Teaching robots sarcasm could help those on the autism spectrum
Teach a machine to detect sarcasm? Oh yeah, sure. Research into the complex and nuanced perception of sass could help autistic people manage ordinary conversations with greater ease.
Scientists are using drones to help prevent wildfires
Our response to wildfires is advancing as drones help us explore an area’s fuel moisture, detect stuff in the air surrounding an active fire, and measure erosion afterward.
Rehab Redesigned: Nevada physical therapist guides knee patients toward a stronger recovery
Physical therapist Jonathan Hodges has developed a new protocol for helping people recover their strength after knee surgery.
Resplendent mountain wildflowers are gorgeous for sure. They’re also signs of environmental health.
During spring and summer, Sierra Nevada meadows burst into a breath-taking display of wildflowers. Plus, they’re good for the birds and the bees.
Invasive aquatic plants threaten Lake Tahoe’s clear waters
The plants look like seaweed, rising from the shallow areas of Lake Tahoe to the surface. But in this fresh-water, high-mountain lake with a $5-billion recreation economy, invasive plants threaten both the environment and an international tourist destination.
The Anatomy of a Broken Heart
A traumatic emotional event can cause the heart to change its shape and become less efficient. It’s called “broken heart syndrome” for a reason.
Nevada’s Biggest Little Invasive: Cheatgrass
Cheatgrass is an invasive plant that is contributing to hotter and more frequent fires in the intermountain West. And, it’s tough to eradicate.
Dee the desert tortoise gets a new home
A tortoise adoption group trains people to become custodians for long-lived but endangered desert tortoises in Nevada.
Meadow ‘sponges’ can help store water as snowpack shrinks
A project to restore a damaged meadow in the Sierra Nevada shows the possibilities for improving an important mountain ecosystem. It can also store precious groundwater as climate change shrinks mountain snowpack, a vital source of fresh water in the American West.
Trees move uphill as Sierra Nevada climate warms
Warming Sierra Nevada temperatures mean young trees of cold-adapted species are growing at elevations hundreds of feet higher than trees counted 80 years ago — taking entire habitats with them.
