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Science

Cultivating Wonder

Naturalist and environmental advocate, Rachel Carson found inspiration and solace on the coast of Maine, where she owned a small house.

EEL of Fortune

Salmon farming may be just the tip of Maine’s move into aquaculture. The latest trend: growing elvers into big fat eels.

The Unsinkable Water Strider

This agile little insect can walk on water.

Research Along Maine’s Long Wild Edge

Maine is home to 18+ marine labs and field stations making the state a leader in efforts to understand and teach about the marine environment.

The Birds of Seal Island

A birdwatching trip to Seal Island offers a chance to see Atlantic Puffins, Black Guillemots, Wilson Storm-Petrels and many other seabirds.

Flights of Fancy

If you want to learn about seabirds and see them firsthand off the coast of Maine, ecologist John Drury is your man.

Black & White

Sea ducks arrive in Maine waters in the winter just as many other birds migrate south, giving new meaning to the term “snow birds.”

The Case of the Missing Mussels

Where have all the mussels gone? Rocks once covered in clinging blue bivalves are bare and biologists are hoping to learn why.

What Makes the Wind Blow?

What are the sources of Maine’s winds? Where do they come from and how do they vary during the year?

The Uncertain Future of Right Whales

After a brief period of growth, the population of North Atlantic right whales is dropping, and scientists are worried.

Beneficial Bugs

When planting your garden, think about ways to encourage beneficial bugs.

The Heart of the Sea

As dams are removed, reconnecting Maine lakes and the salty sea, alewife populations are rebounding. And that’s a good thing, biologists say.

The Hunt for Red Tides

What we think of as “red tides” are harmful algal blooms that can involve different microbes. An expert explains.

Bringing Back the Peregrines

It took a national park, a college, and a helicopter to reintroduce peregrine falcons to the Maine coast.

Why We Love the Ocean

Being in and on the ocean makes most people happy. It turns out that’s no fluke.