Ivy Engel

The City of Laramie regularly tests mosquitos caught in traps for the presence of West Nile Virus. So far, in the month of June, they’ve tested three samples. Last week, one came back positive. For the Laramie Valley, this is an earlier than usual detection of the virus. 

The lakes in the alpine areas of the Wind River Range have historically been fishless – that is, until humans started stocking them for recreational use. The introduction of these fish changed the ecosystems of the lakes, and specifically, the microscopic animals that float through the water, known as zooplankton. Now, University of Wyoming researchers want to know if the change in zooplankton has influenced a change in the fish.

Chytrid fungus is a deadly disease that infects amphibians worldwide, and it's considered the worst infectious disease in the history of vertebrates. Once infected, amphibian populations often see drastic declines and sometimes even go extinct.

University of Wyoming researchers are "going back to the future." By studying the climate that existed 50 million years ago, they hope to better understand what the climate might be like in the next century.

With summer around the corner, fire season also looms. This year's wet spring has delayed the onset of wildfires compared to last year, but that doesn't necessarily mean the fire season will be less intense than normal. Wyoming State Forester Bill Crapser says fire season can be very hard to predict.

Alpine areas are predicted to be one of the areas most affected by climate change and some unique microbes have made their homes in the glacier-fed streams there. The loss of these little critters can have large effects on both the ecosystem around them and on people, says University of Wyoming invertebrate zoologist Lusha Tronstad.

Every year, the University of Wyoming hosts the annual Wyoming Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) conference. The event is focused on inspiring young women, 7th grade through high school, who are interested in STEM subjects to continue in the field by providing them with role models and networks on campus.