environmental science research for everyone
Unhealthy foods are a major cause of several human diseases today. The harm caused by such foods to human health is well known. Recent research shows that some of the unhealthiest foods may also be the most damaging to the environment.
Read more
No one doubts that breathing is essential for human life. But when the air you inhale is tainted with pollutants, that life-giving breath could have unintended, negative consequences for your health later in life. A new study explores whether there might be an association between long-term exposure to air pollution and the development of dementia.
Read more
Ebola has transcended science and medicine to become a modern day term of panic. Though its effects on the body are well known, its effects on personal, familial, and societal activities like food are less clear. Emerging research shows the long-term and even permanent effects of this deadly disease on food and nutrition in Sierra Leone, one of the worst-hit areas during the 2013-2016 Ebola oubreak.
Read more
Replacing fossil fuel electricity generation with renewable technologies has measurable benefits to human health and the climate. Researchers recently developed a simulation tool that reveals benefits are higher in certain regions of the US than others. Read more to see where deploying renewables would have the biggest impact!
Read more
PFAS chemicals, nicknamed “forever chemicals” can be found in many places and can persist for a long time. What does science tell us about its effects on humans? A university in Australia conducted a large review to answer this question.
Read more
Nuclear alarm bells rang loudly in 2017 when sensors all around Europe detected sudden increases of a potent radioactive substance in the air. There were no known nuclear-related incidents or accidents at the time. This is the story of how a multi-national team worked together to monitor, analyze, and finally pinpoint the source of this still-undeclared release of radioactive material.
Read more
Climate change is scary. Michigan researchers are empowering their community to prepare for it by predicting how extreme heat and precipitation events may impact public health in the future. Policy makers can use these findings to protect the most vulnerable members of the community!
Read more
When covered in widely used insect repellent DEET, a mosquito’s mouth thinks you are good enough to eat. But their legs would beg to differ. A recent study by scientist at Rockefeller University finally explains why DEET is the most effective bug repellent.
Read more
Aldo Leopold stated “One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds.” He meant that those of us with deep connections to the natural environment, whether that be a farmer, fisher, or ecologist, are more aware of declining ecological health. We notice that there are less birds. We notice all the dead turtles along the road. We notice that it hasn’t rained in weeks and all the plants are crying. The unprecedented changes stemming from climate change have gained an increasing amount of people’s attention leading to the formation of the term ecological grief. The verdict is out. Climate change is making many of us depressed.
Read more
Recent harmful algal blooms in the Northeast US have thwarted holiday plans for many lake-goers, and climate change might make such blooms more common. If we could have tighter control on the nutrients flowing into the lake, we may have a chance at preventing blooms in the future.
Read more