Galena Creek Restoration Project: Keeping Dirt Out of Your Water

Area schoolchildren helped improve the health of the Truckee River watershed by spending a week restoring an eroded area along the banks of Galena Creek, south of Reno.
Mining industry turns to drones for safer search and rescue

Drones and video games are coming together in research at the University of Nevada, Reno, to make the mining industry safer for people.
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.