Scientists have revolutionized wet suits by studying sea otter fur.
The Real Way to Save Animals? Think More Selfishly
To trigger the necessary change, animal advocates should emphasize what their loss would mean for human society.
Vaccines. Ozempic. Pacemakers. Painkillers. Modern wind turbines. Avocados.
All of these products and more are only possible thanks to the unique properties of powerful yet little-discussed animals. But all of these creatures are in immense danger due to rampant human intervention and the ravages of climate change.
Scientists have long rang the alarm bells about losing animal populations. And in December, they issued a dire warning: We're set to lose more than one-tenth of our plant and animal species by the end of the century.
It would require monumental societal change to avert this. Unfortunately, efforts to protect wildlife are often strapped for cash and rarely receive sufficient policy support. And history has shown us that change doesn't happen until people truly understand how failing to act will affect their lives.
Losing animals–no matter how small or obscure–means unleashing a wave of health harms, forsaking landmark new cures, decimating our diets, and sacrificing powerful tools to improve our lives.
So rather than just discussing animal loss, we need to explain what that really means for society. Here's the rub: Losing animals–no matter how small or obscure–means unleashing a wave of health harms, forsaking landmark new cures, decimating our diets, and sacrificing powerful tools to improve our lives.
Let's dive into just some of the animals that have an outsized, yet little-known impact on our lives. For one, consider the enormous power of tiny horseshoe crabs. These creatures–which were around before dinosaurs–contain bright blue blood that is incredibly sensitive to toxic bacteria. When nefarious substances hit the immune cells, these special cells create a wall around them to block any spreading.
This unique property has made horseshoe crabs the darlings of researchers around the world. Scientists use them to test the safety of virtually every vaccine, antibiotic, and implanted medical device. In fact, their blood was crucial to develop COVID-19 vaccines.
But these instrumental creatures are in trouble. They are frequently overharvested for biomedical research and for use as bait in the fishing industry. Their habitats are also threatened by coastal development and shoreline erosion. And rising temperatures and sea levels could reduce their ability to reproduce.
Meanwhile, the Gila monster–a lizard whose venom contains a special hormone that slows digestion–was responsible for the now-blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drug Ozempic. The Gila monster could contain even more miraculous secrets for humans. But their populations are threatened due to humans encroaching on their territories, plus high temperatures and drought conditions made worse by climate change.
Beyond the doctor's office, animal loss could also have a monumental impact on our kitchen tables. Pollinators like bees and butterflies are directly responsible for about one-third of the foods Americans eat. That includes the vast majority of our crops–like avocados, almonds, apples, blueberries, peaches, and cocoa beans. Our store shelves would be wiped out without the hard work of these overlooked creatures.
Unfortunately, pollinator populations are at serious risk, largely due to habitat destruction, disease, and climate change. In fact, we're already seeing significant declines in fruit, vegetable, and nut production due to losses of these critters.
Animals are also a lynchpin of scientific innovation. Scientists have used butterflies to develop anti-counterfeiting technology, humpback whales to boost the power of wind turbines, and beaver and sea otter fur to revolutionize wet suits.
Beyond individual animals, it's also critical to understand how parts of our ecosystem work together. When one species is threatened, that unleashes a cascade of consequences for other species as well. There's simply no telling the full extent of how mass species loss will upend our lives.
Fortunately, there's action we can take right now to help avert disaster. Lawmakers just reintroduced the bipartisan Recovering America's Wildlife Act, which would dedicate $1.4 billion to needed conservation efforts. The bill died in Congress last year; we simply can't afford to let that happen again.
The fact of the matter is, protecting animals isn't just about protecting animals. It's about unlocking new cures, sparking new innovations, and so much more. Let's start acting like it.
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just four days to go in our Spring Campaign, we are not even halfway to our goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Vaccines. Ozempic. Pacemakers. Painkillers. Modern wind turbines. Avocados.
All of these products and more are only possible thanks to the unique properties of powerful yet little-discussed animals. But all of these creatures are in immense danger due to rampant human intervention and the ravages of climate change.
Scientists have long rang the alarm bells about losing animal populations. And in December, they issued a dire warning: We're set to lose more than one-tenth of our plant and animal species by the end of the century.
It would require monumental societal change to avert this. Unfortunately, efforts to protect wildlife are often strapped for cash and rarely receive sufficient policy support. And history has shown us that change doesn't happen until people truly understand how failing to act will affect their lives.
Losing animals–no matter how small or obscure–means unleashing a wave of health harms, forsaking landmark new cures, decimating our diets, and sacrificing powerful tools to improve our lives.
So rather than just discussing animal loss, we need to explain what that really means for society. Here's the rub: Losing animals–no matter how small or obscure–means unleashing a wave of health harms, forsaking landmark new cures, decimating our diets, and sacrificing powerful tools to improve our lives.
Let's dive into just some of the animals that have an outsized, yet little-known impact on our lives. For one, consider the enormous power of tiny horseshoe crabs. These creatures–which were around before dinosaurs–contain bright blue blood that is incredibly sensitive to toxic bacteria. When nefarious substances hit the immune cells, these special cells create a wall around them to block any spreading.
This unique property has made horseshoe crabs the darlings of researchers around the world. Scientists use them to test the safety of virtually every vaccine, antibiotic, and implanted medical device. In fact, their blood was crucial to develop COVID-19 vaccines.
But these instrumental creatures are in trouble. They are frequently overharvested for biomedical research and for use as bait in the fishing industry. Their habitats are also threatened by coastal development and shoreline erosion. And rising temperatures and sea levels could reduce their ability to reproduce.
Meanwhile, the Gila monster–a lizard whose venom contains a special hormone that slows digestion–was responsible for the now-blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drug Ozempic. The Gila monster could contain even more miraculous secrets for humans. But their populations are threatened due to humans encroaching on their territories, plus high temperatures and drought conditions made worse by climate change.
Beyond the doctor's office, animal loss could also have a monumental impact on our kitchen tables. Pollinators like bees and butterflies are directly responsible for about one-third of the foods Americans eat. That includes the vast majority of our crops–like avocados, almonds, apples, blueberries, peaches, and cocoa beans. Our store shelves would be wiped out without the hard work of these overlooked creatures.
Unfortunately, pollinator populations are at serious risk, largely due to habitat destruction, disease, and climate change. In fact, we're already seeing significant declines in fruit, vegetable, and nut production due to losses of these critters.
Animals are also a lynchpin of scientific innovation. Scientists have used butterflies to develop anti-counterfeiting technology, humpback whales to boost the power of wind turbines, and beaver and sea otter fur to revolutionize wet suits.
Beyond individual animals, it's also critical to understand how parts of our ecosystem work together. When one species is threatened, that unleashes a cascade of consequences for other species as well. There's simply no telling the full extent of how mass species loss will upend our lives.
Fortunately, there's action we can take right now to help avert disaster. Lawmakers just reintroduced the bipartisan Recovering America's Wildlife Act, which would dedicate $1.4 billion to needed conservation efforts. The bill died in Congress last year; we simply can't afford to let that happen again.
The fact of the matter is, protecting animals isn't just about protecting animals. It's about unlocking new cures, sparking new innovations, and so much more. Let's start acting like it.
Vaccines. Ozempic. Pacemakers. Painkillers. Modern wind turbines. Avocados.
All of these products and more are only possible thanks to the unique properties of powerful yet little-discussed animals. But all of these creatures are in immense danger due to rampant human intervention and the ravages of climate change.
Scientists have long rang the alarm bells about losing animal populations. And in December, they issued a dire warning: We're set to lose more than one-tenth of our plant and animal species by the end of the century.
It would require monumental societal change to avert this. Unfortunately, efforts to protect wildlife are often strapped for cash and rarely receive sufficient policy support. And history has shown us that change doesn't happen until people truly understand how failing to act will affect their lives.
Losing animals–no matter how small or obscure–means unleashing a wave of health harms, forsaking landmark new cures, decimating our diets, and sacrificing powerful tools to improve our lives.
So rather than just discussing animal loss, we need to explain what that really means for society. Here's the rub: Losing animals–no matter how small or obscure–means unleashing a wave of health harms, forsaking landmark new cures, decimating our diets, and sacrificing powerful tools to improve our lives.
Let's dive into just some of the animals that have an outsized, yet little-known impact on our lives. For one, consider the enormous power of tiny horseshoe crabs. These creatures–which were around before dinosaurs–contain bright blue blood that is incredibly sensitive to toxic bacteria. When nefarious substances hit the immune cells, these special cells create a wall around them to block any spreading.
This unique property has made horseshoe crabs the darlings of researchers around the world. Scientists use them to test the safety of virtually every vaccine, antibiotic, and implanted medical device. In fact, their blood was crucial to develop COVID-19 vaccines.
But these instrumental creatures are in trouble. They are frequently overharvested for biomedical research and for use as bait in the fishing industry. Their habitats are also threatened by coastal development and shoreline erosion. And rising temperatures and sea levels could reduce their ability to reproduce.
Meanwhile, the Gila monster–a lizard whose venom contains a special hormone that slows digestion–was responsible for the now-blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drug Ozempic. The Gila monster could contain even more miraculous secrets for humans. But their populations are threatened due to humans encroaching on their territories, plus high temperatures and drought conditions made worse by climate change.
Beyond the doctor's office, animal loss could also have a monumental impact on our kitchen tables. Pollinators like bees and butterflies are directly responsible for about one-third of the foods Americans eat. That includes the vast majority of our crops–like avocados, almonds, apples, blueberries, peaches, and cocoa beans. Our store shelves would be wiped out without the hard work of these overlooked creatures.
Unfortunately, pollinator populations are at serious risk, largely due to habitat destruction, disease, and climate change. In fact, we're already seeing significant declines in fruit, vegetable, and nut production due to losses of these critters.
Animals are also a lynchpin of scientific innovation. Scientists have used butterflies to develop anti-counterfeiting technology, humpback whales to boost the power of wind turbines, and beaver and sea otter fur to revolutionize wet suits.
Beyond individual animals, it's also critical to understand how parts of our ecosystem work together. When one species is threatened, that unleashes a cascade of consequences for other species as well. There's simply no telling the full extent of how mass species loss will upend our lives.
Fortunately, there's action we can take right now to help avert disaster. Lawmakers just reintroduced the bipartisan Recovering America's Wildlife Act, which would dedicate $1.4 billion to needed conservation efforts. The bill died in Congress last year; we simply can't afford to let that happen again.
The fact of the matter is, protecting animals isn't just about protecting animals. It's about unlocking new cures, sparking new innovations, and so much more. Let's start acting like it.