Nature Signals
Welcome to my weekly newsletter Nature Signals, where I write about biodiversity and the human actions that affect it, such as pollution, climate change, and habitat loss.
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Recent in-depth articles:
Climate change is already causing local extinctions. The biggest surprise is where.
Scientists expected tropical species to be hardest hit. Instead, nearly half of animals and plants in North America and Europe are disappearing from parts of their range.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Hidden ‘forever chemicals’ found in Great Lakes fish raise new health concerns
Researchers uncovered dozens of previously unknown PFAS chemicals in the Lake Huron food web.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
It’s “No Mow May.” But does not mowing your lawn in May really help bees?
How native flowers, less pesticides and habitats offer real hope for struggling bees.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Butterfly Houses: Boon for Conservation or Cause for Concern?
A little-studied global industry links entertainment, conservation, and millions of farmed insects
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Extinction Slowdown? Study Offers a Rare Hope for Biodiversity
Species loss may have peaked decades ago, suggesting we are not in a ‘sixth mass extinction.’ But it’s too early to celebrate.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Size matters, so does connection: Protect large natural areas but don’t forget the fragments to save species, study finds.
Study shows large reserves host more plants and animals, but linking small remnants is essential for many species.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
We love butterfly houses. Here’s what it takes to fill one with thousands of tropical butterflies
The fragile insects travel thousands of miles to bring a bit of summer to northern countries. But what does it mean for conservation in their home countries?
https://ruththornton.substack.com
What Nature Signals is about
A newsletter about nature, the animals and plants that share the world with us and the human actions affecting them.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
All but gone, now full of promise: How scientists and zoos are saving Michigan’s rarest butterfly
A story of hope for the Poweshiek skipperling after a coalition of zoos, biologists and a Michigan township worked together to breed it in captivity and restore its habitat.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Hiding in plain sight – the doppelgänger animals living right under our noses
Identical-looking creatures are turning out to be entirely different species, with important consequences for conservation.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Nature is in trouble. So why aren’t we talking about it?
The biodiversity crisis rivals climate change but rarely makes the front page. Yet we know how to fix it.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Burning wood and trash as ‘clean’ energy? Minnesota says yes – critics push back
As the state’s Public Utilities Commission embraces a life cycle approach, the debate reveals how complicated decarbonizing the grid really is.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
This Mighty Tree Disappeared from Forests. Now Genetics Could Bring It Back
A fungal disease decimated American chestnuts 100 years ago – now scientists are using DNA to restore it
https://ruththornton.substack.com
From wastewater to farmland: are biosolids spreading ‘forever chemicals’?
Why a common farm practice is raising new concerns about toxic PFAS chemicals.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Climate change is quietly starving monarchs, study finds
Warming temperatures are making wildflowers less nutritious, threatening the butterflies’ migration and survival
https://ruththornton.substack.com
From poor farmland to pollinator haven: How bringing back prairies benefits wildlife
Wildflowers in native grasslands help not only insects and birds, but also sustain local hunting traditions.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Common pesticide promotes aging in fish, study finds – could it do the same in humans?
Chronic exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos is linked to faster aging and shorter lifespans in fish, raising concerns about how people could be affected.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Wolves could expand across the eastern U.S. – but they can’t get there alone
New research finds large areas of suitable habitat remain, but highways, cities and human conflict may prevent wolves from returning on their own.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The deer problem isn’t just in your backyard – it’s changing entire forests
From wildflowers to young trees, too many deer are reshaping the woods around us.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Researchers use drones to find elusive Michigan rattlesnake
Heat-sensing cameras could revolutionize the study of the only venomous snake in the state, protecting sensitive wetlands from trampling and saving precious research funds.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Restoring ‘nature’s kidneys’ creates cleaner drinking water, saving towns money
A new study shows wetland restorations reduce pollution, lowering treatment costs for utilities.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Do eco labels deliver? A look at FSC and its real benefit for forests.
Examining whether a pricier label genuinely supports healthier forests and stronger protections for species.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
When nature scares us: researchers warn of growing “biophobia”
A global review finds rising fear and discomfort toward nature, with major impacts on health and conservation.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Pesticides weren’t supposed to touch our gut bugs. They do.
The first large-scale study of its kind challenges long-held assumptions about chemical safety.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
AI listens in: New acoustic tool helps researchers monitor mammals
AI-powered survey finds vocal mammals, freeing up resources to find species that stay silent.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Tainted Tides: The Hidden Threat Facing Canada’s Sea Otters
Sea otters survived hunters and near-extinction. But they can’t hide from “forever chemicals.”
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Hold the Sixth Extinction – For Now
A new study finds biodiversity loss is slowing, but not enough to celebrate yet.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Sunny Side Up – and Laced with Forever Chemicals?
A California bill that would have banned PFAS in cookware was vetoed by Gov. Newsom. But what are PFAS and should you worry?
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Biodiversity and sustainability news roundups:
The State of Nature Update #26
6/6/2026: Elephant poop’s outsized effects on habitat, death of a butterfly’s last caterpillar, daddy longlegs hunt frogs, tracking a nesting sea turtle, conservation as a solution for climate change.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature Update #25
5/16/2026: Birds steal from other birds’ nests, wolves are thriving once again on Isle Royale, Timmy the whale’s botched rescue, toxic chemicals and climate change together harm fertility, and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature Update #24
4/25/2026: Bat releases in Ukraine give respite from war, chimpanzee civil war, Britain’s butterflies are declining, warmer winters help and hurt wildlife, 10% of oceans are protected, and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature Update #23
4/4/2026: God Squad may have doomed Rice’s whales, salmon restored to Maine stream, faux fur could save leopards, new species found at record rates, native seed farm helps restore ecosystems, and more
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature: Weekly Update #22
3/25/2026: Birds use cigarette butts, ravens remember wolf kill sites, insects migrate remarkable distances, daylight saving time helps wildlife, carbon footprint of farmed vs. wild fish, and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature: Weekly Update #21
3/11/2026: Supposedly extinct marsupials discovered in New Guinea, 3D scans of ants, cannibalizing orcas, iconic ‘hellbenders’ declining, nature report released despite Trump’s cancellation, and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature: Weekly Update #20
3/4/2026: Salmon win against Trump, chimpanzees get drunk on fruit, birds declining faster than thought, caterpillars trick ants into raising them, bioplastics aren’t good for biodiversity, and more..
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature: Weekly Update #19
2/25/2026: Costa Rican rainforests are thriving, climate safe havens for wildlife, Kyiv zoo struggles to keep animals warm, a flightless parrot breeds again, a push for whales’ rights, and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature: Weekly Update #18
2/18/2026: Elephants have special whiskers, parasitic beetles fool bees by smelling like flowers, tortoises subjected to sexual aggression, an Ecuadorian family’s fight to save rare plants, and more..
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature: Weekly Update #17
2/11/2026: Bat hospital cares for ‘flying foxes,’ first wolf in 100 years reaches Los Angeles, decoding whale communication with AI, bonobos play make-believe like children and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature: Weekly Update #16
2/4/2026: European wildcats making a comeback, coyote photobombs cougar capture, Norway’s polar bears are ok, Michigan sues oil giants, Colorado bill would limit use of toxic insecticide and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature: Weekly Update #15
1/28/2026: Dolphins with close friends age slower, spider monkeys share insider knowledge, living walls enhance urban nature, UK report says biodiversity loss is a national security threat and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature: Weekly Update #14
1/21/2026: Tool use discovered in a cow, woolly rhino DNA found in ancient wolf pup, penguins breeding earlier, 2025 was the third hottest year, microplastics in human organs debate and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature: Weekly Update #13
1/14/2026: Toads triumph over a road in Ecuador, facial recognition could exonerate innocent grizzly bears, depleted coral reef fisheries, changes in US air pollution rules and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
The State of Nature: Weekly Update #12
1/7/2025: Poaching of African forest elephants has declined, right whales having more babies, drones sampling viruses from whales, people’s attitudes towards wolves depend on their politics and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Weekly biodiversity and sustainability news #11
12/31/2025: Kestrels helping cherry farmers, salmon back in three UK rivers, loons are dying from lead, alpine glaciers are disappearing, infant mortality higher in mothers exposed to PFAS and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Weekly biodiversity and sustainability news #10
12/24/2025: Cougar cubs found in Michigan, Italian brown bears are becoming less aggressive, thin shells of ants allow for more complex colonies and AI is helping map hidden wetlands.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Weekly biodiversity and sustainability news #9
12/17/2025: Mouse-deer are flourishing in Singapore, orcas and dolphins hunt together, high mercury levels in wolves on an Alaskan island, chemical executive appointed to the EPA and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Weekly biodiversity and sustainability news #8
12/10/2025: Saving habitats, not just charismatic species; brown pelican feeding frenzy delights biologists; Trump order blocking wind energy thrown out; herbicide study retracted and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Weekly biodiversity and sustainability news #7
12/3/2025: Tracking monarch butterflies, tracing birds to Central American forests, ancient wolf remains on remote island, farmers’ use of cover crops, forever chemicals in biosolids and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Weekly biodiversity and sustainability news #6
11/26/2025: Should nature have rights? A looming “insect apocalypse,” connecting the loss of frogs with malaria, climate summit (non-)results, copper mine waste in a Norwegian fjord, and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Weekly biodiversity and sustainability news #5
11/18/2025: Harbor seal escapes attack by orcas, beaver-built ponds attract pollinators, spiders build giant decoys to trick enemies, ocean bacteria break down plastics and more.
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Weekly biodiversity and sustainability news #4
11/15/2025: Orcas hunt great white sharks, golden mussels overrunning the California Delta, more action needed for climate change, Louisiana communities lead pollution monitoring, and more…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
Weekly biodiversity and sustainability news #3
11/4/2025: Six new bat species described, protecting puffins in Maine, microplastic effects on soil health, eco-friendly agricultural practices in Chesapeake Bay, and more.…
https://ruththornton.substack.com
