Frank Graff

Nov 6, 2024 | pbsnc.org | Frank Graff

You were probably amazed by the gymnasts at the Summer Olympics in Paris but as the saying goes, you ain’t seen nothing yet. A tiny backyard bug can top any of the acrobatics performed at Bercy Arena. Globular springtails can do amazing backflips in the air, spinning and jumping to over 60 times its body height in less than a second. And there’s a good reason. Globular springtails don’t fly, bite or sting.  Jumping is their go-to plan (actually their only plan) for avoiding predators.

Aug 9, 2024 | pbsnc.org | Frank Graff

Warm Ocean Water Creates a Host of Problems If you happen to shout “the water is so warm” when you jump into the ocean during your beach vacation this year, you’re exactly right. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported in April 2023 that the mean temperature of the ocean’s surface was 21.1 degrees Celsius (69.98 Fahrenheit), which broke the previous record of 21 degrees Celsius (69.8 Fahrenheit) set in 2016.

Jun 21, 2024 | pbsnc.org | Frank Graff

A Daily Beach Occurrence Can Turn FatalThere are plenty of dangerous ironies when talking about rip currents. First, rip currents occur just off the shore every single day, but they reach dangerous velocities just a few days per year. Second, the most dangerous time for rip currents is when the ocean doesn’t appear dangerous at all. While daily rip currents form in both rough and calm seas, the strongest ones usually occur in clear weather after a storm or if there is a distant hurricane.

May 22, 2024 | pbsnc.org | Frank Graff

Concussions Can Have Long-Term Effects It’s a question many of us consider when we see an athlete suffer a concussion during a sporting event. “Do concussions affect a person as they get older?” The answer is yes, based on a recent study led by researchers from Duke University Medical Center in Durham. Researchers found thinking and memory skills may take a hit long after a person recovers from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) such as a concussion.

Apr 26, 2024 | pbsnc.org | Frank Graff

Restoration Creates Thousands of Jobs You hear a lot about restoring streams and wetlands to prevent erosion, protect coastlines or properties from storms and sea-level rise, or drain flood-prone urban areas. The reasons for that restoration may vary as much as the landscape itself, but a study from UNC-Chapel Hill shows the wetlands and stream restoration market has a significant impact on the U.S. economy.