A 10 m-thick and laterally extensive, mixed siliciclastic–carbonate heterolithic unit occurs between coastal quartz arenites (Banaganapalle Formation) and open marine outer-shelf carbonate platform (Narji Limestone) in the Mesoproterozoic Kurnool sea, India. While the dynamics of mixed siliciclastic–carbonate systems are well studied in the Phanerozoic, comparable Proterozoic examples remain poorly documented and are notably absent from the Indian subcontinent. High-resolution stratigraphic, facies, and petrographic analyses of this heterolithic unit reveal a progressive transition from outer-shelf to storm-dominated middle-to inner-shelf settings, periodically disrupted by episodic high-energy depositional events. Two distinct mixing modes are identified: (i) lithofacies to microscopic-scale strata mixing (Punctuated Mixing), linked to high-frequency sea-level oscillations, and (ii) bed-scale compositional mixing (In-Situ Mixing) of nearshore siliciclastics and subtidal carbonate mud. These findings demonstrate that repeated siliciclastic influx did not inhibit contemporaneous carbonate precipitation, documenting previously unrecognized mixed sedimentation between the Banaganapalle siliciclastics and the Narji carbonates, and advancing understanding of mixed-system dynamics in Proterozoic sedimentary rocks. The widespread occurrence of mixed heteroliths in the Kurnool sub-basin is interpreted to have formed during a phase of rapid subsidence that drove marine transgression, plausibly associated with a rise in sea-level, linked to post-Columbia breakup. Lithostratigraphically correlative heterolithic intervals in the intracratonic Bhima, Pranhita–Godavari and Kurnool basins suggest a regionally extensive, basin-wide Mesoproterozoic transgressive event across the Southern Indian Block. This heterolithic deposit may provide a key stratigraphic marker for regional correlation and yield new insights about the resilience of a Proterozoic non-skeletal carbonate factory and its interaction with episodic siliciclastic input.

Accurate identification of potentially toxic element (PTE) sources is crucial for effective risk mitigation; however, the complex solubility of trace elements hinders such identification. Here, levels of PTEs in the dust of 105 leaf samples from 21 sites in urban Guiyang (China) were measured and positive matrix factorization was applied to help identify PTE sources. These results were validated through correlating PTE concentrations with the land-use areas surrounding the sample sites. Ni and As in the leaf dust were linked to the cleanest conditions, followed by Cr. Conversely, Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb were associated with higher pollution levels. Three primary sources of PTEs were identified, with traffic-agriculture emissions being the largest contributor at 40.42%. Natural sources followed closely at 39.41%, while industrial processes accounted for the remaining 20.17%. High-pollution areas were clustered around traffic hubs, where frequent vehicle idling and acceleration increased emissions. As traffic emission was a major source of atmospheric pollution, targeted flow optimization is needed to reduce risks of human exposure.

The present study investigates the novel occurrence of rare garnet-aluminosilicate-bearing metapelitic enclaves from the Western Lohit Plutonic Complex in the Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, Northeastern India. Textural, mineralogical, thermobarometric and phase equilibrium modelling analyses reveal a complex polymetamorphic evolution characterized by two distinct stages. The first stage corresponds to a pre-Himalayan low-pressure, high-temperature event likely linked to Cretaceous magmatism, evidenced by relict andalusite porphyroblasts. The second stage reflects Barrovian-type Himalayan metamorphism associated with India-Asia collision, marked by peak assemblages of garnet, kyanite and melt formed near the solidus. Thermobarometric studies estimate near-peak metamorphic conditions at approximately 650 ± 25 °C and 7–9 kbar. Consistently, Pressure-temperature phase equilibrium modelling indicates that garnet core compositions record an initial metamorphic event at lower pressure (∼5.5 kbar) and temperature (∼550 °C), reflecting prograde burial prior to peak conditions. Peak metamorphic conditions, constrained by pressure-temperature phase equilibrium modelling, are estimated at approximately 670 °C and 8.5 kbar. Microstructural observations indicate muscovite-dehydration melting is the primary mechanism for incipient melt generation in the studied metapelite, with the melt largely retained within the rock. Ti-in-biotite thermometry reveals cooling temperatures of 560–590 °C during final exhumation. The rocks experienced a clockwise P–T path involving prograde burial, near-isothermal decompression and retrograde cooling, consistent with thrust duplexing and exhumation along the Lohit thrust shear zone. These findings provide new constraints on the metamorphic evolution and partial melting processes during Himalayan orogenesis in the northern Indo-Burma region.

Specimens of shrimp Heptacarpus maxillipes (Thoridae) infected by parasitic barnacle Sylon hippolytes (Rhizocephala) were found for the first time along the Kuril Islands at a depth of 241–670 m. It is the second host from the genus Heptacarpus. Total number of hosts of S. hippolytes is currently 24. Carapace length of the infected shrimps ranged from 3 to 10 mm. Hosts had one or two parasitic externae of S. hippolytes. The size of the externa ranged from 1.5 to 9.0 mm in length and from 1.0 to 4.0 mm in height. Retinacula were not found. A single colleteric gland was present. Receptacles were absent. Regeneration of the ovary in the ovigerous externa was not observed. Sylon hippolytes produces only one larval generation. Larvae are hatched as small cyprids. Phylogenetic reconstruction confirmed the belonging of our specimens to the monophyletic clade of S. hippolytes with genetic distances between subclades from 6.96 to 8.4%. High values of intraspecific distances in S. hippolytes from different areas may point to cryptic speciation within this rhizocephalan.

The family Yoldiidae encompasses protobranch bivalves with notable diversity in deep-sea habitats, with Yoldiella Verrill and Bush (1897) as the most speciose genus. In Brazilian waters, 11 species of Yoldiella have been recorded, including Yoldiella lapernoi Benaim and Absalão (2011) and Yoldiella paranapuensis Benaim and Absalão (2011), two species with similar shell morphology and overlapping geographical distributions. This study re-evaluated the taxonomic distinction between these two Yoldiella species using a combination of morphometric approaches. Size and growth rate comparisons were conducted using analysis of covariance and Bayesian model selection. The shell outline was compared using elliptical Fourier descriptors. The results did not support the current separation of these taxa. Instead, they reveal that the observed morphological differences are attributable to ontogenetic variation, indicating Y. paranapuensis as a juvenile stage of Y. lapernoi. This finding supports the synonymy of these two nominal species and highlights the importance of ontogenetic context in taxonomy.

The first report of Ophiophragmus luetkeni occurred in the British Virgin Islands; however, it was also recorded in Brazil, the United States Virgin Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago, yet its occurrence in Colombia was previously lacking. Between 2023 and 2024, four specimens were collected from sandy and muddy substrates in Cispatá Bay, Colombian Caribbean. Taxonomic identification was conducted through morphological observations and microstructural analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopy. A comparative table for Ophiophragmus species recorded in Colombia are also provided. This new record increases the number of Ophiophragmus species in Colombia to three, contributing to the country’s marine biodiversity and expanding the knowledge of O. luetkeni distribution.

Plastic pollution represents far more than an environmental crisis—it serves as the gateway to a global meta-crisis encompassing climate change, hyper-consumption, biodiversity loss, and profound threats to human health. This letter examines plastic’s role as both catalyst and symptom of unsustainable global systems, arguing that addressing the plastic crisis provides a roadmap for broader systemic transformation.

Since mass production began in the 1950s, humanity has produced over 10 billion tonnes of plastic, with annual waste now reaching 400 million metric tonnes. Production is forecast to triple within 25 years, consuming one-fifth of the global carbon budget, with 90% of emissions occurring during production.

Plastics now permeate the human body. Over 16,000 chemicals are potentially present in plastics, with only 6% globally regulated. Recent research estimates 13% of cardiovascular deaths in individuals aged 55–64 are attributable to phthalates, while microplastics accelerate cancer development.

Solutions require comprehensive legislative frameworks creating financial risk and accountability. The Health Scientists’ Global Plastics Treaty, produced by the Plastic Health Council, proposes a roadmap to change, with measures such as a 70% reduction in virgin plastic production by 2040 and elimination of chemicals of concern. Ultimately, the plastic crisis offers humanity a tangible challenge that could catalyse essential systemic change toward regenerative systems working within planetary boundaries.

Preventing human-caused extinctions is a foundational aim of conservation. However, in addition to causing extinctions, humans have moved numerous species to new areas. A considerable percentage of these are threatened in their native ranges. Broadening our conservation ethos to include introduced species is contentious and requires critical thinking in empirical and normative dimensions to negotiate between conflicting conservation goals. Here, we present a series of questions to inspire critical thinking in the negotiation of these conflicts. Empirically, we suggest that conservationists should consider whether the effects of introduced species are due to their non-nativeness per se or are simply a consequence of the organism having a metabolism and taking up space. Importantly, this requires proper scientific comparison to the effects of similar native organisms – otherwise many claims of ‘harm’ are unfalsifiable and could be used to justify the eradication of any organism. We further propose questions to help conservationists sort facts from normative values, which often wear empirical clothes. Through empirical rigor, value transparency and critical justification of these values, we believe that twenty- first century conservation can become a future-facing and pluralistic discipline with a heightened ability to prevent extinctions in an increasingly unpredictable and novel biosphere.

The extent to which continental acidity during the Early Triassic varied with latitude remains insufficiently constrained, despite its relevance for understanding environmental stress and biotic recovery patterns across the Smithian–Spathian boundary (SSB). We examined the abundance, textures and compositions of strontium-rich hydrated aluminium phosphate–sulphate (APS) minerals in 179 continental samples spanning tropical to high paleolatitudes in both hemispheres. APS minerals display broadly comparable early-diagenetic features across sections, indicating formation shortly after deposition under acidic meteoric conditions. Their distribution suggests a latitudinal trend: APS contents commonly exceed 0.1 vol.% in equatorial western peri-Tethyan basins, where faunal and floral records are sparse during the SSB, whereas concentrations decrease towards higher latitudes and are rare beyond ∼40° in both hemispheres. This pattern does not appear to correlate with lithological or textural variability and may reflect spatial differences in the intensity or duration of acidification linked to Siberian Traps volcanism. Equatorial basins thus likely experienced more prolonged or recurrent acidic episodes, whereas higher-latitude areas may have been subject to comparatively attenuated effects, potentially contributing to earlier ecological recovery. These results provide a useful framework for evaluating continental acidification and its environmental implications during the interval following the end-Permian mass extinction (EPME).

We have been conducting mass-balance monitoring on Aldegondabreen since the early 21st century. Over the most recent five year period (2019/20–2023/24), the glacier has experienced its most negative mass balance, averaging −2.0 m w.e. a−1. This dramatic loss is linked to rising air temperatures, with several of the warmest years on record for the Arctic land occurring during this interval. In 2024, for the first time, the critical threshold of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels was exceeded globally, and this resulted in the lowest annual balance observed since the beginning of our monitoring program (−2.48 m w.e. a−1). Archival evidence indicates that such intense melting is unprecedented since at least 1911, which marked the end of the Little Ice Age in the region. As of 2025, the glacier’s mean ice thickness has been estimated at 39 m (33 m w.e.) meaning that the loss of 10 m w.e. in just the last five years is an enormous change.

Englacial layers are a product of historic accumulation and are reshaped by ice deformation. Hence, radio-echo sounding (RES), which can resolve englacial layering, has been adopted as an observational tool to infer ice age and ice dynamics from ice stratigraphy. However, the commonly applied synthetic aperture radar focusing algorithms, used to improve image resolution, are either i) incoherent or ii) optimized for the ice-bed interface. Dipping specular reflectors, such as englacial layers, are then lost during focusing. Instead, we focus the RES measurements using subapertures, synthetically squinting the radar beam toward orthogonal incidence for every dipping layer. We then either recombine all subapertures or reject those with low signal to generate an image that resolves all englacial targets together. We apply these methods to both along- and across-flow RES images at Academy Glacier, East Antarctica, which has significant englacial layer relief, especially perpendicular to the ice-flow direction. Our method significantly elevates signal power for dipping englacial layers ($ \gt $15 dB), and quantifiably improves layer continuity compared to other processed data products. This squinted focusing approach enables novel studies of ice deformation (as recorded in englacial layering) in the presence of complex basal topography and heterogeneous substrate properties.