Environment

Swords in the sky: The effect of windmills on winged species 

Environment, Technology, World / /

For centuries, humanity has used windmills to convert wind energy into usable electricity. As the modern world faces an unprecedented climate crisis, scientists and engineers have endeavored to make windmills more efficient, and most windmills are now tall structures with massive spinning blades. Although this design structure allows for an abundance of sustainably produced energy, […]

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A shifting paradigm: Insight into animal cognition

Biology, Environment / /

We live with two different realities when we interact with animals. We call our pets our “four-legged friends,” appreciate their personalities, love them, and sense their emotions. But for our livestock, such as pigs, cows, and goats, we see eyes devoid of emotion that stare blankly into the distance and don’t think twice when biting

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Poison dart frogs: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

Biology, Environment / /

While some dangerous creatures opt for a more subtle approach, the poison dart frog is remarkably considerate for letting predators know ahead of time that it is not to be messed with.  Its vibrant color is meant to signify its high toxicity, an example of aposematism or an animal advertising to its predators that it

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Seaweed and cow burps: A potential solution to climate change?

Biology, Environment / /

The slimy and smelly seaweed known to repulse many swimmers and beachgoers may serve as a key mitigation strategy for climate change in the near future. A species of red macroalgae known as Asparagopsis taxiformis has been shown to reduce methane emissions in livestock. Methane is 28 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than

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Sea otters: Guardians of the kelp forest

Environment / /

Sea otters, adored for their expressive faces and fluffy fur, are some of the most well-known and charismatic aquatic animals. Beyond their cuteness, these marine mammals are keystone species that play an integral role in their environment. As top predators, sea otters are crucial to balancing coastal ecosystems such as kelp forests, enhancing ecological resilience

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The rapid extinction of the world’s slowest creatures

Environment / /

It was 2007 — the year of “Spider-Man 3” starring Toby McGuire, Obama’s first election campaign, and the launch of the first iPhone. On a small island in French Polynesia, the last tree snail of the species Partula cytherea quietly, and most likely violently, met its demise. Reports from the International Union for Conservation of

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The mycelial cycle: Replenishing the world with fungi

Environment / /

Think mushrooms. Other than juicy, beefless patty substitutes sizzling on a grill, your first thoughts may have ventured to vivid, orange blooms sprouting out of rotting tree trunks. Fungi — even the term evokes vague revulsion or apprehension — are synonymous with rot and decay. They are harbingers of death, macabre forest floor scavengers who

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