Positive news

Scientists in China have created an innovative and experimental sponge made out of cornstarch and gelatin, designed to absorb microplastic and nanoplastic particles from seawater. These sponges are biodegradable and light as a feather, inspired by the filter-feeding activity of oysters that trap particles in their gills as they pump seawater through them! 🧽 | Source: Good News Network

A conservation and river engagement project on the River Severn in the UK has reconnected the once abundant twaite shad fish with their ancient spawning grounds for the first time in more than 180 years! Improving access to these waterways has restored over 150 miles of river habitat for the small, silvery fish, providing hope for the future of freshwater and migratory fish populations 🐟 | Source: The Guardian

Back in 2018, more than 50,000 metric tons of sewage-smelling sargassum seaweed overran the coast of Mexico, reportedly stemming from high levels of nitrogen in the sea — the result of agricultural runoff and deforestation. Instead of focusing only on a shoreline in crisis, local gardener Omar de Jesús Vazquez Sánchez saw the opportunity for an innovative solution, grinding fine, dried sargassum into resilient construction bricks, or “sargablocks”. Since 2014, over 40 homes have been built with these bricks! 🧱 | Source: Insider Business

Earth’s protective ozone layer is on track to recover, with scientists predicting that the hole looming over Antarctica will continue to shrink and could fully repair by 2050. Studies have shown that this restoration would shift westerly winds from Antarctica up toward the equator, potentially leading to lower temperatures in the Southern Ocean and consequently helping to protect both marine creatures and coastal communities 🌊 | Source: CNBC

Kelp helps: Canadian scientists are researching the importance of these brown algae in protecting sea creatures from human-made ocean noise that drowns out the natural soundscape. Using sound science experiments and underwater audio recordings, marine ecologist Kieran Cox is exploring how preserving and restoring kelp ecosystems could reduce sensory harm. Sound waves travel faster and further underwater than they do through air, with marine traffic creating a stressful environment for animals trying to navigate the ocean in peace. But kelp forests are helping to “conserve the soundscape,” providing promising field research and insight into the future of this large seaweed. | Source: The Narwhal

It’s official: The blue whale population in California waters has regained 97% of its pre-whaling numbers! These whales were hunted to near extinction in the twentieth century, and remain an endangered species despite efforts to protect them in and beyond the Pacific Ocean. As policy changes and conservation initiatives develop, we’re seeing hopeful steps in the right direction for the recovery of blue whales 🐳 | Source: KarunaNews