Audio Edition: The State of Nature Update #23

If you didn’t have time to read Saturday’s State of Nature Update, here’s your chance to listen to it instead! This week I’m covering the stories:Biodiversity:* ‘God Squad’ votes unanimously to exempt offshore drilling from Endangered Species Act restrictions.* Project to restore Atlantic salmon to Maine streams shows promise, but challenges remain.* Some snakes get their venom from poisonous toads, but how do they know if they have enough of it?* New species are discovered at record rates - but is it enough to save them before they’re gone?* Fake fur during cultural ceremonies benefits leopards in Africa.* Native seed farm grows native plants to restore California’s ecosystems.Pollution & Pesticides:* Rising cancer rates in Iowa are linked to environmental pollutants, study says.* Recycled plastics are repurposed into Hawaii’s roads - with no apparent increase in microplastics.I’d love to hear your thoughts on how I can make Nature Signals better! Please take about 2 minutes of your time to answer my new Reader Survey:Thanks so much! To learn more about the stories I covered and other resources I linked to, check out the written version of the newsletter here:Nature Signals is a reader-supported publication. It takes many hours to write and research each post. To receive new posts in your inbox and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Not ready to subscribe? Consider buying me a coffee (or a beer…). Any support is greatly appreciated! Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe