by Zeke Piskulich When you hear the term “plastic pollution,” what do you think of? If you’re like me, you might picture a pile of garbage on a beach, or microplastic beads inside a fish. …
pollution
Celebrating Science at a Science Fiction Convention
by Miriam Krauseedited by Natalie Hudson-Smith I am a second-generation science fiction fan; my parents have been Star Trek fans since the ‘60s, and I grew up on PBS reruns of Doctor Who in the …
Emerging Technology in Air Pollution Sensors: EPA Wildland Fire Sensors Challenge
by Takunda Masikeedited by Alicia McGeachy California’s autumn 2018 Camp Fire wildfire was the deadliest and most destructive fire in the state’s history and the deadliest wildfire in the US in the past century.1,2 Eighty-five …
Agricultural Pollution in the Chesapeake Bay and What is Being Done About It
by Beichen Liu edited by Alicia McGeachy A lot is being said these days about pollution in waterways, how to prevent it, and how to clean up pollution that started decades ago. During a summer …
Engineered Nanoparticles Change Shape in Soil and Groundwater
by Sam Lohse edited by Arielle Mensch Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are now components of thousands of consumer products, including personal care products, sporting goods, solar panels, and next-generation batteries. In fact, demand for electric car …
Bringing the Year in with a Bang!
by Natalie Hudson-Smith edited by Alicia McGeachy The first time I used a hand-held sparkler was just a year ago. As I watched small sparks fly off of it and waved it to leave different …
Ep 10. Why Were Plastic Mirobeads Banned? Marine Debris and Sustainable Plastics
Plastic debris in our water is a huge pollution problem, and just one source of that pollution is the tiny microbeads that have been widely used in personal care products. In this episode of the podcast, we interview Dr. Richard Thompson, a Professor of Marine Biology at Plymouth University and an expert on the effects of plastic debris in the marine environment. We discuss the recent federal ban on microbeads and what consumers can do to be more sustainable in our day-to-day use of plastics.
Why Do Parks Care What Sunscreen We Use?
by Ese Ehimiaghe edited by Eric Melby Earlier this year I went to Mexico for spring break. During my trip I visited sinkholes (called cenotes) and Xcaret, an eco-archeological park. Xcaret is a combination of …
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with Fluorescence
by Miriam Krause edited by Ian Gunsolus Our last blog post featured lighting technology powered by algae, and this week is all about a different example of green-colored water: the Chicago River. Every year since …
The Roof Coating that could Reduce Smog
by Ky Christenson In 2012 around 7 million people died as a result of air pollution exposure according to the World Health Organization. Air Pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk. Reducing …