ENVIRONMENT

Apr 30 2026ENVIRONMENT

Students Help Earth and Get a Prom Boost

Lake City High School students set up a week‑long Earth celebration in the school hallway. The event ran while exams and student government elections were happening, giving everyone a break from studying. A committee led by senior Asa Sutton ran the booths. She sold zinnia flowers in composta

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Apr 30 2026ENVIRONMENT

Planned burns aim to help Ottawa County parks thrive

Ottawa County parks will see controlled fires over three days next month as part of efforts to keep natural areas healthy. Teams will burn small sections at three parks from May 1 to 3, but only if weather conditions cooperate. If winds are too strong or humidity too low, the work gets postponed. Th

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Apr 30 2026ENVIRONMENT

Wildfire near Tucumcari Spreads Fast, Boosts Fire Season Concerns

A wildfire initially spotted near Tucumcari, New Mexico, grew unusually fast—swelling from 1, 500 acres to 10, 000 in less than a day, making it the biggest blaze burning in the state right now. Firefighters arrived just hours after the first signs of smoke near Highway 156 at mile marker 41, only t

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Apr 29 2026ENVIRONMENT

Why plants matter more than you think

The Missouri Botanical Garden wasn’t always a global leader in plant science. When Peter Raven took over in 1971, it was just a pretty garden with a few researchers. But Raven saw something bigger: plants weren’t just decorations—they were the foundation of life. Two-thirds of Earth’s species live i

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Apr 29 2026ENVIRONMENT

Why oak trees struggle to grow in Mediterranean forests

Mediterranean oak forests face a tough challenge: acorns rarely survive long enough to become new trees. A study in a protected area in Italy showed that most acorns disappeared within days after being planted, eaten by animals like mice and jays. The researchers tested four oak species, from large

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Apr 28 2026ENVIRONMENT

Light‑Sized Stories: How Air and Glass Make Buildings Feel Weightless

Architects have long chased the idea of buildings that feel as light as air. They start by taking what is already light – wind, clouds, and even water bubbles – and turning it into a design principle. Instead of heavy stone walls, modern houses use thin glass skins that let light and sky flow

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Apr 28 2026ENVIRONMENT

Fifth Graders Release Hand‑Raised Trout Into the Wild

The students at Howbert Elementary, a school that focuses on outdoor learning, finished a month‑long project by letting their trout swim free. They had been caring for the fish since October, watching each egg hatch and grow in a controlled tank. On April 27 the children carried the trout to M

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Apr 28 2026ENVIRONMENT

Back to the Water Fest: Hobart's park fun with a green twist

Hobart’s Water Fest made a comeback after skipping a few years, landing at Robinson Lake Park on a crisp morning. The festival used to be a big deal before 2020, but it took a break thanks to the pandemic. This year, the city hoped to bring families together to enjoy nature while learning about prot

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Apr 28 2026ENVIRONMENT

When the Weather Turns Mean, the Real Survival Tool Isn’t a Bag

Early one March morning in Hawaii, a dog’s sharp bark cut through the dark—sirens followed seconds later. Outside, cars streamed toward the high school parking lot, the town’s designated escape zone. Neighbors’ phones buzzed with alerts: a river had climbed higher than a three-story building, and a

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Apr 28 2026ENVIRONMENT

Plane crash near Juba leaves 14 dead, weather likely to blame

A small plane went down Monday just outside South Sudan’s capital, Juba, killing everyone on board—13 passengers and the pilot. Early reports point to bad weather as the likely cause, since the flight was coming in from Yei through thick, low clouds that would have made flying tricky. Among the vict

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