To save forests, sometimes you have to hurt them. A large-scale, 10-year-old experiment in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon aimed to make the forest more fire-resistant through limited logging (“thinning”) and prescribed burning. How did these two seemingly harmful activities help preserve the forest? By strategically thinning out the forest, not only do they limit the fuel source that quickly turns wildfires uncontrollable, but they also reduce the competition among the trees, allowing them to grow faster than before. Read full article here
Technology
The First Solar-Powered Car Comes at a Hot Price
The Lightyear O is a revolutionary electric car powered by the sun. Developed by a Dutch startup, the four-door sedan has over 50 square feet of solar panels on its roof and hood, generating up to 43 miles of energy a day. With production now underway in Finland, the car does come with a hefty price tag at $262,000, but the company hopes to introduce a more affordable version, the Lightyear 2, by 2025. Read full article here