Ecology

The Water Authority took an unusual step and dumped dangerous pesticides from the air at a dosage 27 times higher than the standard, a short distance from declared beaches, and the health implications for the public and fishing in the area are now being examined.

In the late 1980s, an ambitious experiment was launched in Australia to answer a seemingly simple question: what is the best way to log trees without destroying the forest in the long term? Researchers marked areas, logged trees using different methods, and began tracking what grew in their place. Over time, the project faded, but decades later, researchers from the University of Melbourne...

When thinking about fungi, one usually imagines them in a forest, on trees, or in the ground. However, it turns out that fungi also live under the sea, and a new study published in the scientific journal "PLOS Biology" points to their surprising role: they may help store carbon on the ocean floor. Researchers discovered that tiny fungi in the Arctic region absorb substances from the environment.

Researchers from Ben-Gurion University have developed a "smart sponge" capable of absorbing oil and fuel in amounts up to one hundred times its weight. The material attracts bacteria that break down the pollution and subsequently the sponge itself, and the development is in the process of being patented.

Mass extinction sounds like an event belonging to the age of the dinosaurs, but a group of 17 scientists argues that humanity is already moving in a very dangerous direction. In an article published in the journal Frontiers in Conservation Science, they warned that the loss of biodiversity, the climate crisis, and the increasing pressure exerted by humans on natural systems could lead to a...

Millions of spiders gathered along the banks of the stream and created huge webs, following an outbreak of billions of non-biting midges that provided them with an unimaginable abundance of food. The Nature and Parks Authority explained how this rare phenomenon was created.

An extraordinary rescue operation by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority at Gador Beach led to the rescue of dozens of tiny turtles that were in real danger, just moments before they took their first steps toward the sea.

A new Northwestern University study shows that increasing urban tree canopy coverage reduces overall mortality by 10%. Despite this, Israel continues to cut down trees at a high rate.

A new study by Northwestern University scientists reveals that increasing urban tree canopy can reduce overall mortality by approximately 10%. Despite these findings, Israel continues to see mass tree felling.

A scientific expedition that returned in 2026 to the site of historical radioactive waste dumping in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean reached barrels at a depth of approximately 4,700 meters, discovering that some are in various stages of disintegration. Researchers collected water, sediment, and biological samples to determine the fate of the waste and its potential impact on the ecosystem.

A sandbar that has accumulated at the mouth of the Yarkon River is blocking the flow of water to the sea, damaging water exchange, the ecosystem, and navigation. A new research project will examine the impact of the blockage and oversee its reopening.

The court approved a mediation agreement that will lead to the upgrade and expansion of the Timarim wastewater treatment plant by 2029. The facility will be able to treat double the amount of sewage, and additional reservoirs will be built. The agreement was signed following a class action lawsuit filed by beachgoers and surfers on Ashdod's beaches.

Heatwaves and extreme drought are drying up France's rivers, leaving fish without oxygen. Volunteers are rescuing hundreds of trout and salmon, moving them to deeper waters. 99 out of 101 departments are under water restrictions: "Without us, their fate is sealed."

Ahead of Tu B'Av, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority explores the fascinating world of animal courtship. From songbirds whose melodies trigger egg-laying to the patient rituals of seahorses in Eilat, discover how animals find their mates and why preserving quiet habitats is vital for their survival and romance.