Human activities have altered the basic chemistry of the seas in such a way that they are now experiencing  evolution in reverse: a return to the barren primeval waters of hundreds of millions of years ago. Pollution, overfishing, the destruction of habitats, and climate change are emptying the oceans and enabling the lowest forms of life, e.g. worms, jellyfish, and toxic fireweed, to regain their dominance.

More than three quarters of Earth’s large carnivorous animal species are in decline, a trend that has far-reaching ecological impacts, according to a study published in Science. The effects of what the authors describe as human “persecution” of these predatory animals ripple through the ecosystems and food webs they find themselves atop. 

North Korea could hold more than twice the known global deposits of rare earth elements, according to a recent geological study. If verified, the discovery would more than double global known sources and be six times the reserves in China, the market leader. Rare earth elements are used electronics such as smartphones and high definition televisions.

New scientific papers report surprising findings on carbon sequestration.

Every new Intel microprocessor will be conflict-free, according to CEO Krzanich. “The world's first conflict-free processors will be validated as not containing minerals sourced from mines that finance fighting in the Congo”, he said. The conflict-free minerals issue is a thorny one for big business, because supply chains lack transparency. It's hard to verify that minerals shipped out of the region are really conflict-free.

Who are the richest people on the planet? This interactive visualization shows who they are and how they became rich. 

The United Nations has unanimously voted to adopt a resolution calling for online privacy to be recognised as a human right. The resolution extends the general human right of privacy to the online world. 

Is our technology becoming too complex to understand, and if so, what impact does this have on us?

Smog has become so thick in Beijing that the city's natural light-starved masses have begun flocking to huge digital commercial television screens across the city to observe virtual sunrises. 

A new report shows that 64 percent of Chinese millionaires have either emigrated or plan to emigrate—taking their spending and fortunes with them. The United States is their favorite destination.

Oxfam has compiled a global snapshot of 125 countries indicating the best and worst places to eat. The Netherlands, France and Switzerland score highest, while Chad, Ethiopia and Angola score lowest. 

Oceanographer Greg Johnson captured the entire IPCC report (2.000 pages) in 19 illustrated Haiku poems. 

Haribo removed blackface licorice in its ‘Skipper Mix’ after complaints from Swedish customers. The licorice in the Skipper Mix was meant to represent a sailor's trip around the world and some of the people he encountered.