Mapping urban heat islands

Three Texas cities are part of a nationwide project this summer to map urban heat islands and help communities deal with the effects of increasing heat waves due to climate change. Read about it here. 

Bees and Diving in the Bahamas

Exuma island in the Bahamas may owe its clear waters in part to honeybees.The Exuma Foundation and Savannah Bee Co. helped bring the pollinators to the island. Read more in this article for Scubadiving.com. 

How whales avoid the bends

Beaked whales can spend two hours beneath the surface. Dolphins descend down to 1,000 feet and ­routinely make as many as 20 dives in a row to 300 feet. Research shows how these mammals avoid getting hit with decompression sickness. Read more in my piece in Scuba Diving magazine. 

John Howard Griffin, author of Black Like Me

John Howard Griffin, author of Black Like Me, was born on June 16, 1920 and died in 1980. This story in the June 2020 issue of Texas Co-op Power marked the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Impending ecosystem collapse and human disease

A growing body of research links environmental disturbance and biodiversity loss to human diseases, including those like COVID-19 caused by viruses jumping from animals to people. Read more in this piece in Texas Climate News. 

Bird blinds in state parks

Texas state parks have a lot of bird blinds, often built and maintained by volunteers. These make great spots to see an incredible variety of birds and other wildlife up close. Read more here.

Tracking wildlife for science

In this article for Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine, I look at some of the animals scientists track in the state and what they're learning from it.