Monday, September 25, 2023

envirobites

environmental science research for everyone

Human Exposure and Public Health

Animal behavior Climate Human Exposure and Public Health 

The Clock is TICKing – Tick attachment may increase under climate change

Brandi Pessman 0 Comments , , , ,

Ticks are risk-takers facing a daily dilemma: stay near the damp soil or climb the grass to find a host. Choosing one means losing access to the other. Ticks use weather conditions to inform whether to climb or stay put, but climate change may alter their behavior. Life or death for the tick has huge implications for human and animal health since ticks can transfer diseases with their bite. Click the tick to find out how hotter, more humid days will affect tick behavior.

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Human Exposure and Public Health Remediation 

A New Compound Makes Waves for Oil Spill Clean Up

Andrea Valcarcel 0 Comments , , , , , , , ,

Phase-Selective Organo-WHAT? Scientists are studying complex chemicals called Phase-Selective Organogelators (or PSOGs) to better understand their ability to clean up oil spills. These chemicals create a gel when added, in small quantities, to crude oil. The use of these chemicals could be a game changer when it comes to remediating marine oil spills. It would facilitate the way these disasters are handled, shortening the time it’s left affecting the organisms that live and interact in marine ecosystems

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Animal behavior Human Exposure and Public Health 

Into the Brains of Mosquitoes – Finding out how they find us

Brandi Pessman 0 Comments , , , ,

It’s all fun and games outdoors until mosquitoes crash the party. Female mosquitoes need protein-rich human blood for energy to produce eggs. While an itchy bump follows most bites, some can transfer harmful viruses, like Zika and dengue. Mosquitoes are experts at finding human hosts, and now scientists have discovered how. Mosquito brains may give insights into new strategies to control mosquitoes and the diseases they carry.

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Environmental Science Human Exposure and Public Health 

Disease Vectors and Pests: How Genetically Modified Insects Could Affect the World

Andrea Valcarcel 0 Comments , , , , , ,

Genetic modification is a reality, now more than ever. Yearly, there are more than 2.8 million deaths due to diseases spread by insects. So, what if we genetically modified insects so they don’t pose such a big threat towards human and agricultural health? And what would the long-term outcome be of such modifications? Will the mutations spread uncontrollably through wild populations? Well, that is for us to see and scientists to consider.

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Ecosystems Environmental Science Human Exposure and Public Health 

Freshwater ecosystems need our help, and citizen science could be part of the solution

Etienne Herrick 0 Comments , ,

Freshwater resources around the globe are becoming increasingly degraded. Although humans are a major cause of this problem, they can also be part of the solution, especially when we all work together to tackle environmental issues. One way we can do this is through citizen science, where scientists and members of the public work together to perform research and advance scientific knowledge. Read on to learn more about freshwater citizen science, its benefits and challenges, and how you can get involved!

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