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Weekly Highlights #11 - Rachel Nuwer

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


Rachel Nuwer (Twitter, blog), from NYU's SHERP program, has been writing regularly on the New York Times Green blog. Check out some of her recent posts there:

A Photographic Call to Action:

When Clyde Butcher first began exploring the Everglades in 1984, “there was virtually nothing to photograph — it was one big ditch,” he says. A century of destructive intrusions like artificial canals, levees, pumps and spillways had left the swamps in a fragile and broken state.

But Mr. Butcher, a conservation photographer who lives in Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida, felt that all was not lost...


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Where Is the Love for Bugs?:

Policy makers and conservationists largely ignore the issue of protecting invertebrates, even though those species play roles vital to ecosystems’ survival.

Climate Change Is Shrinking Species, Research Suggests:

Scientific data linking climate change to the diminution of animals’ size raises the possibility that ecosystems could be thrown out of balance.

The Ecologists of Tomorrow Talk Shop:

Students in the field gather in New York to network, discuss research issues and call attention to their work on species conservation.

A Salmon Virus: Where Do We Go From Here?:

Scientists scramble to fill in the many unknowns surrounding the discovery of a lethal salmon virus in British Columbia.

Disposable Chopsticks Strip Asian Forests:

Each year, 3.8 million trees go into the manufacture of 57 billion disposable pairs of chopsticks in China. But awareness is growing, and some restaurants and consumers are switching to reusables.

Also, on Scienceline:

Varicose vein treatments are equivalent — or are they?:

Options for dealing with varicose veins — the worst of which can cause symptoms like pain, swelling, and blood clots — include surgery or laser therapy. New research suggests that both treatments are equally effective and safe, but a closer look at the context of the study may indicate that lasers are the way to go.