Politics & Policy – Athens Science Observer

To Kill or Not to Kill: a Surprisingly Difficult Call

Jane Huang — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 15:41:45 +0000

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 …

To Kill or Not to Kill: a Surprisingly Difficult Call Read More »

How climate change makes trees sicker

Simone Lim-Hing — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:51:42 +0000

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 …

How climate change makes trees sicker Read More »

A Tale Of Two Shelterbelts

Guppy Stott — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 16:15:00 +0000

For decades, climate scientists have highlighted concerns about climate change caused by greenhouse gasses emitted by humans (through fossil fuel use as well as refrigerants). While reducing greenhouse gas emissions would solve the crisis, there is a lack of political will, particularly in the United States, which prevents significant progress towards meeting goals set by …

A Tale Of Two Shelterbelts Read More »

Getting SAFER with Space Waste

Sahana Parker — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 13:00:00 +0000

When the International Space Station (ISS) reaches the end of its lifespan in 2031, where will it go? No options for major recycling exist in outer space, so when a spacecraft is decommissioned, there are only three “trash cans” available. The first is a so-called “graveyard orbit,” where spacecraft are blasted away from Earth into …

Getting SAFER with Space Waste Read More »

Our Water, Our Health in Rural Appalachia

Jessica Fabbricatore — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 19:08:01 +0000

West Virginia is home to the newest national park, New River Gorge, known for its world class white water rafting. It is also home to some of the worst drinking water in the United States. The juxtaposition of the two could not be more clear. Old habits die hard, and in a state where an …

Our Water, Our Health in Rural Appalachia Read More »

Long term ecological research is our crystal ball

Inam Jameel — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0000

How might climate change affect the environment in 50 or 100 years? To even begin to answer this pressing question, we need work that can accurately describe changes in the environment to predict the future. Long term ecological research (abbreviated as LTER), describes studies interested in environmental processes that last for at least one year …

Long term ecological research is our crystal ball Read More »

The Injustice of Texas Senate Bill 8

Melanie Merritt — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 01:06:17 +0000

On September 1st, 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott passed Senate Bill 8 (SB8) which bans abortion after the first signs of fetal heartbeat. There are no exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape, sexual abuse, or incest. Texas legislators claim that 6 weeks is plenty of time to get an abortion. However, this is not accurate …

The Injustice of Texas Senate Bill 8 Read More »

Addressing bullying in STEM: a call for UGA to empower trainees

Ale Villegas — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 13:51:05 +0000

Bullying in academia Bullying continues to be a problem in academia. A recent global survey showed that 59% and 84% of participants either witnessed or experienced abusive supervision behaviors, respectively. Bullying in academia is difficult to address because a power differential exists within the mentor-mentee relationship. Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers (both referred to as …

Addressing bullying in STEM: a call for UGA to empower trainees Read More »

Starve not the goose that lays the golden egg: The importance of federally funded research

Inam Jameel — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 16:35:36 +0000

What do frog skin, horseshoe crab blood, and a llama named Winter all have in common? All three were part of studies that have been awarded Golden Goose awards, a designation given to strange sounding but ground-breaking federally funded research. Frog skin was used in experiments to determine the mechanism underlying cholera and directly led …

Starve not the goose that lays the golden egg: The importance of federally funded research Read More »

Biases in STEM: Gender Discrimination Affects UGA Faculty

Alaina O'Regan — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 00:04:40 +0000

â€œI think my career was negatively impacted by being a woman,â€ said Ellen Neidle, professor of microbiology at the University of Georgia (UGA), who has a doctorate in molecular, developmental, and cellular biology. â€œI always thought that women could do everything. It was a pretty big shock to me when I first realized that wasn't …

Biases in STEM: Gender Discrimination Affects UGA Faculty Read More »

How private companies light up our night sky

Sahana Parker — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 18:00:45 +0000

In late 2019, astronomers across the U.S. began to notice mysterious streaks of light passing through their imagesâ€”clusters of the private company SpaceX's Starlink satellites. With 955 of these satellites launched so far, founder Elon Musk aims to create a â€œmega-constellationâ€ of satellites in the low Earth orbit (LEO), designed to provide global broadband Internet …

How private companies light up our night sky Read More »

In defense of trees and those who cut them

Colton Meinecke — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 13:00:00 +0000

Trees have received a lot of press lately. As wildfires tore through forests worldwide, President Donald Trump blamed the devastation on poor forest management. Meanwhile, the United States formalized a commitment to planting trees to restore our climate. The world's governments and scientists are grappling with how we both protect and manage forests. What should …

In defense of trees and those who cut them Read More »

To be genetically illiterate in the genomic age

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 21:44:22 +0000

What if I told you that the source code, or genomes, for many living organisms is available for free online? Would it surprise you? As of today, all genomes created by public funds are accessible to anyone in the world. Anyone with internet access, and a little bit of curiosity, can access tomes of genetic …

To be genetically illiterate in the genomic age Read More »

Lost in Translation

athenssciencecafe — Fri, 31 May 2019 15:24:19 +0000

The year is 2019; the place, your local grocery store. You, the unwary consumer, wander the aisles on your weekly shopping excursion. Reaching for the milk, you hesitate; “non-GMO” is emblazoned across one milk carton. Meanwhile another label holds no such distinction. It does not assure you, the consumer, that its contents are free of …

Lost in Translation Read More »

Men control the reproductive rights of plants too

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 02 May 2019 11:19:01 +0000

When confronted with the imprecise notion of â€œsustainabilityâ€ in agriculture, most people's thoughts drift to ideas of ecologically-mindful land management practices. I'll dub these concepts â€œthe classicsâ€: rotate your crops, use less fertilizer and pesticides, always employ cover cropping. While these ideas are not wrong, they are incomplete in that they tend to omit some …

Men control the reproductive rights of plants too Read More »

Science Behind Bars: A Bioethics Case Study

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 12:29:44 +0000

The “salt wars” have been raging for decades, with medical science still embroiled over whether there is a direct link between sodium consumption and heart disease. Last year, a group of researchers published an editorial in an American Heart Association journal proposing a way to finally get to the bottom of this; in the process, …

Science Behind Bars: A Bioethics Case Study Read More »

Oil Wells in the River of Grass

athenssciencecafe — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 19:43:28 +0000

“Here are no lofty peaks seeking the sky, no mighty glaciers or rushing streams wearing away the uplifted land. Here is land, tranquil in its quiet beauty, serving not as the source of water, but as the last receiver of it. To its natural abundance we owe the spectacular plant and animal life that distinguishes …

Oil Wells in the River of Grass Read More »

Genetic Privacy

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:52:12 +0000

As dust settles in the wake of the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, people around the world are rapidly awakening to the power and value of their personal data. Information collected through social media about your favorite music or your choices on an online quiz contributes to an ever-growing mass of data about you that …

Genetic Privacy Read More »

Crowd-funded Dams

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 17:04:16 +0000

Infrastructure development is a major issue in many countries of the developing world. Countries with developing economies often suffer from a negative balance of trade and weak institutions, making lenders unwilling to lend. Governments of these countries are forced to borrow with heavy interest rates, further increasing budget deficits. This cyclical economic problem …

Crowd-funded Dams Read More »

A Warmer Climate Means Stronger Hurricanes

Max Barnhart — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 19:48:20 +0000

The start of the 2018 hurricane season and recent presidential controversy have brought hurricanes back into the public eye. The first major hurricane of the 2018 season, Hurricane Florence, made landfall the morning of Friday, September 14th on the Atlantic coast of the Carolinas. To date, Florence has caused an estimated $38 to $50 billion …

A Warmer Climate Means Stronger Hurricanes Read More »

Social Insurance: Holes in the Safety Net

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 16:56:31 +0000

This article is part of an opinion editorial series on topics under the umbrella of Social Insurance. Topics have been chosen based on common gaps in knowledge of Social Insurance. Part 1 of this series is on the topic of the social safety net and some groups that fall through its holes. The social safety …

Social Insurance: Holes in the Safety Net Read More »

Your Latest [Artificial] Intelligence Report

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 13:11:40 +0000

With the technology introduction of the personal assistant Siri and the promise of a completely self-driving car from Tesla soon, artificial intelligence (AI) is radically changing the modern world. AI is an umbrella term to describe advancements that allow machines to learn from experience, adjust to new inputs, and perform human-like tasks. AI learns and …

Your Latest [Artificial] Intelligence Report Read More »

Maternity Care (Or Rather Lack Thereof) in STEM

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 13:59:34 +0000

In recent decades, we have seen an increase in women holding STEM related careers. Today, 25% of workers in STEM fields are female. It is time to begin the conversation on how policies, whether at the institute level or federal level, are going to affect our growing workforce of women. Although reliant on the growing …

Maternity Care (Or Rather Lack Thereof) in STEM Read More »

Major Red Tide Hits Florida Beaches

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 19:35:54 +0000

Red Tide: Swimming not recommended. Shellfish harvest closed. Signs, such as in the associated picture, can be seen at many of Florida’s Gulf Coast Beaches due to a red tide. An excess of toxic microscopic algae in the water is causing a hazard to wildlife, human health, and local businesses. While the current bloom of …

Major Red Tide Hits Florida Beaches Read More »

Bioterrorism & Chemical Weapons: Part 1

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 00:26:24 +0000

Smallpox blankets given to Native Americans. Gas chambers in concentration camps. Chemical weapons in the Syrian War. Russian spies poisoned by a nerve agent. What do these have in common? Each weaponizes chemical or biological agents. With today's strained political and foreign affairs climate, there is an ever-looming possibility of war and the use of …

Bioterrorism & Chemical Weapons: Part 1 Read More »

Double Take of Ban the Bottle: FOR

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 13:01:08 +0000

This piece is part of a â€œDouble Takeâ€, where two parties argue on either side of a premise. A writer does not necessarily share the view they are arguing; instead, this is an exercise to fully flesh out a discussion. The premise: â€œSingle-serve, plastic water bottles should be banned in the United States.â€ I am …

Double Take of Ban the Bottle: FOR Read More »

Double Take of Ban the Bottle: AGAINST

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 13:00:06 +0000

Double Take of Ban the Bottle: AGAINST Read More »

Science Advising: Shaping Our Past, Present, and Future

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 20:44:39 +0000

Kelvin Droegemeier– you may be wondering why the internet has suddenly exploded with information about this man. Dr. Droegemeier was recently appointed to the prestigious position of Director of the Office of Science Technology and Policy (OSTP) under the Trump Administration. As OSTP Director (otherwise known as the President's Science Advisor), Dr. Droegemeier will be …

Science Advising: Shaping Our Past, Present, and Future Read More »

Know Yourself, Know Your Supreme Court Justice Nominee

athenssciencecafe — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 15:36:36 +0000

On June 27th, 2018 current Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy submitted his letter of retirement to President Trump, to go into effect after July 31st. On Monday, July 9th, President Trump announced his 1st nominee for the second Supreme Court seat to be filled during his presidential term: Brett Kavanaugh. In response, many are eagerly …

Know Yourself, Know Your Supreme Court Justice Nominee Read More »

End of Net Neutrality is Inevitable, but Open Access is Not

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 14:14:51 +0000

Whether you're checking your Gmail or streaming the finale of Handmaid's Tale, your Internet usage is treated equally by the companies that have built the infrastructure of the internet, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), like Comcast and AT&T. This is broadly called net neutrality. However, net neutrality cannot be preserved in its current form. The Federal …

End of Net Neutrality is Inevitable, but Open Access is Not Read More »

A Tariff-ible Policy

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 00:41:46 +0000

There's an old joke that goes something like this: teach a parrot to say â€˜supply and demand' and you've created an economist. And, honestly, there is some truth to this common trope; after all, economics is not called the â€˜dismal science' for no reason. However, even with all the criticisms, the economic laws of supply …

A Tariff-ible Policy Read More »

Do These Genes Make My Butt Look Big?

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 15:45:33 +0000

Today's chickens are bigger than ever before, which raises the question â€“ how did we do that? Over the years, companies have selected chickens with the healthiest growth and size for breeding, to help them get the best start possible. Understandably,food animal production is an emotionally-charged topic, and with conflicting information readily available online …

Do These Genes Make My Butt Look Big? Read More »

NSF Says #Metoo

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 01:51:45 +0000

Title IX of the Education Amendments was signed into law in 1972, but only recently has begun to achieve its intended purpose: to ensure justice for sexual harassment and assault victims in academia. For decades, institutions have been able to protect their reputation through twisting the use of Title IX to play their own detective, …

NSF Says #Metoo Read More »

Right To Try, A Legislative Placebo

athenssciencecafe — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 17:58:58 +0000

On May 30th President Trump signed the â€œRight to Try Actâ€ into law. This legislation lets terminally ill patients try experimental medications that have completed Phase 1 clinical trial testing but have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On the surface, this legislation seems like a victory for patients without …

Right To Try, A Legislative Placebo Read More »

When water becomes dangerous: pollution in the Smokies and beyond

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 06 Jun 2018 15:30:53 +0000

During the summer, I love to visit the Smoky Mountains to enjoy the fresh mountain air and to get away from the pressures of life. However, on a recent trip, I ran into a surprising fact on a small placard: the Smokies have the highest deposits of sulfur and nitrogen of any monitored national park. …

When water becomes dangerous: pollution in the Smokies and beyond Read More »

W(H+)AT’S IN YOUR WATER, ATHENS?

athenssciencecafe — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 15:11:27 +0000

Cover photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121935927@N06/13579500953/ Water is something we all use every day in Athens. We shower with it, brush our teeth with it, water our gardens with it, and of course, we drink our tap water, too. Most of us don’t even think twice about taking a drink from our taps, but at the same time, …

W(H+)AT’S IN YOUR WATER, ATHENS? Read More »

Modern Day Eugenics

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 22:18:59 +0000

Throughout all of my training as a geneticist, I've never been taught about the original Eugenics Movement. What is Eugenics and why does it sound so familiar? The definition that I've found that best describes Eugenics is by Edward Larson in his book, Sex, Race, and Science: â€œEugenics is that science which studies the inborn …

Modern Day Eugenics Read More »

Science Policy: Bridging the Gap on the Hill

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 16:02:00 +0000

Science plays an important role in our society. It answers many of the questions we encounter on a daily basis. Science allows us to send texts and pictures, and operate dozens of apps on our cellphones with just a swipe of the finger. We don't have to wonder if we should grab an umbrella today …

Science Policy: Bridging the Gap on the Hill Read More »

A Matter of Milkweed

athenssciencecafe — Sun, 25 Dec 2016 12:00:38 +0000

The Real Ultra-marathoners Pause for a minute and think about how far you travel in a day. The average American walks around 2.5 miles each day. If you are an ultra-marathoner you might cover up to 100 at most. As a runner myself, the furthest I've run at one time is somewhere around 16 miles. …

A Matter of Milkweed Read More »

Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree – How Threatened Are Thy Branches

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 17:56:10 +0000

â€˜Tis the season for one of my favorite holiday traditions: selecting and decorating a Christmas tree. This annual holiday festivity became popular and widely adopted worldwide in the late 18th century as people started displaying ornately decorated evergreen conifer species (i.e. pines, spruces, firs) in their homes. Although the Christmas tree tradition now includes fake …

Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree – How Threatened Are Thy Branches Read More »

Pickled Pools: Briney Ecosystems

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 21:12:45 +0000

Often the ocean can look idyllic and inviting on the surface. Exploration of the sea floor, however, shows a harsh and unforgiving place. The Gulf of Mexico brine pools investigated by Erik Cordes and his colleagues are a model example. Subject to salinity more than four times the amount of normal seawater, and full of …

Pickled Pools: Briney Ecosystems Read More »

Bangladesh's Battle with Arsenic

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:06:01 +0000

Arsenic was a favorite poison among murderers for a long time because of its lack of odor and taste, and until the mid-19th century it could not be detected in corpses. Large quantities of arsenic can kill a person very quickly. However, a risk faced by millions of people every day is the slow and …

Bangladesh's Battle with Arsenic Read More »

Where have all the songbirds gone?

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:30:23 +0000

I love nothing more than waking on a summer's day to the sound of bird songs outside my window. If you read my last post on bird language, this should be no surprise. The piercing sirens of mated cardinal pairs, the churring of chickadees, the sweet murmurs of cedar waxwingsâ€”all of these are music to …

Where have all the songbirds gone? Read More »

Pipe Dreams

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 22:26:44 +0000

Let's face it, we all love our oil. In fact, â€œaddictedâ€ may be a more appropriate word than â€œlove.â€ The stuff practically runs through our veins alongside the caffeine and nicotine. We use oil, directly or indirectly, every single day. It heats our homes. It fuels our cars. It is our consumer lifeblood. To the …

Pipe Dreams Read More »

The United Nations Declares War on Superbugs

athenssciencecafe — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 18:13:37 +0000

With the constant news of terror attacks, devastating civil wars, or even just political debates, our world seems irreconcilably divided. So when there is a problem so large that 193 countries agree to fight it together, you know it must be bad. The giant problem the UN General Assembly addressed this year at a High-Level …

The United Nations Declares War on Superbugs Read More »

Why are Eggplants so Controversial? A Look at the New GM Crop in Bangladesh

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 02:16:55 +0000

Mohammed Hafizur Rahmen is a Bangladeshi eggplant farmer who owns a single acre north of the country's capital Dhaka. Until recently, he spent two days a week every growing season spraying his crops with a toxic pesticide to ward off the â€œfruit and shoot borerâ€, a caterpillar-like pest that decimates crops throughout Asia. Despite frequent …

Why are Eggplants so Controversial? A Look at the New GM Crop in Bangladesh Read More »

Can we SCIENCE! our way out of climate change?

athenssciencecafe — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 19:02:27 +0000

Climate change is happening. What should we do about it? With climate change, we can expect serious consequences, including destruction of coastal communities by sea level rise, increased frequency of deadly heat waves, and worsening of crop-decimating draughts. Many of us have been hearing the same story for years: we need to cut carbon emissions …

Can we SCIENCE! our way out of climate change? Read More »

Holy mackerel! Pollution has startling effects on nearby wildlife

athenssciencecafe — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 18:10:21 +0000

If you've ever watched an episode of the X-Files (or you're a self-proclaimed super fan, like myself) you might have been intrigued by the idea of spooky biological abnormalities creeping into cheesy 90's culture. The show often features frightening hybrid creatures born out of profound human error such as the â€œFlukeman,â€ a human/worm monster, a …

Holy mackerel! Pollution has startling effects on nearby wildlife Read More »

The Price of Life: The Rising Cost of Epipens

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 04:26:17 +0000

It was a typical Christmas for mom Colleen and her family. Everybody was sitting around the living room and enjoying the day. All of a sudden, Colleen's young son Ciaran started to wheeze. Knowing that Ciaran had a severe nut allergy, Colleen scooped him up and hurried to the kitchen. She grabbed an EpiPen and …

The Price of Life: The Rising Cost of Epipens Read More »

The More You Know: Presidential Candidates’ Answers to Science Policy Questions

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 15:29:01 +0000

by Natalie Eldredge The White House, Washington, D.C. by Diego Cambiaso Here's why you should be paying attention to the latest presidential campaign news: whether you hate or love politics, the outcomes of our elections have very real impacts on all of our lives. To catch up on the most recent comments by both candidates, …

The More You Know: Presidential Candidates’ Answers to Science Policy Questions Read More »

Shake a Leg! Or a Branch…The Movement of Trees Under Climate Change

athenssciencecafe — Sun, 25 Sep 2016 19:43:48 +0000

Florida torreya's (Torreya taxifolia) current habitats are threatened by climate change. The Torreya Guardians, a self-organized group of scientists and informed citizens, took it upon themselves in 2008 to move this tree species to new, suitable habitats north of its native range. This was the first assisted migration of an endangered species in the United …

Shake a Leg! Or a Branch…The Movement of Trees Under Climate Change Read More »

The World's Largest Lake is at Stake

athenssciencecafe — Sun, 25 Sep 2016 16:00:00 +0000

Why is the world's largest body of freshwater (by volume), Lake Baikal, currently in danger and why does it matter so much? It is known for its unmatched biodiversity and happens to hold 20% of the world's freshwater. This impressive combination certainly makes it worthy of global attention. To better understand what's at stake, let's …

The World's Largest Lake is at Stake Read More »

Combating Climate Change with Photosynthesis

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 14:36:32 +0000

Fossil fuels are ingrained in American history. If you have ever driven a car, flown in an airplane, or heated your home, you have used fossil fuels. These fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) account for 85% of fuel use in the United States, and our dependence on them has become an increasingly important issue. …

Combating Climate Change with Photosynthesis Read More »

Innocents Lost: Mitigating severe malaria in children & pregnant women through anticoagulation

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 22:21:44 +0000

Will my baby be healthy? How can I protect it? Is my child safe? For the 125 million pregnant women at risk of contracting malaria there is no need to imagine, this is the reality they face everyday — Tara Bracken Winner of the 2016 University of Georgia 3 Minute Thesis, Tara Bracken speaks about …

Innocents Lost: Mitigating severe malaria in children & pregnant women through anticoagulation Read More »

Them Old Sweet Ones: Remembering and Reintroducing the American Chestnut

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 19:01:25 +0000

â€œWhen you turned off Chestnut Grove Road towards the school, you went up another little road, and there were chestnut trees all up that road,â€ then 87-year-old Margaret Miller tells me while we sit sipping ice tea at her formica kitchen table in Meat Camp, North Carolina. â€œIn the fall, if you got along first …

Them Old Sweet Ones: Remembering and Reintroducing the American Chestnut Read More »

The science behind fighting elephant poaching

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 12 May 2016 23:11:44 +0000

I was always dimly aware of elephant poaching for ivory, but it didn't alarm me until I spent a year working as a tropical ecology research assistant in central Africa. I was in Gabon, a heavily forested small country in the heart of the Congo basin on Africa's west coast. Gabon is home to roughly …

The science behind fighting elephant poaching Read More »

Food Waste in the 21st Century

athenssciencecafe — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 18:22:39 +0000

In 2012, food waste was the most abundant kind of waste produced in America (see chart below), beating even plastic and paper. This has led the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to choose food recovery as their theme for this year's Earth Week. Food waste affects multiple areas of the environment. Wasting food means wasting our …

Food Waste in the 21st Century Read More »

Nuclear fallout or nuclear bailout: could nuclear power help save us from climate change?

athenssciencecafe — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 14:00:35 +0000

In December, the US and 194 other countries signed the Paris Agreement, vowing to work together to prevent worldwide temperatures from rising 2 degrees C (3.6 °F) above pre-industrial levels. Temperatures have already risen 0.8 °C (1.4 °F), and the planet is warming at approximately 0.15 – 0.20 °C per decade. Preventing further rises in …

Nuclear fallout or nuclear bailout: could nuclear power help save us from climate change? Read More »

Lions and Tigers, and Orcas! Oh my!

athenssciencecafe — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 19:45:35 +0000

â€œFor more than 50 years, we have been a leading theme park and entertainment company delivering personal, interactive and educational experiences that blend imagination with nature and enable our guests to celebrate, connect with and care for the natural world we share.â€ -SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment When you think of SeaWorld, what comes to mind? …

Lions and Tigers, and Orcas! Oh my! Read More »

Degradable Polymers: Plastics our Future Can Depend On

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 16:57:35 +0000

Consumer plastics is an immense industry, with over 200 million tons produced annually. Of these plastics, 22-43% end up in a landfill, where they sit, inert, slowly breaking down into small particles that enter the environment and interfere in the life cycles of many animals, especially aquatic creatures like fish and zooplankton. This negatively impacts …

Degradable Polymers: Plastics our Future Can Depend On Read More »

What's the cost? Predicting the consequences of climate change

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 17:49:38 +0000

If you're wondering whether Earth's temperatures are rising, or whether people are responsible for global warming, then check out Hilde’s previous posts on climate change. Would global warming be really all that bad? We associate wintertime weather with unpleasantries like halting the agricultural growing season, overflowing of homeless shelters, and imperiling drivers. What will happen if …

What's the cost? Predicting the consequences of climate change Read More »

From lead to climate change: a long tradition of denialism

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 02:31:16 +0000

Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence (see previous ASO blogs on the subject, like the ones found here and here), climate change is still regularly denied by a rather large proportion of the U.S. population. Much of this denial may be traced back to certain groups and interests that benefit from the government and other players …

From lead to climate change: a long tradition of denialism Read More »

Thanks Obama! What Obamacare Has Done For Chronic Illnesses

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 03:47:33 +0000

Our current healthcare system is famously inefficient at addressing the problem of chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and being overweight. According to the CDC, 75% of all healthcare expenditures go toward treating mostly preventable chronic diseases. That adds up to a total of $225 billion spent per year. Aware of these huge numbers, our …

Thanks Obama! What Obamacare Has Done For Chronic Illnesses Read More »