Hemp is a cannabis plant, a variant of marijuana, that until recently was considered a drug. Growing it is state-regulated, it’s a popular nutritional supplement, and it’s becoming an important crop for NC farmers.
Environment
Mushrooms: foraging, cloning and cooking
There's science behind every step of mushrooms farming: identifying wild mushrooms during foraging season, cloning the ones you like and explaining to customers how to cook them. Get an inside look at what it takes to farm our favorite fungi.
New tools for shark research
The UNC Institute of Marine Sciences manages the nation’s longest running coastal shark survey- going on 45 years. New research into shark tissues will provide new insights into the shark’s life history, movement, diet, and where it fits in the food web.
Eat a fish you've never heard of
Most Americans are stuck on eating shrimp, tuna and salmon. But there's more fish in the sea. North Carolina has an especially diverse population of fish, because our coastline is the nexus of cold and warm water currents. Find out why eating unusual and under-loved fish is good for fisheries and fishermen.
Eat a fish you've never heard of
Most Americans are stuck on eating shrimp, tuna and salmon. But there's more fish in the sea. North Carolina has an especially diverse population of fish, because our coastline is the nexus of cold and warm water currents. Find out why eating unusual and under-loved fish is good for fisheries and fishermen.
How golfers and farmers are helping monarch butterflies
Monarch butterfly populations are declining because of overwintering habitat loss, extreme weather, and milkweed availability. The butterflies only lay eggs on milkweed. BASF is helping farmers create butterfly habitat in non-crop areas. BASF is also working with golf courses to do the same.
The impact of hurricanes on valuable seagrass
Seagrass provides crucial habitat for fish, it filters the water and stabilizes shoreline. But until now, researchers have never looked at how much damage a hurricane does to this valuable coastal habitat.Teams from the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences and UNC Wilmington are investigating
Bobcats and foxes: are they cool with coyotes?
Bobcats and fox have called the Western Carolina Mountains home for hundreds of years. Coyotes have only been around for 30 years. Researchers are using various tracking methods to studying how the animals are interacting, including sharing food resources and territory.
How we know if a storm surge is coming
The technology behind storm surge protection
September 5, 2019
Giving the endangered gopher frog a chance
As longleaf pine habitats disappear, so do many species that rely on them, including the Carolina gopher frog. The NC Zoo and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission are raising Carolina gopher frogs during their most vulnerable time: the egg, tadpole and froglet stage.