February 23, 2007 - MPR’s Bob Kelleher reports that researchers in Duluth say Lake Superior is quickly warming, even faster than the climate around the lake. They believe decreased lake ice over that last couple decades is behind the warming. With the water temperature change comes concerns over future impact for the local environment and lake species.
April 1, 2008 - MPR’s Bob Kelleher reports that there are urgent new efforts to keep a virus that's deadly to many kinds of fish out of Lake Superior. The disease, known as VHS, has quickly spread through the other Great Lakes. Minnesota officials say if it reaches Lake Superior, VHS could jump to inland waters and devastate the state's fishing industry.
May 12, 2008 - MPR’s Bob Kelleher reports that Lake Superior's low water in 2007’ revealed something disturbing…gaping rusted holes in much of the underwater steel in the Duluth-Superior harbor. The aggressive corrosion, discovered just a couple of years ago, has caused extensive damage below the water line. The cause is still a mystery, but studies have begun to identify some leading suspects.
August 5, 2009 - MPR’s Lorna Benson profiles a special little black dog named Batman. 2009 marks the one year anniversary of cancer treatment, a major milestone for the dog and University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2008, University researchers began an experimental procedure to save Batman from an aggressive brain tumor that threatened to kill him within a month.
January 28, 2010 - MPR’s Bob Kelleher reports that a deadly fish disease has been confirmed in Lake Superior. Researchers have identified the disease known as VHS in fish taken from four places in the lake, including the Duluth-Superior Harbor. It is not known yet if that means fish populations are at risk in the big lake.
April 22, 2010 - In observance of 40th anniversary of Earth Day, Midday guest Chuck Dayton, the dean of Minnesota's environmentalists, reflects on the major environmental issues faced in April 1970 compared to today. Are things better or worse? Have new problems emerged?
September 16, 2010 - On this Midday program, Ben Santer, research scientist at Program for Climate Model Diagnosis & and Intercomparison at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California; and Doug Kluck, central region manager for NOAA Climate Services, forecast the changes in natural resources, weather, and animal/human activities that might be needed to adapt to a changing climate.
November 8, 2010 - MPR’s Stephanie Hemphill looks into a microscopic organism in Lake Superior that lives peacefully on the rocky shore. But this same algae is causing big problems in some other streams around the world, notably in New Zealand and New England. It's a bit of a mystery that a handful of scientists are racing to solve.
October 27, 2011 - A new study led by University of Minnesota researchers shows that annual flu shots protect only about 59% of the population. How good are vaccines, and how important to public health? Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota, provides insights on the effectiveness of vaccines.
May 16, 2012 - MPR’s Dan Gunderson reports on pollutants from the 2010 British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico showing up in Minnesota birds that migrate to the gulf.