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A systematic review in the academic journal Toxicology Reports found that while pesticides are intended to manage weeds,...
06/18/2026

A systematic review in the academic journal Toxicology Reports found that while pesticides are intended to manage weeds, infestations, and various pests, they also cause greater harm to the environment and human health.

“There's definitely a pretty good link to cancers for general exposure to pesticides, and then also neurotoxic effects. When they're young, that exposure could have an effect on their brain development in ways that come out later in life,” said Emily Marquez, a senior scientist with the Pesticide Action Network.

Mecca Howe, a researcher at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, spent two years collecting data on the effects of pesticides on young girls in the Sarapiqui region of Costa Rica. She then lived in Sarapiqui to examine the extent to which younger girls were exposed to pesticides.

Despite her groundbreaking research, Howe said that the Ministry of Health needs more data before it can take action. She said most people acknowledge the use of pesticides; however, they are accustomed to them and see them as part of their everyday life.

Franciny Gonzalez Hidalgo, a Chilamate local, said she lives right next to an organic Dole pineapple plantation. She questions whether organic certifications for these large companies are the answer. Gonzalez Hidalgo said that some of the organic methods used are causing health problems for locals. She said that increased cancer or skin conditions are apparent within her community due to pesticide exposure.

🔗 Hear the full story ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/3j79r2yy

🎙️ Reporting by Malory Shaw, a student journalist from the reporting trip to La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica.

📝 KUNR Public Radio collaborated with the Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science at UNR’s Reynolds School of Journalism to support students’ scientific reporting from the rainforest.

06/18/2026

The Food Bank of Northern Nevada kicked off its Kid’s Summer Cafe program at Gepford Park in Sun Valley on Monday. It provides free meals to kids throughout Washoe County.

The summer program provides lunches to kids 2 to 18 at various locations throughout Reno. Each lunch is packed with a sandwich, an orange, carrots, and a milk carton.

The food bank partners with the Nevada Department of Agriculture and the Washoe County School District to make sure every meal meets their nutritional requirements.

The event at Gepford featured lawn games, face painting, and free books. To find future times and locations, visit fbnn.org/gethelp/kidscafe/.

🔗 Hear more ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/mptsnyrw
🎙️ Reporting by KUNR interns, Emma Charles and Lupe Alvarez

On June 16, the Washoe Board of County Commissioners appointed two people to the Library Board of Trustees. After four r...
06/18/2026

On June 16, the Washoe Board of County Commissioners appointed two people to the Library Board of Trustees. After four rounds of voting, the board appointed Andrea Tavener and Marcus Nesbitt out of 25 applicants.

According to Tavener’s publicly available resume, she previously worked as a community resource center manager and as a development and public information officer. Nesbitt’s resume says he’s a security professional at Allied Universal.

Both appointees will begin their term on July 1 and will end on June 30, 2030. In addition, Commissioner Alexis Hill was appointed as the liaison between the county commissioners and the library trustees.

🔗 Hear more ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/3jc92jyt
🎙️ Reporting by KUNR intern, Malory Shaw

Every year, thousands of animals are killed on Nevada’s roads. But the problem isn’t unique to the state. Costa Rica is ...
06/17/2026

Every year, thousands of animals are killed on Nevada’s roads. But the problem isn’t unique to the state. Costa Rica is also facing a similar problem. To help reduce these collisions, efforts are underway to build wildlife crossings in both.

Although Sarapiquí is located within the rainforest, it’s surrounded by urban development, and with that comes cars. As development expands deeper into the forest, more animals are being forced onto roads. Researchers estimate that in Costa Rica, about four animals die on the highway every hour.

In Northern Nevada, the challenge is similar. Every year, thousands of animals are hit by vehicles according to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). Since 2010, the state has built 80 wildlife crossings.

In 2023, Nevada lawmakers approved an additional $5 million for wildlife crossing projects. Costa Rican lawmakers are considering legislation that conservation groups say could expand wildlife crossing protections. The initial proposal passed a first round vote in April, but uncertainty still lingers as the bill still needs to pass a second round.

🔗 Hear the full story ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/mueke2xs

🎙️ Reporting by Kathleen Leslie, a student journalist from the reporting trip to La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica.

📝 KUNR Public Radio collaborated with the Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science at UNR’s Reynolds School of Journalism to support students’ scientific reporting from the rainforest.

A federal judge in Massachusetts has ordered the Trump administration to restore signs and exhibits at national park sit...
06/17/2026

A federal judge in Massachusetts has ordered the Trump administration to restore signs and exhibits at national park sites that were removed under an executive order to eliminate negative portrayals of American history.

District Judge Angel Kelley ordered the Interior Department to reinstall interpretive materials within three weeks, accusing the administration of attempting to “rewrite the Nation’s history with a white-out pen.”

In an executive order last year titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” President Trump directed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to ensure monuments, memorials, statues and markers “do not contain descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.”

In a statement, the Interior Department said the order came from a Biden-appointed judge and that it’s looking at options for appeal.

🔗 Hear more ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/29pwm6np
🎙️ Reporting by KUNC’s Rachel Cohen with the Mountain West News Bureau

From the Costa Rican rainforest to Nevada’s urban areas, hummingbird populations and pollination are threatened by habit...
06/16/2026

From the Costa Rican rainforest to Nevada’s urban areas, hummingbird populations and pollination are threatened by habitat loss.

Naturalist Jeremi Telecaluna said if there are declines in hummingbirds, it could have a negative impact on the rainforest. Many native plants and flowers depend on hummingbirds for pollination — including heliconias, firebushes, and bromeliads.

But hummingbirds aren’t only at risk in the tropics. Back in Nevada, urbanization is overtaking the low grasslands and open fields in the northern part of the state. And as a result, it’s consuming the natural hummingbird habitat.

Large scale research and conservation efforts can increase awareness of these birds and their threats. Hummingbirds can also be supported on the local level by simply putting out a backyard feeder and planting as many hummingbird-friendly native plants as possible.

🔗 Hear the full story ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/4khrh57a

🎙️ Reporting by Natalie MacKay, a student journalist from the reporting trip to La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica.

📝 KUNR Public Radio collaborated with the Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science at UNR’s Reynolds School of Journalism to support students’ scientific reporting from the rainforest.

For the past three decades the Abejones de Mayo — or May Beetles — population has declined. There are many reasons but o...
06/16/2026

For the past three decades the Abejones de Mayo — or May Beetles — population has declined. There are many reasons but one of the biggest is light pollution.

Danilo Brenes Madrigal, a taxonomist who studies living organisms and biologist at La Selva Research Station, which sits in a 4,000 acre tropical rainforest in Sarapiqui, said beetles are nocturnal species easily attracted to artificial lights. Their instincts force them to tilt their back toward the bulb until they get stuck in dizzying loops.

The beetles provide many benefits to the country’s ecosystem. Not only are they pollinators and prey for other animals, they also recycle nutrients and their excrements can serve as fertilizers.

Dr. Jennifer Birriel, a physics professor at Morehead State University, says because nocturnal species are attracted to blue and ultraviolet lights, using old-fashioned low or high pressure sodium or HPS lights is preferable. She said these lights emit very little blue light compared to an LED one.

She said change can start in your own home. Properly shielding lights so it’s directed downward and using motion sensor lights are a couple ways to help the beetle population.

🔗 Hear the full story ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/mpbr8aut

🎙️ Reporting by Mariel Day, who was a student journalist on the reporting trip to La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica.

📝 KUNR Public Radio collaborated with the Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science at University of Nevada, Reno's Reynolds School of Journalism to support students’ scientific reporting from the rainforest.

Last Thursday, UNR journalism students, some KUNR interns, and our political reporter Lucia Starbuck, presented their st...
06/16/2026

Last Thursday, UNR journalism students, some KUNR interns, and our political reporter Lucia Starbuck, presented their stories and projects from reporting in the rainforest at The Discovery museum in Reno for a Science Distilled event.

Eleven students from the University of Nevada Reno’s Hitchcock project, the Reynolds School of Journalism, and KUNR Public Radio shared scientific videos, photos, audio, and multimedia stories they created from working on site at La Selva Research Station in Costa Rica.

They also talked about the challenges they faced in the rainforest and all the funny moments during their adventures.

Tune into KUNR 88.7 FM to hear their sound rich science stories and visit kunr.org/rainforest-reporting!

The study, led by researchers at the University of Michigan and published this month in the journal Communications Earth...
06/15/2026

The study, led by researchers at the University of Michigan and published this month in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, analyzed decades of wildlife tracking data collected by state agencies across the Mountain West.

Researchers examined the movements and habitat use of mule deer, black bears and cougars. They found that severe drought reduced the amount of high-quality habitat available to all three species. Habitat declined by about 10% for mule deer, 14% for black bears and 18% for cougars.

The findings suggest drought's effects can ripple through entire ecosystems. As vegetation dries out and forage becomes less abundant, herbivores such as mule deer have fewer options for food and water. Those changes can then affect predators that depend on them.

The results could help wildlife managers better prepare for future droughts by identifying and protecting the habitats animals rely on most when conditions become harsh, explained Neil Carter, an associate professor at the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability and the study's lead author.

🔗 Hear more ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/ycy855ct
🎙️Reporting by KUNR’s Kaleb Roedel with the Mountain West News Bureau

According to a new report from the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, the lake's average water clarity in 202...
06/15/2026

According to a new report from the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, the lake's average water clarity in 2025 measured just over 69 feet. That's roughly seven feet better than the previous year. However, scientists say statistical analysis indicates the difference falls within normal year-to-year variation.

Researchers have monitored Lake Tahoe's clarity since the late 1960s. After decades of decline, visibility levels stabilized in the late 1990s and have remained near 70 feet in recent years.

Scientists say tiny particles in the water continue to reduce visibility. To better understand the factors limiting clarity, researchers are launching a major study this summer focused on the particles present in the lake.

"A big research project this summer is to look at all sizes of sediments and phytoplankton in the water and try to understand how these different types of particles are affecting the water clarity," said Stephanie Hampton, director of the research center.

🔗 Hear more ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/2ewvv5jv
🎙️Reporting by Maria Palma

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