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A boat made from plastic waste is just one of Kenya's solutions to a global problem Videos

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A boat made from plastic waste is just one of Kenya's solutions to a global problem

In Kenya, being caught with a plastic bag can land you with a fine of $38,000 USD or four years in jail. Since the introduction of these extreme laws, innovators have responded in amazing and unexpected ways. One group of local fisherman in Lamu are building a giant sailing ship entirely from plastic waste. They intend to sail the Indian Ocean to raise awareness about marine plastic pollution. See some of the other remarkable solutions being developed in this short from Borderland Studios.

Follow These Spiders Eat Their Mothers' Dead Bodies Most kinds of spiders live solitary lives, but some, like the species Stegodyphus dumicola, live in groups. These spiders perform acts that benefit the group—at the expense of the individual. All adult females care for the young, regurgitating a nutritious fluid that literally drains them of life. The spiderlings then eat their bodies. Even females that never mate do this, perhaps because their sisters' and cousins' DNA—similar to their own—will make it to another generation.

Follow Explorer: Why Do Goat Eyes Rotate? Goats may not seem that extraordinary, but recent studies reveal a special secret about the goat’s pupil, an adaptation that gives it an incredibly wide range of peripheral vision.

Follow These Rare Giraffes Were Killed Just for Their Tails The killing of three rare Kordofan giraffes inspired a filmmaker to transform his anger into action. David Hamlin was on assignment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when he saw a female and two male giraffes peacefully making their way through the tall grass. The next morning he learned that the three animals were found shot and mutilated. Shocked by the news and compelled to uncover the truth, Hamlin decided to visit the site of the killings to document this horrific act. Accompanied by armed rangers from the nonprofit conservation organisation African Parks and the Congolese Parks Authority ICCN, he ventured through the volatile grounds of Garamba National Park. There he learned that the giraffes were killed for something worth thousands of U.S. dollars: their tails. Garamba National Park is a battleground where heavily armed groups poach wildlife for resources and monetary gain. This latest incident was a major blow to the rangers because the number for Kordofan giraffes in that area has dwindled down to 37. However, Hamlin hopes this tragedy will galvanise the efforts of conservationists and others who fight to protect the world’s endangered animals.

Follow How Nuclear Bombs are Helping Fight Elephant Poachers How can open-air nuclear bomb tests from the mid-20th century help fight elephant poaching today? Watch this video, which contains some recently declassified footage of the nuclear tests, to learn the answer. Hint: Carbon dating.

Follow Ocean Soul: A Magical Day With A Right Whale National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry describes a magical but risky experience photographing an enormous right whale. With his new book, Ocean Soul, Brian showcases his stunning photography and describes his adventurous life in a gripping portrait of the ocean as a place of beauty and mystery, a place in trouble, and a place of hope.

Follow He Spent His Career Studying A Frog. Then He Discovered Its True Identity. Andrew Gray, Curator of Herpetology at Manchester Museum spent his career studying the Splendid leaf frog. However, when a supposed new species arrived from Central America, he made a shocking discovery. Using the original specimen of the Splendid leaf frog—first collected in 1902—as a comparison, Gray noticed several unique distinctions between the latest arrivals and those he had been studying. These were, in fact, the Splendid leaf frog and the frogs Gray had been studying were the new species. “It’s remarkable that such a distinctive new species has remained undetected for such a long time” he said. The finding required a designation for the mistaken amphibians. As the discoverer, Gray was given the honour and decided to name them after his granddaughter, Sylvia. Less than 150 specimens of Sylvia’s leaf frog have been recorded, and there are only 50 known specimens of the Splendid leaf frog. Filmmaker Katie Garrett highlights the importance of correctly classifying and conserving these rare creatures in this stunning short.

Follow Climate 101: Causes And Effects What causes climate change (also known as global warming)? And what are the effects of climate change? Learn the human impact and consequences of climate change for the environment, and our lives.

Follow The Funny Ways That Animals Sleep All animals need to get their Z's, but some of them do so in more unusual ways than others. Watch and learn fun facts about how walruses, bats, hippos, puppies, and other animals sleep.

Follow When We Sleep Dreams. We all experience them. They take us into the most mysterious parts of our unconscious selves. We emerge from them rejuvenated, frightened, perplexed, and intrigued. Award-winning photojournalist Magnus Wennman explores this journey into another realm through interviews with people around the world.

Follow WATCH A DOG RESPOND TO VOICELESS COMMANDS VIA THIS VIBRATING VEST Designed for working dogs, the haptic vest may one day also help pet owners with speech impairments or dogs that are hard of hearing.

Follow Watch: WWI German Submarine Discovered Off the Coast of Belgium Divers swimming off the coast of Belgium found the wreckage of a WWI-era relic—a sunken German submarine. The U-boat, found 30 metres below the surface, was likely disabled by a mine. All 23 members of its crew are presumed to still be inside. 11 other sunken German ships have been found in the area, but this is among the best preserved.

Follow Female Lions Are Attracted to Black Manes It turns out the search for a tall, dark, and handsome mate isn’t limited to dating websites—or even to humans. A lion’s mane will change colour in accordance with its nutrition level and overall well-being; a male lion with a darker mane tends to be healthier and have higher testosterone levels. As a result, lionesses find lions with darker manes more attractive, according to biologist and National Geographic grantee Craig Packer. In one study, a graduate student working with Packer used stuffed toy lions with various mane colours to test female preference. That study found that 90 percent of the time lionesses chose to approach the replicas with darker manes. Nature is so typical—boring, good-looking dudes ruining it for the rest of us. Maybe the remaining 10 percent of lionesses are more interested in a potential mate’s personality qualities? In this week’s "Today I Learned," Packer explains a bit more about this phenomenon.

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