Change The Course: US Water Consumption
We live in a watery world, with the average American lifestyle fueled by nearly 2,000 gallons of H2O a day.
What may come as a surprise is that very little of that—only five percent—runs through toilets, taps, and garden hoses at home. Nearly 95 percent of your water footprint is hidden in the food you eat, energy you use, products you buy, and services you rely on.
Find out your water footprint, then pledge to dry it out, joining other nationalgeographic.com users who have already committed to saving thousands of gallons.
Pass along the message by sharing the infographic below—it's not too late to Change the Course!
Giant Mosquito Invasion Scares Florida
You might want to think twice about your beach vacation this year: giant mosquitoes are expected to invade Florida this summer. The insects are 20 times larger than most other mosquitoes and their bites feel like stab wounds.
They attack fish, wild animals and pets. Their larvae are so ferocious they can eat small fish and tadpoles. With bodies the size of a quarter, the giant insects can bite through clothing and are known to attack at all times of the day.
“It feels like you’re being stabbed,” one Florida resident told Fox Orlando, describing the bites of the gallinipper mosquitoes. And these massive mosquitoes are predicted to plague Florida this summer.
"CRAZY" Insecticide-Proof Ants Invade the US.
Invasive 'crazy ants' are chewing up electronics in the southeast US, and researchers believe the tiny insects have caused $146.5 million in damage to iPhones, laptops, DVR cables, and other gadgets in just one year in the state of Texas.
The crazy ants are attracted to electrical wiring, and their electrocuted carcasses are often found scattered around power outlets, transformers and switches. This invasive species from Brazil and Argentina is immune to chemicals that kill off other types of insects, such as the common red ant, and residents with an infestation may need to call pest control to rid their homes of them.
Evidence of GMO Harm in Pig Study
A groundbreaking new study shows that pigs were harmed by the consumption of feed containing genetically modified (GM) crops. GM-fed females had on average a 25% heavier uterus than non-GM-fed females, a possible indicator of disease that requires further investigation. Also, the level of severe inflammation in stomachs was markedly higher in pigs fed on the GM diet.
Goats Detained for Damaging a Police Car
Three goats were caught and detained by police in the southern Indian city of Chennai after they allegedly vandalised a new police patrol vehicle, the Times of India has reported. The trio were held as "scapegoats" for the crime which reportedly involved a dozen of their tribe trampling over the car - the latest example of anti-social behaviour in the Kilpauk district of the city.