Southwest Connector

Ericsson resident Jessica Wyn Miller (right), an entomologist, leads a Bug Club adventure into the world of bugs near her Minnehaha Creek-side home. She has found that her work as an artist intersects with insects.“I got excited for aquatic insects when I found out they reflect the health of a water,

She hated bugs – so she decided to become an entomologist

Jessica Miller still shrieks sometimes when a spider jumps on her, but the south Minneapolis environmental entomologist has found that makes her more approachable when she’s teaching classes on …

Talking lawn care with U of M

People are getting back into our yards and gardens, with pent-up demand following a long winter. University of Minnesota Extension Educator Jon Trappe has tips for yards that accomplish multiple …

A rain barrel collects roof runoff so you can save the rainwater for later use. Reroute downspouts away from pavement and onto grass, a rain barrel or a rain garden. (Photo courtesy of the University of Minnesota Extension)

A watershed moment

What is a watershed? What is our local watershed called? Where does it begin and end? What is the largest watershed in the U.S.? According to board chair of the League of …

Larry LaVercombe is a writer, filmmaker, and activist, born in Detroit and arrived in Minneapolis in 1975. He lived in a treehouse in San Diego before getting an MFA from the USC Film School. He writes most days, and as Team Larry he has been selling residential real estate in Minneapolis for 26 years.

How real estate agent commissions will now affect us

You’ve heard, I’m sure, about the court ruling and the decision by the National Association of Realtors: Buyer’s agents will no longer receive a “standardized” 2.7% …

Recycle your left-over paint with PaintCare

Did you know there’s an option for recycling leftover paint in Minnesota? That’s right, recycling, not just disposing of leftover paint. Since 2014, the non-profit PaintCare has been …

Sunflowers make small moves to maximize their Sun exposure − physicists can model them to predict how they grow

Sunflowers use tiny movements to follow the Sun's path throughout the day. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel Most of us aren’t spending our days watching our houseplants grow. We see their signs of life only …

Brighten your autumn garden with the charm of pansies

(BPT) - Autumn has arrived, welcoming cooler temperatures and a new chance to enjoy seasonal flowers. Fall presents a new opportunity to embrace the beauty of the outdoors. It’s the perfect …

From watering via ice cubes to spritzing with hydrogen peroxide – 4 misguided plant health trends on social media

The internet is full of advice on just about everything, including plant care. As the director of a plant diagnostic laboratory and expert on plant medicine, I help people manage their plants’ health

Cherry blossoms – celebrated in Japan for centuries and gifted to Americans – are an appreciation of impermanence and spring

Cherry blossoms mark the beginning of spring. Various festivals are regularly organized in California, Colorado, Georgia, Tennessee and Washington, D.C., to celebrate the bloom of cherry trees. …

Why do flowers smell?

Imagine walking through a tropical forest as a sweet scent wafts through the air. A little farther down the path, the putrid stench of rotting flesh makes you catch your breath. Upon investigation, you find that both odors originate from flowers – but why do flowers smell like anything at all? ...

The rise in college student voting could have a big swing state impact on the presidential election

The Hechinger Report examines the impact and uptick of college student voting since 2022.

How Kamala Harris' political and economic approach could affect the financial markets

OANDA takes a look at Kamala Harris' role as vice president, her policy positions earlier in her career, her views, and how these would affect the financial markets if she is elected president.

1 in 10 Americans have tried injectable weight loss medication—These are the cities with the most early adopters

Hers examines the weight-loss injectables market across the U.S.

Where wealthy millennials are moving

SmartAsset mines Census data to determine which states have gained—and lost—the most high-income millennials.

5 of the biggest sports parlay wins of all time

ATS.io compiled a list of five of the biggest sports parlay wins of all time, detailing the ins and outs of the jackpots worth millions of dollars.

Here's how the average childbirth age has changed over time

Northwell Health partnered with Stacker to chart the rising maternal age over time, looking into the socioeconomic forces behind later births and the science that makes it possible.

The do's and don'ts of taking pets on the road

CitizenShipper researched the do's and don'ts of taking your pet cats and dogs on the road, compiled from animal caretakers and travel authorities.

Trends in data breaches across 10 commonly targeted industries

Drata analyzed a report compiled by Verizon to identify trends in data breaches within 10 of the industries most frequently targeted.

The US fertility rate is decreasing: What it means for the nation's future

U.S. fertility rates are now below replacement levels, according to CDC data. Northwell Health partnered with Stacker to explore this trend.

A cultural history of swimsuits from au naturel to ooh la la

Swimply explores the political history of women's swimwear using various sources, such as Smithsonian Magazine and the Fashion Institute of Technology.