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Help Wanted: Polar Bear Spotters

The Norwegian government is looking for the spotters to warn researchers in the Arctic Circle when bears get too close. A successful candidate should enjoy the outdoors and be competent with firearms.
NPR

Of Flybots And Bug Eyes: Insects Inspire Inventors

Miniaturizing technology is really hard — gears, rotors, belts and pistons that work perfectly at human size just don't work very well at the small scale. So researchers are turning to insects for ideas about how to make tiny flying robots and cameras — and driving a new generation of gadgets.
NPR

Can Salmon Farming Be Sustainable? Maybe, If You Head Inland

For years, salmon farming has gotten a bad rap from marine biologists, who say the fish grown in open-ocean net pens generate pollution, disease and parasites. But now, a few salmon farms have moved on land. From an environmental standpoint, some scientists say, that's "a huge step forward."
WAMU 88.5

National Zoo Vet On Front Line Of Fight Against Pandemics

Visitors to the National Zoo see animals from around the world, but behind the scenes, zoo veterinarians are dealing with diseases from around the world.

WAMU 88.5

Maryland Oyster Shell Recycling Bill To Be Signed Into Law

A bill to offer incentives for the recycling of oyster shells may go a long way towards helping recovering oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay.

WAMU 88.5

Security Ramped Up At Preakness Following Boston Attacks

The tens of thousands who turn out to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore this month will be subject to more stringent security measures than in years passed.

NPR

He Helped Discover Evolution, And Then Became Extinct

Charles Darwin is known as the father of evolution. But another British naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, played a major role in developing the theory of natural selection before fading into obscurity. A trip to what's now Sulawesi in Indonesia, and the unique animals he found there, helped form his seminal ideas.
NPR

Pork Producers Root Out Market Niche With Berkshire Pigs

Pork producers looking for more financial stability than the commodity market affords are trying their luck with specialty hog breeds. These pigs, raised on small farms, with limited antibiotics, cost more to raise but fetch more at market. And many say they make for tastier pork.
NPR

Navy Sonar Criticized For Harming Marine Mammals

The U.S. Navy is planning to expand training exercises off California and Hawaii, citing the need for military readiness. That's raising concerns about threatened whales and marine mammals, because sonar is known harm and, in some cases, kill them. The state of California is fighting the Navy's plan.

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