If the massive bird and fish deaths have been freaking you out – here’s a bit of comforting news – experts are saying that although what has been happening lately is definitely obscure, it’s certainly not the sign of the apocalypse.

Approximately 500 dead birds were discovered in Louisiana this week and on New Year’s Eve, 5,000 red-winged blackbirds dropped from the sky in Beebe, Arkansas. Moreover, recently Swedish authorities have been investigating the deaths of 100 jackdaws found in a street in Falkoping.

“We made an autopsy on five of the birds yesterday and found internal bleeding but no external lesions,” said Marianne Elvander of Sweden’s National Veterinary Institute.

In Arkansas, the bird deaths have so far been attributed to fireworks. Because the birds may have been roosting, experts surmise that the fireworks startled them to such a degree, it caused them to die. Mass deaths of animals are strange, but they do happen and with the fear-mongoring media blitz surrounding the bird deaths in Arkansas, other incidents which would otherwise go unreported are receiving attention, thus making the events seem related.

“This is a classic example of freak events coinciding,” said zoologist Petter Boeckman at the Norwegian Natural History Museum.

Meanwhile, Anderson Cooper is interviewing former “Growing Pains” actor turned fundamental Christian Kirk Cameron on the matter. Even Cameron had to admit that it was “kind of silly” to think that dead birds is a sign of the apocalypse.

Former talk show phenomenon Montel Williams is in trouble with the law after he went through airport security with a metal smoking pipe cops say is used to smoke marijuana.

Milwaukee TSA busted Williams when he tried to make it through security with the pipe in his carry on, which set of metal detectors. Though there was no residue in the pipe, Williams was held and released after paying a nominal fine for possession of drug paraphernalia. The sheriff’s department told TMZ that Williams was cooperative.

Montel is vocal of his support for medical marijuana — which he uses to manage pain related to multiple sclerosis – a disease of the central nervous system that affects the ability of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other.

Paul McCartney’s trouble ex Heather Mills might be having more, well, trouble. File this one under shocking, but Mills’ vegan restaurant might be going under.

Out of the Beatle money, Mills purchased vegan eatery VBites shut down for the winter season, but rumors are swirling that the restaurant is in trouble and may not reopen.

A cafe insider revealed, “I understand Heather has been hemorrhaging money on VBites for a while now. A six month ‘holiday’ isn’t usual.”

Mills denies these rumors, however, saying, “VBites had a great summer, the success has brought us many opportunities to become worldwide,” she Tweeted. ”We are so excited to start our franchise projects and spread the Vegan ethics, training classes, cookery classes now our cafe is in its wintery weather season. Keep updated on VBites.com and thanks for all your continued support.”

A giant koi was apparently caught at a lake in France but now some are calling the story a fake, though marine experts say that a fish that size and color is very possible.

The 30-pound koi carp is the largest of its kind ever caught in the wild after it was fished out of a lake in the south of France by keen angler Raphael Biagini. Although there is Internet speculation that this photograph has been doctored, experts say that these fish can reach up to 90 lbs.

Do not adjust your computer monitors. Yes, this is a frog. On the end of a pencil. Yes, he is smaller than the average frog and yes, he is a damn cute amphibian!

The world’s smallest amphibian has reecently been discovered and has been dubbed by scientists: the Microhyla nepenthicola.

Adult frogs of this species range between 10.6 and 12.8 mm. How cute is that?

“Amphibians are quite sensitive to changes in their surroundings, so we hope the discovery of these miniature frogs will help us to understand what changes in the global environment are having an impact on these fascinating animals,” said Conservation International’s Dr Robin Moore.

$2.5 Million. That’s the amount of the largest fine ever given out under a U.S. pesticides law, and it will be agricultural powerhouse Monsanto that will pay it. The Environmental Protection Agency will be collecting the $2.5 million fine, which considering other payments Monsanto has had to pay out in the past, is barely a drop in Monsanto’s bottomless bucket.

Monsanto was selling genetically modified cotton seeds without labeling them as such between the years if 2002 and 2007. The seeds were illegally sold in several Texas counties where the seeds are explicitly banned.

Worried about what kind of food they’re feeding your little monkies in school? We all are. Since Food Inc., as well as Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, there has been heightend awareness regarding the nutrition the public school system is offering the youth of today. Now, actor Woody Harrelson has jumped on board, becoming an advocate for the Healthy School Meals Act of 2010, legislation that would reward school districts with additional food aid if they offer students more plant-based food choices.

In a letter to Congress, Woody and his wife Laura wrote:

“As parents, we ask you to support HR 4870, the Healthy School Meals Act of 2010. We know from watching our own children grow up that eating habits children develop early on stick with them for life. All too often, young people are offered processed meats and cheese and other greasy, high-fat, high-cholestrol foods.

“The Healthy School Meals Act will help children develop better eating habits, provide healthful plant-based options that naturally contain no cholesterol, are low in saturated fat and high in fibre, enabling schools to reach high nutrition standards easily. The legislation gives schools the incentive and ability to address the health problems that are harming our children and overburdening our health systems.”

Visit HealthySchoolLunches.org for more information.

The Florida Manatee, is already an endangered species due to human impact and habitat loss but one of the main contributing factors is cold water which leads to these animals to get sick. So far this year more than 100 manatees have been found dead in Florida waters and according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the cause of death for 77 of the endangered animals is cold stress.

The state has had unseasonably cold weather this month that has killed fish and stunned thousands of sea turtles. Officials say the numbers of dead manatees from the cold is a record for a single year. The previous record, set last year, was 56 deaths from cold stress.

“Researchers continue to recover and examine carcasses, so the total is expected to rise; however, the rate should slow down as water temperatures warm,” the commission said in a statement.

London Mayor Boris Johnson’s environmental adviser, Isabel Dedring, said climate projections show that the average summer temperatures in London could be at least 3.9C higher by 2080, and as much as 6C to 10C on the hottest days. A recent study suggested that increasing the amount of greenery in a city by 10% could offset the higher temperatures.

This caught the attention of Johnson, who’s aiming to increase tree cover across the capital by 5% by 2025. The program, Leading to a Greener London, included detailed plans for green roofs and more trees in streets. A green roof features waterproofing and drainage layers topped with soil and plants.

Three hundred volunteers in Pakistan planted 541,176 mangrove trees (by hand) in one day, subsequently breaking the Guinness World Record for tree planting. The volunteers managed to do it all without the aid of mechanical equipment. They planted the mangroves in the Indus River Delta wetland ecosystem in the Southern Sindh Province of Pakistan.

WWF awarded Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi, Pakistan’s Environment Minister, the title Leaders of the Planet, which recognizes people who are making a significant personal contribution to sustainable development and conservation of the natural world.

“This is a wonderful example of partnership between government, local communities and the private sector for a common cause, for conservation.” – Richard Garstang, head of WWF Pakistan Wetlands Program.

The previous record holder was India for most trees planted in one day was India with 447,874 trees.