Wake Forest News

Associated Press

Illegal gold mining surges into new parts of Peru’s Amazon, threatening rivers and lives

Illegal gold mining is spreading into new parts of Peru’s Amazon, advancing along remote rivers and into Indigenous territories as experts warn of a widening environmental and public health crises that could cause irreparable damage. “It happens pretty fast,” said Luis Fernández, a research professor and senior fellow of the Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability at Wake Forest University. “You’ll see changes in weeks to months once the machinery comes in…sediment plumes in the rivers almost immediately.”

This story ran in news outlets nationwide, including ABC News, Newsday and The Baltimore Sun.

February 23, 2026

BBC Science Focus

The one exercise hack that could finally help fat loss stick

Weighted vests increase the body’s energy expenditure as you move.“When additional weight is added to the body, the muscles, bones and cardiovascular system work harder to perform the same activities, such as walking or climbing stairs,” Wake Forest researcher Kristen Beavers said. “This increased effort raises the overall energy cost of movement, leading to greater calorie burn without necessarily changing the type or duration of activity.”

February 26, 2026