program

In 1973, Montana released a gall fly to control spotted knapweed; decades later, the biocontrol program was linked to over 3 times more hantavirus-positive deer mice

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In 1973, Montana released a gall fly to control spotted knapweed; decades later, the biocontrol program was linked to over 3 times more hantavirus-positive deer mice

A biological control project started half a century ago to destroy a stubborn invasive weed accidentally set off an ecological chain reaction that increased human exposure to a deadly virus. In 1973, wildlife officials and agricultural scientists in Montana released two species of European gall flies, Urophora affinis and Urophora quadrifasciata, to control the spread … Read more

New TSA PreCheck program allows non-travelers past security – all about Gateside

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A new Transportation Security Administration program is allowing some people to cross the airport security checkpoint and walk a loved one to the gate. The once-routine tradition is being brought back at a time when the airport security checkpoint marked the place where families have been saying goodbye for over two decades. New TSA PreCheck … Read more

Meet Jerry Xu, the 17-year-old Massachusetts student who built an AI program that turns protein structures into strings of numbers; he won $90,000

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Meet Jerry Xu, the 17-year-old Massachusetts student who built an AI program that turns protein structures into strings of numbers; he won $90,000

Jerry Xu’s AI model is designed to compare the structures of proteins and amino acids rapidly. The structure of proteins gives important clues to how these molecules function. (Images: istock and Society for Science) Imagine, what if a protein’s complex 3-D structure could be converted into a simple string of numbers—and that string could help … Read more

Meet Connor Hill, the 17-year-old Pennsylvania student who wrote a computer program to classify noble polyhedra; he proved there are 146 isolated examples and won $250,000

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Meet Connor Hill, the 17-year-old Pennsylvania student who wrote a computer program to classify noble polyhedra; he proved there are 146 isolated examples and won $250,000

Connor Hill (Delta High School, State College, PA) By writing a custom computer algorithm that mapped every possible version of a rare class of geometric shapes, 17-year-old Connor Hill from Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, has won the top $250,000 prize at the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search.His computational proof classified a complex group of three-dimensional shapes … Read more

In 2020, Minnesota funded a $1.918 million Shell Rock River habitat program; by 2025, it had protected or restored 588 acres

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In 2020, Minnesota funded a $1.918 million Shell Rock River habitat program; by 2025, it had protected or restored 588 acres

Shell Rock River Watershed District (Image Credit: www.shellrock.org) In 2020, Minnesota approved $1.918 million for the Shell Rock River Watershed Habitat Restoration Program – Phase IX. According to a 2025 final report from the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, the program ultimately protected, restored or enhanced 588 acres of habitat in the Shell Rock River watershed, … Read more