Articles for author: Maria Faith Saligumba

a piece of wood sitting on top of a blue and yellow wall

The Microplastic in Your Cement: Could Recycled Waste Make Buildings Greener or More Fragile?

Maria Faith Saligumba

Imagine walking into a building, feeling the firm ground beneath your feet, and knowing that the very material supporting you contains tiny plastic particles. Sounds surprising, right? This is the emerging reality as researchers explore the potential of integrating microplastics into cement. On one hand, this innovation could revolutionize sustainable construction by reducing waste. On ...

black and white honey bee hovering near yellow flower in closeup photography

Can We Breed a Better Bee? Science’s Response to Pollinator Collapse

Maria Faith Saligumba

Imagine a world where your morning coffee, the vibrant colors of spring flowers, and the sweet taste of honey could vanish. This isn’t a dystopian fantasy; it’s a potential reality if our pollinators, particularly bees, continue to decline. The mysterious collapse of bee populations around the globe has sent shockwaves through ecosystems and economies alike. ...

grey pigeon

Pigeons and Dodos: Separated by Time, United by DNA

Maria Faith Saligumba

Imagine a world where the air thrums with the soft flutter of wings and the ground trembles under the steps of a creature no one alive has ever seen. This world, both familiar and lost, links the humble pigeon you see in city parks to the legendary, extinct dodo. At first glance, it seems impossible. ...

Capture of a vast desert landscape with prominent saguaro cacti under clear skies.

The Secret Lives of Saguaro Pollinators in a Changing Desert

Maria Faith Saligumba

Imagine standing under a midnight sky in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, surrounded by towering saguaro cacti. The air is thick with the scent of blooming flowers, and the silence is broken only by the gentle whir of wings and the faint rustle of movement. What unfolds here, mostly unseen by human eyes, is ...