Articles for tag: Amazon rainforest, biomonitoring, conservation, illegal gold mining, mercury pollution

Amazon Rainforest

Trees as Silent Witnesses: Tracking Illegal Gold Mining in the Amazon

April Joy Jovita

Illegal gold mining in the Amazon rainforest has long been a source of environmental degradation and human health risks. Now, researchers have discovered an unexpected ally in the fight against this illicit activity: trees. By analyzing mercury concentrations in the tree rings, scientists can trace the environmental impact of gold mining, offering a novel approach ...

7 Mysterious Ancient Cities Discovered Deep in the Amazon Rainforest

7 Mysterious Ancient Cities Discovered Deep in the Amazon Rainforest

Jan Otte

You might think the Amazon is just an endless green maze of trees and wildlife, but beneath that canopy lies something extraordinary. Hidden for centuries under thick vegetation are the remains of entire civilizations that once thrived in what we wrongly assumed was untouched wilderness. Today’s cutting-edge technology has finally pulled back the jungle’s curtain ...

Technology Solutions: Can We Help the Amazon Store More Carbon?

Why the Amazon Stores So Much Carbon — And Why It Might Start Releasing It

Annette Uy

The Amazon rainforest stretches across 2.1 million square miles, breathing life into our planet like a massive green lung. But beneath its emerald canopy lies one of Earth’s most crucial secrets: an enormous carbon vault that could determine the fate of our climate. This living treasury holds approximately 150 to 200 billion tons of carbon—roughly ...

Andes mountains, Chile

From the Amazon to the Andes: The Changing Landscapes of a Continent

Annette Uy

When one thinks of South America, the mind often conjures images of the vast and mysterious Amazon rainforest or the towering majesty of the Andes Mountains. These landscapes are not only breathtakingly beautiful but are also undergoing significant changes due to both natural forces and human influences. This article takes you on a journey from ...

The Cave Formation Process

The Hidden Cave Networks of the Amazon — And What’s Still Unexplored

Annette Uy

Recent discoveries using ground-sensing technology have revealed over 6,000 interconnected earthen platforms in Ecuador that date back 2,000 years, and beneath the world’s most famous rainforest lies an equally mysterious realm that’s barely been scratched. While Hollywood makes us think of caves as dark, scary places, the Amazon’s hidden underground networks are actually among Earth’s ...

a lush green forest filled with lots of trees

Carbon for Cash? Brazil’s Mega Deal Sparks Indigenous Uproar and Legal Showdown

Jan Otte

A $180 million carbon credit gamble deep in the Amazon has turned into a high-stakes legal fight pitting Indigenous people against corporate giants and the Brazilian government of Pará. Called the “world’s largest” carbon credit deal, the September 2024 agreement signed by multinational companies including Amazon, Walmart, and Bayer promised to sell emissions offsets so ...