From Georgia and Alabama in the South to Michigan and Maine in the North, the American chestnut was once a keystone species of the Eastern Deciduous Forest. In 1904, one out of every four trees east of the Mississippi was an American chestnut. It could reach heights over 100 feet, earning it the nickname “the […]
Darling 58: Using genetic engineering to save the American chestnut Read More »
Visit the seafood section at any supermarket and you’ll see numerous salmon filets laid out on ice, recognizable by the bright, orange color of their flesh. Tasty and easy to cook at home, salmon has always been in high demand and seemingly in high supply too — although the seafood section hardly reveals the entire
The domestication of a king: How farmed salmon are usurping wild salmon Read More »
Flooded streets, obstructed roads, and wrecked homes kicked off the new year, instigated by horrendous storms spread across California’s landscape. The robust storms were deemed a Pineapple Express, a term used when West Coast storms are driven by a buildup of atmospheric moisture that originates in the tropical Pacific Ocean near the islands of Hawai’i.
California’s Pineapple Express Read More »
As of 2021, 367 million tons of plastics were produced globally, with over 22% composed of single-use items. Thanks to its durability, versatility, and ease of production, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has become the most common form of plastic in disposable products like water bottles and grocery bags. Despite some successes in reducing single-use plastics in
While people tend to focus on COVID-19’s disruption to our daily routines, there was a separate world of consequences for wildlife. Animals have always had to adapt to the changing behaviors of human civilization by moving their habitats and adjusting their usage of resources like food, water, and shelter to maximize survival. The COVID-19 pandemic
With people at home, more space to roam: How COVID affected bird behavior Read More »
Many of us have the privilege of being able to use convenient and efficient items in all aspects of our lives. We use non-stick cookware to avoid having to viciously scrub their stainless steel counterparts after a long day of work. We use stain-resistant clothes that have the added benefit of being water-repellant. This privilege
War brings environmental concerns. Examples that typically come to mind include Agent Orange, nuclear weapons, deforestation — and now, energy. In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a military invasion of Ukraine that has since put the European Union in a tailspin of major decisions concerning their future relations with Russia, with energy being
Scientists study the Nord Stream methane leak in the Russia-Ukraine War Read More »
Beneath the African continent and the Pacific Ocean; two mantle superplumes, massive areas of the mantle with different seismic wave velocities and different compositions; exist. These large areas are associated with most hot spot volcanoes and large provinces of volcanic rock on the Earth’s surface. Their formation is linked to the supercontinent cycle, the cyclical
Supercontinents, superplumes, and true polar wander Read More »
