A new book explores how birds have adapted to our cities - from nesting in skyscrapers to snatching food - reflecting on the beauty and wildness they bring to urban landscapes.
Lead levels in backyard hen eggs are often much higher than in eggs bought in the shops. A new study of soil lead, chickens and eggs locates the high-risk areas in our biggest cities.
A modern cockerel with dramatic plumage.
Robert May, https://robertmay.photography/
Bird flu is highly contagious in domestic flocks, and a major outbreak is underway in the US. A veterinary scientist explains what consumers need to know.
A 2015 paper on chicken virus evolution is being taken out of context and used to fuel fears about COVID-19 vaccines. Its lead author aims to clarify the science in hopes of saving lives.
A lack of policy has allowed industrial chicken farms to multiply in certain parts of the UK – with a lack of consideration of the environmental and social impacts.
George Aubert rescues one of his chickens from rising floodwaters caused by Hurricane Matthew in Fair Bluff, North Carolina, in 2016.
Sean Rayford/Getty Images
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some critics say livestock farms promote diseases that spread from animals to humans. An animal scientist explains how well-run farms work to keep that from happening.
Workers in a pork processing plant, 2016.
USGAO/Wikipedia
COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred at more than 100 US meatpacking plants. Geography, workforce demographics and economic concentration make it hard for workers to fight for better conditions.
Federal organic regulations require outdoor access for livestock – but don’t specify how much.
US Dept. of Agriculture/flickr
US federal regulations say little about how animals on organic farms should be treated. So if you’re planning to serve an ethical holiday dinner, you’ll have to do some research.
Cats can be happy in apartments, but the space needs features that enable their natural desire to climb, jump, hide and scratch.
Kuznetcov_Konstantin/Shutterstock.com
Animals don’t just need enough space to live – they need the right kind of space, too. An animal welfare lawyer defends our pets’ ‘right of place.’
A scene from the Books of the Dead (based at the Egyptian Museum) shows the ibis-headed god Thoth recording the result of “the final judgement”.
Wasef et al./PLOS ONE
An estimated 1.75 million ibises were deposited at a single location in ancient Egypt. But the birds disappeared entirely from the region around 1850, and no one knows why.
Convictions are where beliefs meet identity. But that can lead to trouble. Our supercharged politics make giving up a conviction feel like an act of self-betrayal and a betrayal of our tribe.
While this research has merit, it doesn’t exactly tell us eating chicken reduces risk of breast cancer.
From shutterstock.com
Recent reports suggested eating chicken could reduce the risk of breast cancer. In the study, those who ate chicken were at lower risk – when compared to women who ate large quantities of red meat.