Environment & Science

Advocates for the Forever Wild forest preserves in the Adirondacks and Catskills, are trying to spread the word about two ballot propositions in the November elections. They are for one of the proposals, but against another.

We walk up the trail to the summit of Hadley Mountain  in the southern Adirondacks, fallen leaves crunching underfoot.

The wind picks up a bit as we climb up the fire tower for the panoramic view.

Physicists at Syracuse University are among a global team of scientists to detect the collision of neutron stars that explains the presence of heavy metals in the universe.  The university announced the scientific breakthrough at an event this morning.  Charles Brightman Endowed Professor of Physics Duncan Brown says observational data from this detection has provided evidence that elements are created in the collision of these stars.

The environmental records of Central New York’s senators and assemblymembers are getting mixed reviews in an analysis of their votes during the last legislative session.  The group environmental advocates has released legislators’ scorecards, and Executive Director Peter Iwanowicz says they come with a different backdrop.

The drone testing program out of Griffiss airport in Rome has an important new partner.  NASA has agreed to gather information on testing and submit it to the FAA to help shape new regulations.  Governor Andrew Cuomo paid a visit Thursday to announce the "groundbreaking" agreement.  He says it's one of many key elements to launching the first-in-the-nation 50-mile Unmanned Traffic Management Corridor between Rome and Syracuse. 

There’s a faction of conservatives reaching out in Central New York and across the country to engage fellow conservatives with a different angle on climate change.

Former South Carolina Congressman Bob Inglis is Executive Director of republicEn. 

 “We’re different than the Environmental Left. The Environmental Left ask, ‘Do you believe in climate change?’ We ask a very different question. We say, ‘Can free enterprise solve climate change?’ We think it starts a very different conversation that Conservatives can feel comfortable with.”

Initial tests show the dangerous blue-green algae blooms in Skaneateles Lake have not affected the city’s water supply.  Testing done by the city water department and health department officials this weekend shows the blooms do contain elevated levels of toxin, but have not turned up in tap water.  Still, it might make some residents a bit uneasy.  Professor of Biochemistry at SUNY ESF and Director of the Great Lakes Research Consortium Greg Boyer acknowledges the blooms are quite rare for this particular lake.