Federal officials on Tuesday proposed adding the tricolored bat, a microbat native to eastern North America, as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
Why it matters: The tricolored bat is one of the bat species affected by a deadly fungal disease called white-nose syndrome. The disease, caused by an invasive fungus, has killed over 90% of its population in under 10 years, according to a study released last year.
Modern communication and navigation depend on sophisticated satellites in space — and world leaders are trying to come up with rules that would prevent each other from blowing up those tools.
Why it matters: Simply testing an anti-satellite weapon can create dangerous debris, even leaving aside the consequences if a potential future conflict played out in space.