Environment & Science

Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. At about 5:35 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, grab your binoculars and watch it disappear.

The drought is far from over, but enough precipitation has fallen to boost the confidence of state officials when it comes to outdoor fires.

The precautionary measure across Pennsylvania comes at no cost to farmers. While the virus hasn't been reported in commonwealth cattle, other states have seen a marked uptick in cases.

Officials on Monday morning cut the ribbon on its per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, treatment plant at the Bethlehem Landfill in Lower Saucon Township. The system uses air to separate the chemicals from water.

Jared Isaacman, a Lehigh Valley entrepreneur who recently conducted the first commercial spacewalk as part of SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission, stopped by Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown Sunday to answer questions about his trip.

Join Megan Frank every Friday at 9:30am and 6:30pm for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, she's joined by Allentown reporter Jason Addy and Environment and Science reporter Molly Bilinski.

State officials announced the awards this week. Grants are earmarked for improving local parks to expanding trails and river access points, and creating more green space in local communities.

Mayor J. William Reynolds attributes the progress so far to the community’s belief in the mission and their “enormous buy-in,” stemming from 125 “Climate Action Champions” and over 30 area organizations.

It’s going to cost an estimated $100 million over the next decade to replace pipes made of lead, galvanized steel and unknown materials throughout the Lehigh County Authority’s service area.

Rodale Institute on Veterans Day celebrated $500,000 in state funding awarded for its Veteran Farmer Training program. The program draws trainees from across the U.S.

Pennsylvania’s economy will center around agriculture in 2024, according to Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Snow squalls cause dangerous travel conditions and can be blinding for motorists, according to the National Weather Service. The Lehigh Valley is at highest risk from mid-morning into the afternoon.

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.

The weather pattern not only remains active – with another flood watch on Friday – it includes a chance of yet another coastal system impacting the mid-Atlantic region early next week.

Another soaking rainfall and flood watch are expected for the Lehigh Valley on Friday, forecasters said, with widespread impacts somewhat similar to Tuesday’s storm. Then, we take a wintry turn next week.

Ignoring repeated warnings, some Lehigh Valley motorists find themselves stranded after driving through deep roadway water.

Over two inches of rain fell at Lehigh Valley International Airport, setting another daily record on Tuesday, but winds were less than feared.

Another powerful winter storm is set to hit the region, bringing concerns of widespread flooding and high winds Tuesday into Wednesday.

A severe rainstorm is expected to cause flooding that may impact roadways throughout the Lehigh Valley.

A Muhlenberg College professor has launched a campaign this month to inform residents about the health risks of radon, as well as improve access to testing and mitigation. The Lehigh Valley is home to the highest radon levels ever recorded in Pennsylvania.

Sunday evening will see a ‘close approach’ between Saturn and the Moon. Though the two appear close in the night sky just after sunset on Jan. 14. However, in space, Saturn is almost a billion miles away, about 4,000 times more distant than the moon.

The Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas are under a flood watch from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.