In this piece, Zachary Handlos, senior academic professional in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, explains the work of climatologists, stating that “climatologists can take on a lot of roles. It’s important to understand the difference between weather and climate. So weather is the study of what's going on in the atmosphere right now. Climatology looks at data for a certain day and compares it to what’s called a climate normal. What this means is, they take a 30-year period of data for that day, and from that baseline, say, ‘Oh, the temperature today is above average or below average.'”

Augusta Chronicle

A chemical plant fire near Atlanta last fall released a toxic plume that disrupted the lives of nearby residents. Many still experience health problems and don't know what was released in the plume.

Researchers like Greg Huey, professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, say early tests found other chemicals in addition to chlorine in the plume. They found irritants like bromine and isocyanic acid that can cause symptoms like coughing and wheezing. His team is analyzing more air quality data and expects to share the findings in the coming weeks.

“This might help people know what they're exposed to in this incident. But more importantly, if ever something like this happens again, we might have better ideas what to look for,” Huey explains.

NPR

The Genomic Enumeration of Antibiotic Resistance in Space (GEARS) experiment, managed by NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley, is designed to analyze microbial resistance in space. As part of the study, astronauts collect samples from interior surfaces aboard the ISS to detect antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly Enterococcus faecalis, a microorganism naturally found in the human body. This initiative marks the initial phase of broader research on microbial behavior in space and its implications for medicine on Earth.

"Enterococcus is an ancient organism that has coexisted with humans since our evolutionary origins," explained Christopher Carr, co-principal investigator of GEARS and assistant professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and the School of Aerospace Engineering. "It thrives inside and outside its host, contributing to its status as the second leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. Our goal is to understand how this microbe adapts to space conditions."

GEARS aims to refine methods for detecting and identifying resistant bacteria, expanding upon ongoing microbial monitoring efforts aboard the ISS.

Space Daily

Mustard gas, or sulfur mustard, is one of the most harmful chemical warfare agents, causing severe blistering of the skin and mucous membranes upon contact. To enhance battlefield detection of this hazardous substance, a team of chemists, including M.G. Finn, professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the School of Biological Sciences, will develop a streamlined method for detecting vesicants—a broader class of chemical agents that includes sulfur mustard.

“We will initially focus on model compounds that act like mustards, but that can be handled safely in the laboratory. This will allow us to test different molecular sensor designs, with Professor Jennifer Heemstra's lab and ours working together on complementary approaches,” Finn explains.

AZO Sensors

Marvin Whiteley, professor in the School of Biological Sciences, has been named the new editor in chief of mBio, an open-access journal that explores the interconnected microbial world and publishes research in microbiology and allied fields. Whiteley’s term will begin on July 1, 2025. 

American Society for Microbiology