Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Environmental Science

ClimateEnvironmental Science
Mary Grace Lemon

Water vapor and Covid-19: The viral threat of cold, dry weather

Even before Covid-19, most people were acutely aware of the viral threat of winter. Seasonal colds seem to be more abundant during the winter while the widely broadcasted threat of flu season and subsequent chore of annual flu vaccinations are predictable components of late fall. However, I have also had my fair share of exceptional warm weather colds. I have encountered a collection of rumors as to why viral infections such as the common cold and influenza are statistically worse during the winter, but I have never really done enough research to actually believe any of them, or care, for that matter. Insert Covid-19.

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CitiesEnvironmental ScienceHuman Exposure and Public Health
Asher Jones

Follow your nose: the importance of odor for stress relief in urban green spaces

As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are experiencing increased stress and anxiety. Although social distancing is in practice, most recommendations say it’s still okay to take a walk outside (just keep your distance from others!). In fact, spending time in nature can help reduce stress. Researchers examined how sights, smells, and sounds affect stress recovery in urban natural areas.

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Environmental ScienceHuman Exposure and Public Health
Riley Lovejoy

Bats, Immunity, and COVID-19

Did you know that bats could help us fight human viral infections? Believe it or not, bats are incredible at staying well when infected by viruses! By studying how their immune systems respond to infection, researchers may be able to find new ways to help treat human diseases.

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EcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Sarah Shainker

T.G.I…M.? Why Wildlife Wants Your Vacation to End Sooner

When the workweek ends and the weekend arrives, many people leave their office life to visit the great outdoors. From birdwatching to biking, spending time in nature may be a positive experience for you, but your presence may make the animals living in the natural spaces you visit on the weekend wish it was Monday already.

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Environmental Science
Andrew Abraham

Wild Animals Fertilise Wild Ecosystems

Humanity is currently grappling with the breakdown of both our climate and biodiversity systems. The collective impact of animals in fertilising ecosystems across the world links these crises and offers (some) hope.

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ClimateEcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Jackie Webb

Double trouble: how floods after bushfire affect the health of our rivers

Between Christmas 2019 and the  2020 New Year, forested mountain ranges across drought-stricken areas in Eastern Australia came alight, with fires ravaging 11 million hectares of bush (Eucalyptus woodlands and rainforests) – a size comparable to England’s land area. These megafires threw the states of New South Wales and Victoria into a state of emergency. The bushfire crisis took a sudden turn when heavy rainfall flooded the scorched land in the span of just two weeks. Unfortunately, while rainfall might appear to be a blessing in light of the megafires, the resulting floods were ultimately not sweet relief for rivers. 

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EcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Brianne Palmer

What Smokey the Bear didn’t know about invasive species

Fires are increasing across the United States and researchers are looking to weed out the one of the culprits — invasive grasses. Using information from fires and non-native grass invasion across the country, researchers from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst set out to determine if invasive grasses increase the number of fires across the United States. Of the twelve grass species analyzed, 66% increased fire frequency, adding another layer to the complexity of managing wildfires. As individuals we can help halt this “grass-fire cycle” by reducing the spread of invasive grasses and human-caused sparks.

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EcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Connor Rosenblatt

Macadamia Farmers Going Nuts Over Birds and Bats

Removing natural vegetation around farms may keep crop predators such as monkeys off farms, but it also can keep away beneficial species of birds and bats that eat common insect pests. Do the services provided by birds and bats outweigh the disservices from monkeys? Researchers ventured into macadamia orchards to try and crack open the answer.

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ClimateEcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Christina M. Marvin

A Race against Climate Change: Predatory Arctic Shorebirds vs Insect Prey

What happens when one organism in a food chain adapts to climate disruption faster than another one? Prey is disappearing for some predators and species decline might be the result.

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