Monday, July 6, 2026

Environmental Science

Environmental ScienceRemote Environments
Elisabeth Lang

Plastic Pollution and Penguins?

Many people may see plastic pollution as a local issue, but did you know that small pieces of plastic have made their way to super remote locations? Plastic pollution has been documented in Antarctica, one of the most remote locations on the planet, for decades. Now though, scientists are finding out that microplastics, which are harmful to marine life, are also making their way to Antarctica. Researchers documented similar levels of microplastics in Antarctica as other, less remote locations globally. While many come from marine industry, we can all help solve the problem by putting less plastic into the environment.

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Animal behaviorEcosystemsEnvironmental ScienceScience through time
Andrew Abraham

Can a meme save a species?

Memes are everywhere. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter; the world of social media is bursting with amusing images embellished with a witty caption. Memes stay on the pulse of changing cultures and reflect social ideas and current events. But can they also help encourage the protection of species that don’t commonly garner media headlines?

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CitiesClimateEnvironmental Science
Brianne Palmer

Industrial Revolution Pollution Suppresses Succession in Lichen Communities

Lichens are indicators of air pollution and ecosystem health. In London parks, researchers found that historical pollution may have decreased the lichen diversity. Sulfur emissions from the Industrial Revolution and modern nitrogen emissions stall the growth of lichens on urban trees hinting at larger effects on ecosystem health.

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EcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Sarah Shainker

From the mountaintops to the streams: Mountaintop removal mining threatens salamander populations

Primary article: Hutton, J.M et al. Occupancy and abundance of stream salamanders along a specific conductance gradient. Freshwater Science. 2020.

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Environmental Science
Munim Deen

Starting at the Bottom: The Potential Impact of Climate Action by Sub-National Entities in the United States

International agreements on climate change action, like the Paris Agreement of 2016, are typically reached by individual countries working together. However, sub-national governments and non-governmental entities pursuing their own policies of combating climate change can often lead to significant positive impact. The United States, which signed and then withdrew from the Paris Agreement, is a model of this scenario.

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ClimateEcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Elisabeth Lang

Blue Carbon and Green Kelp: Kelp forests could reduce carbon emissions

Blue carbon is the carbon that is stored within marine ecosystems. It is being used more frequently within global carbon budgets, which are calculated to help us reduce climate change. Historically, only tidal marshes, mangrove forests, and seagrass beds have been used in calculating stored carbon for carbon budgets. A team of researchers from Norway wanted to see if kelp forests could significantly contribute to carbon storage. They studied the kelp forests along Australia’s southern coast and found their storage potential to be similar to that of the other historically used ecosystems. Conserving and restoring kelp forests could therefore increase carbon storage and help reduce climate change.

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Animal behaviorCitiesEnvironmental Science
Kevin Aviles Rodriguez

Does wearing a face mask make humans less scary to tree sparrows?

Environmental conditions can change quite quickly. In this case, due to the global pandemic of COVID-19 we’ve all been wearing masks when we venture outside. How might this sudden change in our appearance affect animals that frequently live amongst us? Find out how Eurasian tree sparrows responded to wearing masks in two provinces of Sichuan, China.

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EcosystemsEnvironmental ScienceRemote Environments
Brianne Palmer

Some Soil Microbes Don’t Mind Our Camping Trips

Have you ever thought about the microorganisms living under your tent while you’re camping? It may seem like setting up the tent and trampling all over the campsite may harm the organisms that live in the soil but new study in the Arizona savanna turns that idea on its head. Read on to learn about camping resistant plants, microbes, and resiliency of this awesome ecosystem.

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