In 1964, a couple bought 535 acres in North Carolina and built a summer home there; decades later, they donated the entire property to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in its largest land gift since the park was created
The Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center A high-altitude property first bought as a private family retreat in the mid-1960s now serves as an important centre for environmental research in North America. The 535-acre property in Haywood County,…
In 1941, US Steel built a summer camp lodge at Indiana Dunes; after about 50 years closed, it has reopened and workers found an original time capsule hidden in its walls
According to the report, in 1941, the U.S. Steel Company built the lodge for the children of its employees. The Good Fellow Youth Camp, which ran from 1941 to 1975, provided generations of young people with an opportunity to get outdoors in what would…
Rare manatees are turning up along the Texas coast this summer; some are lingering in busy marinas for freshwater, prompting warnings to boaters
manatees (representative image) This summer, an unusual visitor has been making waves along the Texas coast: the Florida manatee. Multiple sightings have been reported from Galveston to Port Mansfield, with some of the gentle giants lingering in busy…
England’s water network buckles under sudden summer drought
England’s water network buckles under sudden summer drought (Representative image) The severe “flash drought” that has gripped England is pushing an already struggling water network toward breaking point — and it’s showing no sign of easing. The…
A Swedish hospital stores winter snow under wood chips and pumps its meltwater through the building in summer; in its first year it supplied 93% of cooling demand
According to Science Direct, the hospital’s annual cooling demand is about 1,000 MWh. A hospital in central Sweden found an unusual way to meet its summer cooling needs by storing snow from winter and using it months later. The Sundsvall Regional…
In 1951, a New Jersey couple bought 185-acres of land as a summer retreat after which an injured owl turned their property into a wildlife refuge
Jim and Betty Woodford. Image Credit: Cedar Run Wildlife refuge In 1951, Jim and Betty Woodford bought 185 acres in what was then the largely undeveloped Medford Township, New Jersey, hoping to create a summer retreat. But the land became the foundation…
Alaska’s live bearcam has become a summer hit: 7.3 million views in six weeks as brown bears gather at Brooks Falls to catch salmon
The cameras show brown bears waiting around Brooks Falls as sockeye salmon travel upstream. (Getty images) A livestream showing brown bears catching and eating salmon at a waterfall in Alaska has become an unexpected online hit this summer. The Brooks…
Six generations have vacationed at New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee; one family still spends thousands each summer to keep the tradition alive
For one family, summer has always meant Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Over six generations, the lake has been the backdrop for childhood swims, boat rides, family meals and countless reunions. Today, even though many members live only an hour…
Sleepless Planet: Why nights warm faster than days
There was a time when nightfall meant relief. After the heat of a long summer, in the hours after sunset, a cool breeze blows in through the open windows and the temperature drops enough to pull back the thin blanket and fall asleep easily. For much of…