Environment & Science

This week, a look at the late Vera C. Rubin, an American astronomer whose name is now associated with one of the most powerful observatories on Earth.

An annual pest across Pennsylvania, corn earworms can cause damage to both sweet and field corn, cutting into farmers’ profits and home-gardeners’ yields. They've been reported in the Lehigh Valley.

Aryash Shyam, a rising eighth-grader at Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School, created the GreenBeam to kill weeds with a laser. The project got him named the Pennsylvania State Merit Winner in the 2025 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

South Whitehall Township commissioners on Wednesday approved an ordinance that asks to add a ballot question requesting a tax increase intended to help support the preservation of open spaces.

Held at DeSales University’s Gerald White Conference Center, the day-long event drew several dozen participants, including students, teachers and local environmental advocates and leaders.

In the Lehigh Valley, 22 out of just the last 30 days have seen dew points at or above 70, meaning nearly three-quarters of recent days have been sticky enough to feel more like Florida than eastern Pennsylvania.

A project of the Pennsylvania Municipal League and Sustainable Pittsburgh, Sustainable Pennsylvania is a voluntary program focused on helping municipalities improve sustainability to save money, conserve resources and improve residents’ lives.

Allentown police can hand out tickets to anyone caught swimming in natural waterways in the city, Mayor Matt Tuerk said, urging residents not to let a $100 fine “ruin your summer.”

The city was awarded funding through a state Department of Environmental Protection grant to buy seven electric vehicles. However, more funding is needed for charging infrastructure.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton areas until 9:30 p.m. In the Emmaus area, more than 2 inches of rain had fallen in two hours, a meteorologist said.

Thousands in the Lehigh Valley and nearby remain without power as PPL sets up resource centers for those impacted

Will it snow next week? How about the week after? Weather enthusiasts are constantly hanging on "one model run in a sea of model runs," making the job of the local meteorologist even more difficult in trying to convey the forecast.

The region could see wind chills as low as -15 degrees overnight as temperatures rapidly fall. The expected high winds could lead to power outages due to falling branches. PPL says it has 2,000 workers ready to respond.

The vote came after a raucous and at times chaotic council meeting and an hours-long public hearing on the proposal. Residents who showed up to speak against it filled Town Hall.

The National Weather Service said the winter storm targeting the Lehigh Valley contains "an air mass the likes of which we haven’t seen for several years."

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a warning about possible carbon monoxide poisoning caused by the improper use of portable generators and provided tips to prevent it.

Its previous owners, the Mauser family, sold the property below value to realize a long-term goal of preserving its forest, farmland and streams, a statement said.

The Lower Saucon Township Council is considering a measure to clear the way for Bethlehem Landfill's expansion, in part by giving themselves more control over its approval. Here's what the proposal says.

The specimens on display are made up of bodies donated for the purpose – those individuals who agreed, upon their death, that their bodies could be used for educational purposes in the exhibition.

Lower Saucon Township is considering zoning changes, so Bethlehem Landfill can expand, and one state lawmaker representing the area near the landfill is opposed.

The storm is being described as an “impactful extratropical cyclone” — the type that has cold air at its core and derives its energy from cold and warm air masses interacting.

Will the Lehigh Valley see a white Christmas? It could happen, forecasters say, but there's a larger concern from a very 'complex' storm that's taking shape — and coming this way.