The connection between sulfur runoff from South Florida’s sugarcane fields and elevated mercury levels in the Everglades has been made clear by researchers from the University of California, Davis. Their study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that the sulfur applied to manage pH levels in these alkaline soils can trigger a chemical reaction that converts mercury into its toxic form, methylmercury.

The research team collected water and mosquito fish across wetlands fed by agricultural canals, documenting how sulfur runoff can dramatically increase methylmercury concentrations in fish. In some cases, this concentration is up to 10 million times greater than the levels found in the waters where these fish live, posing a significant risk to both human health and wildlife.

“Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that can cross the blood-brain barrier and even the placental barrier,” explained lead author Brett Poulin. “This makes it particularly problematic, as it can affect cognition, development, and other critical processes in humans.”

The Minamata Convention on Mercury, adopted by the United Nations in 2013, aims to reduce mercury emissions worldwide. However, the process is slow and uncertain, and the US Environmental Protection Agency does not regulate sulfur like it does nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizers.

Interestingly, reducing sulfur use in agriculture could quickly decrease mercury levels in fish, especially considering that over 60% of the Everglades have been found to contain sulfur contamination. Local management actions and sustainability initiatives can help minimize regional sulfur usage, which fuels the anaerobic bacteria and archaea responsible for converting mercury into methylmercury.

The study’s findings provide a clear call to action for local authorities to prioritize environmental sustainability and reduce sulfur use in agriculture. With the involvement of experts from the US Geological Survey, this research offers a tangible solution to mitigate the mercury crisis in the Everglades and protect both human health and wildlife.

The article you provided presents a dire situation regarding the most endangered primate species in Asia, Africa, Madagascar, and South America. The report compiled by leading primatologists and conservationists highlights the urgent need for global conservation measures to prevent the final extinction of these species.

The most important findings of the report reveal that habitat destruction, hunting, climate change, and illegal wildlife trade are the biggest threats to the animals. Among the 25 most endangered primate species listed, the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) on Sumatra is particularly concerning, with only around 800 individuals left.

Many lemurs in Madagascar are also threatened with extinction, including Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae), which was discovered in 1993 and has declined significantly in the last three years. This species’ population has disappeared from most of the remaining intact forests, pointing to frightening consequences for possible conservation measures.

The report emphasizes the importance of expanding crucial area protection measures and enforcing these measures consistently to permanently preserve critical habitats. It also calls for actively engaging indigenous and local communities as stewards of their regions and reforming policies to combat illegal wildlife trade and deforestation.

Ultimately, the article highlights the urgency of mobilizing sufficient financial resources to implement long-term conservation programs and raise awareness about the importance of protecting these incredible creatures.

The report is based on the expertise of over 100 scientists worldwide and serves as a red alert for our closest relatives. Every primate species that we lose not only means an irreparable loss for nature but also for us humans, because primates are key species of our ecosystems.

The Edible Aquatic Robot is a groundbreaking innovation developed by EPFL scientists, who have successfully created a biodegradable and non-toxic device to monitor waterways. This remarkable invention leverages the Marangoni effect, which allows aquatic insects to propel themselves across the surface of water, to create a safe and efficient alternative to traditional environmental monitoring devices made from artificial polymers and electronics.

The robot’s clever design takes advantage of a chemical reaction within a tiny detachable chamber that produces carbon dioxide gas. This gas enters a fuel channel, forcing the fuel out and creating a sudden reduction in water surface tension that propels the robot forward. The device can move freely around the surface of the water for several minutes, making it an ideal solution for monitoring waterways.

What makes this invention even more remarkable is its edible nature. The robot’s outer structure is made from fish food with a 30% higher protein content and 8% lower fat content than commercial pellets. This not only provides strength and rigidity to the device but also acts as nourishment for aquatic wildlife at the end of its lifetime.

The EPFL team envisions deploying these robots in large numbers, each equipped with biodegradable sensors to collect environmental data such as water pH, temperature, pollutants, and microorganisms. The researchers have even fabricated ‘left turning’ and ‘right turning’ variants by altering the fuel channel’s asymmetric design, allowing them to disperse the robots across the water’s surface.

This work is part of a larger innovation in edible robotics, with the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems publishing several papers on edible devices, including edible soft actuators as food manipulators and pet food, fluidic circuits for edible computation, and edible conductive ink for monitoring crop growth. The potential applications of these devices are vast, from stimulating cognitive development in aquatic pets to delivering nutrients or medication to fish.

As EPFL PhD student Shuhang Zhang notes, “The replacement of electronic waste with biodegradable materials is the subject of intensive study, but edible materials with targeted nutritional profiles and function have barely been considered, and open up a world of opportunities for human and animal health.” This groundbreaking innovation in edible aquatic robots has the potential to revolutionize the way we monitor waterways and promote sustainable development.