Wildlife and Habitat
No-till farming
Overall, the loss of grassland in favor of farmland throughout the Midwest has resulted in a loss of wildlife diversity. But recent research from the University of Illinois has shown that the soybean fields that abound throughout the region actually attract nesting birds. [Read more…] about No-till farming
Just how safe are our parks?
Our national park system enjoys almost universal bipartisan support in Congress. True, the parks don’t get all the money they need, but there is no obvious constituency that seeks to dismantle the park system. We all believe that the parks preserve at least a token of the natural heritage of this country, and certain parks, like the Grand Canyon, are iconic. [Read more…] about Just how safe are our parks?
Nurturing some nature in all of us
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I grew up with a butterfly net in hand. Not that my parents appreciated it. My mother dreaded most things in nature—rodents, poison ivy, and bugs. Even my rock collection was regarded as dirty. But my early comparisons of butterflies taught me about the variation within species; there was no perfect specimen of the cabbage butterfly. [Read more…] about Nurturing some nature in all of us
Seas of garbage
The protracted and complicated search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has exposed a worldwide problem that hadn’t previously gotten much attention: the oceans are full of garbage. [Read more…] about Seas of garbage
Eagles and wind farms
Wind power has long faced criticism for the threat it poses to birds – specifically endangered species. Experts estimate anywhere from 140,000 to 328,000 birds are killed each year by wind turbines. [Read more…] about Eagles and wind farms
Shrinking salamanders
For the first time, a scientific study has concluded that climate change can alter the body size of a species. It was previously speculated that such a connection may exist, but a new study from the University of Maryland has provided concrete support. [Read more…] about Shrinking salamanders
Oil on the water
Marine scientists have spent considerable time tracing the fate of the oil from the BP Deep-Water Horizon oil spill in April 2010. Some was skimmed or burned at the surface. Some was carried in a plume under the water. And, unfortunately, some moved to shore. [Read more…] about Oil on the water
Sterilizing salmon
Farm-raised or wild-caught? That’s a question many people have asked themselves when it comes to buying salmon for dinner. Experts are now concerned about wild and farm-raised salmon associating with one another. [Read more…] about Sterilizing salmon
Refuge for bees
Throughout the country, efforts are underway to cultivate habitat for bees. Recently, the federal government committed $3 million dollars to support honeybees in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota. And in California’s Central Valley, researchers are encouraging ranchers and farmers to grow plants that attract pollinators. [Read more…] about Refuge for bees
Tasmanian devils
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The Tasmanian devil is best known to most Americans as Taz, the cyclone-spinning cartoon character made popular by Warner Brothers in the fifties and again in the nineties. [Read more…] about Tasmanian devils
Myopia
Worldwide, more and more people are suffering from myopia – or near-sightedness – and a lack of outdoor time may be to blame. [Read more…] about Myopia
Honeybees: They give us more than honey
In today’s world of mechanized agriculture, pollinating services are a commodity. Without a sufficient number of bees, certain crops could cease to grow. As a result, managed honeybees are now traded internationally. Unfortunately, this practice is making our wild pollinators sick. [Read more…] about Honeybees: They give us more than honey
Echinacea
Echinacea supplements are a staple in many American medicine cabinets, especially during cold and flu season. The plant is thought to boost the immune system and help ward off illness. [Read more…] about Echinacea
Greener fracking
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, generates great controversy wherever it is being practiced and is vigorously opposed wherever it isn’t. Nonetheless, it is the basis for a booming industry that is not likely to disappear any time soon. It is encouraging that there are a number of efforts underway to make fracking cleaner, greener, and safer. [Read more…] about Greener fracking
Climate change and Coca-Cola
Most corporations are primarily concerned with their bottom line. Even companies with good values must protect their interests and their profits. So at first, many corporations were less concerned with climate change than with keeping their costs down. [Read more…] about Climate change and Coca-Cola
How we fill the breadbasket
Everything we eat can be traced back to the Sun. Sunlight powers plant photosynthesis, which yields the grains that we eat in bread, cereal, and rice. Plants feed the animals that provide us with beef, pork, and poultry. And the fishes of the sea feed on tiny phytoplankton that photosynthesize in the upper layers of the ocean’s waters. [Read more…] about How we fill the breadbasket
One word: Plastics
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Plastics, Mr. Robinson advises the young Ben Braddock, played by Dustin Hoffman, in the Graduate more than 40 years ago. And, he was right: the production of plastics increased from 1.7 to 280 million tons per year during the past 60 years. Plastics are found in nearly all products we buy, either as central components or in the packaging that contains them. [Read more…] about One word: Plastics
Is the Atlantic a re-circulating bathtub?
From the shore, we are likely to overlook the real dynamics of the Atlantic Ocean. Surface and deep ocean currents stir its waters in a global circulation that each year carries more water than all the rivers of the world combined. [Read more…] about Is the Atlantic a re-circulating bathtub?
Oil-palm in Africa
