Queensland, Australia – Researchers have captured the first published footage of dolphins on the country’s east coast using empty seashells to catch their prey. The behavior, known as shelling, shows the animals chasing fish into large snail shells before shaking them out at the surface. The discovery highlights a rare form of tool use in...
The Food and Drug Administration recently expanded emergency access to medications designed to prevent and treat New World screwworm infestations. The parasite continues to advance along the U.S.-Mexico border, raising concerns for livestock and household pets in affected regions. Officials have framed the move as a targeted response to an ongoing animal-health challenge rather than...
La Jolla, California – An 18-year-old local resident has entered a guilty plea in federal court after video of an incident involving a sea lion on the San Diego coast circulated widely online. The case reached a clear legal resolution when the young man admitted his role in the events shown in the recording. Observers...
Mina Guli has covered substantial ground on her roughly 1,800-mile journey along the Colorado River. She began the effort in June with the goal of drawing attention to the pressures on a waterway that supports communities, agriculture, and ecosystems across the American West. Her observations so far indicate conditions more severe than anticipated. Personal Journey...
As gardens fill with ripe plums, apricots, and peaches in mid-August, home bakers often look for reliable ways to turn that abundance into something memorable. One recipe stands out for its staying power: the plum torte, a simple yet elegant dessert whose reputation grew steadily through newspaper clippings and kitchen conversations decades before online sharing...
It goes by a name that sounds almost benign: biosolids. The word carries a quiet, almost clinical reassurance, the kind of term that suggests something processed, managed, and safe. For decades, this material has been spread across millions of acres of American farmland, marketed as a low-cost, nutrient-rich soil amendment derived from municipal wastewater treatment....
Residents returning to fire-scarred properties often focus first on visible damage to homes and outbuildings. Yet the real threat can lie beneath the surface in soil and water supplies that appear untouched. Environmental engineer Andrew J. Whelton has warned that chemical contaminants from wildfires can persist in these systems long after flames are gone. Hidden...
The decision to move after five decades in one home carries weight at any age, yet for an 80-year-old gardener the stakes felt especially high. A lifetime of established beds, familiar trees, and seasonal rhythms had to be left behind. In their place stood an urban yard stripped bare after years of neglect, requiring a...
Thousands of people across the United States have dealt with prolonged illness after eating iceberg lettuce traced to a single production site in central Mexico. The outbreak, caused by the Cyclospora parasite, has now reached 9,481 confirmed cases in 17 states, with 398 hospitalizations and two deaths reported in Michigan. Many of those affected ate...
Central Indiana – Record rainfall has drenched much of the state this August, with areas east of one gardener’s zone 6a plot receiving amounts that shattered previous marks and triggered widespread flooding. Homes, businesses, and roads have been inundated, prompting the governor to declare a statewide disaster. In the midst of the downpours, local gardens...
Home gardeners often pass over vegetables that deliver both simplicity and strong kitchen value. Napa cabbage, also known as Chinese cabbage, rewards those who give it space with crisp leaves and reliable results. Many return to it season after season because the plant fits neatly into existing beds and produces usable harvests without demanding constant...
Roses remain among the most popular ornamental plants in American gardens, yet their susceptibility to disease often catches growers by surprise during the peak growing season. Warm, humid summer conditions accelerate the spread of many pathogens, making regular observation essential for maintaining plant vigor. Early recognition of symptoms allows gardeners to intervene before problems escalate...
