Stories
It was Boston-born Ben Franklin who first used the term “battery” to describe an electric storage device. Now, nearly three centuries later, Massachusetts is hoping to jump-start the development of new kinds of batteries to power the future.
Read MoreIn the Marines, Dan Crim learned how to strap an air-tight respirator over his mouth and nose to protect himself from a biological threat. He was glad to never have to use one in a combat zone during his five deployments overseas. Now a retired Marine, Crim wears a respirator whenever he sets foot in the house he bought but no longer lives in.
Read MoreMercury Levels in Gulf of Maine Tuna on the Decline
There’s some good news for sushi lovers. A new report finds that over an 8-year period, mercury levels in Gulf of Maine tuna declined 2 percent a year — a decline that parallels reductions in mercury pollution from Midwest coal-fired power plants.
Read MoreVermont Dairy Workers React To Trump’s Deportation Plans
President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to deport millions of illegal immigrants with criminal records. It’s unclear how many people fit this category — but Trump’s sweeping statements are already sending shock waves into many undocumented workers’ lives.
Read MoreRhode Island Fishermen, Scientists Study Impact of Offshore Wind Farm on Fisheries
The nation’s first offshore wind farm off the coast of Block Island will start producing electricity any day now. It’s a pilot project that will change the way the people on this small island power their homes and businesses. They’ve relied on importing diesel fuel up to this point.
Read MoreConnecticut’s Charcoal Has Stories to Tell, if You Know Where to Look
Although charcoal is now sold at your local supermarket, the unassuming briquette’s story wasn’t always confined to American grills and backyards. For a long time, charcoal was the lifeblood of Connecticut’s iron industry — fueling furnaces creating everything from weapons of war to wheels that rolled across the country.
Read MoreTrump May Find Climate Deal ‘Difficult’ To Break
Donald Trump’s surprise victory has prompted climate ministers from around the world to issue a joint statement about the need for the whole international community, including the United States, to remain committed to the Paris Climate Accords.
Read MoreAny day now, America’s first offshore wind farm, off Block Island, will begin commercial operation.
Read MoreSearching for the Elusive Plastic Pollution Off Connecticut’s Coast
Plastic today is everywhere: in our bottles and cell phones, our grocery bags, and our trash. Some plastic garbage is so small, it’s impossible to see with the naked eye: tiny microbeads, which have been banned from some products because of their environmental impact. WNPR went looking for them in the waters off Connecticut’s coast.
Read MoreSix New England Ski Resorts to be Sold
In a big preseason sale, Sugarloaf, Sunday River and four other New England ski resorts are being sold. And that’s just part of an $830 million deal that includes ski resorts, theme parks and other recreation properties around the country.
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