In 1934, Black cave guide Matt Bransford sold his 14-room Mammoth Cave hotel and land for just $3,000, far below market value; the family then moved 20 miles away as the national park took shape

In 1934, Black cave guide Matt Bransford sold his 14-room Mammoth Cave hotel and land for just $3,000, far below market value; the family then moved 20 miles away as the national park took shape

Matt Bransford and a glimpse of Mammoth Cave National Park Deep below the forests of Kentucky is a world of water, stone and centuries-old human history. Mammoth Cave National Park has the world’s longest known cave system, but its story is about far more than underground passages. It’s also a story about indigenous exploration, enslaved … Read more

More than 100 years ago, red mangroves were introduced to Hawaii; now crews are trying to eradicate them from nearly 2 miles of waterways to restore wetlands and protect endangered birds

More than 100 years ago, red mangroves were introduced to Hawaii; now crews are trying to eradicate them from nearly 2 miles of waterways to restore wetlands and protect endangered birds

Environmental crews and volunteers physically clear thickets of invasive red mangrove trees and tangled stilt roots from a coastal waterway in Kailua, Oahu Environmental teams in Hawaii have launched a major effort to remove invasive red mangroves from nearly two miles of waterways in Kailua. The project aims to reverse more than a century of … Read more

In 1962, NASA loaded 22,900 gallons of water onto a Saturn I rocket and deliberately blew the container apart 65 miles above Earth to study what water would do in the upper atmosphere

In 1962, NASA loaded 22,900 gallons of water onto a Saturn I rocket and deliberately blew the container apart 65 miles above Earth to study what water would do in the upper atmosphere

Representative Image (AI-generated) For humans to travel deeper into space and remain there for months or even years, they will need much more than powerful rockets. Astronauts must have a continuous supply of oxygen, water and food, while waste and carbon dioxide must be carefully managed. On short missions, these needs can largely be met … Read more

Florida voters have approved $35 million to buy and transform 5.8 miles of underused railroad into a trail that will form part of an 11.4-mile greenway and help close a gap in a planned 400-mile trail network

Florida voters have approved $35 million to buy and transform 5.8 miles of underused railroad into a trail that will form part of an 11.4-mile greenway and help close a gap in a planned 400-mile trail network

Voters in the coastal Florida city of Bonita Springs have approved a $35 million general obligation bond Voters in the coastal Florida city of Bonita Springs have approved a $35 million general obligation bond, clearing the way for the local government to buy a key 5.8-mile stretch of unused railway. The ballot decision unlocks the … Read more

A tiny owl flew 70 miles out to sea and collapsed on a yacht, exhausted and too weak to fly, she found an unlikely group of rescuers who refused to leave her behind

A tiny owl flew 70 miles out to sea and collapsed on a yacht, exhausted and too weak to fly, she found an unlikely group of rescuers who refused to leave her behind

Sergeant Mark Petherbridge (L) and Captain Tom Court (R) with rescued barn owl, Little Regina, aboard Fujitsu British Soldier (Reuters photo) A British Army sailing crew got recently an unexpected passenger during a race around Britain and Ireland when an exhausted barn owl landed on their boat about 70 nautical miles from shore.The bird was … Read more

In 2020, Phoenix coated 36 miles of roads to fight extreme heat; surfaces became 12°F cooler at noon, but heat exposure for pedestrians rose 5.5°F

In 2020, Phoenix coated 36 miles of roads to fight extreme heat; surfaces became 12°F cooler at noon, but heat exposure for pedestrians rose 5.5°F

Phoenix coated 36 miles of roads to fight extreme heat Painting city streets with a light-coloured, reflective coating can cool the asphalt underneath, but it can also increase heat exposure for people walking on the road. That unexpected trade-off emerged from a major trial in the American Southwest. In 2020, the City of Phoenix Street … Read more

In 2002, New Mexico began one of America’s largest native-fish restoration projects; more than two decades later Rio Grande cutthroat trout had returned to 120 miles of streams

In 2002, New Mexico began one of America’s largest native-fish restoration projects; more than two decades later Rio Grande cutthroat trout had returned to 120 miles of streams

A major conservation effort launched in 2002 has restored New Mexico’s official state fish to more than 120 miles of connected mountain streams, marking one of the largest native fish restoration projects in the United States. For more than two decades, state and federal conservation agencies have worked to remove non-native predators and restore high-altitude … Read more

In 2015, a storm flooded and destroyed a Virginia wildlife refuge beach parking lot; now officials are moving it 2.5 miles north so dunes and saltmarsh can reclaim the old site

In 2015, a storm flooded and destroyed a Virginia wildlife refuge beach parking lot; now officials are moving it 2.5 miles north so dunes and saltmarsh can reclaim the old site

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (Image Credit: Canva) A severe storm in 2015 flooded and destroyed a recreational beach parking lot at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia, exposing the growing difficulty of maintaining visitor facilities on a shifting barrier island. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the refuge is now relocating the recreational … Read more

In 1953, Emma Gatewood tried hiking the Appalachian Trail, got lost and was rescued; two years later, at 67, she walked all 2,190 miles alone and made history

In 1953, Emma Gatewood tried hiking the Appalachian Trail, got lost and was rescued; two years later, at 67, she walked all 2,190 miles alone and made history

In 1953, Emma Gatewood tried hiking the Appalachian Trail, got lost and was rescued When park rangers found 65-year-old Emma Gatewood lost and confused in Maine in 1953 after she broke her glasses on the Appalachian Trail, they advised her to give up and return home. Two years later, at age 67, Gatewood returned to … Read more

In 2012, conservationists began working to remove an obsolete Massachusetts dam; 14 years later, demolition started to reconnect 7 miles of stream and restore 6 acres of wetland

In 2012, conservationists began working to remove an obsolete Massachusetts dam; 14 years later, demolition started to reconnect 7 miles of stream and restore 6 acres of wetland

Duxbury, MassachusettsRepresentative image For more than a century, a small concrete dam stood in the way of a river’s natural flow. Built to serve industries that no longer exist, the Temple Street Dam in Duxbury, Massachusetts, had long outlived its purpose. It blocked fish from reaching their spawning grounds, trapped sediment, created a maintenance burden … Read more