Iowa pollster Ann Selzer recently faced questions about her poll that predicted a close race between Vice President Kamala Harris and President-elect Donald Trump in Iowa, a typically Republican state. The poll stirred controversy when Trump won Iowa by over 10 percentage points. In an interview, Se
Idaho's waters are vital for life and leisure, but many face pollution problems from farming, city runoff, and old mine waste. The Clean Water Act steps in with a tool called Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) to fix this. TMDLs set the limit on pollutants a water body can handle while still being sa
Imagine you're in a spaceship far from Earth, and something goes wrong. Back in 1970, NASA folk had to fix a problem on the Apollo 13 journey using only what they had onboard. They couldn't just pop over to the store for spare parts! So, they used something called a "digital twin" for help. It's lik
Ever imagined using something as tiny as a grain of sand to clean our water? Scientists have found a fascinating solution with D301 beads. These tiny beads were tested with a common water pollutant called humic acid. Using advanced tools like 3D fluorescence spectroscopy, researchers discovered that
Microplastics, tiny plastic bits under five millimetres, are causing big trouble in our waterways. These little pieces are gathering in urban freshwater ponds, affecting creatures like Daphnia, which are vital for these ecosystems. Scientists looked at how microplastics affect Daphnia's health and t
In college football’s newest postseason extravaganza, Boise State has scored a big win. The Broncos clinched the Mountain West Conference title on Friday night, securing their spot in the sport’s first 12-team playoff. UNLV couldn't keep up, losing 21-7 to the Broncos' Heisman hopeful, Ashton Jeanty
Ever wondered why some students might prefer to stay indoors instead of hitting the gym or going for a run? It turns out that tiny air particles, known as PM2. 5, could be playing a role. These tiny particles can cause big health problems with prolonged exposure. Scientists are now looking into whet
Did you know that the tiny particles in the air we breathe, called PM2. 5, can team up with cold temperatures to increase the risk of heart attacks? A recent study in China looked into this and found some surprising results. Researchers examined data from over a million heart attack patients across
Air pollution, specifically fine particulate matter (PM2. 5), is a big problem in many Chinese cities. To tackle this, researchers used a machine-learning model that combines CatBoost and Tree-Structured Parzen Estimator (TPE) to study PM2. 5 levels in 297 cities from 2000 to 2021. They found that s
When it comes to making fluorinated materials, hexafluoropropylene oxide oligomer acids (HFPOs) are becoming the go-to option. These substances are popping up more often in aquatic environments, including in zebrafish habitats. But what do we know about their safety? Not much, it turns out. This stu
