Why Vultures Avoid Portugal

ENVIRONMENT New research shows a trend of vultures avoiding Portugal in favor of Spain, and human activity is likely to blame. (BBC) How else are vultures adapting their species ranges? Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit. Discussion Ideas Portugal is a nice place! Why are vultures avoiding it? Read through the short BBC article for some help. … Continue reading Why Vultures Avoid Portugal

Potentially Powerful New Antibiotic Discovered in Dirt

SCIENCE A new class of microorganisms kills drug-resistant “superbugs”—and lives in dirt. (Washington Post) Learn more about antibiotics and the biotics they target with our Q&A here. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit. Discussion Ideas New research outlines the discovery of a new strain of antibiotics found in dirt. What are antibiotics? Use our resource here for … Continue reading Potentially Powerful New Antibiotic Discovered in Dirt

What Are the World’s Most Nutritious Foods?

HEALTH Scientists studied more than 1,000 raw foods, assigning each a nutritional fitness score. The higher the score, the more likely each food would meet your daily nutritional needs when eaten in combination with other foods. A great BBC graphic! (BBC) Nutrition? What is nutrition? Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit. Discussion Ideas The great BBC graphic … Continue reading What Are the World’s Most Nutritious Foods?

Talking Evolution – The Challenge of Influenza – Part 2

In my previous post, I detailed the nature of the influenza virus and its impact on personal health. In this post, we’ll look at how and why this virus is such a challenge for humanity. Despite prodigious advancements in medical care as well as vaccine technology, we still face yearly health hazards from seasonal influenza, as well as the generational threat from occasional influenza pandemics. … Continue reading Talking Evolution – The Challenge of Influenza – Part 2

Talking Evolution: The Challenge of Influenza – Part 1

It’s that time of year again. It’s “Flu Season”—and those words mean different things to different people. For some of us, “flu season” is synonymous with the idea that we might come down with a “cold” and feel crummy for a few days. For a smaller group, it means that we are at risk of a life-threatening illness. As a teacher of middle school students, … Continue reading Talking Evolution: The Challenge of Influenza – Part 1