The year is 2019 – before the pandemic, the good old times when climate change was the only existential threat we faced. A paper was published by a research group in Switzerland on the carbon mitigation potential of planting trees. The paper stated that there are enough non-forested, non-urban, and non-cropland areas on Earth to
Before it was mixed into your morning coffee, sugar had deep roots— literally. Unlike humans who rely on food for energy, plants can’t eat food to grow. Instead, plants have to make their own food in the form of sugar. If you’ve ever baked cookies or added sugar to your coffee, you’ve likely used table
Stretching over 438,000 acres, the Okefenokee Swamp is the largest blackwater wetland ecosystem on the North American continent. It is protected by the largest national wildlife refuge and the third largest wilderness area, respectively, east of the Mississippi River. The swamp is home to over 850 plant species and over 400 vertebrate species, many of
If you want to travel somewhere to reconnect with nature and learn about ancient history, go to Mexico City. South of this metropolitan city is 22,000 acres of “floating gardens” interconnected by an intricate water canal system. These floating gardens, known as chinampas, are an ancient Mesoamerican agricultural practice that is still used today. At
If you’ve spent a significant amount of time on the South campus of the University of Georgia, you’ve probably heard talk of the “Warnowl,” and maybe even seen it once or twice. Students have affectionately awarded this name to the barred owl that frequents the trees surrounding the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
Ask a shelter worker what’s the most difficult moment in their job. In an open-admission, municipal shelter, you’re likely to get one answer- euthanasia. When a vivid life sits in front of you with its bright, shiny eyes, ending it with your own hands is one of the toughest things for any human being. The
The next time you and your friends share some fries, impress them with some knowledge on your favorite side dish. They’ll be amazed to learn that potato is the world’s third most consumed food crop and America’s favorite vegetable (according to the US Department of Agriculture). Strangely enough though, potatoes haven’t always been a fan
If you have ever driven on a rural road, you have likely seen flowers in small patches of land on the roadside. While it is easy to write these habitat patches off as “just some on the roadside,” they actually serve as some of the last remnants of the American prairie. Before the colonization of
For the first time in two decades, stargazers across the southern United States have been dazzled by colorful, undulating waves of light in the night sky. These so-called Northern Lights are vibrant displays of the interaction between electrons and ions emitted by the Sun and the Earth’s upper atmosphere. While this interaction usually occurs closer
We are heavily entwined with forests. The structure of your house is likely southern pine. The package you ordered in the mail is encased in wood pulp. The stuff that makes your toothpaste thick is cellulose from wood. We rely on trees as a renewable resource for our daily activities and well-being. However, our
The numbers are in, and it’s official: we are losing the fight to save the many endangered species on our planet. Despite a growing number of global voices highlighting the importance of preserving biodiversity to worldwide human health and food security, the WWF’s Living Planet Report 2022 estimated we’ve lost 69% of monitored wildlife populations,
“Pueblo Revolt 1680” by Loren Mozley. Public Domain. The horse is thought of as a symbol of the American West, but when and how domesticated horses arrived has been a matter of controversy. Lakota oral histories described the arrival of the horse occurring prior to the arrival of the Spanish colonizers. However, the Spanish (and
