69 Items Tagged

Trash

The mysterious metal cylinder on the shore of Western Australia.

space exploration

A Massive, Mysterious Object Washed Up on an Australian Beach

Experts say it’s likely space junk—and there’s plenty more where that came from.

Roxanne Hoorn July 19, 2023

The World's Tallest Bin

Kalgoorlie, Australia

The World's Tallest Bin

Although not officially the world's tallest bin, this giant trash receptacle was designed to stop littering.

The hill as seen from the Vistula side.

Gnojna Góra (Dung Hill Lookout Point)

Catch a scenic view of Warsaw's Old Town from the top of a centuries-old dumping ground.

Talking Trash Can

Talking Trash Cans of Malmö

These waste baskets play a few risque messages to discourage littering.

Porky The Litter Eater

Bethesda, Maryland

Porky The Litter Eater

This propitious plastic porcine has been petitioning park visitors to pick up after themselves for more than 50 years.

Many animals ensnared in trash don't have long to live, but this one appears to have adapted.

How Could a Crocodile Spend Years Cinched By a Tire?

One in Indonesia has been carrying a rubber ring since at least 2016. Here’s how the litter might be affecting the animal’s life.

Jessica Leigh Hester February 9, 2022

The old cars look out over the Knik River to the Talkeetna Mountains.

Eklutna Tailrace

This popular fishing spot at the outflow of a 4.5-mile long hydroelectric tunnel sports a jetty literally made out of classic cars.

The muddy shores of Lake Uru Uru in Bolivia are awash in bright sunset colors, a sign of the lake's dire straits.

In the Andes, Bright Colors Tell the Dark Story of a Dying Lake

Bolivia's Lake Uru Uru faces an uncertain future: a growing city, toxic runoff, and drought worsened by climate change.

Gemma Tarlach May 3, 2021

This poor perch was trapped inside a plastic glove.

We're Finally Getting a Picture of How Dangerous PPE Is for Wildlife

More than a year into the pandemic, scientists are seeing the impact of disposable gloves and masks on ecosystems.

Jessica Leigh Hester April 7, 2021

In 2018, Reading found this flip flop (and painted it en plein air) on the banks of the Virgin River in Zion National Park, Utah, which sits on Southern Paiute and Pueblos land.

The Naturalist Painting Spectacularly Lush Landscapes on Discarded Trash

Mariah Reading canvasses national parks and turns hubcaps, pants, and more into works of art.

Bailey Berg March 22, 2021

Home sweet home?

Snails, Leeches, and Other Critters Are Right at Home on River Trash

Garbage doesn't belong in water, but in some of Britain's urban areas, it makes for a surprising habitat.

Jessica Leigh Hester February 11, 2021

Not good at all.

For Wildlife, Disposable PPE Is Far From Protective

It may take years—even decades—to fully understand the impact of disposable masks and gloves on the environment.

Jessica Leigh Hester October 2, 2020

The shore of Dead Horse Bay, photographed in 2015, is known for its trash.

New York's Favorite Trash-Strewn Beach Is a Wee Bit Radioactive

The National Park Service has closed a portion of Dead Horse Bay.

Jessica Leigh Hester August 20, 2020

Fetal whale skeleton

10 Wondrous, Waterless Whales

From massive, still-oozing skeletons to a behemoth made of thousands of pounds of recycled plastic.

Jessica Leigh Hester August 19, 2020

An exploded gas line.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Museum of Material Failures

It may appear to be a fancy junk yard, but each item has a story to tell and a lesson to impart.

Grand, indeed, but also full of microplastics.

The West Is Being Won by Tiny Bits of Plastic

Natural landscapes are seeing huge amounts of microplastics tumbling from the sky.

Jessica Leigh Hester June 26, 2020

Video • Wonder From Home

Show & Tell With a Pull-Tab Archaeologist

Evans's haul was gently cleaned with water.

How a Tiny Island's Trash Heap Is Revealing Its History

An old dump beneath the airport on Michigan's Mackinac Island was brimming with stories from summers past.

Jessica Leigh Hester June 24, 2020