Subject Areas - Sciences

Issue	Article
September/October 2008	On the Brink Climate Change Institute Director Paul Mayewski offers his perspectives on global climate change, the science that's getting closer to predicting its future and what our changing climate means to us.
May/June 2008	Good Returns Last summer, three students in UMaine's Sustainable Agriculture Program operated the Black Bear Food Guild, a 35-share, community-supported agriculture effort. Photographer Michael Mardosa documented the guild's eight-month season.
March/April 2008	Paradise Lost The potential collapse of biologically diverse and economically important ecosystems suggests a global atmospheric crisis that could seriously harm fisheries around the world, according to UMaine marine scientist Robert Steneck. Life Altering Michael Kinnison and two colleagues have gathered more than 3,000 estimates of physical and behavioral changes in wild animals. The result is proof that humans not only affect animals' evolutionary processes, but also cause their traits to change twice as fast.
January/February 2008	Raising Halibut In Franklin, Maine, there's a fish called Wanda. She and her companions seed the production lines of the seven-year halibut aquaculture program at UMaine's Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research.
November/December 2007	Testing the Waters UMaine multimedia producer Ron Lisnet describes his adventures on the high seas during his first research cruise, led by oceanographer Mark Wells to study the effects of iron on phytoplankton growth in the subarctic Pacific. Talking Lobsters To strengthen the fishery, the Lobster Institute has spent two decades ensuring that the lines of communication remain open among those in the industry.
September/October 2007	Send in the Clowns Ph.D. student Søren Hansen runs Sea & Reef Aquaculture, raising tropical fish such as clownfish and seahorses to supply the home aquarium industry. CSI: Orono Irv Kornfield's Molecular Forensics Lab uses the latest in wildlife DNA analysis technology to help solve cases in Maine and beyond.
July/August 2007	Developing Muscles Exploring tendon formation and attachment in the zebrafish embryo is the next step in Clarissa Henry’s pioneering efforts to describe the complexities of early development in vertebrates. A Better View of the Molecule A new technique to get clearer views of the fine structure of cells and proteins has the potential to address a significant number of biological questions previously limited by traditional microscope resolution.
May/June 2007	Nurturing Nori Marine biology Ph.D. student Nic Blouin is studying the reproductive biology of red algae as part of ongoing research exploring the viability of commercially cultivating the sea vegetable. Breath Test Touradj Solouki is using sensors to detect biomarkers in human breath that can determine a person's health status, including early detection of ovarian cancer.
March/April 2007	Villains in Vacationland UMaine entomologists are studying the effect of invading European fire ants on local ecosystems, where the aggressive species is out-foraging native ants with their overpowering hunting and scavenging skills. Tuning In Psychologist Thane Fremouw's research exploring the neural mechanisms required for complex auditory perception in birds could help us better understand how humans discriminate between sounds. Warning Light Researchers in the Department of Chemistry and the Mitchell Center are developing a sensor-based monitoring system to ensure the safety of drinking water.
January/February 2007	War in the North Woods Maine's beech trees are facing a second wave of disease by foreign invaders, leaving landowners and scientists worried that the species may follow in the footsteps of the chestnut and the elm. Hot Spot Polar glaciologists Gordon Hamilton and Leigh Sterns are using high-tech equipment, including NASA satellite technology, to better measure the magnitude and distribution of changes in the Greenland ice sheet. Pleasing Palates Longtime UMaine food scientist Al Bushway and his colleagues receive hundreds of inquires a year about small-scale food production in the state. The scientists are instrumental in helping Maine's artisanal producers succeed in the specialty food industry.
November/December 2006	Ancient Elephants in Antarctica Glacial geologist Brenda Hall is studying the remains of prehistoric elephant seals in an effort to better understand climate change. Edging Extinction Mycologist Joyce Longcore didn't set out to be a frog's best friend, but that's what she's become as one of the world's leading authorities on aquatic fungus. Gliding in the Gulf A bright yellow autonomous glider named Nemo is helping marine scientists gain a new perspective on how ocean ecosystems operate.
September/October 2006	Artful Science Marine scientist Sara Lindsay uses microscopy to study marine worms called spionids to understand their physiology and behavior. Through her research, she has built a collection of images that are scientifically meaningful and aesthetically striking. A Balancing Act For more than a quarter-century, Bob Steneck has been monitoring the health of marine ecosystems. From Maine's lobsters to corals in the Caribbean, the marine scientist has become a leading expert on the impact humans have on the world's oceans.
May/June 2006	Refining the Forest UMaine's latest EPSCoR grant will fund one of the country's first university-based research programs to study how to turn forest by-products into bioproducts, using Maine's most plentiful resource to eventually replace petroleum-based products. A Muddy Start When studying the composition of marine sediments, UMaine Oceanographer Larry Mayer made an important connection between the burial of organic matter and the presence of clays. His discovery may help to explain how multicellular life on Earth began. Thinking Outside the Bait Box Seabait Maine, one of the only aquaculture facilities in the world that grows sandworms, has the potential to produce 70 million tons of worms at $30 per pound, supplying shrimp aquaculture farms and bait businesses.
March/April 2006	Resistance to Red Tide More than eight years of research by an international team of scientists, including UMaine Assistant Research Professor Laurie Connell, is now shedding light on a potentially deadly compound, saxitoxin, the primary culprit in cases of paralytic shellfish poisoning. The Scientist and the Fisherman UMaine graduate student Emily Knight and sixth-generation groundfisherman Cameron McLellan collaborated on research that offers the first reliable estimates of recovery times for ocean floor habitats disturbed by trawling.
January/February 2006	That Sinking Feeling Even before Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Louisiana coast, a national panel of experts was poring over the state's $14 billion plan to restore its shorelines. UMaine's Joe Kelley, an authority on coastal geology, was on that National Academy of Sciences panel. Fruit Fly Love For a quarter-century, biologist Harold "Dusty" Dowse has studied the fruit fly to understand what makes their little hearts beat, and what governs their biological clocks and courtship songs. He's seeking clues to human disease and development. Whales Inside Out UMaine Ph.D. student Daniel DenDanto is one of the world's experts on fin whales. Through his research, he learns how finbacks live; through his articulations, he immortalizes the largest mammals on Earth after they die.
November/December 2005	Conserving Mussels In Maine, freshwater mussels have no commercial value and aren't good to eat. But their ecological function is important. That's why the UMaine wildlife ecology experts and state biologists are working together to ensure their survival. Moving Mountains Geodynamicist Peter Koons is a world leader in understanding the interactions among tectonics, surface evolution and climate change. His models characterizing the evolution of the landscape could one day forecast how the Earth will respond to changes to come. Testing the Sea's Mettle In some of the deepest regions of the Pacific, oceanographers Fei Chai and Mark Wells are studying the internal workings of the marine ecosystem. Their separate research projects focus on the same tiny plants — phytoplankton.
September/October 2005	Seeking Immunity At UMaine, the zebrafish facility of Carol Kim is a hub of activity for a number of researchers. In her work, Kim is studying the biological factors that supplement and prolong the body's immune response to infection. Oyster Gardens A new University of Maine course teaches people how to grow the prized shellfish for their own use, just as they would raise tomatoes or lettuce in their kitchen garden.
May/June 2005	Point of Origin Graduate student Kurt Rademaker struck anthropological gold last summer. High in the Peruvian Andes, he discovered prehistoric quarries of obsidian, the volcanic glass used in toolmaking. His discovery could be the key to understanding how humans settled South America. My Life as a Taste Tester Mild-mannered, ever-adventurous science writer Nick Houtman has been a taste tester for 15 years. He provides a first-person account of sensory evaluations — their scientific importance, the serious side of subjectivity, and the fact that there's no substitute for good taste.
March/April 2005	Arctic Dawn On a windswept desert island in the Arctic sleeps a fossil forest, evidence of a time 45 million years ago when this part of the world was warmer and 100-foot-tall trees thrived. UMaine forest biologist Richard Jagels wants to know how predecessors of today's dawn redwoods lived and died.
January/February 2005	A Bird's-Eye View of Climate Change In a world affected by climate change, common songbirds may not always be around. New computer models are being used to predict distribution changes in the eastern U.S. Inner Workings In the quest to understand how genomes work, students in the new Ph.D. Program in Functional Genomics are working with leading researchers at the University of Maine, The Jackson Laboratory and Maine Medical Center Research Institute.
November/December 2004	Following Lynx Angela Fuller has spent two winters tracking the threatened wildcat in an attempt to learn more about the habitat it needs to survive. Remains of the Day Marine archaeologist Warren Riess has been exploring and documenting shipwrecks for three decades. He recovers historical data — like evidence of advances in shipbuilding technology — to paint a clearer picture of early-American merchant trade.
September/October 2004	Two if by Sea    Volunteers in Cooperative Extension's Maine Phytoplankton Monitoring Program serve as the eyes and ears of the state's comprehensive efforts to ensure the safety of shellfish consumers. Anatomy of an Ice Core Most people consider evolution to be ancient history, but not biologist Michael Kinnison. Kinnison studies Trinidadian guppies — half-inch long, brightly colored inhabitants of jungle rivers — and other fish to understand the dynamics of contemporary evolution. Using modern advances in genetics, he is helping to cast new light on Darwinian theory and rewrite conservation strategies. Keeping Cod Down on the Farm Laying the groundwork for a cod aquaculture industry hasn't been easy. However, research at UMaine and around the globe in the past decade has increased the odds of success.
May/June 2004	Hunting with Fire Behavioral ecologists Rebecca and Doug Bird are looking for the basic clues to what it means to be human. To do that, the anthropologists study the rudiments of complex social arrangements and interactions, such as the division between men's and women's work, by living with the Mardu of Australia's Western Desert. Rockefeller's Views Fifteen years ago, Acadia National Park set out to rehabilitate its historic carriage roads that were designed and built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. Helping in that restoration effort every year since then have been some of the best aspiring foresters in the Northeast--UMaine students enrolled in forestry camp. Old-Growth Forests Under the Sea UMaine biologists Les Watling and Anne Simpson search for deep-water corals in hopes of unlocking their secrets. In recent years, researchers have found that corals are far more abundant in deep northern seas than anyone had expected. Now, the race is on to save them.
March/April 2004	Evolving Before Our Eyes Most people consider evolution to be ancient history, but not biologist Michael Kinnison. Kinnison studies Trinidadian guppies — half-inch long, brightly colored inhabitants of jungle rivers — and other fish to understand the dynamics of contemporary evolution. Using modern advances in genetics, he is helping to cast new light on Darwinian theory and rewrite conservation strategies.
January/February 2004	Juvenile Onset It's a disease that strikes the young and has the potential to devastate more than 90 percent of an oyster grower's annual crop. Microbiologist Kathy Boettcher has now isolated a previously unknown species of bacteria that is the most likely culprit, and is working with Maine oyster growers to reduce the risk. Tiny Technology         A new chapter in microelectronics is unfolding, and at UMaine, faculty members Rosemary Smith and Scott Collins are among the leaders. The researchers specialize in microinstruments that ultimately could improve healthcare and quality of life.
November/December 2003	Understanding Tern Limits A seven-year study by wildlife ecologist Fred Servello is one of the first in the country to take a long-term approach to understanding black tern habitat. Research into the factors endangering the species is leading to recommendations for management strategies. Gone South for the Winter Brenda Hall is a leading young scientist studying evidence of abrupt climate change that occurred in Antarctica thousands of years ago. Working on ice sheets at the bottom of the world, Hall and her team use tweezers and spoons to hunt for those clues — bits of algae, shell or animal skin — that are often "the size of cornflakes," yet monumental in their meaning.
September/October 2003	Future Forests Clues to what the North Woods might look like a century from now are rooted in the issues facing today's forests and the research being done to secure their future. University of Maine faculty in forestry and related sciences were asked to offer a glimpse of the future of our woodlands based on their research. Their provocative, interdisciplinary perspectives provide intriguing insights.
July/August 2003	Lobster Lines For more than a quarter-century, anthropologist James Acheson has studied the age-old self-management strategies of Maine's lobster industry. From the unmarked yet well-defined lobstering territories to the unspoken yet ever-present culture of resource conservation, the traditional model has the potential to inform other fisheries now in crisis. Equestrian Emphasis What started as a student initiative to incorporate horses into the university experience has grown into UMaine's multi-faceted Equine Program, highlighted by an academic focus on the science of horse management, leading research in equine reproduction and support from Maine's harness racing community.
May/June 2003	Waiter! There's a Blueberry in My Burger! Food scientists in UMaine laboratories are developing new products to benefit Maine's natural resource industries. Whether researching the use of blueberries to preserve flavor in frozen burger patties or experimenting with leftover crabmeat in new snack foods, the results have potential economic value.
January/February 2003	Developing Research The newly formed Maine Research Consortium is an example of "strength in numbers." Six institutions in the state, including UMaine and nonprofit research facilities like Jackson Laboratory, are working together to bring to Maine large-scale, multidisciplinary projects that strengthen R&D.
November/December 2002	Reflections in Vernal Pools The role of woodland wetlands in an ecosystem has not been well understood — until now. Research by UMaine wetlands ecologist Aram Calhoun is informing conservation policies by demonstrating that vernal pools are indicators of environmental health.
September/October 2002	Survival of the Fittest -- and the Least Stressed Biologist Rebecca Holberton is unlocking the mysteries of hormonal responses in birds. Such knowledge can help in monitoring the health of species and the environment, while also aiding conservation efforts. Oyster Options Shellfish aquaculture is growing in the state with the help of a marine team, sponsored by University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Maine Sea Grant.
Summer 2002	A Sea Change On the desert coast of Peru, archaeologist Dan Sandweiss made a discovery that revolutionized the study of El Niño and its effects on civilization. What he found in the ancient clamshells has led to greater understanding of climate and culture. Planting Ideas If you're looking for a Blushing Princess, Dark Star or Red Petticoats, look no further than Cooperative Extension's Demonstration Garden, where the newest stars in flowers and foliage are planted. Shifting Shorelines Geologist Joe Kelley has been called "Maine's coastal conscience." For 20 years, he has guarded the well-being of the state's shoreline, championing the policies needed to protect it for future generations.
April/May 2002	Prehistoric Health Anthropologist Kristin Sobolik analyzes biological evidence to understand ancient American societies and the environmental changes they endured. She is part of a scientific team that has advanced the use of DNA analysis on ancient human feces. Out of This World Professor of Physics and Astronomy Neil Comins has spent a lifetime exploring the cosmos — and helping others to do the same.
February/March 2002	Every Breath You Take Nitric oxide sensor research at The University of Maine may one day lead to advances in healthcare. The Genome Puzzle Success in deciphering the "book of life," as the genome sequence has been called, depends on cross-disciplinary research like that conducted by scientists at The University of Maine. The Bold and the Beautiful The numbers of harbor and gray seals off Maine's coast are on the rise, affecting both the fishing and tourism industries. Going Where No One's Gone Before UMaine researcher is key to understanding amphibian die-offs.
December '01/ January '02	Seeing the Forest for the Trees For nearly a quarter-century, Steve Sader has used remote sensing technology to monitor the condition and extent of temperate forests in the United States and tropical forests in Central America.
October/November 2001	The Ice Man Since his trip to Antarctica in 1968, Paul Mayewski has led more than 35 Antarctic, Arctic and high-mountain expeditions. Clues locked in the ice cores he collects are helping scientists understand climate change.