Environment & Science

The African penguin colony, off exhibit since early January because of bird flu, is back at the Lehigh Valley Zoo.

This week, a preview of confirmation hearings scheduled for Wednesday to confirm a new head for NASA. The nominee is well known to the Lehigh Valley.

City officials were ready in February to award a contract for a tree inventory in Allentown, but uncertainties caused by an order from President Donald Trump's administration forced them to pause that plan.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection last week launched the Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction grant program. Aimed at schools and childcare facilities, the program is focused on testing for, and remediating, lead in drinking water.

For the sixth year, Nurture Nature Center will hold the Youth Climate Summit of the Lehigh Valley. The free event aims to engage middle and high school students in climate change issues, as well as seek solutions.

President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency canceled Pennsylvania’s $13 million contract with the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program. A pandemic-era program, farmers were paid to supply local food banks with fresh produce.

This week, how to spot the first traces of the young crescent moon that marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The fifth annual Be My Neighbor Day was held Saturday at Univest Public Media Center in Bethlehem. Children participated in crafts and gardening activities, interactive musical performances, and meet-ups with Daniel Tiger.

Team Pennsylvania on National Agriculture Day released “The Pennsylvania Agriculture Economic Analysis 2025.” The report takes a deep data dive into the commonwealth’s agriculture sector from 2012-2022.

Pasa Sustainable Agriculture on Wednesday held virtual town hall focused on the current freeze on U.S. Department of Agriculture grants earmarked for farmers implementing climate-smart production practices.

Head Over Hooves Farm will run on a donation model through the month of February to encourage more visitors. The owners of the farm say the animals thrive on the socialization and enrichment the visits bring.

Learn more about Orion in this, the second of five segments about the constellation.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, state parks across Pennsylvania were inundated with visitors.

State officials late last month announced the theme for this year’s annual tick-themed art contest, “Protect. Check. Remove.” Last year, there were no winners in the Lehigh Valley.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Punxsutawney Phil predicted early spring, but the experts say those declaring winter over are in for a rude awakening, with the risk for colder weather in the second half of February increasing.

More than $2 million was allocated to nine organizations across Pennsylvania to fund various research efforts, all linked to the state’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry.

Gus the bison is considered to be "Hellertown’s mascot," but to owner Nanette Keck, he’s also a cherished pet.

January brought above-average snowfall to the Lehigh Valley, but long-range outlooks have flipped the script in a big way. Will February bring the big storms snow lovers are longing for?

Twenty-seven air quality monitors have so far been placed for Lehigh Valley Breathes, a Valley-wide, year-long effort to monitor air quality amid emissions from trucking and warehousing.

The four Galilean moons — Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto — that Galileo saw and named were discovered as he was looking through the very first telescope.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.