Host cities for the Olympics are immediately welcomed by boosted tourism, new jobs, and a sense of pride in their city. However, the environmental impact of traveling spectators and athletes, construction of infrastructure, and transportation has been detrimental in past games. To combat this, the Paris Olympics and Paralympics put an extra emphasis on making […]
Green games: A sustainable Olympics and Paralympics Read More »
Climate change is becoming increasingly prevalent and with it, flooding from rising sea levels is becoming a harsh reality for many coastal communities across the globe. Sea level rise causes flooding during high tide, larger storm surges during tropical storms, and coastal erosion. Due to the many impacts of rising sea levels, climate migrations are
Sink or float? Floating homes could make coastal communities resilient to climate risks Read More »
Everyone knows how common viruses work. A drink is shared, a doorknob is touched, a sneeze is spread. Come flu season, friends and families routinely begin washing their hands and keeping their distance to prevent viral genomes from entering their cells, injecting their genetic material, and hijacking their bodies. Now imagine a similar phenomenon, but
Transmissible cancer: A strange biological phenomenon Read More »
Often viewed as vampiric blood suckers and rabies vectors, bats have a notoriously negative reputation invoking fear and disgust. Yet, people’s preconceived notions exclude the importance of these flying mammals. Bats are essential to the environment, the economy, and human well–being by controlling insect populations, pollinating plants, and dispersing seeds. A new study published in
Bats and babies: The chilling connection between a bat epidemic and infant mortality Read More »
With pressure that crushes most underwater rovers, water below freezing, and pitch-black conditions, the deep ocean has scarcely been explored. Only a select few scientists have traveled to the deepest trench in the world’s oceans and little is known about the organisms that dwell there. Approximately 26% of the seafloor has been mapped, leaving the
Dark oxygen and metal bricks on the deep seafloor Read More »
Everything on Earth has fallen victim to plastic pollution, from our oceans to our food. Consequently, our bodies have accumulated unprecedented amounts of nanoplastic concentrations in organ tissues, including the critical cardiovascular, lung, and nervous systems. Today, scientists continue to uncover more distressing effects of microplastic exposure in the human body. Increased accessibility and inexpensiveness
Nothing left untouched, not even the brain Read More »
In recent years, bird flu cases have been skyrocketing. This highly infectious and deadly strain of avian influenza has not only infected thousands of poultry birds across Europe, North America, Africa and Asia, but has spread to wild birds too. The flu has even spread to mammals such as sea lions, foxes, skunks and cats.
Bird flu on the rise: A looming threat to wildlife and humans Read More »
In the heart of Gotham City, a quiet crisis looms, echoing through the shadows. “I’m whatever Gotham needs me to be,” Batman once declared — a testament not only to his unwavering commitment to the city but also to the vital role played by its often-overlooked guardians: the bats. These remarkable creatures, nature’s unsung heroes
Opinion: Gotham’s lost guardians Read More »
In the coastal waters of the northeast Pacific, what were once biodiverse and dense kelp forests have now become barren wastelands ravaged by an uncontrollable menace. There is currently an overwhelming number of sea urchins present in kelp forests along the west coast of the United States. Here, these urchins decimate the ecosystem by grazing