Science, Technology, Research Archives | Great Lakes Now https://www.greatlakesnow.org/category/science-technology-research/ Great Lakes Now shares stories about the unique culture and history of the Great Lakes basin Fri, 16 May 2025 16:48:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cropped-gln-avatar-32x32.jpg Science, Technology, Research Archives | Great Lakes Now https://www.greatlakesnow.org/category/science-technology-research/ 32 32 Cleveland Metroparks lets the dogs out in the hunt for spotted lanternflies https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/cleveland-metroparks-lets-the-dogs-out-in-the-hunt-for-spotted-lanternflies/ Thu, 15 May 2025 19:49:22 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=42552 Cleveland Metroparks lets the dogs out in the hunt for spotted lanternflies

By Zaria Johnson, Ideastream Public Media

This story was originally published by Ideastream.

Since December, four Northeast Ohio dogs and their human companions have been hot on the trail of invasive spotted lanternflies, sniffing out egg masses laid in the Cleveland Metroparks.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Keeping the $5.5 billion Great Lakes fishery afloat as Trump administration considers cuts https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/keeping-the-5-5-billion-great-lakes-fishery-afloat-as-trump-administration-considers-cuts/ Tue, 13 May 2025 19:40:41 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=42465 Keeping the $5.5 billion Great Lakes fishery afloat as Trump administration considers cuts

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station is based in a building that was constructed in 1917, originally as a federal fish hatchery. It wasn’t the first on this site. An earlier hatchery was built in 1894.

The U.S. government was trying to replenish the fish population.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Intense rainfall means more floods. What can we do? https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/intense-rainfall-means-more-floods-what-can-we-do/ Mon, 12 May 2025 21:00:57 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=42544 Intense rainfall means more floods. What can we do?

According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the intensity of hourly rainfall has increased in U.S. cities since 1970, with the Great Lakes region being among the most affected areas.

Great Lakes Now spoke with Stephen Shaw, a professor at the State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Why smallmouth bass are getting bigger in Michigan waterways https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/why-smallmouth-bass-are-getting-bigger-in-michigan-waterways/ Fri, 09 May 2025 17:51:49 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=42419 Why smallmouth bass are getting bigger in Michigan waterways

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Victoria Witke, Great Lakes Echo

Every spring for the last 15 years, Gene Gilliland and some friends have gone smallmouth bass fishing in Lake St. Clair in Southeast Michigan for a week.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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One man’s quest to bring more of North America’s largest native fruit, the pawpaw, to Wisconsin https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/one-mans-quest-to-bring-more-of-north-americas-largest-native-fruit-the-pawpaw-to-wisconsin/ Thu, 08 May 2025 21:15:15 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=42403 One man’s quest to bring more of North America’s largest native fruit, the pawpaw, to Wisconsin

By Jeff Robbins, Wisconsin Public Radio

This article was republished here with permission from Wisconsin Public Radio.

If you’ve never tasted the fruit from a pawpaw tree, you’re not alone. Due to its extremely short shelf life that renders the fruit edible for only days after being picked, pawpaw is an all-too-rare treat.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Wildfires are getting worse. Can an old technique help control them? https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/wildfires-are-getting-worse-can-an-old-technique-help-control-them/ Wed, 07 May 2025 20:10:45 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=42391 Wildfires are getting worse. Can an old technique help control them?

Although wildfires are commonly associated with the West, the Great Lakes region has seen its share of destructive blazes. Lee Frelich, director of the University of Minnesota Center for Forest Ecology, warns that we will likely see more wildfires due to heat waves and droughts caused by climate change.

Vern Northrup is a former fireman and is a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Ojibwe.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Millions of People Depend on the Great Lakes’ Water Supply. Trump Decimated the Lab Protecting It. https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/millions-of-people-depend-on-the-great-lakes-water-supply-trump-decimated-the-lab-protecting-it/ Tue, 06 May 2025 19:02:17 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=42340 Millions of People Depend on the Great Lakes’ Water Supply. Trump Decimated the Lab Protecting It.

By Anna Clark, ProPublica

This story was originally published by ProPublica.

Just one year ago, JD Vance was a leading advocate of the Great Lakes and the efforts to restore the largest system of freshwater on the face of the planet.

As a U.S.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Everything you need to know about the Biggest Week in American Birding https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/everything-you-need-to-know-about-biggest-week-in-american-birding/ Tue, 06 May 2025 16:16:32 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=42323 Everything you need to know about the Biggest Week in American Birding

A fledgling birding festival that hatched 15 years ago has become an international event drawing visitors from around the world to northwest Ohio. While the stars of the show at the Biggest Week in American Birding (BWIAB) are migrating warblers, there are dozens of other species which draw crowds from every state and continent including wading and shore birds, tanagers, songbirds, waterfowl and raptors.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Moment: Government downsizing, defunding and deregulating at what environmental cost? https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/great-lakes-moment-government-downsizing-defunding-and-deregulating-at-what-environmental-cost/ Mon, 05 May 2025 20:22:31 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=42367 Great Lakes Moment: Government downsizing, defunding and deregulating at what environmental cost?

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

There is always room to improve program effectiveness and efficiency in government, as well as business, nongovernmental organizations and other institutions.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Nature as a spiritual salve for grief? Cleveland Botanical Garden looks at healing power of outdoors https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/nature-as-a-spiritual-salve-for-grief-cleveland-botanical-garden-looks-at-healing-power-of-outdoors/ Fri, 02 May 2025 13:54:07 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=42290 Nature as a spiritual salve for grief? Cleveland Botanical Garden looks at healing power of outdoors

By Zaria Johnson, Ideastream Public Media

This story was originally published by Ideastream.

An exhibition at the Cleveland Botanical Garden features more than 30 artists whose work explores the role nature plays in overcoming painful emotions and experiences.

The botanical garden partnered with local gallery Deep Roots Experience to bring together The Nature of Healing, an exhibition exploring ways the outdoors can help process grief and trauma.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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