

New research from China shows how the loss of insects is destabilising food webs.

Synthetic clothing sheds tiny plastic fragments known as microfibres when washed. Cultura Creative RF/Alamy Stock Photo

UK laundry releases microfibres weighing the equivalent of 1,500 buses each year

Mark Sumner, University of Leeds; Alice Hazlehurst, University of Leeds, and Mark Taylor, University of Leeds

By washing our clothes, we release microfibres into the environment which are then ingested by marine animals.

Energy inequality must fall – and do so drastically – to maintain a safe climate. Stephanie Lecocq/EPA

Global inequality must fall to maintain a safe climate and achieve a decent standard of living for all – it’s a huge challenge

Joel Millward-Hopkins, University of Leeds and Yannick Oswald, University of Leeds

Energy inequality will have to reduce substantially by 2050 to maintain a safe climate and decent living standards for all.

Gene editing revolutionised science. PopTika/Shutterstock

What is gene editing and how could it shape our future?

Gavin Bowen-Metcalf, Anglia Ruskin University

Gene editing promises everything from treatments for serious conditions like sickle cell disease to the resurrection of the dodo.

Two trucks transport gold ore from Barrick Cowal Gold Mine in New South Wales, Australia. Jason Benz Bennee/Shutterstock

Gold mining is one of the world’s most destructive and unnecessary industries – here’s how to end it

Stephen Lezak, University of Oxford

A gradual drawdown of gold mining is a critical step towards sustainability.

Bird flu continues to spread in mammals – what this means for humans and wildlife

Divya Venkatesh, University of Oxford

Bird flu has been confirmed in four dead seals in Scotland.

Do trees really stay in touch via a ‘wood-wide web’? Here’s what the evidence says

Katie Field, University of Sheffield and Emily Magkourilou, University of Sheffield

A new study looked at the many claims made about soil fungi and found some misconceptions.

Rainforest at Coed Nant Gwernol and Coed Hendrewallog, Wales. Jordan Mansfield/WTML for Woodland Trust

Livestock grazing is preventing the return of rainforests to the UK and Ireland

Emma Garnett, University of Oxford

The meat industry is competing with native forest for the same land.

The Bahama warbler (Setophaga flavescens) is endemic to the Bahamas. Blickwinkel/Alamy Stock Photo

Bahamas songbird is under threat of extinction – but preserving old pine forests will help save it

Diana Bell, University of East Anglia and Nigel Collar, University of East Anglia

The Bahama warbler favours large pine trees and palms, fieldwork shows.

Light pollution has cut humanity’s ancient connection with the stars – but we can restore it

Or Graur, University of Portsmouth

People travel hundreds or thousands of miles and spend a fortune to see the night sky in all its splendor. But we are literally blocking out the cosmic beauty above our homes.