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by Ruth Thornton
A newsletter about nature, the animals and plants that share the world with us and the human actions affecting it - both good and bad. ruththornton.substack.com
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- 1 weeks ago9 min
Podcast: Nature Signals at Year One: Reflections and the road ahead
In this anniversary episode of Nature Signals, environmental journalist and science writer Ruth Thornton reflects on one year of sharing science-based stories about nature, wildlife and biodiversity conservation. She discusses her journey from conservation professional to environmental journalist, tracing how childhood adventures in the Austrian Alps and American national parks inspired a lifelong passion for nature and wildlife.Ruth explains why, after more than 20 years working in conservation, she returned to school midcareer to pursue a master’s degree in journalism and how her hands-on field experience shapes her approach to writing about nature.Looking ahead, Ruth shares her plans for Nature Signals, including articles building on each other to form a more complete picture of the state of biodiversity. She also discusses her commitment to rigorous research, independent fact-checking and accurate environmental journalism in an era of widespread disinformation and AI.Explore Nature Signals for evidence-based insights into conservation, biodiversity loss, ecology and solutions for protecting the natural world. The written article is available on my website here: ruththornton.com.#EnvironmentalJournalism #ScienceWriting #Biodiversity #Conservation #Wildlife #NaturePodcast #PersonalEssayKey points:1:06 - What led me to change my career4:34 - Where Nature Signals is headed6:43 - A word on fact-checking and essay schedules7:53 - A note on AI8:20 – How to support my writing Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe
- 2 weeks ago8 min
Podcast: Insect declines threaten more than pollinators - wildlife could also be at risk, researchers warn
In this episode, we explore why the global insect decline matters far beyond pollination. A new paper in the journal Nature Reviews Biodiversity brings together findings from nearly 300 studies to document the many ways insects support wildlife and ecosystems.Eliza Grames, an assistant professor at Binghamton University and a lead author of the review, explains how insects serve as food for birds, bats, mammals, reptiles and amphibians—and provide a surprising range of other services. They help build shelters, protect nests, recycle nutrients, control disease-carrying insects and even contribute to wound care and grooming among some animals.We also discuss the growing insect biodiversity crisis, including evidence that insect abundance and biomass are declining by an average of 1% to 2% a year. Chris Elphick, a professor at the University of Connecticut and a contributor to the study, explains why insect conservation should be considered part of wildlife conservation.The researchers also offer a hopeful message: because many insects reproduce quickly, the right conservation efforts can sometimes produce rapid results.The written article is available on my website here: ruththornton.com.#Insects #BiodiversityCrisis #InsectDecline #Conservation #Wildlife #InsectApocalypse Links to resources:Cooke et al., 2026: The importance of insect biodiversity for vertebrates. Nature Reviews Biodiversity.Status of Insects: An international Research Coordination Network.National Science FoundationScience, 4/25/2026, by Jeffrey Mervis: Trump fires every member of the U.S. National Science Foundation's governing body.The New York Times, 10/2/2026, by Adam Sella, Christopher Flavelle and Irena Hwang: Agency diverted $1.4 Billion in science funds mandated by Congress.Edwards et al., 2025: Rapid butterfly declines across the United States during the 21st century. Science, 387(6738): 1090-1094.Tamburini et al., 2019: Pollination contribution to crop yield is often context-dependent: A review of experimental evidence. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 280: 16-23. Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe
- Sep 26, 202611 min
The State of Nature Update #30
This episode explores the latest biodiversity news, from bird migration and animal behavior to the growing threat of climate change to coral reefs.We begin with the annual fall migration, examining why artificial light can be dangerous for birds and how dimming lights at night may help prevent deadly collisions with buildings. The New York Times reporter Ishani Desai cites Adriaan Dokter of Cornell University’s BirdCast, who says that at least one billion birds die each year after striking buildings. We also discuss a BirdLife International report, reported by the Guardian’s Patrick Barkham, finding that one in nine migratory bird species are threatened with extinction.Then, Scientific American’s Clarissa Brincat explores whether birds actually enjoy flying, drawing on research led by behavioral biologist Jorg Massen at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. We also look at remarkable tool use and social learning in critically endangered pygmy raccoons, discovered by researchers at Miami University and reported by Isabel Gil with Scientific American.Finally, Vox reporter Benji Jones examines efforts to identify heat-tolerant corals as warming oceans put reefs under increasing pressure.Together, these stories offer a snapshot of biodiversity threats—and the scientific efforts to understand and protect the natural world.The written article is available on my website here: ruththornton.com.Key points:0:55 – Help migrating birds by dimming your lights at night.3:03 - One in nine migratory bird species are threatened with extinction.4:24 - Do birds actually enjoy flying? The answer appears to be yes.7:09 - An endangered young raccoon made her own toy, then taught her family how to do it.8:50 - Oceans are getting hotter - now scientists are racing to identify coral reefs that can tolerate the heat.Links to articles and other resources:• The New York Times, 9/12/2026, by Ishani Desai: As millions of birds migrate, residents are asked to turn off the lights. • Live bird migration maps: CornellLab BirdCast• The Guardian, 9/11/2026, by Patrick Barkham: One in nine migratory birds threatened with extinction, global report says. • BirdLife International: State of the World's Birds• Scientific American, 9/8/2026, by Clarissa Brincat: Do birds enjoy flying? Scientists asked cockatoos.• Massen et al., 2026: Do birds enjoy flying? An analysis of affect after flight in galah (Eolophus roseicapilla). Behavior, 2026.• Scientific American, 3/11/2025, by Jacek Krywko: The secret to understanding animal consciousness may be joy. • Scientific American, 9/3/2026, by Isabel Gil: This tiny raccoon turned trash into toys - and taught her family how, too. • O'Neil, Szydlowski and Rivas-Camo, 2026: Preliminary evidence of material culture in the critically endangered pygmy raccoon (Procyon pygmaeus). Wild, 3(3), 33.• Video: Raccoons making toys!• International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List: Pygmy raccoon (Procyon pygmaeus).• Vox, 8/25/2026, by Benji Jones: Inside the race to buy coral reefs more time.• Ferrario et al., 2014: The effectiveness of coral reefs for coastal hazard risk reduction and adaptation. Nature Communications, 5: 3794. • Reguero et al., 2021: The value of U.S. coral reefs for flood risk reduction. Nature Sustainability, 4: 688-698. Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe
- Sep 12, 20267 min
Butterflies are on the move as climate change and habitat loss reshape their world
Butterflies are on the move — and climate change and habitat loss are largely to blame.A new global study offers one of the most comprehensive looks yet at how butterfly species are responding to a changing planet. Researchers found evidence that 1,758 species — nearly 10% of known butterfly species — have changed where they live.Many are expanding into new areas, often moving toward cooler regions as temperatures rise. Others are disappearing from parts of their historic ranges. Climate change and extreme weather are major drivers of these shifts, while habitat loss and agriculture are shrinking ranges in many regions.But scientists say the true scale of the changes could be much larger. Monitoring is far more limited in tropical countries, home to most of the world’s insect diversity, leaving major gaps in our understanding of butterfly populations.We hear from two leading butterfly researchers, Shawan Chowdhury, lead author of the study and head of the Global Change Ecology Lab at Monash University in Australia, and Nick Haddad, professor of integrative biology at Michigan State University, about why expanding into new areas may not always protect species from decline and how protecting connected habitats could help butterflies adapt to human-caused environmental changes.The written article is available on my website here: ruththornton.com.Links to resources:Chowdhury et al., 2026: Extensive climate-induced range shifts in butterflies across the globe. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2026.Chowdhury et al., 2026: A framework for the strategic conservation of tropical insects. BioScience, 2026: biag136.Edwards et al., 2025: Rapid butterfly declines across the United States during the 21st century. Science, 387(6738): 1090-1094.Pinkert et al., 2022: Global geographical and latitudinal variation in butterfly species richness captured through a comprehensive country-level occurrence database. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 31:830-839.Citizen science: iNaturalist Key points:1:48 - Regional differences in butterfly movements2:25 - What caused butterflies to move3:08 - Information gaps in the tropics4:12 - More species could be moving without scientists' knowledge5:04 - Range expansions can be a mixed blessing5:30 - Protecting butterflies in the face of climate change, habitat loss and pesticides7:09 - What you can do Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe
- Sep 5, 20266 min
Billions of American chestnuts once grew in our forests. Could DNA help bring them back?
The American chestnut was once one of the most important trees in eastern U.S. forests. It provided abundant nuts for wildlife and people and supplied strong, rot-resistant wood for homes, fences and furniture.Then, more than a century ago, an invasive fungus called chestnut blight began killing the trees. Within decades, billions of American chestnuts had disappeared from the forests, changing the landscape and leaving the species nearly lost in the wild.Now, scientists are working on a new way to bring the American chestnut back.In this episode, we look at new research showing how genetic breeding could help scientists identify blight-resistant trees much faster. The approach could speed up efforts to restore the American chestnut while preserving the traits that made it such an important forest tree.Could the American chestnut return to eastern forests within our lifetime? Researchers believe the latest advances give that long-running restoration effort a better chance.Listen to learn what happened to this once-common tree—and why scientists now have renewed hope for its future. The written article is available on my website here: ruththornton.com. Key points:0:31- American chestnuts once dominated forests in the eastern U.S.1:51 - Why care about American chestnuts?2:30 - Chestnut blight arrives in North America in the late 1800s3:47 - Using genetic data to speed up breeding4:23 - Could purely native trees be bred to be resistant?5:22 - What the future holds Links to resources:- Westbrook et al., 2026: Genomic advances to accelerate American chestnut restoration. Science, 391(6786): 730-735.- The American Chestnut Foundation: History of the American chestnut tree.- State University of New York: Chestnut blight.Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum:Did American chestnut really dominate the Eastern Forest? Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe
- Aug 28, 202610 min
The State of Nature Update #29
In this edition of Nature Signals, we explore some of the latest stories shaping our understanding of biodiversity, wildlife and conservation around the world.The episode begins with the wandering glider dragonfly, also known as the globe skimmer, which can cross oceans and travel up to 18,000 kilometers (11,000 miles) across multiple generations—making it the longest-known insect migration. We then examine how climate change is fueling bigger and hotter wildfires across the western United States, transforming local forests. But intentionally set prescribed burns may help protect fire-adapted ecosystems and giant sequoias, counteracting some of the devastating effects of warming temperatures.The episode also looks at how animals are evolving in response to human environments, from changes in urban birds and lizards to declining aggression in raccoons. Another story considers whether animal cultures and learned behaviors should play a greater role in wildlife conservation and Endangered Species Act decisions.Finally, we report on an ambitious bird flu vaccination program for little penguins in Australia, highlighting the growing conservation challenges facing wildlife.The written article is available on my website here: ruththornton.com.Key points:0:40 - Globe-trotting dragonfly migrates farther than any other insect.2:53 - Forest fires are getting hotter, transforming forests.4:12 - Prescribed fires can help save giant sequoias from climate change-fueled forest fires.5:35 - Proximity to humans supercharges evolution for some animals.7:19 - Should we consider animals' culture in conservation decisions?8:53 - 1,000 wild penguins get bird flu vaccines in AustraliaLinks to articles and other resources:The Guardian, 8/8/2026, by Patrick Barkham: "Fearless and quietly astonishing': the dragonfly that migrates further than any other insect.Mongabay, 11/10/2021, by Neha Jain: High-flying dragons: how the globe skimmer migrates across the Indian Ocean. Troast et al., 2016: A global population genetic study of Pantala flavescens. PLoS One, 11(3): e0148949.The New York Times, 8/23/2026, by Eric Niiler: Bigger, hotter fires are slowly erasing America's great forests. Kodero, Felzer and Shi, 2024: Future transition from forests to shrublands and grasslands in the western United States is expected to reduce carbon storage. Communications Earth and the Environment, 5(78).Anthropocene Magazine, 7/29/2026, by Warren Cornwall: How to save giant sequoias: burn the forest around it first. Dixon et al., 2026: Previous prescribed burns saved thousands of ancient sequoias during historically unprecedented wildfires. Nature Communications, 17: 8558.BBC, 8/6/2026, by Lucy Sherriff: Extreme evolution: The animals evolving at super speed to surviveThe Revelator, 8/12/2026, by John R. Platt: Conserving Culture in Endangered Species.Jennings, Harl and Carter, 2026: Implications of non-human animal culture for laws and policies affecting wildlife conservation in the USA. Oryx, 2026: 1-4.The Guardian, 8/24/2026, by Petra Stock: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/aug/24/little-penguins-bird-flu-vaccination
- Aug 21, 202611 min
Can you trust the FSC label? What research says about sustainable wood
Is FSC-certified wood really better for forests and wildlife? The Forest Stewardship Council is widely regarded as one of the strongest forest-certification systems, but what does the science actually show?In this episode, we examine a recent study of mammals in FSC-certified eucalyptus plantations in Portugal. Researchers found that wildlife generally favored healthier vegetation and avoided harvested areas and vegetation edges. But most species did not prefer designated conservation zones.We also look at the broader scientific evidence, which is limited and mixed. Some studies have found environmental benefits from FSC certification, while others have found little difference between certified and non-certified forests. Importantly, the Portuguese study did not compare FSC-certified forests with non-certified forests, so it cannot determine whether certification itself caused better conditions for wildlife.But experts generally agree that while not perfect, FSC certification is generally beneficial for wildlife and forests and remains the highest standard for certification programs. The evidence suggests it remains a meaningful tool for promoting more responsible forest management - and is likely a better choice than uncertified logging.The written article is available on my website here: ruththornton.com.Key points:1:48 - What FSC certification actually means3:19 - Wildlife in a Portuguese FSC-certified forest5:35 - Conservation zones are not all equal7:08 - Broader research about forest certification9:12 - Should you buy FSC-certified wood products? Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe
- Aug 14, 202610 min
Biodiversity is declining. Conservation works. So what's holding us back?
We hear a lot about climate change, but far less about another global environmental crisis: biodiversity loss. Species are disappearing, ecosystems are changing and nature is under growing pressure—yet the biodiversity crisis receives much less media attention.Why aren’t we talking about it more? And could better storytelling, including more coverage of conservation successes, help turn concern about nature into action?In this episode of Nature Signals, we explore why the biodiversity crisis is overlooked—and why there are reasons for both urgency and hope.Biodiversity loss is serious, but the story isn't all doom and gloom. Conservation works—and those success stories may be some of the most important environmental stories we can tell.You can read the written article on my website here.Key points:0:56 - We hardly hear about conservation successes.2:10 - Nature needs our help.3:46 - Neglect by the media.5:16 - Climate change vs. biodiversity loss?6:53 - The public generally values nature.7:51 - How to deliver the message. Links to resources:· United Nations, 5/6/2019: UN report: Nature’s dangerous decline ‘unprecedented;’ species extinction rates ‘accelerating.‘· International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.· ScienceDaily, 1/20/2012: Biodiversity crisis is worse than climate change, experts say.· Legagneux et al., 2018: Our house is burning: Discrepancy in climate change vs. biodiversity coverage in the media as compared to scientific literature.· Zaccai and Adams, 2012: How far are biodiversity loss and climate change similar as policy issues?· Lees, Attwood and Phalan, 2020: Biodiversity scientists must fight the creeping rise of extinction denial.· United Nations, 2024: World must act faster to protect 30% of the planet by 2030.· The Guardian, 9/16/2010: Public awareness of the biodiversity crisis is virtually non-existent.· World Economic Forum, 2026: Global Risks Report 2026.· UK Government, 2026: Global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security. A national security assessment.· Center for Biological Diversity: The elements of biodiversity.· The Nature Conservancy, 2022: America the Beautiful.· The Conversation, 4/28/2019, by Tanya Latty and Timothy Lee: How many species on Earth? Why that’s a simple question but hard to answer.· Michigan Natural Features Inventory, 2008: Biodiversity assessment of Michigan technical report.· Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, 2014: Status and trends of Michigan’s wetlands: Pre-European settlement to 2005. Get full access to Nature Signals at <a href="https://ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_cam
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