The Perceptiveness of Dogs
Some dogs can smell odors given off by humans with bladder cancer and diabetes, researchers say. In some cases, the canines warn of oncoming attacks. Claire Guest, CEO of Cancer and Bio-Detection Dogs, says, "Now that we know that dogs are able to detect human disease by its odor, and that different diseases have different odors, the potential is just incredible to help individuals with life-threa... posted on Jul 20 2009, 4,387 reads

Two Dogs,Two Thousand Miles
Two dogs are walking more than 2,000 miles from Austin, Texas, to Boston to raise awareness, and maybe some money, for canine cancer research. It would be hard to miss these two, for they are very large, very white Great Pyrenees. Murphy and Hudson are traveling with their owner, Luke Robinson, 38. He conceived the Texas-to-Massachusettes trek after the death of a beloved dog "changed my life," he... posted on Jul 12 2009, 3,875 reads

The Compassion of Dogs
For centuries, humans have imagined that they are the only animals with morals. But humans are not alone in the moral arena, a new breed of behavior experts says. Natural historian Jake Page said some scientists are acknowledging what pet owners have told their canines all along: "Good dog." Dogs are full of natural goodness and have rich emotional lives, said animal behaviorist Marc Bekoff, profe... posted on Jun 23 2009, 6,305 reads

The Millenium Seed Bank
All life on earth depends on plants, but in spite of our reliance on plants, 60,000 to 100,000 plant species are under threat. The root causes of these threats are difficult to control and include human population growth and socio-economic factors. Seed banks provide an insurance policy against the extinction of plants in the wild and provide options for their future use. The Millennium Seed Bank ... posted on Jun 19 2009, 2,555 reads

Humane Lessons from An 8th Grader
"I had the privilege of mentoring a young friend of mine, Claire Russell, on her 8th grade project. At Claire's school, all 8th graders complete a project of their choice and present it to the entire school community at the end of the school year. Most of the kids learn a new skill or make something. Many have built furniture, created art, written books, or learned a craft like mime or welding. Cl... posted on Jun 12 2009, 3,903 reads

Rescued Dog Pays It Forward
A dog rescued in March at Blewett Pass, has now become a rescue dog. Dozens of people tried to rescue the black Lab this winter after he was seen huddling in the snow at the top of Blewett Pass for a week. Wary of strangers, the dog, named Blewett, accepted food and was finally adopted into a home. On Monday the canine survivor returned the favor and helped rescue another imperiled black Lab. Jay ... posted on Jun 06 2009, 4,025 reads

The Plastiki Expedition
In 1947, Thor Heyerdahl and a crew of five men traveled across the Pacific Ocean to Peru on craft comprised of natural materials modeled after ancient Inca rafts. Using that as inspiration, David de Rothschild, the banking scion and the founder of Adventure Ecology, is embarking on The Plastiki Expedition, and will soon set sail on another curious vessel: one comprised almost entirely of re-purpos... posted on Jun 03 2009, 4,411 reads

Goleman on Ecological Intelligence
"There's a new kind of math for the environmentally concerned, one that answers those everyday eco-conundrums like, Which is better: a reusable stainless steel water bottle, or those throwaway plastic ones? The answers come from life cycle assessment (or LCA), the method used by industrial ecologists -- a discipline that blends industrial engineering and chemistry with environmental science and bi... posted on May 31 2009, 4,422 reads

A Maternity Ward -- For Turtles
With its white sand and clear, blue water, Trinidad's Matura Beach looks like a postcard. It's a far cry from its recent past, when leatherback sea turtle carcasses littered the ground and kept tourists away. Saddened and frustrated, Suzan Lakhan Baptiste launched a crusade to help end the slaughter of the gentle giants. Today, she and her group are succeeding: What was once a turtle graveyard is ... posted on May 30 2009, 3,011 reads

What Would It Look Like?
What if the world embodied its highest potential? What would it look like? As many of the structures of modern society crumble, this video contemplates a set of unexamined assumptions that form the very basis of our civilization. In a beautifully shot 25-minute retrospective, it asks us to reflect on the state of the world and ourselves -- and to listen more closely to what is being asked of us at... posted on May 22 2009, 4,388 reads