Environment & Science

One area of potential concern at the Allentown State Hospital had been the presence of dioxins in the soil. Dioxins are a group of toxic chemical compounds that take a long time to break down in the environment, and can cause health problems in people.

Betelgeuse is the red supergiant star at Orion’s ‘right shoulder.’

Lehigh and Northampton counties are under a winter storm watch in effect from 12 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, with 4 to 8 inches of heavy, wet snow possible.

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.

It’s a special year for cicadas, insects known for their high-pitched mating songs. Two adjacent broods are expected to co-emerge for the first time in 221 years. Here's the next time they emerge in the Valley.

Northern flying squirrels are endangered, and the Pa. Game Commission works to improve their habitat. A group went searching for the species in the Poconos.

Stanley cups have skyrocketed in popularity, following other trends in reusable drinkware. But, fads like these can encourage overconsumption, experts said.

Right now, the overall pattern isn’t very conducive to significant snowfall for the Lehigh Valley and the Mid-Atlantic next week. Here's what will make or break the event for snow lovers.

The state agency that promotes hunting in Pennsylvania has hired a lobbying firm run by a former top lawmaker using tens of thousands of dollars in public funds.

The South Whitehall Board of Commissioners on Wednesday waived the land development review requirement for a Tesla charging station at the Wawa at 408 S Cedar Crest Blvd., near Dorney Park.

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.

This week, Brad Klein and Marty McGuire talk about an observatory making waves in the astro-photography world: the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Lehigh and Northampton counties — along with much of eastern Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey — from Monday afternoon through the evening.

Lehigh University now has six immersive learning experiences, or virtual reality games, aimed at engaging students, residents and visitors.

Applications open next week for the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside of the Federal Highway Administration’s Surface Block Grant Program.

A cold front colliding with a surge of tropical moisture is expected to produce widespread showers and storms, triggering a flood watch for the Lehigh Valley and much of eastern Pennsylvania.

A first-of-its-kind in the Lehigh Valley, the dome is expected to draw students and visitors both locally and from outside of Pennsylvania.

Moisture from Tropical Depression Chantal will bring the chance for scattered showers and downpours to the region, kicking off a stretch of unsettled weather with daily chances for storms throughout the week.

This week, the sad news that an ambitious mission to land a robotic craft on the moon ended in failure last month.

The Annual Pennsylvania Wild Turkey Sighting Survey, which began Tuesday, aims to track population trends across the state for a bird that once almost went extinct in the U.S.