Travel & Nature

Last month, my partner gave me a Fjällräven Kanken rucksack for my 30th birthday, and I have to tell you about it, as this is a classic amongst the eco-designs nowadays. I first spotted these slightly odd-looking bags in London many years ago, and learnt that they are a Swedish product, designed to last forever. When I received one in the mail recently, I got to know it a little better.

Business & Politics

Photo: sheppey cottage

Each year in the EU nearly 12 million animals are experimented upon in the name of scientific research - but all that is set to change as stricter legislation on testing was passed today by the European Parliament. Among the sweeping reforms was an outright ban on the testing of our closest genetic cousins, great apes, as well as stronger restrictions on experiments involving all primates.

Business & Politics

Watch the full size video on Planet Green

Today, Planet 100 presents its 200th episode. To celebrate this milestone we're counting down the Top 10 Most Outrageous Stories from the last 200 days of Planet 100.

Science & Technology

Photo via Wired

You may have heard of Simon Singh long before his name rose to the top of the list of those championing sound science: He'd written two bestselling books, Fermat's Enigma and the Big Bang. Despite the wide range of subject matter contained in those books, the topic that ended up casting him into controversy was much different -- a seemingly benign newspaper article about some of the pitfalls of alternative medicine. He ended up defending his career from a powerful group, the British Chiropractic Association, who sued him for libel for having the chutzpah to assert that there was no proof that chiropractic treatment could treat ailments like asthma in children. As he decided to defend his science-backed claim rather than apologize, he became a much needed spokesperson for sound science (he won the suit). There are plenty of lessons to be learned from his story -- and many that hit close to home to anyone familiar with other topics where the science continually faces a PR crisis from outside interests. Here's what he has to say about defending science in the public sphere:

Food & Health

Photo via News One

Less dramatic than the fiery explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and the multiple month-spanning underwater oil geyser that followed it are many of the BP Gulf spill's side effects. And oil-related sicknesses are undoubtedly among the thorniest -- many fishermen-turned cleanup workers have already been afflicted by close contact with oil and the chemical dispersents used to combat it. But there will probably be many more. As such, "Health Effects of the Gulf Oil Spill", a paper recently published in the Journal of the American Medicine Association (JAMA), is advising physicians around the Gulf and beyond to learn to treat oil and dispersent-related sicknesses.

Science & Technology

photo: Johnny Bahru via flickr.

Large marine reserves aren't working to protect fish or coral--and therefore fishermen's livelihoods in the long term--and we should collectively shift towards more small reserves with fishing allowed in between. That's the word from the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health's Peter Sale.

Business & Politics

Image via California High-Speed Rail Authority

In his Labor Day speech two days ago, the president announced plans for a $50 billion stimulus package that would take aim at updating the country's lagging transportation infrastructure. He called for Congress to approve an infusion of funds for highway, air traffic control, and, yes, high speed rail projects, that would lead to the "immediate" creation of jobs and give a boost to the economy. Obama said that the bill would be paid for by eliminating the tax subsidies currently given to profitable oil and gas companies. Will the plan point the country's transit sector in a more sustainable direction?

Science & Technology

photo: Ramanathan Kathiresa via flickr

Another study detailing the negative environmental effects of continued tar sands development in Canada, and how independent review finds much greater impact that either the industry or government cares to acknowledge: The latest issue of The Wilson Journal of Ornithology has published a report showing that annual bird mortality in the toxic tailing ponds around tar sands project is far in excess of officially accepted figures.