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Top Famous Horses From History In the long history of domestic horses as our companions, there have been many standout superstars. Humans domesticated horses somewhere around 3,000 BCE, and since that time the horse has been one of our closest allies in work, war, travel and entertainment. Over these many thousands of years and millions of equines living alongside us, there have been quite a few standouts. Be it their speed, strength, smarts or simply their good looks or loyalty, the stories of a few special horses have become popular and stood the test of time. From horses living in ancient times whose memory still lives on today to beloved television stars of the 20th century, here are 12 celebrities from the equine world whose stories you want to know about. Figure While many people have likely heard of the Morgan horse breed—one of the earliest breeds developed in the United States—far fewer know about the much loved horse who started the lineage, Figure. Figure was a small bay sta...

Dairy Farming: Environmental Impact, Ethics, and Industry Outlook How much does dairy farming contribute to global warming? Dairy farming is the practice of raising and breeding livestock to produce milk for human consumption. While the industry isn't going away any time soon, plant-based milk alternatives such as soy, almond, and oat milk have created a competitive market, driving down the rate of cow’s milk consumption in recent years. Given the dairy industry's tremendous land and water use and the substantial amount of methane produced from cows, this might be considered a gradual environmental win. How environmentally taxing is dairy farming? Here, we review the impacts and ethics of this sector of agriculture, the competition between small and large dairy farms, and the future of the industry. Processes of Dairy Farming Dairy farmers manage every aspect of a cow’s life—from what they eat and how much space they’re allotted to how much time cows spend with their offspring ...

Top Things That Aren't Recyclable We've all probably been guilty of this recycling no-no at least once — discarding a disposable coffee cup or food takeout container in our bin. While you may be thinking you're doing your part to help, your optimistic recycling may actually be hurting the process. Depending on where you live, there are some items that simply aren't recyclable, including varieties of paper, glass and plastic. Check with your city service provider to know specifics, but here's a list of items that generally are not recyclable, along with suggestions on how you can dispose or reuse them. Aerosol Cans Sure, they're metal. But since spray cans also contain propellants and chemicals, most municipal systems treat them as hazardous material. Batteries These are generally handled separately from both regular trash and curbside recycling. Brightly Dyed Paper Strong paper dyes work just like that red sock in your white laundry. Ceramics and Pottery This in...

Scientists Create 100% Biodegradable Paper Straws That Don’t Get Soggy The strong paper straws are easy to make and degrade to nothing. Eco enthusiasts who've already eschewed straws may wonder what the point is in developing new ones. But for anyone unable or unwilling to abide by a soggy paper straw, a strong yet fully biodegradable one has been invented by scientists at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT). The discovery comes from the joint research team of Dr. Oh Dongyeop and Dr. Kwak Hojung of KRICT and Professor Park Jeyoung of Sogang University. The new straws are easy to mass-produce and could fill the gap between consumers wanting a rigid straw and regulations on plastic straws in restaurants and cafés. Changing consumer habits and weaning the world off straws would be the best-case scenario (with an exception for those who rely on straws for health and other reasons). But in the meantime, a truly biodegradable straw that can stand up to the complai...

Can Paper Plates Be Recycled? Composting and Other Eco-Friendly Alternatives The short answer is yes and no. While some paper plates can be recycled, the vast majority usually can’t. Rather than throw them away after one use, consider more eco-friendly alternatives. Nearly 220 million Americans use paper plates and cups, and this figure is expected to continue rising. As of 2018, the U.S. paper plate and cup market was worth $20.7 billion, making the country one of the largest consumers of these items worldwide. Why (Most) Paper Plates Can’t Be Recycled  There are two main reasons why the majority of paper plates can’t be recycled: They’re Coated in Wax, Plastic, or Clay This coating offers a smooth surface and prevents the paper plate from soaking up liquids or grease. Usually, the coating can’t be separated from the paper in a recycling facility, so paper plates can’t be recycled like regular paper. Some municipalities may accept clean coated paper plates along with to-go food co...

Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough Could Deliver Clean Power Too Cheap to Meter Is this a Wright Brothers or Zephram Cochrane moment that changes everything? The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) accomplished what's being called the holy grail of fusion research: It achieved fusion ignition. In other words, it managed to get more energy out than it put in ... sort of. There's not much of it, but it is still a big deal. In a press conference, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said, “This is one of the most impressive feats of the 21st century.” She then compared it to the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk and noted, "But we’re not yet ready for a transatlantic flight." According to the LLNL, it achieved what it calls a "scientific energy breakeven, meaning it produced more energy from fusion than the laser energy used to drive it." Researchers have been trying to do this since the 1950s. Two major approaches have been used in fusion research. The most ...

Top Worst Forms of Pollution For everything we take from the Earth, there is a byproduct or consequence. Perhaps pollution is a symptom of nature's imbalance. Some people reap from the Earth, but countless others become sick, displaced or harmed due to the resulting pollution — affecting wildlife and more. On the off chance that a guilty conscience is an unknown symptom of overexploitation, here's a list of the 10 worst forms of pollution and their effects on humans. Oil spills In the wake of the Gulf oil spill, the harmful effects of marine oil spills are obvious. Birds, fish and other marine life can be devastated from a spill, and the ecosystems often take decades to recover. The oil is ingested by some animals, allowing pollutants to enter the food chain, harming fisheries and other industries in the region. Many people don't realize that most oil pollution actually comes from land-based activity. One way or another, oil has seeped into nearly all of Earth's ecosyst...