Environment & Science

A NASA robotic mission that is exploring the inner reaches of our solar system will literally ‘touch the Sun’ on Christmas Eve.

The Lehigh Valley is in a 9-inch rain shortfall. The prolonged dry spell has raised concerns about the longevity of fresh-cut Christmas trees this year. And, it's thinning out the trees planted this year to grow for future holiday seasons.

The township's Shade Tree Commission was awarded 15 trees from a statewide nonprofit dedicated to improving the tree canopy in urban areas.

Listings will include risks for flood, wildfire, wind, heat and air quality, as well as interactive maps and insurance requirements.

With no quick cure for the fast-moving, but slow-to-kill disease, experts said American beech trees could be functionally extinct throughout the state within 10 to 15 years.

Said Edward Boscola, Bethlehem water and sewer resources director: “It’s important for everybody to know that the lead levels in the city’s drinking water system are very low."

May, an immature female broad-winged hawk, migrated through Hurricane Milton in Florida last month. The hurricane made landfall Oct. 9 near Siesta Key, Fla., as a devastating Category 3 storm.

Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. At about 5:35 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, grab your binoculars and watch it disappear.

The drought is far from over, but enough precipitation has fallen to boost the confidence of state officials when it comes to outdoor fires.

The precautionary measure across Pennsylvania comes at no cost to farmers. While the virus hasn't been reported in commonwealth cattle, other states have seen a marked uptick in cases.

It's Earth Month, and there are many opportunities to get involved. Here are the events scheduled in the Lehigh Valley.

Allentown's climate action plan survey is live. When completed, the city will be the third of the Lehigh Valley’s major cities to create a climate action plan.

It is the second time the township has been awarded trees through TreePennsylvania’s Bare Root Tree grant program. The statewide nonprofit supports urban and community forestry to increase tree coverage.

This week on Watching the Skies, learn how to spot several stars and bright celestial objects in the sky like Mars and Jupiter.

Almost 100 migrating birds of prey have been recorded since April 1, when this year’s count started. Officials at the sanctuary, as well as volunteers, have monitored the spring raptor migration since the 1960s.

Two Northampton County farms were the latest to be included in Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.

Flooding from Hurricane Ida put the Saucon Creek retaining wall and nearby park pavilions out of commission in 2021. This year marks the first since then that the shelters will be up for rent again.

Crayola officials, along with PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center and local legislators, held an informational session Thursday on the company’s 3.53 megawatt solar farm.

The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor this month launched the Quest for the Golden Grabber. In its second year, it's an effort to engage community members in a friendly competition while cleaning litter from the trail.

There were 15 Diamond Clover awardees this year, including two from Lehigh County. The award is the highest in Pennsylvania's 4-H program.

Northampton County will use a mix of local money and a federal grant to buy 43 acres of undeveloped land in Stockertown, officials announced. Officials did not identify the parcel they intend to buy.

The African penguin colony, off exhibit since early January because of bird flu, is back at the Lehigh Valley Zoo.