In the past couple of years there had been mutterings about seed oils which have grown into a roar of anti-seed oil sentiment thanks to various wellness influencers and podcast pundits with no education in food, food science, nutrition or nutrition science. 

A team of students from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics has developed an artificial intelligence-based flood modeling system that could transform the way communities predict, and therefore respond, to extreme weather events. 

With wrinkly skin that comes in various shades of brown, eastern hellbenders aren’t easy to spot. These giant salamanders, which average 20 inches in length, spend most of their lives nearly invisible under rocks on the bottom of cool, fast-flowing streams.

This time of year, we often see dramatic and often negative stories about food and nutrition. A few things to remember:

• Read beyond the headlines — Headlines are meant to attract your attention and get “clicks”. Before you react or make snap judgements, be sure to read the actual article. 

These days there’s a lot of negativity about “seed oils”. According to some of the social media “influencers”, seed oils are ones made from: canola, corn, cottonseed, soybeans, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, flaxseed, and sesame seeds. 

The passion surrounding the 2024 election was monumental, and as I observed my fellow Americans, the overarching emotion that simmered to the surface, no matter the party affiliation, was fear.

Sure, mosquitos are an important link in the food chain for amphibians, birds and other insects, but they’re annoying, they’re persistent and they can actually kill you. Two researchers at Western Carolina University are working on a faster, cheaper, more reliable method to identify which ones will. 

Joe Davis, a double alumnus of Western Carolina University with a bachelor’s in emergency medical care and a master’s in biology, has had a unique higher education journey. 

The Highlands Biological Foundation (HBF) announced the next lecture in their Zahner Conservation Lecture Series, taking place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Highlands Nature Center. 

The Highlands Biological Foundation (HBF) invites the community to the next installment of its Zahner Conservation Lecture series at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 18.