environment Archives

Pikas spend the summer gathering grasses and wildflowers to store for winter food. When summer temperatures are too high, the pikas can’t forage. (Photo by Chris Ray)

Climate Change Threatens California Pikas

June 13, 2022June 13, 2022 Science Connectedanimals, climate change, environment, extinction, pikas

The beloved American pika is losing its habitat. These little animals could loose 75 percent of their range quite soon to climate change.

Satellite image of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (NASA)

Environment

Exploring Antarctica with Photography

March 23, 2022March 23, 2022 Science Connectedantarctica, climate change, environment

At a remote Antarctic outpost, cameras capture time-lapse images of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Antarctica shows climate change.

Oysters, clams, and mussels in Oregon and Washington are showing the effects of ocean acidification (Oregon State University)

Environment Oceanography

Shellfish Threatened by Ocean Acidification

January 27, 2022January 27, 2022 Science Connectedclimate change, earth science, environment, marine biology, oceanography

Ocean acidification is killing young oysters, clams, and mussels in U.S. coastal regions that depend on these shellfish. Find out why.

Citizen Science SciStarter Blog

Four Ways (in One App) to Help NASA Study the Earth

December 10, 2021June 15, 2022 Science Connectedcitizen science projects, climate change, environment

Would you like to help scientists study the Earth and the ways in which our planet is changing? There’s an app for that.

Meltwater rivers gushing on top of the ice layers in Greenland

Climate Change Environment

Greenland Ice Sheets Losing Ability to Absorb Meltwater

November 16, 2021November 16, 2021 Science Connectedarctic, climate change, ecology, environment, global warming

The Greenland ice sheets are losing their ability to retain meltwater, resulting in faster runoff of meltwater into the ocean.

food waste and our problem with ugly produce

Psychology Sustainable Living

Food Waste: The Psychology of Ugly Produce

March 1, 2021March 3, 2021 Science Connecteddining, environment, food

Food waste is a big problem in the United States, where each household discards an average of one third of the food people buy.

Environment

The environmental impact of pet food

November 18, 2020September 30, 2021 Science Connectedcats, dogs, environment, food, pets

What is the environmental paw print of pet food? Larger than you may think! It takes an area twice the size of the UK to produce dry food for cats and dogs.

Sunlight May Be The Solution To Water Shortages

Engineering Environment New Technologies

Sunlight Solution To Water Shortages

November 11, 2020August 2, 2021 Science Connectedenvironment, ocean, Sun, water shortage

Water shortages could drop now that new technology combined with sunlight can make ocean water safe to drink in minutes.

Citizen Science New Technologies SciStarter Blog

Building DIY Air Quality Monitors

July 30, 2020April 7, 2021 Science Connectedair pollution, air quality, environment

Colombian citizen scientists built cheap air quality monitors and deployed them across their city. Now they’re teaching others to build them, too.

Environment Science Debate Series Science Policy

Plastic Waste Necessitates Policies for Producers

September 5, 2019April 24, 2021 Science Connectedenvironment, microplastics, ocean, plastic pollution, science debate

By Neha Jain Countries around the world, both developed and developing, have been grappling with growing piles of plastic waste from overuse of packaging materials, such as those for food and beverages, and single-use plastic tableware. In 2015, 42 percent of all plastic produced was used for packaging, much of which is used only once and then tossed, according to a 2017 study published in Science Advances. The study estimates that from 1950 to 2015 about 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced globally. And of the 6.3 billion…