Biodiversity and Conservation Archives

Make Your Garden a Powerhouse for Pollinators

May 23, 2022May 23, 2022 Science Connectedbees, garden, pollinators

Home gardens are by far the biggest source of food for pollinating insects, including bees and wasps, in cities and towns.

A female great spotted woodpecker, photographed in Germany, April 2015

Biodiversity and Conservation Ornithology There Be Dragons Everywhere

Drumming with the Great Spotted Woodpecker

May 4, 2022May 4, 2022 Science Connectedbirds, wildlife photography

Meet the great spotted woodpecker. Learn where and how to spot them, and what they sound like. Photos and audio included.

Biodiversity and Conservation Environment Zoology

Urban Gardens a Haven for Pollinators

May 2, 2022May 2, 2022 Science Connectedbees, insects, pollinators, urban gardening

Insect-friendly urban gardens show great promise to be havens for bees and other pollinators, securing their future and allowing them to thrive.

Biodiversity and Conservation Botany Ecology

Organic Gardening and Alternatives to Pesticides

April 13, 2022April 13, 2022 Science Connectedbirds, garden, insects, plants

Gardens inevitably attract insect pests. How can you use organic gardening techniques to protect your plants from pests and maintain a garden that is safe for pollinators and other animals?

Martin Dohrn filming a bumble bee hovering over a dandelion. (Image credit: Martin Dohrn/Passion Planet)

Biodiversity and Conservation Citizen Science Ecology SciStarter Blog Zoology

Inspire Your Community to Protect Local Pollinators

April 1, 2022March 25, 2022 Science Connectedbees, citizen science projects, pollinators

During the pandemic, acclaimed wildlife filmmaker Martin Dohrn got to know the local pollinators in his garden. Find out what happened.

Biodiversity and Conservation Environment Zoology

Ladybirds and Other Natural Pesticides

April 30, 2021May 3, 2021 Science Connectedgardening

Aphids in your garden? Ladybirds, or ladybugs in your garden are natural pesticides. Photos and tips for chemical-free gardening.

A team of researchers led by professor Brian Fields hypothesizes that a supernova about 65 light-years away may have contributed to the ozone depletion and subsequent mass extinction of the late Devonian Period, 359 million years ago. Pictured is a simulation of a nearby supernova colliding with and compressing the solar wind. Earth's orbit, the blue dashed circle, and the Sun, red dot, are shown for scale. (Graphic courtesy Jesse Miller)

Astronomy and Astrophysics Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

Did exploding stars cause this mass extinction?

September 28, 2020April 7, 2021 Science Connectedsupernova

Researchers at the University of Illinois think supernova explosions triggered the end-Devonian mass extinction 359 million years ago.

Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Zoology

Can Coronavirus Infect Non-Human Animals?

September 1, 2020June 7, 2021 Science Connectedanimals, coronavirus, COVID-19, endangered species, primates

A new study suggests that many endangered and threatened species, particularly primates, could be susceptible to the novel coronavirus.

Black Birders: Deja Perkins, a graduate student using citizen science to research birds, is one of the organizers of Black Birders Week. (Credit: North Carolina State University)

Biodiversity and Conservation Citizen Science Diversity in Science Ornithology SciStarter Blog Zoology

Black Birders, Scientists Push for Equality

June 25, 2020June 24, 2020 Science Connectedbirds, citizen science projects, diversity

Black Birders Week helped show the world that Black scientists exist in the great outdoors. Now, participants hope to keep the conversation going.

Biodiversity and Conservation Book Reviews SciStarter Blog

Book Review: Never Home Alone

May 13, 2020April 2, 2021 Science Connectedecology, insects, microbes

Never Home Alone is a 256 page deep dive into the mind of a chatty biologist. Every chapter focuses on a distinct use-case for biodiversity preservation.