These century-old apple trees could have rare genes to fight off new threats
On a remote Great Lake island, some old apple trees could have very rare, never-before-discovered genes that could help fight off future threats.
Points North podcast
How U.S. bluegill became an invasive fish in Japan
In October 1960, Prince Akihito of Japan visited Chicago for 21 hours. Chicago’s mayor presented the prince with a diplomatic gift: 18 bluegill. What happened next would change the underwater world of Japan forever.
A smartwatch that runs on slime mold. Could it help prevent e-waste?
A researcher wanted incorporate a living organism into a device, like a watch. She tried plants, mushrooms and algae. Then she discovered a not-so-picky bright yellow blob: slime mold.
The search for a solution to an irritating plague: swimmer’s itch
Ron Reimink knew how uncomfortable and annoying swimmer’s itch could be. He spent much of his career trying to eradicate it in lakes. Then one day, he realized he was completely wrong.
The Longest Paddle: Circumnavigating the Great Lakes
The story of Traci Lynn Martin's quest to become the first person to circumnavigate all of the Great Lakes by kayak in one year.
Points North: Bear Trouble
When a black bear woke up from hibernation in the middle of winter and attacked three people and a dog, researchers were left with one question: Why?
The Last to Leave
A researcher in Ohio was surrounded by hundreds of dead ash trees wiped out by a beetle called the emerald ash borer. But then she found a lone tree thriving, and started looking for answers.
More than a filet of fish
Iceland has figured out how to use almost 100% of every fish caught, increasing the value of Atlantic cod. Can this approach help the struggling Great Lakes fishery?
How one community opted to sterilize deer to control its herd instead of hunting
Ten years ago, a group of neighbors in a Cincinnati community didn’t want to see their local deer killed. So they turned to another solution: sterilization.
The magnificent sky dance of the American woodcock
At dusk in fields in Pennsylvania and throughout the Great Lakes region in spring, an odd-looking bird takes to the sky for an elaborate, acrobatic display. We take you there.
