By Steve Davy
Nov. 6, 2009
Despite the global nature of modern industries there has never been a study measuring the impact of climate change across an industry.
Until now.
The National Science Foundation recently awarded a $1.5 million grant to an international research team to study climate change and the tart cherry industry.
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Midwest officials are lobbying for high-speed trains similar to this one in Korea. Photo: LWY
By Emma Ogutu and Rachael Gleason
Nov. 5, 2009
High-speed rail advocates expect a Midwest network to cut air emissions and boost the economy.
The federal government is allocating $8 billion in economic stimulus funds for faster passenger train systems. Many states have recently submitted proposals .
The Midwest network, which would connect cities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, will likely see a cut of the money as federal criteria supports multi-state projects.
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Click each park to see its threats. View Great Lakes Parks in Peril in a larger map
By Haley Walker and Yang Zhang
Nov. 4, 2009
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is among U.S. national parks most vulnerable to climate change, according to a recent report.
The park on the southern end of Lake Michigan faces an increase in flooding, overcrowding and air pollution and a loss of wildlife, plants and fish.
Other parks in the Great Lakes region are also at risk of these effects.
Climate change is the greatest threat to U.S. national parks, according …
By Alice Rossignol
Nov. 3, 2009
As a boy, David Radaich’s father shot wolves that wandered onto the family cattle farm in northeast Minnesota.
Now a beef cattle producer himself, Radaich tries to deal with wolves in a legal and ethical way. But it’s not easy. “The challenge seems to be increasing in the last couple of years,” Radaich said.
He is one of many ranchers living in the most densely wolf-populated part of the country in the lower 48 states. Here ranchers deal with wolf-related legal policies, financial costs and psychological burdens.
They may …
By Sarah Coefield
Nov. 2, 2009
Great Lakes particle polluters are cleaning up their acts.
The number of areas violating one particulate pollution standard has fallen from 36 to 12 in the past year, according to a recent report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Large cities like Detroit, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and New York City still report problems. But Chicago is notably absent from the list of particulate polluters.
While their compositions vary, the particles in question are all about the same size: small. In this case, 2.5 micrometers, or about 100 times thinner …
By Haley Marie Walker
Oct. 30, 2009
Jim Luby is a fruit forensics investigator.
The University of Minnesota horticulture professor is among 29 researchers on a project using genetics to create fruit with characteristics consumers want.
“It is similar to human forensics,” Luby said. “The way we are able to relate differences in DNA from one individual to another, we will now do with differences in traits of fruit.”
The project, called RosBREED, targets five fruits in the Rosaceae plant family: strawberries, apples, peaches and sweet and tart cherries.
Researchers will survey consumers for their preferences …
