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.

When state officials announced a series of in-person and virtual meetings there were no in-person meetings slated for the Lehigh Valley, even though the region is the third largest metropolitan area in the commonwealth. A meeting in Allentown has been added to the schedule.

A decade or so after buying his South Whitehall Township home in the late 1960s, Fred Buse started recording the average temperature, precipitation type and amount, as well as any animal sightings in his backyard to study and track the health of the local environment.

Saturn is close to the moon tonight. You'll need binoculars or a small telescope to make out the rings.

A significant storm is set to soak the region this week, and it will come during the peak travel days ahead of Thanksgiving. Some areas could even see wintry precipitation.

While the goal is to transition communities to clean energy while creating jobs, there are still many unknowns about the projects. Even though there are two hubs slated for Pennsylvania, it could be a while before the Lehigh Valley’s residents begin to feel any impacts.

First introduced by state Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Lehigh Valley, in 2015 and approved by the Senate in July, the bill would increase the fine and direct any monies collected towards bald and golden eagle conservation efforts across the commonwealth.

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.

Pre-Thanksgiving storm ahead: Your best-laid plans to hit the road for the holiday could be upended next week, forecasters warn.

Officials announced Wednesday the start of its Climate Challenge as part of a broader Climate Action Plan, with goals of making sequential steps in steadily reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Weeks away from the official start of winter, the National Weather Service has established new winter storm warning criteria, officials confirmed late Monday.

City council on Wednesday will consider overriding Mayor Matt Tuerk's veto of council’s approved 2024 no-tax-increase budget, which did not include the position. Advocates still hope to find a way to a hire a sustainability manager.

Brad Klein reviews the week's astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy."