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Decades-Long Study Shows This Endangered Butterfly Benefits From Hurricanes

Sometimes, nature’s surprises come with wings. In a new study, scientists pulled from a 35-year dataset to examine long-term population trends of the federally endangered Schaus’ swallowtail butterfly (Heraclides ponceana). 

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Climate Warming Leads to More Frequent Tree Reproduction at Expense of Growth

A new long-term study reveals alarming insights into the impact of climate change on the European beech (Fagus sylvatica), one of Europe’s most widespread and ecologically important tree species.

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Advancing Human Health Risk Assessment Through a Stochastic Methodology for Mobile Source Air Toxics

Mobile source emissions from roadways near human populations often result in greater health impacts than emissions from industrial facilities in North America [1,2], primarily due to their proximity to densely populated areas and the high exposure to pollutants such as mobile source air toxics (MSATs).

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Microplastics Discovered in Antarctica

Scientists have discovered microplastics in the snow near some of Antarctica’s deep field camps, revealing how far-reaching plastic pollution has become.

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New Study Could Lead to Development of More Drought-Resistant Corn

A corn plant knows how to find water in soil with the very tips of its roots, but some varieties, including many used for breeding high-yielding corn in the U.S., appear to have lost a portion of that ability, according to a Stanford-led study.

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La Niña Is Here

After seven months of waiting, La Niña—the cooler sister of El Niño—finally showed up in the eastern Pacific Ocean in early December 2024.

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New Agroforestry Maps Plot Environmental, Social, and Economic Benefits of Trees

There’s a longstanding attitude in many farming communities that trees and agriculture don’t mix.

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Vanilla Farmers Search for a Crop and Conservation Sweet Spot

Vanilla is vital to the livelihoods of farmers in Madagascar, where the globally popular dessert ingredient is the country’s No. 1 export.

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Ice Streams Move Due to Tiny Ice Quakes

Forests flanking Brazil’s rivers act as “highways” that have allowed tree species to move between the Amazon and Atlantic rainforests for millions of years, new research shows.

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Air Pollution Clouds the Mind and Makes Everyday Tasks Challenging

People’s ability to interpret emotions or focus on performing a task is reduced by short-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution, potentially making everyday activities, such as the weekly supermarket shop, more challenging, a new study reveals.

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