In “The Great River,” journalist Boyce Upholt chronicles the long, checkered history of our efforts to control the Mississippi River with locks, levees, and dams. Such meddling has saddled the country with a slew of problems: floods, federal overspending, land loss, poverty, and environmental injustice.

via Undark Magazine https://undark.org/2024/06/28/review-struggle-tame-mighty-mississippi/

Qualitative studies that involve interviews with people about their experiences often recruit participants online. But imposters who fake their identities to take part are a growing problem. How can researchers verify the identities and eligibility of study volunteers without losing their trust?

via Undark Magazine https://undark.org/2024/06/27/opinion-imposter-participants-qualitative-research/

In theory, pollsters call a randomly selected sample of Americans, ask them a question, and report those results to offer a snapshot of public opinion. But as people have stopped picking up the phone, and as new online polling methods have proliferated, the field is changing.

via Undark Magazine https://undark.org/2024/06/26/trolls-polls-survey-science/

Soil is a huge reservoir of carbon. Scientists used to think that most of the carbon captured by soil entered the ground when dead leaves and plant matter decomposed. But it’s now becoming clear that plant roots and fungi networks are a critical part of the process.

via Undark Magazine https://undark.org/2024/06/25/kew-fungus-soil-carbon-capture/

Plenty of people believe there’s something salubrious about caring for a pet. But some experts argue that the scientific evidence that pets can consistently make people healthier is, at best, inconclusive — and, at worst, has been used to mislead the American public.

via Undark Magazine https://undark.org/2024/06/24/fuzzy-science-pets-improve-health/

Environmental factors like urban air pollution and wildfires can have a profound effect on long-term health outcomes, especially depending on one’s socioeconomic status, where you live, and race and ethnicity, says physician Rosalind J. Wright: “The trajectory is set, often, very early on.”

via Undark Magazine https://undark.org/2024/06/21/interview-environmental-factors-health-impact/

In 1972, Congress passed the Noise Control Act, which directed the EPA to protect the public from noise pollution. But in the decades since, the EPA hasn’t fulfilled that obligation. Health reporter Joanne Silberner explains the consequences and how a current lawsuit might spur change.

via Undark Magazine https://undark.org/2024/06/20/opinion-ignoring-noise-pollution-harms-public-health/

In recent years, more researchers have dug into the extent of fatal police shootings. But what about the survivors? Victims may endure serious injuries, multiple surgeries, and long-lasting physical and mental complications. Now, intriguing new research seeks to quantify those injuries.

via Undark Magazine https://undark.org/2024/06/19/nonfatal-police-shootings-data-left-behind/

Precision agriculture has long promised to provide more granular data — and new technology to use it — for farmers facing pressure to increase yields while being more environmentally friendly. It’s had some successes, but some of the loftiest promises of precision ag are still out of reach.

via Undark Magazine https://undark.org/2024/06/18/promise-of-precision-agriculture/

For years, conservationists have worked to protect cheetahs, a threatened species. Yet the precise origins of trafficked cubs have long been mysterious. Now, several new scientific efforts aim to unveil the source of the cubs and provide a better understanding of where the cheetah supply chain begins. Will they help stop traffickers and curb the illegal pet trade?

via Undark Magazine https://undark.org/2024/06/17/tracking-illegal-cheetah-trade/