Margaret Osborne

 

Margaret Osborne is a freelance journalist based in the southwestern U.S. Her work has appeared in the Sag Harbor Express and has aired on WSHU Public Radio.

Trash collects on Ballona Creek in California after rainfall.

Good News

California Passes Sweeping New Plastic Waste Law

The legislation requires that all packaging in the state must be recyclable or compostable within ten years

Thousands of Northern Gannets gather nest material as they prepare for the new breeding season on the Bass Rock.

Avian Flu Hits U.K.’s Seabird Colonies

Thousands of wild birds have died

Researchers at Northwestern University created an implantable device that attaches to a nerve to deliver pain relief.

Innovation for Good

This Dissolvable Implant Could Revolutionize Pain Management

After some success on rats, researchers are hopeful this device could provide humans a more targeted and less addictive alternative to opioids

About 3.8 million concussions from sports-related injuries occur every year in the U.S.

Innovation for Good

This Wearable Sensor May Help Detect Concussions Early in Athletes

Researchers developed a small, flexible patch that sticks on the back of an athlete’s neck and can identify whiplash

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A Surprisingly High Number of Wildfires Are Caused by Electrocuted Birds

Researchers determined 44 wildland fires were ignited by avian electrocutions in the contiguous United States from January 2014 through December 2018

Sammy B torpedo tubes

World’s Deepest Shipwreck Discovered Four Miles Underwater in the Philippines

The U.S. destroyer was sunk during World War II

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Climate Change May Be Responsible for Sriracha Hot Sauce Shortage

The region where crucial peppers are grown is experiencing the worst megadrought in at least 1200 years

An digital illustration of a black hole in space

Hubble Space Telescope May Have Spotted a Moving Black Hole

Two teams analyzed data from NASA’s telescope and found a compact object, which may be either a black hole or a neutron star

Scientists assessed changes in the gut microbiome of superworms (Zophobas morio) in a new study.

Innovation for Good

Polystyrene-Eating 'Superworms' May Provide Clues for Better Recycling

Scientists find enzymes in the gut microbiome of beetle larvae that can degrade one of the most widely used plastics

Jackdaws have distinctive calls that sound like “tchaw, tchaw” or “tchack, tchack.”

Jackdaws Vote to Decide When to Take Flight

The birds use vocalizations to signal when they want to leave the roost

ElliQ can make small talk, answer questions, remind users to take medication, help contact friends and family, initiate conversation and help with other daily activities.

Innovation for Good

New York State Purchases Robot Companions for the Elderly

The state has bought more than 800 ElliQ robots to combat loneliness in older adults

The Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica

Antarctica’s 'Doomsday Glacier' Melting at Fastest Rate in 5,500 Years

Researchers used penguin bones and shells to track ice loss in the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers

The record-breaking stingray was caught by a local fisherman.

Good News

Stingray Found in Cambodia Sets Record for World’s Largest Freshwater Fish

The enormous fish is 13 feet long and weighs 661 pounds

On May 26, and endangered baby crane hatched at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

Good News

Endangered Whooping Crane Hatches at Smithsonian National Zoo Site

An abandoned egg from a wild nest in Wisconsin was given to surrogate parents in Virginia

Researchers found microplastics in snow samples from the Ross Island region in Antarctica. 

In a First, Microplastics Are Found in Fresh Antarctic Snow

The research highlights the extent of plastic pollution and transmission even in remote regions of the world

New research shows how seals use their whiskers to aid them as they hunt. 

Seals Use Their Whiskers to Help Hunt in the Deep Ocean

New video footage shows rhythmic whisker movements that have never been observed before in seals in the wild

Vaccinations could begin as soon as next week if the FDA authorizes either the Pfizer or Moderna shots for kids under 5. 

Innovation for Good

FDA Says Both Moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccines Are Effective for the Youngest Children

A panel of experts is set to vote Wednesday on whether the agency should authorize the use of the vaccines for little kids

A different giant karst sinkhole at Leye-Fengshan Global Geopark in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. A new sinkhole was recently discovered in China earlier this month. 

Ancient Forest Discovered in Chinese Sinkhole

Researchers say the forest may contain small animal species unknown to scientists

Scientists measured a carbon dioxide concentration of 420.99 parts per million, an increase of 1.8 ppm over 2021. 

Carbon Dioxide Levels Now Higher Than Ever in Human History

Levels have risen more than 50 percent in the last two centuries alone

Colon cancer cell illustration

Good News

Small Cancer Trial Resulted in Complete Remission for All Participants

The results are promising, but experts say the trial should be replicated

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