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UrduNearly 52% of Floridians favor candidates who reduce climate impacts. About 68% believe the state should take more action on climate issues and and 67% feel the federal government should as well. Notably, 88% acknowledge climate change is occurring. About 75% of respondents advocate for a diversified energy mix to include more electricity produced by renewable sources. Nearly 73% of respondents worry about home energy expenses and nearly 58% are concerned about being able to afford and maintain homeowners’ insurance due to climate change.
Tag: Florida
Hurricane Milton: Back-to-back storms multiply concerns over flooding, health, evacuations, pets and access to infant food
Now a Category 5 hurricane, Milton is making a beeline toward Tampa Bay and other parts of Florida’s western coast. But it will also hit some of the same areas that Hurricane Helene decimated less than two weeks ago, amplifying…
FSU researchers work to protect local springs
Florida State University researchers at the Coastal and Marine Laboratory and the School of Communication are working to educate the public and help clean up Wakulla Springs, thanks to funding from the Florida Legislature.
What’s Really ‘Fueling’ Harmful Algae in Florida’s Lake Okeechobee?
Historically, Lake Okeechobee was thought to be impaired only by phosphorus, focusing efforts on reducing agricultural runoff. However, new comprehensive sampling across the Lake Okeechobee Waterway and its connected estuaries shows that toxic algal blooms also are driven by rising nitrogen levels from human waste and urban runoff. Increased nitrogen, worsened by extreme rainfall, significantly fuels bloom severity. Findings underscore the need for integrated nutrient management and improved wastewater treatment to protect the lake and its estuaries.
FAU Engineering Professor Achieves Milestone as Highly Cited Google Scholar
Dr. Khoshgoftaar’s scientific publications have garnered more than 63,500 citations during his distinguished career at FAU (1985 to present), yielding a Google Scholar h-index of 95.
Nighttime Light Data Shows Inequities in Restoring Power After Hurricane Michael
Using nighttime lightdata from NASA, remote sensing, official outage records and census information, a study reveals notable differences in power-restoration rates between urbanized and rural areas and between disadvantaged and more affluent communities after Hurricane Michael in Florida’s Panhandle.
Study Finds Police Misconduct ‘Hotspots’ Across Florida
Researchers analyzed data from 241 Florida law enforcement agencies across 67 counties to explore police misconduct. They uncovered 24 types of offenses, such as assault, weapons violations, manslaughter, and perjury. Notably, failure to report and perjury topped the list, with sexual crimes and drug/alcohol-related offenses also prominent.
FAU Sea Turtle Experts Provide ‘Best Practices’ During Nesting Season
Three internationally renowned FAU researchers provide “best practices” and answer some of the most frequently asked questions to help protect Florida’s nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings.
Doctors in Florida Now Allowed to Perform C-Sections Outside Hospitals
Florida is now the first state that will allow doctors to perform c-sections outside of hospitals. The law which was passed this spring says advanced birth centers can perform low-risk cesarean deliveries. The law does not define what constitutes a…
FAU Experts for the 2024 Hurricane Season
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1, and forecasts indicate a highly active season. Several Florida Atlantic University faculty experts are available to discuss various issues surrounding hurricane preparedness, evacuation and aftermath.
90% of Floridians Believe Climate Change is Happening
FAU’s latest “Florida Climate Resilience Survey” found that 90% of Floridians believe that climate change is happening. Belief in human-caused climate change has surged among Florida Independents while slipping among Republicans. Despite these changes, the survey found enduring support among Floridians for increased government action to address the consequences of a warming planet.
Florida’s Strict Six-Week Abortion Ban to Take Effect This Week
Law Sonia Suter is a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and founding director of the Health Law Initiative. She is an expert on issues at the intersection of law, medicine, and bioethics, with a particular…
Details of Hurricane Ian’s Aftermath Captured with New Remote Sensing Method
Using aerial imagery data and LiDAR, a study remotely identified the hardest-hit areas of Southwest Florida’s Estero Island in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Researchers estimated the extent of structural damage and compared pre- and post-storm beach structural changes.
Florida Climate Report: Expert Panel Live Event Reporter Q&A
Climate experts from Florida Atlantic University, Archbold Biological Station, and Live Wildly Foundation will speak and answer questions from the media on the Florida Wildlife Corridor (FLWC) and Climate Change managing Florida’s Natural and Human Landscapes for Prosperity and Resilience
Florida Wildlife Corridor Eases Worst Impacts of Climate Change
Florida is projected to lose 3.5 million acres of land to development by 2070. A new study highlights how Florida can buffer itself against both climate change and population pressures by conserving the remaining 8 million acres of “opportunity areas” within the Florida Wildlife Corridor (FLWC), the only designated statewide corridor in the U.S.
New Study Shows How the Florida Wildlife Corridor Can Mitigate the Worst Impacts of Climate Change
As wildfires, floods and other climate disasters spread across the country, a first-of-its-kind study
finds that Florida’s ambitious Wildlife Corridor has the potential to shield the state from similar
threats.
FAU Lands $1.3 Million Grant to ‘Clean Up’ Stinky Seaweed in Florida
Once Sargassum deluges beaches, removing, disposing and repurposing the seaweed presents many logistical and economic challenges. Cleaning up these huge piles of annoying seaweed while protecting these critical habitats at the same time is a precarious struggle.
An ecosystem roadmap: Apalachicola Bay System Initiative Community Advisory Board’s recommendations provide guide to sustainable fishery
Through the work of Florida State University’s Coastal & Marine Laboratory and the Apalachicola Bay System Initiative, there is a plan to help restore one of the country’s great fisheries.
Counting Rays: Aerial Surveys Reveal Ample Populations in Southeast Florida
A unique long-term study quantified the abundance of whitespotted eagle and giant manta rays in Southeast Florida. Researchers conducted 120 survey flights between 2014 and 2021 from Miami north to the Jupiter Inlet. One or both species were seen on nearly every flight and both populations appear to be stable in the region. The giant manta rays were more abundant in the south and the whitespotted eagle rays were found all along the coast. Neither species seems to be deterred by the greater human population density in Fort Lauderdale/ Miami.
Study Details Toxic Elements Found in Stranded Whales, Dolphins Over 15 Years
Researchers evaluated the prevalence, concentration and tissue distribution of essential and non-essential trace elements, including heavy metal toxicants in tissue (blubber, kidney, liver, skeletal muscle, skin) and fecal samples. Findings reveal how toxicant levels relate to their sex, breed, age and other demographic factors.
Residents of Rural ‘Glades’ Take a ‘Leap of Faith’ to Combat Dementia
Compared to urban dwellers, racially/ethnically diverse older adults face up to an 80 percent greater risk of cognitive impairment in older age, and 2.5 times potentially preventable Alzheimer’s-related (ADRD) hospitalizations.
FAU Survey Finds Floridians Believe in Climate Change and Want Government Action
The latest edition of the Florida Climate Resilience Survey found that 90 percent of
respondents believe climate change is happening
New Research Reveals Dynamic Factors Shaping Biodiversity at Small Scales
Researchers studying arboreal ants in a Florida forest explore the fundamental question of how resource availability and competition shape biodiversity.
FAU Receives $750,000 Philanthropic Grant for Alzheimer’s Disease
A $750,000 philanthropic grant from the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation will help FAU develop partnerships and programs that will establish best practice for coordinated care and research for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Idalia exposes Florida communications patchwork, limits to information access
Hurricane Idalia is gaining strength as it nears Florida, and officials have issued warnings, watches, and evacuation orders along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Rebecca Brenner is a disaster policy expert and senior lecturer in the Brooks School of Public Policy at…
FAU Lands $4.2 Million NIH Grant for Air Quality and Alzheimer’s Risks Study
Lake Okeechobee rural residents are subjected to repeated, intermittent exposures to air pollution during agricultural fires.
DNA Decodes the Dining Preferences of the Shell-Shucking Whitespotted Eagle Ray
With mighty jaws and plate-like teeth, the globally endangered whitespotted eagle ray can pretty much crunch on anything. Yet, little information is available on critical components of their life history in the U.S., such as their diet.
MALARIA IN FLORIDA: FSU EXPERTS AVAILABLE TO COMMENT
The Florida Department of Health recently issued a mosquito-borne illness advisory following confirmed cases of malaria in Sarasota County, Florida. Malaria is a treatable, parasitic disease transmitted through mosquito bites. It affects the blood and causes flu-like symptoms, such as…
UWF awarded $460,000 grant for development of military training program
UWF has been awarded a $460,000 grant by the Florida Defense Support Task Force to support the military training efforts in and around Florida.
Sea Snail First Seen in U.S. Coastal Waters May Have Arrived as a ‘Stowaway’
Naria turdus, a sea snail first reported in U.S. coastal waters in 2022, was found underwater in Lake Worth Lagoon.
Previously Overlooked Algae Toxin Widespread in Southern Indian River Lagoon
Pseudo-nitzschia spp., an algae that produces the neurotoxin domoic acid, can bioaccumulate within food webs causing harm to humans and animals. A molecular study of Florida’s Indian River Lagoon shows this algae was present in 87 percent of the water samples collected. All isolates showed toxicity, and domoic acid was found in 47 percent of surface water samples. As a nursery for many organisms that supports a high amount of biodiversity, the presence of domoic acid could negatively impact the lagoon system.
Crushed Clams, Roaming Rays: Acoustic Tags Reveal Predator Interactions
Inspired by clam fishermen reports, researchers used passive acoustic telemetry to gauge the interactions between two highly mobile rays. They monitored the tagged rays in the wild over two years to see how often and when they visited clam leases. Results provide both good news and bad news for clammers. Rays spent even more time in these clam lease sites than clammers reported or suspected, but it’s not necessarily where they prefer hanging out.
Expert on Disney: Can ‘Little Mermaid’ enchant audiences into forgetting culture wars?
Tulane University professor Peter Kunze, an expert on Disney’s history and societal impact, is available to speak to media on all things House of Mouse, from the feud with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to the cultural weight Disney’s casting decisions…
Broad Climate Change Concern in Florida Linked With Recent Extreme Weather
An increasing number of Floridians agree that human actions are causing climate change, including a record number of Florida Republicans. Virtually all respondents (90 percent) believe climate change is happening, with 65 percent attributing the causes to human actions, including 49 percent of GOP voters. Belief in and concern about human-caused climate change appears to be translating into support for policies to reduce emissions and reduce impacts. The explanation for this emerging consensus may be grounded in people’s lived experiences with weather events.
FAU and Insightec Partner to Use Focused Ultrasound to Treat Neurological Disorders
This agreement will enable FAU and Insightec to collaborate to advance scientific knowledge about the use of focused ultrasound to treat brain diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. By harnessing acoustic energy, Insightec’s innovative technology uses focused ultrasound to treat diseases in different ways.
FAU, Virtual Planet and City of West Palm Beach Unveil Groundbreaking Virtual Reality Experience
The multidisciplinary team created a virtual simulation of the devastation that a Category 5 hurricane and sea level rise could have on West Palm Beach. The simulation, produced with 3D technology, reveals the destruction that could occur in Osprey Park and the surrounding communities, highlighting the threat to the coastline and potential solutions for coastal areas.
FAU Gets $6 Million to Increase Mental Health Counselors in Florida Schools
A 2019 Florida Department of Health survey showed that 12.7 percent of Florida high schoolers had carried a weapon; 21.2 percent were involved in a physical altercation; and 11.3 percent and 14.9 percent were bullied electronically or on school property, respectively. In addition, 15.6 percent reported they had seriously considered attempting suicide. Alarmingly, results indicated a 50 percent increase in the suicide attempt rate for black females. These numbers demonstrate the need for timely, immediate prevention and intervention in mental health services for Florida youth.
FAU Developed AUTOHOLO Shows Potential as Red Tide Warning System
Current methods to monitor red tide are limited. Using AUTOHOLO, a new autonomous, submersible, 3D holographic microscope and imaging system, a study is the first to characterize red tide in the field and breaks new ground for monitoring harmful algal blooms.
FAU New Home to Award-winning Website ‘The Invading Sea’
The Invading Sea, an award-winning website featuring content on climate change in Florida, now has a new home at FAU. The Invading Sea was founded in 2018 as a collaboration among the editorial boards of the Miami Herald, Palm Beach Post and Sun Sentinel, with Miami-based public radio station WLRN serving as a news partner. The site will continue to be a nonpartisan source for news and opinion pieces about climate change and other environmental issues in Florida at FAU, while expanding its focus to include more educational content.
University provost calls out anti-woke/trans movement in Florida
Donald Hall, provost at Binghamton University, State University of New York, just published a powerful op-ed at the Miami Herald that calls out anti-woke/anti-trans policy and hysteria gaining ground in Florida, and calls for those students seeking a positive learning environment…
FAU Harbor Branch Lands U.S. EPA Grant for ‘Hands-on’ Indian River Lagoon Field Trip
The project will host 125 field trips, which will educate as many as 3,125 socially disadvantaged middle and high school students about Florida’s natural resources and the importance of conserving them.
FAU Teams Up with Shipwreck Park for Underwater Public Project, ‘Wahoo Bay’
Several years in the making, Wahoo Bay will serve partly as an educational marine park as well as an initiative to restore the natural habitat. Using AI and sensors, FAU engineers and students will deploy automated weather monitoring stations, underwater cameras, vehicles, acoustic and water quality monitoring sensors in Wahoo Bay, a “living” laboratory that provides an immersive experience for visitors while raising awareness of keeping oceans and coral reef systems healthy.
Study First to Show Statewide Cannabis-related Deaths in Florida
There has been a 1,107.01 percent increase in the number of people with medical cannabis cards in Florida (2018 to Jan. 27). One key reason is because many people believe cannabinoids – plant derived, medicinal, and synthetic or chemically engineered – are safe to use. A study shows that 386 people died in Florida as a result of cannabis use; of these, 258 cases were caused by synthetic cannabis. Nearly 88 percent were men; 28 percent of deaths were in those ages 45 to 54, compared to 9 percent in those ages 8 to 24. Nearly 99 percent of individuals using cannabis and synthetic cannabis died from accidents.
FAU, Broward Health to Partner on Academic Medicine
FAU and Broward Health on Monday announced a partnership agreement that will provide academic medicine to Broward County, and opportunities to collaborate in the areas of education, clinical training and practice, health services administration and research.
FSU historian available to discuss 100-year anniversary of Rosewood massacre
By: Bill Wellock | Published: December 15, 2022 | 2:40 pm | SHARE: A century ago, a mob destroyed the town of Rosewood in Levy County, Florida — racial violence that ended with at least eight people dead and erased what had been a thriving community.A Florida State University historian who helped document the massacre for the Florida Legislature is available to speak to media about her work and the history of Rosewood.
Hurricane’s effects killed sturgeon in Apalachicola River
As hurricane Michael churned through the Gulf of Mexico to make landfall near Florida’s Apalachicola River in 2018, it left a sea of destruction in its wake. The path was easy to follow on land, but debris and infrastructure failures also diminished the river’s water quality and led to the death of roughly half the gulf sturgeon population there.
Sharpen Your Ultrasound & EMG Skills at AANEM’s 2023 UltraEMG
The American Association of Neuromuscular &
Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) is excited to announce the 2023 UltraEMG meeting,
which will be held February 14-17, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at Sonesta Fort Lauderdale
Beach Hotel. Participants will enhance their knowledge of ultrasound (US) and
electromyography (EMG) at this exceptional event through front row, hands-on experiences.
Toxins from Harmful Algae Found in Bull Sharks of Florida’s Indian River Lagoon
The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) is a bull shark nursery habitat crucial to survival and recruitment of Atlantic coast bull sharks. Analysis of 123 samples found the presence of one or more phycotoxin from harmful algal blooms in 82 percent of the bull sharks and their prey items. Findings highlight the potential threat of toxic algae to the IRL’s ecosystem and surrounding human populations that may consume the same prey species. The highest concentrations of most toxins were detected in gut content samples, highlighting dietary exposure as an important mechanism of toxin transfer to bull sharks in the system.
New Critical Period of Embryonic Sex Determination in Sea Turtles Identified
A study shows that the temperature of the incubation environment could influence the sexualization of the gonads (reproductive organs) in sea turtles earlier than what is currently recognized. Researchers developed a new way to integrate the effect of thermal fluctuations on embryonic sex determination and predict sex ratios with much better accuracy than prior models. By measuring the strength of masculinization or feminization of temperatures using novel parameters, they have uncovered how temperature-sensitive sex determination works. These findings could be similar for other reptiles with temperature-dependent sex determination because similar molecular determinants and enzymatic mechanisms are at play.
FAU Awarded $1.8 Million Grant to Improve Pre-K English Proficiency
“PRAISE, Preparing for Readiness and Academic Improvement for pre-School English Learners.” PRAISE is designed to improve the quality of instruction for English language learners and enhance educators’ ability to support preschool English language learners’ readiness for kindergarten. FAU is one of 44 institutions nationwide selected to receive this grant in 2022.