Earth and Environmental Science

a tiny fish swims under green, murky water

How one gene in a tiny fish may alter an aquatic ecosystem

Linking genomics to evolution to ecology, the work takes an unusual approach to reveal broad implications of how species adapt to their local environment.

a stack of books in front of a chalkboard with math equations

Celebrating science

Eight Penn faculty share their favorite general interest books about science.

Philly affirms commitment to slashing emissions as study shows global increase

Christine Simeone of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy spoke about cities and states’ continued efforts in the fight against climate change. “In the absence of a national strategy, the state and local strategies actually become much more important,” said Simeone.

PGW plan for liquified natural gas facility in Southwest Philadelphia clears hurdle

Christina Simeone of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy discussed the possible environmental impact of the creation of a new liquified natural gas (LNG) facility in Southwest Philadelphia. “The environmental benefit will happen if LNG displaces diesel or fuel oil,” she said. “But it’s just not clear until there’s a client base who is going to be the end user of this gas.”

Looking down on campus through a variety of colorful treetops, people walk by holding umbrellas

Keeping campus trees—all 6,800 of them—healthy and vibrant

Caring for the trees on Penn’s campus—an official arboretum since last year—is no small undertaking. Staff from Facilities and Real Estate Services and the Morris Arboretum lead the way in ensuring that the University’s trees remain safe, vibrant, diverse, and beautiful.

Colorful red and turquoise fish with round mouth opening swims in the ocean

Tracing the evolutionary origins of fish to shallow ocean waters

Coral reefs are envisioned as the seats of great biodiversity, but they may not be where all that diversity got its start. In a new study in Science, paleobiologist Lauren Sallan and colleagues reveal that the earliest fish may have diversified in shallower waters near shore.

A new-to-us mineral

Reto Gieré of the School of Arts and Sciences and colleagues say the new mineral, isolated from a sample of igneous rock in central Madagascar, may help immobilize nuclear waste.

Guess what these young dinosaurs ate when their parents weren’t looking

Peter Dodson of the School of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Arts and Sciences offered commentary on young dinosaurs’ ability to independently forage for vegetation. “It seems like a pretty fair bet that there wasn’t parental care,” said Dodson.

Analyzing roadside dust to identify potential health concerns

Reto Gieré is working with collaborators across the world to identify an overlooked but significant factor in traffic-related air pollution: Tiny bits of tires, brake pads, and road materials that become suspended in the air when vehicles pass over.

Floating art installation brings Schuylkill River history to life

Jacob Rivkin, an artist-in-residence for the Penn Program in Environmental Humanities and an instructor in the School of Design, will present a public art installation on the Schuylkill River called “Floating Archives,” starting this weekend. (Video)

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