Mother Nature Bounces Back
YOU South Africa|7 May 2020
As people huddle indoors away from the virus animals have come out to play and pollution has lifted
Sandy Cook
Mother Nature Bounces Back

Penguins waddling through deserted streets in Simon’s Town, Cape Town. Coyotes roaming San Francisco in the US. Lions lounging on empty roads in the Kruger National Park. Mountain goats frolicking through a near-abandoned town in Wales in the UK.

As humans have retreated indoors to stave off the spread of coronavirus, it seems nature has come out to play, revelling in spaces where once there was an influx of people.

But creatures great and small aren’t all that are benefiting from a new world order. Astonishing before-and-after pictures around the globe show the extent to which the absence of air pollution has transformed cities once clogged by smog into crisp, clean vistas.

Dozens of countries have seen a drop of up to 40% in carbon dioxide emissions, which has translated into a huge improvement in air quality.

Paul Monks, a professor of air pollution at the University of Leicester in the UK, told The Guardian there’ll be “important lessons to learn”.

“We are now, inadvertently, conducting the largest-scale experiment ever seen,” he says. “Are we looking at what we might see in the future if we can move to a low-carbon economy?

“Not to denigrate the loss of life, but this might give us some hope from something terrible – to see what can be achieved.”

The drop in air pollution can even be seen from space. Nasa’s satellites recently captured a noticeable drop-off in pollution over China’s biggest cities, where industry was halted and vehicle traffic practically disappeared.

Denne historien er fra 7 May 2020-utgaven av YOU South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra 7 May 2020-utgaven av YOU South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA YOU SOUTH AFRICASe alt
PUSHED TO THE LIMIT
YOU South Africa

PUSHED TO THE LIMIT

The unusual relationship between an heiress and her husband has taken a sinister twist

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY
YOU South Africa

HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY

Noor Siddiqui says her company can test embryos for hundreds of conditions from diabetes to Alzheimer's. Critics call it social engineering but she insists she's just giving prospective parents the means to avoid a lot of future heartache

time-read
10+ mins  |
5 September 2024
THE GROWN-UP BRAIN
YOU South Africa

THE GROWN-UP BRAIN

If you think your brain deteriorates as you age, think again!

time-read
3 mins  |
5 September 2024
THE eyes HAVE IT
YOU South Africa

THE eyes HAVE IT

They're the windows to our soul - and the first place to show the stresses of everyday life. Juliette Winter reveals expert tips to de-puff, brighten and smooth this delicate area

time-read
1 min  |
5 September 2024
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER
YOU South Africa

WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER

It hasn't been an easy road but now this bodybuilding couple are making waves in the industry

time-read
4 mins  |
5 September 2024
I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!
YOU South Africa

I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!

Annetjie's about to get effective treatment for the skin condition that has blighted her life and she's looking forward to hitting the shops and facing the world

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'
YOU South Africa

'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'

When SA boxer Chris van Heerden's Russian girlfriend went to visit her parents she was thrown in jail and accused of treasonnow he's in a fight to free her

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!
YOU South Africa

SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!

A sun-drenched holiday turned into a living nightmare for those aboard this luxury vessel

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
READY TO SMILE AGAIN
YOU South Africa

READY TO SMILE AGAIN

A groundbreaking surgical procedure will restore this Limpopo teen's badly damaged jaw and teeth

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
HARRY AT A CROSSROADS
YOU South Africa

HARRY AT A CROSSROADS

As the prince turns 40, royal experts paint a picture of a troubled soul- isolated, homesick and struggling to find a purpose in life

time-read
8 mins  |
5 September 2024