Monday, July 6, 2026

Environmental Science

Environmental ScienceHuman Exposure and Public Health
Elisabeth Lang

Metal Accumulation in Sharks of the Caribbean

Pollution threatens marine life worldwide. Some of this pollution includes metals that build up in the tissues of marine life, including sharks. People around the world consume shark meat as a part of their diets. Caribbean reef sharks are commonly consumed by people throughout the Caribbean and South America, but a study on metal levels in their tissues had never been done. A team of researchers undertook this study to assess the danger to people and to better identify sources of pollution so that marine pollution can be better managed.

Read More
EcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Brianne Palmer

New Discovery of Microbes Gobbling Up Greenhouse Gases in Extreme Environments

A new group of microbes can eat up methane, a common component of greenhouse gas. Named for Dr. Thomas Brock, this new phylum sheds new light on the role microbes play in the global carbon cycle. This study demonstrates the astounding biodiversity of microbes in extreme environments and how tiny creatures shape our world.

Read More
Environmental Science
Sarah Shainker

Diatoms and ducks make a dispersal dream team

Dispersal, or the movement of organisms from one place to another, is a key process in establishing and maintaining biodiversity across space and time. But how do unicellular, sessile organisms manage to move?

Read More
CitiesClimateEnvironmental ScienceHuman Exposure and Public Health
Jessica Wright

Public Health & Urban Trees – What you need to know

Read all about the public health benefits of trees in cities. Team of researchers complete scoping literature review to help urban planners learn about the importance of urban trees.

Read More
Animal behaviorEcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Brianne Palmer

Phoning the Queen with Fanning and Pheromones

Like a game of telephone, bees pass pheromones to each other by sticking their butts in the air and frantically fanning their wings. This individual behavior helps the entire group aggregate around the queen. A recent study used video recording and machine learning to understand how these pheromones are passed from bee to bee and understand collective behavior in honey bees.

Read More
CitiesEnvironmental Science
Brandi Pessman

Celebrating Community Science Month – How you can get involved

If you are a science enthusiast looking for ways to become more involved, community science is the perfect activity for you and your friends and family. Community scientists are people interested in science who volunteer to make observations, collect data, and report findings. Recently, community scientists in Ohio worked with experts to track declining native ladybugs in their backyards. April is global community science month and the perfect time to get involved with projects like these!

Read More
Environmental Science
Munim Deen

Deforestation-related warming reduces productivity of rural workers

Global warming is often accompanied and related to deforestation. Deforestation amplifies many effects of global warming. Recent research has highlighted the effects of deforestation and warmer temperatures on workers in rural areas.

Read More
Environmental ScienceScience through time
Jessica Espinosa

Melanism in Monarchs: The Use and Importance of Museum Collections in Scientific Research

Original Paper: Echevarría Ramos, M. and C.M. Hulshof. 2019. Using digitized museum collections to understand the effects of habitat on

Read More
Animal behaviorCase StudiesClimateEnvironmental Science
Elisabeth Lang

Increasing Temperatures and Decreasing Insect Populations

Without insects, we wouldn’t have all of the edible plants that we rely on as important parts of our diets and entire ecosystems would be in trouble. Despite their importance, insects face many threats, including climate change. Through a literature review, a group of scientists found that increasing temperatures due to climate change and the resulting ecosystem changes are a leading cause of insect population declines globally. Some species have disappeared completely. However, different species respond to climate change differently. Monitoring and understanding their responses can help us prevent their loss.

Read More
Case StudiesEcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Kevin Aviles Rodriguez

Helping a vulnerable rabbit species hop along with non-invasive genetic sampling

Many species face harsh challenges to persist in a human modified world. In order to design and implement conservation plans to support these imperiled species, we need to study wild populations. Advancements in genetics have made it easier to monitor wild populations and obtain relevant data to make informed choices regarding management and conservation policies. Check out this ebite to learn more about the conservation genetics of the New England cottontail rabbits.

Read More