What is seawater intrusion? A hydrogeologist explains the shifting balance between fresh and salt water at the coast

Saltwater intrusion is bad for human health, ecosystems, crops and infrastructure. Here’s how seawater can move inland, and why climate change is making this phenomenon more frequent and severe.

Holly Michael, Director, Delaware Environmental Institute, and Professor of Earth Sciences and Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware • conversation
Oct. 11, 2023 • ~8 min

How California could save up its rain to ease future droughts — instead of watching epic atmospheric river rainfall drain into the Pacific

Urban infrastructure was designed to take stormwater out to the ocean quickly. Now, California needs that precious water.

Andrew Fisher, Professor of Earth Science, University of California, Santa Cruz • conversation
Jan. 6, 2023 • ~7 min

Mussels are disappearing from the Thames and growing smaller – and it's partly because the river is cleaner

A new survey has revealed an alarming deterioration in the health of the River Thames ecosystem – but some of the recorded changes may be the result of a cleaner river.

Isobel Ollard, PhD Researcher, University of Cambridge • conversation
Nov. 28, 2022 • ~7 min

Typhoon Merbok, fueled by unusually warm Pacific Ocean, pounded Alaska's vulnerable coastal communities at a critical time

Most of the flooded communities are Indigenous and rely on subsistence hunting that residents would normally be doing right now. Recovering from the damage will make that harder.

Rick Thoman, Alaska Climate Specialist, University of Alaska Fairbanks • conversation
Sept. 19, 2022 • ~7 min

Sleeping fish? From sharks to salmon, guppies to groupers, here's how they grab a snooze

Just about every creature on Earth needs to grab some Zs from time to time. Imagine trying to doze while dodging great whites and killer whales.

Michael Heithaus, Executive Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education and Professor of Biological Sciences, Florida International University • conversation
Sept. 5, 2022 • ~6 min

Fish passes can reconnect species with habitats blocked by dams – here's how they work

Migratory fish populations have collapsed worldwide in the last 50 years.

Virgilio Hermoso, Investigador distinguido, Universidad de Sevilla • conversation
Aug. 2, 2022 • ~5 min

Freshwater habitats have super high biodiversity for tiny area

Freshwater habitats cover just 2% of the Earth, but new research finds that they boast the highest animal species richness per area.

Daniel Stolte-Arizona • futurity
May 3, 2022 • ~8 min

Groundwater: depleting reserves must be protected around the world

Our planet’s invaluable natural store of freshwater is woefully neglected.

Mohammad Shamsudduha ('Shams'), Associate Professor in Humanitarian Science, UCL • conversation
March 21, 2022 • ~7 min

Chalk streams: why 'England's rainforests' are so rare and precious

A staggering 85% of the world’s chalk streams are found in England.

Tim Sykes, PhD Candidate in Environmental Biosciences, University of Southampton • conversation
Jan. 2, 2022 • ~6 min

Scientists at work: We use environmental DNA to monitor how human activities affect life in rivers and streams

Rivers are among among the most embattled ecosystems on Earth. Researchers are testing a new, inexpensive way to study river health by using eDNA to count the species that rivers harbor.

Emily S. Bernhardt, Professor of Biology, Duke University • conversation
Sept. 17, 2021 • ~9 min

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