As the latest prominent COVID-19 strain, the Delta variant, shows a high rate of transmissibility, West Virginia University scientists say there’s no urgent cause of concern for those vaccinated.
Though a lot was not known immediately about the cause of the deadly collapse of a high-rise residential building in Surfside, Florida on June 24, Hota GangaRao, a civil and environmental engineering professor at West Virginia University’s Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, has identified three possible contributing factors: quality of construction, subsidence and corrosion.
Prepare to say hello to cleaner windshields and goodbye to a distinct, deafening buzzing sound – for four years, at least. Brood X (“ten”), the noisy batch of cicadas running rampant throughout the East Coast and Midwest, will be departing over the next couple of weeks.
Five years after devastating flooding in central and southeastern West Virginia that claimed 23 lives, a project from Jamie Shinn, an assistant professor of geography in West Virginia University’s Department of Geology and Geography, highlights the ongoing effects of the storms coupled with COVID-19.
Bees, butterflies and other insect pollinators play a crucial role in growing our state’s food crops. But, Sheldon Owen, West Virginia University Extension Service associate professor and wildlife specialist, reminds us that populations of these important insects have declined across the nation and need to be protected. As part of National Pollinator Week (June 21-27), Owen challenges residents to learn more about the pollinators found in West Virginia and their important role in nature. Owen provides helpful information about insect pollinators and how people can help sustain their populations.
The United States Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, should not come as a total surprise despite the conservative efforts to invalidate the law, according to West Virginia University policy and law experts.
Drought conditions in a number of states west of the Mississippi River point to widespread problems across the U.S. as water use is restricted, affecting farmers and the food supply chain, as well as economic supply chains that support the country’s economy, according to West Virginia University experts.
As a sweeping federal infrastructure plan looks to tap into enhancing the nation’s water systems - from drinking water to wastewater to water reclamation projects, West Virginia University scientists agree that access and quality remain a most pressing need for rural communities.
As Ford unveils its electric F150, West Virginia University experts note the shift from gasoline-powered engines is not an environmental panacea in the short term, but instead will mean significant and costly upgrades to the nation’s infrastructure. Citing recent events, they caution the race to electric vehicles may outrun what’s needed to keep those vehicles on the road.
Rural communities help fuel the nation, though decades of aging and deteriorating infrastructure have stifled the potential of the American economy and way of life, according to West Virginia University experts. A proposed $2 trillion federal infrastructure plan, announced by the Biden administration, could bridge the gap between rural and urban America in more ways than one: opening access to jobs, healthcare and education, and boosting the economy.