Adventurers and nature enthusiasts sometimes avoid college. Let\’s face it – the hallowed halls of higher education don\’t exactly seem conducive to a life lived outdoors. However, gone are the days of stuffy, run-of-the mill classes and boring majors. Especially with the invention of online degrees. College shouldn\’t compromise your relationship with nature, and it […] … learn more→

Following the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl 25 years ago, the Soviet government chose long-term evacuation over extensive decontamination; as a result, the plants and animals near Chernobyl inhabit an environment that is both largely devoid of humans and severely contaminated by radioactive fallout. The meltdown last March of three nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi […] … learn more→

The world’s farmers produced more grain in 2011 than ever before. Estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show the global grain harvest coming in at 2,295 million tons, up 53 million tons from the previous record in 2009. Consumption grew by 90 million tons over the same period to 2,280 million tons. Yet with […] … learn more→

Communities of species previously unknown to science have been discovered on the seafloor near Antarctica, clustered in the hot, dark environment surrounding hydrothermal vents. The discoveries, made by teams led by the University of Oxford, University of Southampton, the National Oceanography Centre, and British Antarctic Survey, include new species of yeti crab, starfish, barnacles, and […] … learn more→

According to scientists, carbon monoxide (CO), a tasteless, colorless and odorless gas, is not only a danger to the environment but also highly toxic to human beings. Found in the exhaust of vehicles and generators, CO has been dubbed the \”silent killer\” because excessive inhalation is lethal, poisoning the nervous system and heart. Now, in […] … learn more→

Rambunctious Garden is short on gloom and long on interesting theories and fascinating narratives, all of which bring home the idea that we must give up our romantic notions of pristine wilderness and replace them with the concept of a global, half-wild rambunctious garden planet, tended by us. … learn more→

For many scientists working in the field of climate research, one of the most alarming trends has nothing to do with the climate itself: It’s the poll numbers showing that even as scientific projections of global climate change get ever more certain, public perceptions about climate change are getting ever more skeptical. Why is there […] … learn more→

According to Friday’s edition of the Huffington Post (dated 10.28.2011), I noticed an article written by L. Graves describing potential changes to be made with existing stimulus funding and its loans.  It turns out that Washington D.C. and the White House are in the process of fully reviewing, monitoring and controlling financing that have been […] … learn more→

Most kids love to be outdoors. A two-year-old jumping onto a pile of leaves in the park is probably not aware of it, but nature is one huge outdoor learning classroom. Children enjoy touching, wondering and caring for leaves, shells, seeds, flowers, and insects. And with this enjoyment, comes heaps of unstructured learning. Nature awakens […] … learn more→