My Final Articles for 2015

The clock is ticking down on the final hours of 2015, so let's take a moment to list my final articles for this incredible year.

I wrote a ton of great articles in 2015, and this final batch serves as a pretty nice cap to it all. They're all about endangered species and they cover a pretty broad, interesting group of wildlife.

So here they are, starting with three new pieces (well, two articles and one recap) for Scientific American:

African Lions Finally Gain Endangered Species Act Protection

Resplendent Quetzal, Sacred Bird of Maya and Aztecs, Faces Extinction Risk

Ten Conservation Headlines that Defined 2015


And here are the last two, for TakePart:

Endangered Sea Otters Have a New Problem: Overpopulation

The Final Countdown: Vaquita Porpoises Could Go Extinct in Two Years


That's it for now -- and for this year. Expect a lot more in 2016. I hope it's a great year for all of us.

Killer Robots, Killer Cats and Killer Humans

I did not write a single word last week -- I spend almost the entire time at a conference in San Francisco learning about marine mammals -- but all the same a ton of articles I wrote over the past few weeks all managed to appear.

Here's the coolest, a short article for the January 2016 print issue of Scientific American, which is already online:

A Starfish-Killing, Artificially Intelligent Robot Is Set to Patrol the Great Barrier Reef


Speaking of SciAm, here are my latest two "Extinction Countdown" articles:

Lost Butterfly Rediscovered After 56 Years

Feral Cats Are Killing Off One of Australia's Cutest Marsupials


Sticking with the killer theme of the week, here's a new article for TakePart:

How to Save Sharks From Extinction


Finally this week, here's something completely different: my latest careers article for IEEE-USA InSight:

Got Expertise? Become An Expert Source


The next two weeks won't see too much on the publication front -- we're counting down to the end of the year and many of my editors will be taking time off (as I should be, as well) -- but come back next week for a headline or two. And follow me on Twitter for stories as they happen!

Tigers, Elephants and Suckers

Howdy folks. The year is starting to wind down but my keyboard is still clacking away. This past week brought five new articles covering (mostly) wildlife and crime.

Here's the first batch, all for TakePart:

Tigers Face Deadly Squeeze in the Wild (and Deadlier Threats in Captivity)

The Unexpected Places Where Endangered Wildlife Are Thriving

African Nations Commit to Game-Changing Reforestation Plan


And here's the final two, for Scientific American:

The Hidden Crisis Killing India's Young Elephants

Modoc Sucker Recovers, Leaves Endangered Species List


That last one was a little bit tough for me. As a comics fan, I kept wanting to type MODOK instead of Modoc.

I'm at the Marine Mammalogy Conference this week, learning all about whales and seals and dolphins and manatees and other cool critters. That means I won't be writing any new articles this week, although there are at least four in the queue at various publishers. Follow me on Twitter for the headlines as they happen (and maybe a few tweets from the conference).

Reefs, Roads and Roasting

Hey folks, it's Monday again and I'm back with last week's article links. It was a simple week, so here they are, three articles for TakePart and one for Scientific American:

Fishing With Bombs and Cyanide Is Taking a Devastating Toll on Coral Reefs

Is Africa About to Face Its Greatest Environmental Threat?

Record Number of Endangered Florida Panthers Killed This Year

Fire Destroys 90 Percent of Rare Bird's Habitat in Australia

There's lots, lots, lots more in the works, so follow me on Twitter for headlines as they happen this week.

Short Week, Big Impact

Welcome to the Monday after Thanksgiving. Freelancers don't often have short work weeks, so I embraced this one and finally managed to take a few days off. I still had a few articles come out, though, and they were doozies. Here they are, one for Scientific American and two for TakePart:

25 Possible New Extinctions: Hawaiian Plants, Madagascar Orchids, Chilean Water Frog

Pangolins in Peril: Wildlife Traffickers Target the World’s Most Profitable Prey

Thanks to Climate Change, Foxes Are Now Threatening a Rare Seal


Look for more this coming week. Follow me on Twitter for headlines as they go live or come on back here next Monday for yet another list.

Solar Careers, Soaring Squirrels and Sinking Forests

These days I am mostly known for my work writing about endangered species, but I love writing career articles -- especially articles about green careers. Here's my latest for IEEE-USA InSight:

Power Up: Sustainable Energy Brings Sustainable Careers

Back on the endangered species beat, here are three new articles for Scientific American. One is good news, while the other two are pretty awful news:

Squirrel! Conservationists Cheer as Giant Squirrel Recovers, Leaves Endangered Species List

Amazon Trees Face Extinction Crisis, but There's Hope 

Northern White Rhino Dies, Leaving Just Three on the Planet


And finally this week, here are three new articles for TakePart, covering wildlife trafficking and climate change:

Criminal Syndicates Are Driving Wildlife Crime Around the Globe

Washington Judge Rules Government Has Legal Duty to Fight Global Warming

The Great Antarctic Melt May Benefit These Penguins 


More next Monday! Or follow me on Twitter for headlines as they happen.

Albatross! (and other stuff)

"Albatross!" .... is a line that does not occur in my article.

Like a lot of journalists, I usually end my interviews about a specific topic by asking "what else should we be talking about?" That doesn't always lead very far, but once in a while I strike gold. That happened recently, and it turned into this article for Motherboard:

A Gigapixel Camera Turned This Island into an Albatross 'Truman Show'


On a more normal, timely note, here are two awful news-oriented stories for TakePart. (No, the topics are awful! The stories are fine.)

Poachers Are Hunting Down the World’s Last Wild Sumatran Rhinos

The Dutch Ban Fur Farms That Kill 6 Million Mink a Year


Finally this week, here are two fun new science stories for (you guessed it) Scientific American:

Another New Tool for Seal Conservation: Snow Shovels

"Living Dead" Weevil Gets Another Shot at Surviving


That's it for this week's headlines. More in the days, weeks and months to come!

Snail Week! (and other stuff, too)

This week's articles brought an unexpected theme: snails! I've actually written about snails and other mollusks quite a few times, but never twice in one week. They're both pretty cool stories. Here they are, one for Scientific American and another for TakePart:

Stowaway Snail Helps Save Species from Extinction

World’s Tiniest Snails Discovered on Borneo


Here's another SciAm article, the latest chapter in a saga I've been following since 2010:

70 Percent of the World's Saiga Antelopes Mysteriously Wiped Out


And here are two more TakePart articles, the second of which is my latest tie-in to a TV show called "The Operatives":

California’s Illegal Pot Farms Are Killing Rare Animals

Take a Look Inside the Lives of Captive Dolphins


Finally, here's my latest careers article for IEEE's The Institute:

IEEE Communications Society Rolls Out Four New Courses


That's it for now. Will another theme emerge next week? Stay turned to find out!

Lions, Leopards and Logs - A Week of Wildlife Crime

Hey folks, welcome to another Monday link list. This week definitely has a theme: Wildlife and other environmental crimes.

We'll start the list with two new articles for Scientific American:

Lions in Peril: Big Cats Face 50 Percent Decline in Next 20 Years

Clouded Leopards Threatened by Sudden Increase in Poaching and Live Trade


(And here's one other short, holiday-timely SciAm post linking to some older stories:)

Ghosts, Devils and Graveyards: An Extinction Countdown Halloween


Back to crime time, here are three new articles for TakePart (okay, the third one is just about endangered species):

The ‘Devil’ Gets His Due: Elephant Poaching Kingpin Arrested

Demand for Expensive Furniture Is Fueling Illegal Logging in Indonesia

Native Americans Fight to Keep the Grizzly Bear on the Endangered Species List


That's it for this week! More next Monday. I'll have more endangered species articles all week long, and some of my technology careers articles should be working their way toward publication. Make sure to follow me on Twitter for headlines as they happen.

Orangutan Week (plus more)

I try to write about orangutans at least once a year. This week I wrote about my favorite species twice, and they're both powerful, important articles. Here they are, one for TakePart and another for Scientific American:

Orangutans Are Dying as Indonesia Burns

Another Challenge for Orangutan Conservation: Food


Beyond the red apes, here are two more articles for TakePart:

Smile, Tiger Poachers: You’re on Hidden Camera

Wisconsin’s ‘Right to Hunt’ Law Could Mean Jail for Animal Activists


I've got lots more in the works for a wide range of publications. Stay tuned for headlines as the happen!

Who Says Endangered Species Can't Be Funny?

If you're read this blog before, you know that I have two great passions: endangered species and cartooning. Those two topics collided in this article for Scientific American:

Nextinction: Ralph Steadman Goes Gonzo for Endangered Birds


I wrote one other SciAm article this week, but it was slightly less fun:

Frog Mass Extinction on the Horizon


Speaking of less fun, yeah, here are three more downers for TakePart:

When Butterflies Shouldn't Fly Free

China’s Obsession With Pet Turtles Threatens a Rare Philippine Species With Extinction

A Rare Chance to Save an Entire Nation’s Frogs From Extinction


Yes, there were some negative articles this week, but take a closer look -- almost all of them mention the things people are doing (or can do) to turn things around. That's why I do this. There are heroes out there, and there are solutions.

More next week. As always, if you can't wait until then you can also follow me on Twitter, where I'll post headlines as they go live. Some of them may even be fun!

All Endangered Species, All the Time

Well, it probably shouldn't surprise you that all of my articles this week had something to do with endangered species. I'm working on several other things, too, but these are what saw print. Here they are, two each for Scientific American and TakePart:

Endangered Hawaiian Bees and Other Species Proposed for Protection

Can the Cheetah Outrun Extinction?

A Third of Cacti Face Extinction, and That's a Big Problem for Desert Wildlife

Study Reveals Secret Benefactors of the Endangered Species Act

More next week! Follow me on Twitter for headlines as they happen.

Birds with Mustaches and Devils with Cancer

Hey folks! Welcome to Monday again.

Last week saw just three article publications, so I'll keep this short. Here they are, one for Scientific American and two for TakePart:

Beautiful "Mustached" Bird, Lost for 60 Years, Photographed for First Time

This Vaccine Could Save the Tasmanian Devil from Extinction

Cruel Elephant Rides on the Rise in Africa


More next Monday! Or follow me on Twitter for links as they happen.

Introversion and Sexual Deception

Another week, another list of article links.

This time around, let's start our Monday morning countdown with my latest careers article for IEEE-USA Insight:

An Introvert’s Guide to Leadership


Next up, two new "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American, including my favorite headline of the month:

Sexually Deceptive Orchid Seeks Specialty Pollinator

Rising Seas and Pounding Waves Will Threaten 3 Common Pacific Seabirds

Keeping with the wildlife/environment theme, here are three new articles for TakePart:

The Illegal Timber Trade Is Destroying Myanmar’s Forests and Wildlife

For the First Time, U.S. Considers Declaring a Bee Endangered

Now Palm Oil Is Killing the Frogs


Finally this week, I launched a niche blog to talk about one of my favorite obsessions:

Bicentennial Comics


That's it for this time around. Follow me on Twitter for more headlines as they happen or come back here next Monday for another link list!

Painful Polar Bears and Umbrella Pandas

Whoa, it's Monday again! I'm back in the saddle after a weekend at Rose City Comic Con here in Portland, where I really dove into learning things for two of my goals for the next year: writing about comics more and doing some journalism in comics form.

You won't see any of that in today's article list, though. This week's links are all conservation-oriented. There's some powerful and painful stuff here -- but also a few heroes. Hey, just like comics!

I'll start with my two "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American, this second of which is actually just a link to an interview I did for KCRW radio last week:

Giant Panda Conservation Also Helps Other Unique Species in China

The Polar Bear Photo Seen around the World


I also had three articles out from TakePart, two of which had interesting parallels to each other:

Stress Takes Toll on Elephants Forced to Work in Myanmar’s Timber Industry

Poaching and Illegal Logging Are Wiping Out Ghana’s Birds

Swordfish Industry Ordered to Stop Killing Endangered Whales and Sea Turtles


That's it for this week. I should have several interesting new articles out this coming week. Make sure to follow me on Twitter for links as they happen!

Weird Fish and Climate Conundrums

What the heck -- we're already half-way through September? How did that happen?

Well, I guess I've had my head down to the keyboard so much that I didn't notice the passage of time. But I did get a lot of writing done, including this week's four new articles. Here they are, starting with my two latest "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American:

Killer Starfish Threaten Fish That Walks on Hand-Like Fins

Israel and Palestine Share a Rapidly Disappearing Gazelle


Also on this week's list, two climate/wildlife related articles for TakePart:

Pacific Northwest Frogs Are a Hop, Skip, and a Jump From Oblivion as Temperatures Rise

The Latest Threat to Bees Stops Them From Smelling the Flowers


More next week!

Elusive Species, Intrepid Adventurers and Technology Startups

Happy Labor Day! I'm not working today -- an extreme rarity for a freelance writer, let me tell you! -- but I am taking a moment to remind you about the work that I did last week. It was quite a week -- a mix of new news articles and a few features that have been in the works for a while now and finally saw the light of day (or the computer monitor as the case may be).

Let's start the list with those news articles, the first three of which were for TakePart:

Soon Nearly Every Seabird Will Be Flying With a Gut Full of Plastic Trash

Adventurer Is Walking 1,800 Miles to Find Madagascar’s Rarest Lemur

Australia’s Wombats Are Dying in the Worst Way Possible—Could an App Help?


Next up, my latest "Extinction Countdown" article for Scientific American:

Asian Vultures Get Good News Ahead of International Vulture Day


On a related conservation note, here's my first feature for Mongabay:

The Cat Ba Langur: a primate walks the razor’s edge of extinction


And finally this week, here's my latest technology careers article for IEEE's The Institute:

Get Schooled on Startups From a Venture Capitalist Whose Companies Have Never Failed


That's it -- plenty for you to read on the last day of your long weekend.

Follow me on Twitter for more of this week's headlines, or come back here next Monday for another list!

Tasmanian Devil Week (plus more stuff)

This week I got to write about one of my favorite species not just once, but twice! Here they are, two articles about Tasmanian devils for TakePart and Scientific American:

Tasmanian Devils Gone Wild: How an Iconic Animal Can Save Australia's Wildlife

Yet Another Disease Is Attacking Tasmanian Devils


I also wrote two other wildlife-related articles this week...once again, one each for TakePart and SciAm:

Big Ag Is Devastating the Amazon, but a New Plan Could Preserve Rainforests and Wildlife

$1 Million More a Year Could Save Kiwi Birds from Extinction


I also recently turned in a few new technology features, which should be working their way toward publication as early as this week.

Want more headlines faster? Follow me on the Tweet Machine for links as they happen!

Robots, Super-Predators and Poop

Ah, another Monday. Mine starts with a cuppa tea, a glance at Facebook and a list of my publications from the previous week.

Speaking of which, here's that list, starting with two interesting "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American:

That's a tree kangaroo, in case you were wondering.

Poop Could Help Save Rare Tree Kangaroo from Extinction

The Cuckoo Reason Why These Bumblebees May Go Extinct


Next up, two important articles for TakePart:

U.S. Cracks Down on Mexican Seafood After Turtle Deaths

Meet the Super-Predator Wiping Out the World’s Wildlife


And finally, here's my latest technology careers feature for IEEE-USA InSight:

Career Focus: The Three *New* Laws of Roboticists


Well, I think pulling that list together earned me another cuppa tea. Have a great week!

Zombie Seals, Failed Amphibians and Dead Coyotes

Hey folks, welcome to my regular Monday morning link wrap-up. This week brings you a pretty wide mix of stories, all of which deserve your clicks.

Photo by Derek Mead

We'll start the list with my second feature for Vice magazine's Motherboard imprint, a heartwarming tale of an impending apocalypse:

The Sneeze That Could Wipe Out Hawaii’s Seals


Next up, three new wildlife articles for TakePart:

Poachers Aren’t Going to ‘Like’ These Tech Companies Teaming Up to Fight the Ivory Trade

U.S. to World: You’d Better Protect Whales and Dolphins If You Want Us to Eat Your Seafood

Activists Score Victory in Effort to Stop the Government Killing of Millions of Animals


Just one "Extinction Countdown" article for Scientific American this week, but it asks a pretty big question:

Are Zoos Failing Amphibians?


And finally, here's something completely different, for IEEE's The Institute. If you know any smart kids, point 'em in this direction:

Calling All Students: Create an Animation Focused on Smart Technologies


That's it in terms of articles that I wrote last week, but here's one more (about birding) that quotes me:

Change in slow motion


As always, thanks for reading! Join me here next week or follow me on the tweet machine for headlines as they happen.

Blood Lions and Devil Trees

Hey folks! It's Monday again, following a really great writing week. This week's articles covered some pretty powerful topics and really seemed to grab my readers' attentions.

Case in point, this week's two "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American, both of which really struck a chord with people:

Devil Tree Threatens the World's Rarest Zebras

Ring-Tailed Lemurs Threatened by Illegal Pet Trade


In the wake of the death of Cecil the lion, all of my old articles on lions have been attracting tens of thousands of new readers. Well here's a new one for TakePart that also inspired a lot of angry feelings:

‘Blood Lions’: Conservationists Infiltrate Hunts of Captive Big Cats in South Africa


Sticking with the lion theme, I talked about Cecil, lion conservation and how the media can do a better job of cover endangered species on this week's episode of the CounterSpin radio show.

Finally this week, on a completely different note, here's my latest careers article for IEEE's The Institute. I learned a lot working on this one and it's a nice tonal shift from all of the stuff above:

Why Emotional Intelligence Is Key to Your Success


Well, that's it for this time around. Make sure to come back next Monday for more headlines, or follow me on Twitter for the latest links as they happen.

Rhinos, Tigers and Sharks (Don't Cry)

This was a bad week for wildlife. Well, mostly. I wrote three new "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American, all of which updated stories I have previously covered and only one of which could be considered semi-good news:

Another Northern White Rhino Dies--and Then There Were Four (this was also translated into Spanish)

Bangladesh Has 75 Percent Fewer Tigers Than Expected

Giant Squeaker Frog Gets Ready for Cries of Joy


The bad news continued at TakePart with this batch of climate and wildlife articles, although the last one actually is pretty cool and hopeful:

Drought Is Making Climate Change Even Worse

Sharks Are What's for Dinner, and That's a Big Problem

Waving the Flag for the Grizzly’s Return to California


That's it for this week. I should have a couple of new technology articles coming up in the next few weeks, along with a whole bunch of new wildlife articles, so follow me on Twitter for the headlines as they happen.

Wildlife Trafficking, Cybersecurity & Turtle Sex

Hey folks! Happy Monday!

Last week saw the publication of two big new features, both of which I feel have already had a pretty big impact. I can't believe how many emails and tweets I got about them.

Here's the first, probably my longest article to date for TakePart, which managed to predict at least one thing that later came true:

Obama in Kenya: What the President Can Do This Weekend to Help End Poaching


And here's the second feature, my latest technology careers piece for IEEE-USA InSight:

Cybersecurity Professionals: The Government Wants You [Seriously, if you know any smart kids or young professionals, point 'em toward this career.]

Next up, my latest "Extinction Countdown" article for Scientific American, a follow-up to one of this year's most popular articles:

No Motherhood Yet for 100-Year-Old Turtle


Finally, here are two more wildlife-related news articles for TakePart:

Climate Change and Mosquitoes: A Deadly Combination for Hawaii's Rare Birds

Canine Cops Target Ivory Smugglers in Africa


That's it for this time around! Join me next Monday for more or follow me on Twitter for the latest links as they happen.

My Own Private Shark Week (and other stories)

Discovery Channel's annual "Shark Week" programming may be over, but that didn't stop me from having my own shark week, with two new articles about Sharks for TakePart and Scientific American:

A Tech Billionaire’s Plan to Save Endangered Sharks and Coral Reefs

Three Angel Shark Species Proposed for Protection


I also wrote two other endangered species stories for SciAm and TakePart:

World's Biggest Bumblebee at Risk of Extinction

Groups Ask Obama Administration to Protect Critically Endangered Pangolins


My last of this week's headlines comes from IEEE's The Institute, where I once again profile the annual Presidents' Scholarship winner (one of my favorite gigs of the year):

High School Student Designs a ‘Wheelchair’ That Lets Users Stand Up


That's it for this week. Make sure to tune in next Monday for more links, or follow me on Twitter for headlines as they happen!

Wolves, Monkeys and Apps Developers

Triskaidekaphobia is a thing. Don't judge me.

It's Monday the 13th and I should probably be superstitious but I have too many projects on my plate to be nervous. (Yes, I know Monday the 13th isn't a thing, but it should be.)

Anyway, last week saw several projects get off my plate and into the world. Here are the first two, my latest "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American:

Wolves and Monkeys: Unusual Hunting Buddies

Endangered Antelope with Fur More Valuable Than Gold on Its Way to Recovery


Next up, two new wildlife/environment articles for TakePart:

Plastic Bags Are Killing Fish—but Not in the Way You Might Think

Will the Drought Topple California’s Towering Redwoods?


And finally this week, here's my latest for IEEE's The Institute:

IEEE/IBM Watson Student Contest Wants App Developers


Lots more in the days and weeks ahead -- assuming I make it through today, of course!

What do whales and jobs have in common?

What do whales and jobs have in common? Easy: they're the subjects of my articles from last week:

A New Threat to Whales: Snake-Oil Salesmen

Poaching Could Cost Africa Millions of Jobs

Those were both for TakePart, by the way.

I've been working at kind of half my normal levels for the past two weeks (which was almost, kinda, sorta like a vacation), but I'm back to full speed ahead starting today. Expect a whole bunch of new articles for all of my regular publishers over the next week and beyond!

Lion Week

Hey folks, welcome to Monday!

I only had two articles appear last week, which was actually two more articles than I had planned. I took a big chunk of last week off to recharge, but that didn't mean I completely stopped writing. Two very different stories about lions popped up, so I wrote them both for Scientific American:

African Lion Populations Down 42 Percent in 21 Years

and

Good News for the World's Rarest Lions

This week's publication list will also probably be on the short side, what with the whole July 4 holiday coming up this weekend, but come on back here next Monday for whatever headlines happen.

Wolves, Whales and other Wildlife

Oregon's famous OR-7 wolf. Credit: USFWS

What a week! The past 7 days brought about all kinds of new articles from my keyboard, including this one, my first feature for Vice magazine's Motherboard imprint:

Wolf-Safe Beef: An Idea Whose Time Has (Almost) Come


Next up, two new "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American:

The Sneaky Ways 2 Frogs Are Beating a Killer Fungus

Sex and the Single Male Bird: Why Uncoupled Individuals Matter

Plus one recent article that was just translated into Spanish for SciAm Español:

Una tortuga de 100 años, la última de su tipo, pronto podría ser mamá


Finally this week, here are three new articles for TakePart:

Saving Elephants by Making Expensive Art

The Unseen Extinction Wiping Out the World's Wildlife

Humpback Whales Are Starving, and Climate Change Is to Blame


I'm pretty proud of this week's articles. I hope you enjoy reading them.

More next Monday!

Elephants, Wolves and Life Sciences

Sometimes journalism is a waiting game. There are many, many subjects that I know I want to cover one day, but all too often they need to wait for the right news hook. Sometimes the opportunity to write about these subjects doesn't come around for weeks, months, or even years.

This week three of those long-in-the-queue subjects hit.

Two of them saw publication in Scientific American:

Alaska's Rare Alexander Archipelago Wolves Nearly Wiped Out in 1 Year

Isn't It Time We Recognize African Elephants as 2 Separate Species?


One more appeared in TakePart, where I also covered a few other cool stories:

A Rare Songbird May Become This Era's Passenger Pigeon

Climate Change Is Helping One Weird Pest Destroy More Crops

Organic Farming's Big Secret: It Helps Wild Animals, Too


Despite the thrill of finally being able to cover those three stories, almost all of this week's articles were pretty negative. Well, here's a nice palate cleanser, my latest careers article for IEEE's The Institute:

The Life Sciences Offer Job Opportunities for Engineers


That's it for this week. See you in 7 days for another link list. Or follow me on Twitter for the latest headlines as they go live.

Turtle Love, Deformed Frogs and Sad Bears

Good morning and welcome to another edition of "What John Platt published last week."

This week presented me with a number of wildly interesting wildlife stories. All of these seem pretty bleak at first blush, but read deeper; there are a lot of positive messages hidden inside.

We'll start this little linkfest with my two "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American:

100-Year-Old Turtle, the Last of Her Kind, Could Soon Be a Mom

No Fish, No Fowl: European Fish and Birds in Decline, Despite Some Conservation Successes


Next on the hit parade, this week's articles for TakePart:

A Little Medicine Shop of Horrors for Endangered Sun Bears

Pollution and Climate Change Are Deforming and Killing Alaska's Frogs


That brings our weekly visit to a close. Stay tuned for lots more next Monday -- same Platt time, same Platt station.

Plague Week

Hey folks, welcome to my normal Monday morning link recap. 

Last Monday, as you probably recall, was Memorial Day. As that somber holiday approached, I began to wonder if any species had been driven extinct by war. The answer, it turned out, was yes. That resulted in this article for Scientific American:

Memorializing the Wake Island Rail: An Extinction Caused by War

This week's news stories (for SciAm and TakePart) also brought two tales of species laid low by horrible, unknown diseases. You may recall that I've written about similar saiga antelope deaths almost every year since 2010, but they all pale in comparison to what's going on right now.

Mysterious Disease Threatens Australian Turtle with Immediate Extinction

Half the Population of a Critically Endangered Antelope Has Died in Just a Few Weeks


Finally, here's one more article for TakePart. It has what could be my favorite headline of May:

Poachers in Africa Have a New Enemy: Math


That's it for now. Expect lots more this coming week. I know this week's articles will cover at least one more turtle species. Beyond that, we'll all have to wait and see!

Rare Apes, Giant Fish, Career Skills and Bond, James Bond

It's Monday again, which means it's time for my weekly compendium of links to my articles from the previous week. Settle in, there are a good number of them.

Let's start the list with this week's "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American, each of which covers species rarely otherwise discussed:

Massive Humpback Fish at Risk of Extinction

Genetic Secrets of Brazil's Rarest Tree Revealed


Next up, four (!) new articles for TakePart, including my latest coverage of the nearly extinction northern white rhino:

A New Action Plan to Save the World’s Rarest Apes

Animal Named After James Bond Faces Extinction

Celebrities Head to Africa to Help Save the World's Last Male Northern White Rhino

When Laws Meant to Save Endangered Animals Hurt Them


But enough depressing stuff -- here's this month's careers article for IEEE-USA InSight. Although it's intended for engineers, it contains advice that just about anyone can use:

Career Skills: Get More from LinkedIn


That's it for now. I already have a ton on my plate for the coming week. Make sure to follow me on Twitter for headlines as they happen.

A new metaphor for climate change (and other stuff, too)

Here's the best quote from this week's articles:

"The only way we’re going to save biodiversity is if we realize that we can save biodiversity."

That's a quote from shark expert Nick Dulvy, which appears the first of this week's two articles for TakePart:

Fewer Sharks Are Being Caught—and That's Not Good News

A New Kind of Artificial Reef Is Saving Fish


Then there are these two articles for Scientific American, in which I coin a new metaphor for the dangers of climate change:

Great News for Lions, Terrible News for Rhinos

Damselfly in Distress: Water Shortages and Cannabis Threaten African Insect 


That's it for this week. I'm working away on about a million, jillion other articles, some of which will appear this week, others of which won't see print until September. No matter when they appear, you can follow along at home as I post the headlines on Twitter.

See you next Monday!

Koalas, Silent Lizards and Something Fishy

Well, another Monday has come around, bringing with it my weekly list of article links. This week is once again all wildlife, all the time. Some new tech articles should be online in the next week or so.

Until then, let's start with this week's "Extinction Countdown" article for Scientific American -- a story you won't read anywhere else:

Prehistoric ‘Lizard of Great Sleepiness’ Nearly Extinct in Vietnam and China


And here are three wildlife/climate/environment articles for TakePart:

Toxic Plastic Found in the World’s Favorite Fish

China's Demand for Coal Threatens Koalas

The New Homeless: Some of the World's Rarest Animals


More next Monday. Until then, follow me on Twitter for articles links as they go live.

Rhinos, Rabbits and Invading Barbeques

Well here's a happy week of articles. There's not a positive story among them. Oh well, that's what happens when you're on the endangered species beat.

First up, two new "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American:

The Last 3 Bornean Rhinos Are in a Race against Extinction

Mesquite Invasion Threatens a Unique Species in India


And next, three new wildlife/climate articles for TakePart:

Rabbits in a Stew as Climate Change Accelerates

Local Craigslist Ads Are Fueling the Slaughter of Elephants Worldwide

A Warming World Means a World Without Animals


Well, that was that. Go take a look at some Spring flowers, a kitten or a smiling baby for a few minutes to cleanse your mental palate.

I'm sure that next week will bring some more positive headlines. Follow me on Twitter for the headlines as they happen.

Whales + Bees + Radio

Hey folks, it's time for my regular Monday morning linkfest of my articles from the previous week.

This time around there's not all that much to read. Only two of my bylines appeared this week, along with one fun little extra. Let's get to the headlines:

Should Humpback Whales Be Removed from the Endangered Species List? (Scientific American)

Bees Are Getting a Buzz off Neonics, and That Could Be What’s Killing Them (TakePart)

And here's the extra: my latest appearance on the Green Divas radio show (along with an accompanying blog post):

Extinction Sucks, But You Can Make a Difference

This coming week should see a lot more of my articles -- in fact, I know it will, since at least two of them are pending publication first thing this morning. Make sure to follow me on Twitter for the latest links as they happen!

Seal Placentas, Frogs with Claws and Shy Turtles

I write about some weird, wonderful stuff.

Case in point, this week's two "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American:

Critically Endangered Frog Claws Its Way toward Recovery

A New Tool for Conservation Genetics: Seal Placentas


Another case in point, this week's articles for TakePart:

Is This Turtle Too Shy to Be Saved From Extinction?

A Big Gold Mine Could Wipe Out a Tiny Endangered Critter

Say Good-Bye to Fish and Chips


This coming week should see at least one of my technology-related articles and lots more about weird wildlife. Stay tuned. Come back here next Monday or follow me on Twitter for headlines as they happen.

Lions and Crayfish and Bears, Oh My

This week's stories typify my work on the wildlife/conservation beat: mostly bad news, with some tinges of good news mixed in.

Case in point, my two latest "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American:

Amazing Discovery: Nearly Extinct Bird Found Breeding in Japan

Conservation Group Seeks Protection for Endangered Crayfish, Gets Newly Discovered Species as a Bonus

...and two new articles for TakePart:

Animal Activists Are Raiding Circuses to Liberate Abused Bears, Lions, and Monkeys

This Is the Only Place in the World Where an Endangered Sea Turtle Is Thriving


Next week: more of the same?

Zoos, Evil Chocolate, 3-D Printing, Polar Bears and Chinese Smog

Holy freakin' cow I published a lot of articles this past week -- 10 articles from five different publishers! No wonder my fingers hurt all weekend!

With so much to read, I'll skip the big preamble. Instead, I'll start you off with this week's "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American:

How Zoos Acquire Endangered Species

Is Chocolate Driving Monkeys into Extinction?


Next up, three eco-themed articles for TakePart:

The Big Reason the Deepwater Horizon Disaster Is Not Over

Seafood Surprise: A Third of These Species Faces Extinction

Forget Secondhand Smoke—Start Worrying About Secondhand Smog


Sticking with wildlife, here's my second article for South Africa's Earth Touch Network:

Climate change will scramble polar bears' diets – and eggs aren’t the solution


Switching gears, my latest technology careers article came out in IEEE's The Institute this week:

Thirty-Five Percent of Engineering Jobs Now Require 3-D Printing Skills

And finally, three of my earlier articles from The Institute and Today's Engineer were revised and updated in the IEEE Spectrum 2015 New Career Guide.


That's it for this time around -- stay tuned for more next Monday! If you can't wait that long, follow me on Twitter, where I'll share the latest headlines as they happen.

Banking on extinction and other horrors

People who knew me in the early days of my writing career often ask me, "why did you stop writing horror?"

I didn't. I just don't write much fiction anymore.

This week's articles for TakePart and Scientific American cover some pretty horrifying topics, but don't let that warning stop you from reading. Like any good horror story every article is also populated by people doing good, vital work to push back the darkness.

Let's get to the links, starting with one of my most important articles ever:

China’s Wealthy Are Banking on Extinction

Earth’s Forests Are Broken

Buzz Kill: Hundreds of European Bee Species Threatened With Extinction

The Reason This Unique and Critically Endangered Porpoise Is Smiling

Hungry Polar Bears Could Soon Start Devastating Bird Populations

Keeping Tiny Delta Smelt Alive in Captivity Is No Small Feat

Sunday Species Snapshot: Swift Parrot


That's it for this week. I know that the coming week will have a few more strictly positive stories, so stay tuned for them!