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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
In 1946, imported beetles were released against toxic St. Johnswort in northern California; by 1957, the weed had fallen to less than 1% of its former abundanceBy the 1940s, European Klamathweed had established itself as a major rangeland threat in California. To combat this invasive species, leaf ...
In 1994, Idaho listed Rapid Creek for sediment impairment. 18 years later, restoration improved habitat scores and Lower Rapid Creek was removed from the 2012 impaired waters listRapid Creek in southeastern Idaho offers a compelling example of how long-term watershed restoration can transform water quality and aquati...
COVID lockdowns accidentally created an experiment scientists could never have deliberately run: What happens when the roads and buildings stay, but the people disappear?The COVID-19 lockdowns accidentally created a rare real-world experiment for scientists, as human activity suddenly dropped while roads, bu...
In 2009, NASA sent four painted lady caterpillars to the ISS; reports said all four completed metamorphosis and emerged as adult butterflies in microgravityIn 2009, four painted lady caterpillars made their way to the International Space Station, embarking on a unique journey. In the absence of...
In 2016, NYSDEC and partners removed Shapp Pond Dam after 50 years of blocking migratory fish. 4 years later, restored habitat showed significant gains in stream health and wildlifeThe removal of the Shapp Pond Dam in Dutchess County, New York, helped restore aquatic connectivity and improve stream habitat along the Ea...
In 1962, NASA packed 22,900 gallons of water into a Saturn I rocket and deliberately released it 65 miles above Earth to see how water behaved in the upper atmosphereNASA scientists have long explored recycling resources for extended space travel. Plants and microorganisms could help regenerate vital sup...
In 1997, NASA sent 64 desert beetles to Russia’s Mir space station with tiny wheels tracking their every movement; their movements helped scientists understand how light regulates biological clocks in microgravityNASA sent black desert beetles into space aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1997. These insects lived on the Russian Mir space station f...
Psychology says your long-term success depends on the automatic micro habits you repeat every dayRegularly performed actions can establish automated self-discipline, which frees up cognitive resources for more significant tasks. Habitua...
In 2013, a special medical research facility was started in Cologne, Germany to understand how humans adapt to extreme environments: How :envihab helps prepare astronauts?In 2013, a special medical research facility was started in Cologne, Germany to understand how humans adapt to extreme environments. The fa...
In 2016, researchers restored 452 meters of Maryland's Muddy Creek with woodchips, sand and gravel. 2 years later, monitoring found suspended sediment fell 73.8%, improving stream functionMuddy Creek is a tributary of the Rhode River and flows through the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, an important site for ecolog...
In 2000, University Of Illinois researchers searched 1,000 trillion DNA molecules for lead-sensitive DNA. 9 years later, their lab reported DNA sensors with sensitivity as low as 11 parts per trillion for toxic metals in drinking waterLead detection may soon look very different from a trip to the laboratory. Researchers at the University of Illinois developed a DNA lead s...
Psychology says people who prefer working night shifts may be following their natural body clockPeople who prefer night shifts are not necessarily antisocial, unmotivated or unconventional. They may simply have anevening chronotype, fe...
In 1968, two Russian steppe tortoises travelled around the Moon before humans did. They survived a punishing 20G force while returning to EarthIn a remarkable journey, two Russian steppe tortoises embarked on a mission aboard Zond 5, orbiting the Moon in September 1968. This pionee...
Grip strength, gait may soon measure biological lifespan, says Dr Prateek SharmaGenes influence lifespan, but lifestyle and environment are crucial for longevity. Biological age will soon be measured by new indicators b...
In 1992, engineers began protecting 55 km of Ottawa River shoreline with local rounded gravel. 19 years later, 80–90% of the banks were covered by indigenous vegetationOttawa River banks were protected using rounded granular material over fifteen years ago. This method halted erosion and created a riparian...
In 1990s, Samoa released a predatory flatworm as a weapon against giant African land snails. 49 years later, the predator has outlived its original target-control mission and threatens native snails insteadThe introduction of the predatory flatworm, Platydemus manokwari, to Samoa aimed to tackle the invasive giant African snails. However, this...
In 1888, USDA sent an entomologist to Australia to collect vedalia beetles for California’s cottony cushion scale; within a year, the pest had sharply declinedThe cottony cushion scale insect threatened California's citrus growers with devastation. The USDA took action by sending a scientist to Au...
In 2009, researchers acquired a laboratory colony of Aedes aegypti in Delhi and kept it without insecticide pressure. 17 years later, 10 micrograms killed 97.91% of females, yet survivors rapidly activated detoxification enzymesA Delhi study reveals mosquitoes surviving common insecticide treatments. This survival gap suggests a potential early warning of developin...
In 1917, botanist Joseph Rock introduced albizia to Hawai‘i for reforestation. Now it has infested thousands of acres in O‘ahu and eastern Hawai‘i IslandIntroduced to Hawaii in 1917 as a solution for reforestation, the Albizia tree quickly established itself as an invasive species. By 2018, ...
18-year-old Texas student Ananya Gulur Nagendra builts an ant-powered food waste digester; it achieved 83% efficiencyAnanya Gulur Nagendra has created an ant-inspired system for managing food waste, achieving an impressive eighty-three percent efficiency i...