December: A Visit to the Museum of Ice

When we were thinking about a new museum devoted to one of the most beautiful and interesting things on our planet – ice – we had to think hard about how best to display and preserve this delicate substance. So welcome to the Museum of Ice, Michigan’s largest museum, open daily (weather permitting) between December and March. Just step outside anywhere in the state and you’re in the museum.

Don’t hide your poo — and here’s why

Universities across the globe are monitoring wastewater on their campuses for viruses like COVID-19. It is a practice that has raised some medical privacy concerns, although researchers say there is no way to link the detection of the virus in wastewater with an individual who is sick. 

Cornell researchers farm pixels

While virtual reality grows in the entertainment world, a team of Cornell researchers is using it to prepare farmworkers for hard work. Cornell hopes to collaborate with farms to create a variety of virtual reality spaces for people to visit and learn how to farm. The idea is to document and record the various practices used on a successful farm.

Climbing rocks and revenue in the not-so-flat Midwest

Rock climbing might be a new tool for conserving the public land that bolsters Michigan’s annual $20 billion tourism industry. The sport is gaining traction as outdoor enthusiasts look to experience nature differently, especially after indoor climbing gyms closed during the pandemic. 

Northern Michigan resort promotes dark skies

The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has been accepted into the International Dark-Sky Association, the third dark sky park in the state. Such areas are becoming more popular in the United States as people become more interested in ecotourism experiences.

Study shows value of culturally appropriate environmental health resources

The research collaboration among the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan and the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan has demonstrated how an advisory program designed for the Anishinaabe is a useful tool for tracking fish consumption in Great Lakes tribes.