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Every time food goes uneaten, there's a cost attached to it that most of us never think about. Water, farmland, fuel, all the energy that went into growing and shipping it. All of it spent before that food ever hits the landfill. And here in the U.S., we throw away more than a third of everything we produce. The consequences go a lot further than what ends up in the kitchen bin. It's not really one thing. It happens at different points along the way. There's "loss," which is

When I left my building a few days ago, a dense fog surrounded me, and for a second, I wasn't standing on a sidewalk in 2026. I was back in my eighth grade gymnasium, pressed against the window with my classmates. The greyish orange haze concealed all the surrounding buildings, resembling a phenomenon straight out of a movie. That was 2023. Three years later, smoke from Canadian wildfires is covering New York City again, and this time it doesn't feel like just an anomaly. Th

Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are some of the most extraordinary organisms on the planet. Even though they are barely visible to the naked eye, they have caught the attention of many scientists all over the world. Their strength and evolutionary importance make them an interesting subject for scientific research. One of the main reasons scientists have recently become very interested in tardigrades is that they have an incredible resilience to extreme environmental

Outer space is a vast and foreign place to us. Many assume that the scope of space is far too large for humans to harm or impact it in any way. Unfortunately, recent findings have demonstrated that this is not the case. Over the past few decades, remnants of satellites, rockets, and other technologies have accumulated and are now known as “space junk.” While it may not appear to be a serious issue, this body of debris is becoming a global concern that impacts communication, s

One of the most understated yet vital natural resources is snowpack. During the winter, large amounts of water are stored in snowpack, and during the springtime, the frozen reservoir melts, steadily releasing water into rivers and the environment. Unfortunately, warming temperatures and different weather conditions have caused an overall decrease in snowfall. This year’s statistics show an alarmingly low amount of snowfall in many regions of the United States, leading to many

We usually think of the environment as our natural surroundings such as animals, plants, flowers, and ecosystems. However, environmental science is proving that the environment doesn’t just surround us, but it can shape us from the inside out. One of the most interesting ways this happens is through epigenetics, the study of how environmental factors influence gene expression without changing the actual DNA sequence. What is even more surprising is that some of these changes

Most people think of ticks as a problem lurking in tall grass or in the woods. Something you may not know is that the birds in your own backyard could be quietly transporting disease carrying ticks across towns and states. A new study from Fordham University indicates just how important birds are in shaping the landscape of tick‑borne disease and what that means for public health in the Northeast. The research examined blacklegged ticks collected from wild birds in 2010 and a

Have you ever been out walking through an empty street and come across a small patch of wildflowers? If so, you have already experienced a glimpse of what rewilding is. It is the concept that if nature is given space to grow and thrive, then it will flourish on its own. On a small scale, it can look like small flowers growing in the cracks of old pavement. However, larger rewilding projects around the world demonstrate how powerful this restoration can be. Rewilding is a form

Urban stormwater, the rainfall that runs off of streets, buildings, and parking lots, is one of the major threats to the health of rivers, lakes, and coastal areas in the United States. When the rain hits these roads in cities, it sweeps toxins like gasoline and oil into our waterways, where they harm plants, fish, and other aquatic life. When we eat fish, we ingest these toxins. Additionally, since rainwater can’t soak into concrete sidewalks and streets, it rushes off quick

Ocean acidification is one of the most alarming yet somehow overlooked results of rising carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere. A large portion of carbon dioxide is being absorbed into the ocean because of the burning of fossil fuels and increased deforestation. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), around 30% of global carbon emissions are being taken into the ocean, having many dangerous effects on sea life and their environment. But how

When I think of heat waves, I usually imagine a few extremely hot days, but it turns out that the danger is much more complicated than that. According to Heatwave characteristics and health impacts: a review of epidemiological evidence and implications for heatwave response plans (Kyriaki Psistaki, 2025), not all heat waves are created equal, and some are much more deadly than others. This article examines how heatwave characteristics (not only temperature, but also duration,

Deep below the surface of the ocean, so deep that the sun's rays cannot reach, animals have found a different way to glow. This occurrence is known as bioluminescence, which I see as one of nature's most beautiful survival methods. Many people don't encounter bioluminescence because it is not present in most land animals. However, it is extremely common in the twilight zone of the ocean, where deep sea creatures need their own light to see and for other purposes. I have seen

For many years, Iceland has enjoyed the luxury that no other country has experienced: a mosquito-free environment. Despite having a very similar climate to its neighbors, including Norway and Greenland, Iceland remained an anomaly as the only habitable place on Earth without these annoying pests. However, several sightings from Western Iceland in October 2025 have reported the country's first mosquitoes. Scientists have since confirmed the presence of a small mosquito populat

Behind the bustling streets and rich history of New York City is a lesser-known story concerning areas filled with toxic pollution, industrial runoff, and environmental damage. These regions are known as Superfund sites: regions that are so contaminated with hazardous waste that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has marked for cleanups. The Superfund program was launched in 1980 under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA

When I think of winter, what comes to mind is a quiet, gloomy time between the fall and spring seasons. The days are shorter, the air is cold and crisp, and nature seems to be waiting for the warmer months to come. Many animals go into hibernation, and the forests are filled with nothing but a layer of sparkling white snow. But beneath the snow lies a hidden world that is filled with life. This small ecosystem is known as the subnivium and is able to constantly stay one degr

The meaning of "conservation" has changed significantly over time. Originally, conservation was centered around protecting the environment and the planet as a whole. This includes protecting all wildlife, forests, plants, and ecosystems for their inherent value on our planet. This came from a great respect and interest in nature. However, more recently, this term has been manipulated to focus on conserving resources for human use, mainly hunting and fishing. This new perspect