Articles for author: Andrew Alpin

8 States Testing "Living Shorelines" to Stop Erosion

8 States Testing “Living Shorelines” to Stop Erosion

Andrew Alpin

Rising seas and powerful storms are eating away at America’s coastlines at an alarming rate. Traditional solutions like seawalls and riprap have proven inadequate, often making erosion problems worse. Now, a growing number of states are turning to nature itself for answers, testing innovative “living shoreline” projects that work with natural processes instead of against ...

9 American Caves With Life Evolving in Isolation

9 American Caves With Life Evolving in Isolation

Andrew Alpin

Deep beneath American soil lies a hidden world where evolution operates by entirely different rules. These subterranean realms harbor creatures so specialized that they’ve transformed into living fossils, adapted to eternal darkness and surviving on chemical processes unknown to surface dwellers. What makes these caves truly extraordinary isn’t just their geological magnificence, but the isolated ...

9 National Parks Where Bighorn Sheep Are Back

9 National Parks Where Bighorn Sheep Are Back

Andrew Alpin

The thundering hooves of majestic wild sheep once echoed across America’s rugged mountain ranges and desert canyons, but those sounds fell silent for decades. Disease, hunting, and habitat loss drove these incredible creatures to near extinction in many areas. Yet today, something remarkable is happening in our national parks. From the towering peaks of the ...

12 U.S. Bird Species Expanding North - Climate Data You Can See

12 U.S. Bird Species Expanding North – Climate Data You Can See

Andrew Alpin

Winter mornings tell a different story today than they did decades ago. Where once cardinals barely ventured beyond Tennessee, their brilliant red feathers now flash across New England backyards. The rhythmic drumming of Red-bellied Woodpeckers echoes through forests hundreds of miles north of where they used to call home just a generation ago. This northward ...

9 U.S. Deserts Where "Singing Sand Dunes" Are Real

9 U.S. Deserts Where “Singing Sand Dunes” Are Real

Andrew Alpin

You’ve probably heard of sand dunes humming in sci-fi movies, creating an otherworldly soundtrack to desert scenes. Well, here’s something that’ll make you question reality: those sounds aren’t fiction at all. In deserts scattered across the United States, massive sand formations actually create their own haunting music, producing sounds that can reach over 100 decibels ...

8 U.S. Cities Where Peregrine Falcons Own the Skyline

8 U.S. Cities Where Peregrine Falcons Own the Skyline

Andrew Alpin

You might think the concrete jungle would be hostile territory for wild birds. Yet across America’s busiest metropolises, peregrine falcons have transformed from near-extinct species to urban royalty. These aerial masters have claimed some of the most iconic structures in our cities, turning skyscrapers into their personal hunting grounds and bridges into their nurseries. What ...

Midwest Bald Eagles: 10 Record Counts You Won't Believe

Midwest Bald Eagles: 10 Record Counts You Won’t Believe

Andrew Alpin

Picture this: you’re driving through the heart of America, and suddenly you spot a magnificent bird with a snow-white head soaring overhead. You’ve just witnessed one of the greatest conservation success stories of our time. The bald eagle population has climbed to an estimated 316,700 individual bald eagles, including 71,400 nesting pairs. This estimate indicates ...

California's Mountain Lions Are Crossing Freeways - 7 Fixes Saving Their Lives

California’s Mountain Lions Are Crossing Freeways – 7 Fixes Saving Their Lives

Andrew Alpin

California’s mountain lions face a deadly journey every time they attempt to cross the state’s busy highways. These magnificent cats, which need vast territories to survive, find themselves trapped in habitat islands surrounded by concrete barriers and speeding traffic. Yet innovative solutions are emerging across the Golden State, offering hope for these isolated populations. The ...

The Evolutionary Trade-Off That Made Humans Lose Their Fur

The Evolutionary Trade-Off That Made Humans Lose Their Fur

Andrew Alpin

Picture yourself looking at your closest relatives in the animal kingdom. Chimpanzees are covered in thick, protective fur from head to toe. Gorillas sport impressive coats that shield them from the elements. Yet here you are, a supposedly advanced primate, almost completely naked save for a few strategic patches of hair. This apparent evolutionary setback ...

Which Elemental Force Matches Your Birth Month - Fire, Ice, or Storm?

Which Elemental Force Matches Your Birth Month – Fire, Ice, or Storm?

Andrew Alpin

Have you ever wondered why certain natural phenomena seem to speak to your soul more than others? Some people feel absolutely electric during thunderstorms, while others find deep comfort watching flames dance in a fireplace. The answer might lie in something as simple as when you were born. The elements – Fire, Air, Water, and ...