Andrew Blok

Great Lakes fishing

Record levels of harmful particles found in Great Lakes fish

"I've been studying microplastics for a long time and this is the study that blew me away."

A record-setting fish was pulled from Hamilton Harbor at the western tip of Lake Ontario in 2015 and the world is learning about it just now.

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Lake Superior fish

A long road to recovery for Lake Superior fish

Some communities live and die with a single industry.

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great lakes diving

Microplastics and algae tangle in the Great Lakes

Great Lakes algae is catching huge amounts of microplastics.

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Competing visions for a famed river in a Midwest hotspot—Part 2

Competing visions for a famed river in a Midwest hotspot—Part 2

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan—After dropping through downtown, the Grand River flattens out. There, the state is considering a dredging project to open the river to larger boats and travel between Grand Rapids and Grand Haven, a city at the river's mouth where it empties into Lake Michigan.

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Competing visions for a famed river in a Midwest hotspot—Part 1

Competing visions for a famed river in a Midwest hotspot—Part 1

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan—A bike ride along the Grand River downtown is a breeze—heading downstream it's all downhill.

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Freshwater is getting neglected when it comes to plastic pollution research
Great kiskadee entangled by a fishing line (Paraná River floodplain, Argentina; Credit C. Machado)

Freshwater is getting neglected when it comes to plastic pollution research

Plastic pollution in lakes and rivers is on the research back burner—that's a problem.

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“Forever chemical” replacements on the rise in the Great Lakes
Mackinac Bridge. (Credit: Dane/flickr)

“Forever chemical” replacements on the rise in the Great Lakes

As industry phases out certain toxic PFAS chemicals, the compounds are decreasing in and around the Great Lakes, but replacement chemicals—which some argue also pose serious health concerns—are increasing, according to new research from Canada.

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A crack in the Great Lakes Compact? Approved water diversion prompts pushback
Credit: Gateway Technical College/flickr

A crack in the Great Lakes Compact? Approved water diversion prompts pushback

The Great Lakes hold quadrillions of gallons of water. Is allowing one more company to take water from them such a big deal?

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From our Newsroom
climate change health care

Severe flooding increasingly cutting people off from health care

Many more Americans will find themselves regularly cut off from essential services — long before water actually reaches their homes, a recent study predicts.

environmental justice

Agents of Change in Environmental Justice program accepting applications

Do you find that public voices in science are lacking diversity and want to help create change? We want to hear from you.

Heat, air pollution and climate change … oh my! Was summer 2023 the new normal?

Heat, air pollution and climate change … oh my! Was summer 2023 the new normal?

Intense heat waves induced by climate change create favorable conditions for air pollution to worsen. Scientists say this isn’t likely to change unless action is taken.

BADGE BPA chemical

BPA's evil cousin

An ongoing series examining BADGE — an unregulated danger in epoxy resins.

navajo children

Opinion: Protecting Indigenous children means protecting water

We need to stop compartmentalizing the environment, family and culture as separate problems.