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Black and white headshot of author James MacDonald

James MacDonald

James MacDonald received a BS in Environmental Biology from Columbia and a PhD in Ecology and Evolution from Rutgers University, spending 4 years in Central America collecting data on fish in mangrove forests. His research has been published in scholarly journals such as Estuaries and Coasts and Biological Invasions. Until his death in the fall of 2019, James worked in fisheries management and outreach in New York.

Artist's concept of buckyballs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons around an R Coronae Borealis star rich in hydrogen. Credit: MultiMedia Service (IAC)
Natural Science

What’s between the Stars? Buckyballs!

How buckyballs fit into the formation of new stars.
"OregonCoastEcola Edit" by Cacophony edit by Noodle snacks - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OregonCoastEcola_Edit.jpg#/media/File:OregonCoastEcola_Edit.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a>
Natural Science

Is the Pacific Northwest Due For a Big Earthquake?

The Pacific Northwest may be due for a big earthquake, and there is historical evidence to suggest it may be huge.
Bust of queen Nefertiti in the Neues Museum, Berlin "Nefertiti 30-01-2006" by Arkadiy Etumyan - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nefertiti_30-01-2006.jpg#/media/File:Nefertiti_30-01-2006.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>
Natural Science

The Tomb of Queen Nefertiti?

The long undiscovered tomb of Queen Nefertiti may have been found.
Atlantic Blue Crab
Plants & Animals

Why Urban Crabs Are More Aggressive

Urban crabs are more aggressive than their rural counterparts because of heavy metal contamination.
Cecil Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe 2010 "Cecil the lion" by Daughter#3 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/daughter3986851963/4516561242/. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cecil_the_lion.jpg#/media/File:Cecil_the_lion.jpg
Science & Technology

Does Hunting Have a Place in Wildlife Conservation?

Can hunting be a viable option for wildlife conservation?
A brown bear with its fur caught in the wind
Plants & Animals

Drones Stress Out Bears, Too

The effects of drones and planes on animal stress.
An Earth-like planet in the foreground and the sun in the background
Natural Science

Kepler Finds Truly Earth-like World

The Kepler telescope discovers a habitable planet.
Hadron Collider
Natural Science

A Brief History of Quarks

Understanding the history and future of quarks.
Dolphin on the forehead of a whale rising out of the water
Plants & Animals

Nothing Beats a Dolphin Riding a Whale

Studies of play in dolphins
armadillo
Plants & Animals

Armadillos are Cute, but They Spread Leprosy

A surprising examination of how armadillos spread leprosy.
A petri dish filled with a culture and a dropper
Health

At Long Last, a Malaria Vaccine. Sort of.

Scientists create the first malaria vaccine, but there are still setbacks.
African Elephant
Plants & Animals

To Find Forgotten Land Mines, Researchers Look To Elephants

Elephants might be the key to disabling forgotten land mines.
Dense group of mangrove trees
Plants & Animals

The Magnificent, Maligned Mangrove

The mangrove is essential to ecosystems, but is in danger of becoming extinct.
A hand holding a palm oil fruit in front of a bushel of the fruit
Science & Technology

The environmental scourge of palm oil

Why Palm Oil is dangerous for the environment
Young man holding a basketball over a ravine
Science & Technology

The Magnus Effect: More Than a Viral Video

What is the concept of the Magnus effect?
Saharan Silver Ants capturing a beetlea
Plants & Animals

Mad dogs, Englishmen, and Silver Ants Go Out in the Midday Sun

Several species have managed to adapt to the harsh, unforgiving environment of deserts.
View of the lower part of an airplane
Science & Technology

Fly the Friendly Skies in a Grease Powered Jet

A United Airlines jet is the first to take off using only fuels made from discarded fat.
Close-up of a brown centipede
Plants & Animals

Journey to the Center(pede) of the Earth

The deepest living centipede has been discovered in a Croatian cave.
Shark fin protruding out of water
Plants & Animals

Shark Attacks: A History of Hype

A history of shark attacks and public response to them.
Young man with trauma of the head
Health

Despite New Attention, Concussions Remain Mysterious

Despite decades of progress, successful treatment of concussions has been elusive and difficult.
Close-up of a kangaroo
Plants & Animals

That Kangaroo? It’s Left-Handed

According to a recent study, a majority of kangaroos are left-handed.
Satellite orbiting Pluto
Natural Science

Pluto Gets a Close-Up

What the New Horizon voyage tells us about Pluto.
A young woman struggling to pull on her jeans
Health

The Peril of Skinny Jeans, Corsets, and Restrictive Clothing

what do skinny jeans and corsets have in common. as you may imagine, quite a bit.
Europa, oneEuropa, one of the four Galilean moons orbiting Jupiter
Science & Technology

NASA Sets Its Sites on Europa

NASA has decided on the nature and scope of a mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa, scheduled in the 2020s.
A troop of baboons
Plants & Animals

A Democratic Experiment Among Baboons

New research on baboon troops suggests that they employ democratic decision-making.

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