Los Angeles Times, Sea lions are dying from a mysterious cancer. The culprits? Herpes and DDT, written by Rosanna Xia, January 31, 2021 (link)

Sea lions have been developing cancer from herpes and toxic chemicals. The symptoms of these cancerous masses involve swollen flippers and lymph nodes, as well as tumors. Scientists are worried that this cancer could be a danger to humans as well. Toxins were dumped into the sea during the industrial era, which has caused a lot of harm to the environment. Studies have shown that sea lions could be transmitting STIs, which is also very detrimental to their well-being.

Industrialization and its impacts on the planet are a large part of environmental science. It’s one of the primary reasons why we have so many issues, like ocean acidification or thermal expansion. The scary reality of this cancer being found in sea lions is that it could affect humans as well. I thought this article was interesting but sad. I hope scientists will be able to find a cure without doing it in a harmful way.