As a way to honor Karen Walker after she retired last year, we asked her former colleagues to share their thoughts with us. Mystery Solver and More by Bill Marquardt Karen Walker is a mystery solver. She has an intense curiosity about how things work and why they appear as they do. When she s
Karen’s research has led to important new insights on climate change and human
An abandoned Caribbean colony unearthed centuries after it had been forgotten and a case of mistaken identity in the archaeological record have conspired to rewrite the history of a barrier island off the Virginia and Maryland coasts. These seemingly unrelated threads were woven together when Nic
Archaeological excavations of the site led by Florida Museum distinguished research
Hawk moths are known for being some of the largest night fliers in the insect world. With wingspans of more than four inches, many species are big enough to comfortably fill the palm of your hand. Thanks to the work of a small team of researchers at the Florida Museum of Natural History, three new s
The study that led to the discovery of the new Caribbean species began when Matthews
Nitrogen fertilizers make it possible to feed the world’s growing population, but they are also costly, harm ecosystems and require a lot of energy to manufacture. However, a few plants have evolved the ability to make their own nitrogen with the help of bacteria. A new study helps explain how they
Producing nodules is a genetically complex process, which has led many researchers
Take a look at this box of butterflies. How many species do you see? You might be tempted to divide them into those with “tails� on the lower wings and those without. Or you might lean toward grouping them by color, parsing out the yellow from the blue or orange. But all of these butterfli
The deceptiveness of butterfly wing patterns led scientists to begin dissecting specimens
To pair with the rest of our educational content in each Earth to Florida newsletter, we bring you monthly updates on statewide environmental news. Read on below to see what we found over the past month: 10 Florida Stories to Watch A recent UF study found that a popular herbicide, glyphosate
Building on decades of Everglades restoration efforts led by the South Florida Water
Imagine walking into a towering cathedral draped with million-faceted curtains of orange-gold and black, shimmering in the morning sunlight. Then these incredible living tapestries take flight, with a soft rustle from countless wings sweeping the air and billions of tiny butterfly scales drifting do
He has led trips to the Monarch overwintering sites in Mexico since 1981.
Centuries before countries such as the United Arab Emirates and China started building islands, the Calusa Indians living in southwest Florida were piling shells into massive heaps to construct their own water-bound towns. One island in particular, Mound Key, was the capital of the Calusa kingdom
Supported in part by a grant from National Geographic, a new interdisciplinary study led
Researchers have long thought that snail and clam shells found at Caribbean archaeological sites were evidence of “starvation food� eaten in times when other resources were lacking. Now, a University of Florida study suggests these shells may be evidence of children helping with the grocery shopping
middens – mounds of shells and sediment that were once ancient garbage dumps – led
The Sunshine State’s iconic wildlife includes the American alligator, the Florida panther, the scrub jay and the manatee. But some species unique to Florida are less familiar, like the ultra-rare blue calamintha bee. First described in 2011, scientists weren’t sure the bee still existed. The spec
These unique environments led to pockets of specialized plants and animals, such
