Environment

The small genetic quirk that could help us fight biodiversity loss

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,

It actually isn’t that weird to see grey squirrels in the winter

Close your eyes and imagine the first snowfall in a forest from your favorite film. What are the wildlife doing? What are they preparing for? Now fast forward to the first day of spring: when all the snow melts, the grass grows greener, and the pink flowers immediately blossom. What are the wildlife doing now?

The Dark Past of Yaupon Tea, and What Genetics Can Do To Brighten Its Future

Whether you drink coffee, tea, or both, it’s hard to deny that we live in a caffeine culture. In 2021 alone, Americans drank over 62 billion servings of tea, and over 60% of Americans drink coffee every day. With such high numbers, tea (and especially coffee) industries are straining to keep people’s daily kick on

Air conditioning units, Rose Street North Lane

Cooling just got cooler

As we head into Georgia’s hot and humid summers, you might find yourself chilling in an air-conditioned room, or reaching out to your fridge for a cold beverage. But have you ever thought about how these appliances might be heating up our planet?  Refrigeration is integral to our modern lives, affecting everything from household food

The damage of traditional lawns and what you can do to help

When I think about the suburban USA the main image that comes to mind is a bright, prim, proper, and trimmed yard with fresh turf and maybe a berm with a rose bush. However, in recent years, there has been a push to move away from these cookie-cutter landscapes and toward a more natural or

A Night on Sea Turtle Patrol in Costa Rica

I spent last summer far from Athens, Georgia, as an intern at the Caño Palma Biological Station in Costa Rica. A small station nestled in the lush jungle of eastern Costa Rica, Caño Palma conducts a variety of long-term wildlife surveying efforts, with the biggest and longest conservation project studying nesting sea turtles. Volunteers and

Our Water, Our Health in Rural Appalachia

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

A botanical and medicinal history of Echinacea, a native plant of the Southeast

In Native American culture, the purple coneflower was used to treat poisonous bites and stings, toothaches, reduce inflammation, sore throat, colds, and so much more. In a way, this botanical miracle was used as a cure-all and was used to treat ailments more than any other medicinal plant. The purple coneflower, also known scientifically as

Sus scrofa: The Notorious Sibling of the Pig Family

When you think of farm animals, what comes to your mind? Cows, chickens, pigs, goats, sheep, horses, and so on? Each animal on the farm serves a key role in providing us with food or resources to use. But before we industrialized and invested into the farming industry, these animals were found in the wild.

Bats, One Health, and Emerging Infections

I grew up on Ferngully, Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, the Wild Thornberrys, Studio Ghibli movies, and Avatar the Last Airbender. The theme of the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the environment has been entrenched in me for most of my life. Furthermore, it is the foundation of One Health, an approach emphasizing collaboration between human

Crowd-funded Dams

     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

Double Take of Ban the Bottle: FOR

This piece is part of a “Double Take”, 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: “Single-serve, plastic water bottles should be banned in the United States.” I am

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