Growing safe drinking water: from the ground up
The Privilege of clean drinking water It’s easy to take for granted the availability of clean, safe water at the
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Human Exposure and Public Health
Measuring who our carbon footprint landing on
Who is impacted most by climate change? While most environmental carbon originates in the developed world, most of the immediate effects are being felt by those in developing or least developed countries. Could describing climate change in a human frame be the key to mobilizing mitigation action? Researchers use new data sets to assess the flood risk of a previously unexplored population of vulnerable communities living in river deltas around the world.
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Identifying the Urban Populations in Africa at Risk for Malaria from a New Vector
Malaria continues to ravage many parts of the world, particularly in rural sub-Saharan Africa. A recently detected outbreak of malaria in urban areas has now been traced to an invasive species of mosquito from Asia. This species, A. stephensi, thrives in urban settings and its presence in Africa considerably increases the populations that are now at risk of contracting malaria.
Read moreCan I get COVID from my cat…’s fleas??
Reference: Villar, M., Fernández de Mera, I.G., Artigas-Jerónimo, S. et al. Coronavirus in cat flea: findings and questions regarding COVID-19.
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Sharks on Camera: Can Drones Be Used to Prevent Shark Attacks?
Sharks are an important part of marine ecosystems, but they often have a bad reputation because of an increasing frequency of shark attacks. Traditional methods of deterring sharks are harmful to sharks and other marine animals, so environmental managers are starting to use methods of shark detection to keep beachgoers safe. A team of researchers studied the effectiveness of using drones to detect sharks in an effort to decrease shark attacks.
Read moreEmerging Environmental Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Good and Bad
As the COVID-19 pandemic scourges the planet, research and other efforts have focused on the human toll of the virus. Recent research has begun shedding light on the effects of COVID-19 on the environment. At first glance, these effects seem beneficial. However, many negative consequences also loom, particularly in the long-term.
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Rich bird, poor bird: urban street trees support native birds across a socioeconomic gradient
If you’ve jumped on the bird-watching bandwagon to pass time during the pandemic or tuned in to #BlackBirdersWeek, you might have a new-found awareness of the birds outside your window or in your local park. What you may not have noticed is that urban birding experiences can differ greatly among neighborhoods.
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April Showers Bring… Allergies
Depending on where you live, springtime pollen allergies can be as reliable as April showers. Researchers at the University of Iowa have found that even though rain might decrease the pollen count, it can still exacerbate pollen allergies, due to an increase in grain rupture.
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A way forward: an ecological hypothesis to understand and predict disease spillover events
It is critical that we understand all of the pieces of spillover events so that they can be predicted and ideally prevented. Scientists at Auburn University recently considered the two main hypotheses for spillover, and asked how do pathogens with the potential to spillover from wildlife to humans arise in damaged or altered landscapes?
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COVID-19 Watch: Wastewater Edition
The COVID-19 global pandemic has changed the world as we know it. As a society, this pathogenic virus presents challenges not only in preventing its spread and treating its victims, but also in monitoring its growth and/or decline throughout the population. In this study, researchers discuss utilizing wastewater as a possible pathway for tracking the presence/evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen in residential areas.
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