environmental science research for everyone
Humans and animals have long shared the space, food, and resources in their shared ecosystems. They have also shared diseases. Recent research conducted through the One Health prism suggests that diseases previously not known to be zoonotic are finding animal hosts.
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Understanding COVID-19 cannot be accomplished through strictly human medicine or research. The One Health approach advocates for a cooperative effort toward improving healthcare, and is especially relevant in the context of zoonotic (animal derived) diseases, such as the current pandemic.
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So you are a passionate conservation activist distracted in the time of global pandemic- perhaps you haven’t had the mental space to prioritize biodiversity protection in your ever growing laundry list of pressing societal issues. What if I told you that the preservation of biodiversity could have the potential to check off a few items on that list- including disease impact? Read on to hear how science has worked tirelessly to determine if diversity can actually “dilute” disease in a variety of organisms, ending with a new comprehensive study that looks at this effect in plants.
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Wildfire smoke contains harmful compounds known to negatively impact human health. New research suggests wildfire smoke exposure could contribute to an increased number of deaths in Washington State, and raises interesting questions about public health as climate change threatens to increase the size, frequency, intensity, and duration of wildfires in the state.
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Green spaces in cities do wonders for our health, but what types of green spaces are best? A recent study found that people tend to experience greater happiness in parks with a high diversity of bird species. This helps inform city planners that when designing parks, trying to maximize bird life should be a high priority.
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“The need for public education about bats, including their positive and negative impacts, is urgent and vital to their conservation.” (Zhao 2020)
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Air quality affects how healthy our lungs are going into a pandemic, and that can change your outcome if you’re infected by the virus.
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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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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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Personal fitness trackers are all the rage, and their ease of use enables people to keep an eye on not only their physical activity, but their general fitness and wellness. What if you could use the same convenient method as a Fitbit to measure a type of environmental fitness like air quality?
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