New research from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa (Wits University), has shown that heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury accumulate in the scales of Black Mambas (Dendroaspis polylepis).

The study, conducted on snakes captured in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal and published in Environmental Pollution, was the first of its kind to examine heavy metal accumulation in an African snake species. The results mean that researchers can use scale clippings from these snakes to accurately measure spatial patterns of environmental pollution levels, without harming the snakes. 

Autophagy is a process in which worn out, toxic or degraded cellular components are swept up and recycled to maintain a healthy living cell. When this process is disrupted or disfunctions, it can lead to diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and heart disease.

Microclimates – as opposed to large-scale regional or even global scale macroclimate models – may hold the key to offsetting the negative impacts of extreme weather events on already vulnerable insect populations.

After six years of intensive research and testing, the Rhisotope Project has officially reached operational status – where rhinos will effectively be protected through nuclear technology.

The project aims to disrupt the illegal rhino horn trade by embedding low-level radioactive isotopes into the horn. These radioisotopes can be detected by radiation detection equipment at countries borders around the world, allowing for the effective interception of trafficked horns.