Category Archives: Environmental Science

Guide to Parasitology

Guide to Parasitology
What is Parasitology? One of the biggest threats to human health today in the developed and the developing world are parasites. Parasitical relationships differ from other areas of ecology in that they not only depend on another species to survive but in the process of doing so, they cause harm to the host. Where there…
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Environmental Perspectives

Environmental Perspectives
I am an environmental engineer and was a consultant on that topic for 45 years.  I am sharing some of what I’ve learned through 3 lectures that I’ll give to whoever wants to listen and wants to pay for my travel.  This lecture is the most technical of the three and is about topics I…
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Zoology: Exploring the Animal Kingdom as Academic Pursuit

Zoology: Exploring the Animal Kingdom as Academic Pursuit
Defining Zoology Biological life on planet Earth is undoubtedly immense and the subject that studies it – biology – is such a vast area of study that no graduate in the subject could hope to understand all of it. Increasingly, biology graduates are looking for ways to find their niche early and focus on one…
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Climatology: The Science of Global Weather Systems over the Long Term

Climatology: The Science of Global Weather Systems over the Long Term
What Climatology Is Climatology, or sometimes known as climate science, is the study of the Earth’s weather patterns and the systems that cause them. From the ocean oscillations to trade winds, pressure systems that drives temperature, airborne particles that influence local conditions and even the phases of the moon and Earth’s wobble all affect the…
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Geology: Examining the Planet’s Physical Processes

Geology: Examining the Planet’s Physical Processes
Defining Geology Geology -  from the Greek geo (Earth) and logia (study) (1) has a long and prestigious history in unlocking many of the secrets of the Earth. We define geology as the study of the Earth, the materials and processes, structure, and even the physics and chemistry that underlie them. It also includes within…
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Microbiology: Tiniest Lifeforms Under the Microscope

Microbiology: Tiniest Lifeforms Under the Microscope
What is Microbiology? Microbiology is the study of the tiniest forms of organic life (1) – typically, those too small to be seen with the naked eye. The word “microbiology” is, like many scientifically-derived terms, from the Greek language. It consists of the word “mīkros”, translated into English for "small", “bios” which means "life" and…
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Biotechnology: Combining Engineering with the Biological Sciences

Biotechnology: Combining Engineering with the Biological Sciences
What is Biotechnology? The word “biotechnology” is a portmanteau word of “biology” and “technology”. Also know in a shortened form as “biotech”, it uses biological and natural processes to tackle and solve some of the world’s biggest technological and industrial problems. Anything that uses biological cells and living material – including genes and gene sequences…
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Meteorology: Something in the Air

Meteorology: Something in the Air
What is Meteorology? Meteorology is one of the most important atmospheric scientists yet one that most of us do not think about. When we do, our immediate thought is to its usefulness in predicting weather. Yet it covers all aspects of the atmosphere, including atmospheric physics and chemistry (1). Humanity has always had (and needed)…
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Paleontology: Examines the Dawn of Life to the Dawn of Civilization

Paleontology: Examines the Dawn of Life to the Dawn of Civilization
What is Paleontology? As with most areas of science, the word “paleontology” has its origins in the Greek language. The word is broken down into three sections. “palaios” means “ancient", “onto/ontos” means "creature" or a “being”. The final part “logos” which means the “study" or “thought” (1). Paleontology then means ancient creatures and beings study.…
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Ecology: Examining the Relationships Between Living Things

Ecology: Examining the Relationships Between Living Things
Ecology is an environmental science in its most literal sense – the study of environments and the entities within it. Although closely associated with environmentalism and conservation today, it does not necessarily follow; an ecology can also be human gut flora, how the elements of an urban environment function, and the ecology of soil nutrient…
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