Return to Normal in Parts of West Virginia Is Marred by Distrust

In West Virginia, a coal cleaning chemical, MCHM, had contaminated the water and has forbidden thousands of West Virginians to drink or use any water. As a result, many have been forced to drink and wash with bottled water. However, even as the chemical has been diluted enough to be considered safe to drink, many West Virginians still will not drink the water. Their reasons primarily include fears of damage to the liver or kidneys, and interference with human metabolisms. Hopefully with time, the water will be able to dissolve the chemicals into small enough pieces where the chemicals will have no effect on humans.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/us/return-to-normal-in-parts-of-west-virginia-is-marred-by-distrust.html?ref=science

Bracing for Carp in Great Lakes, but Debating Their Presence

According to the Army Corps of Engineers, remnants of environmental DNA of the Asian carp have been discovered to have arrived in the Great Lakes. Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is genetic material that is not directly from the fish, but from shedding of scales, gills, or waste products found from birds who have consumed this fish. This invasive species was first introduced from China to clean up algae-ridden fishponds in the Arkansas River in 1976. Since then, the carp has moved up the Mississippi River towards the Great Lakes. If these fish make it to the lakes, it can cause large problems. The carp reproduces very quickly and can eat as much as 10 percent of its own weight in a day. Thus, these fish can lead to the possibility of wiping out entire ecosystems. Therefore, environmentalists must act quickly before this non-native species eliminates the entire region.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/us/bracing-for-carp-in-great-lakes-but-debating-their-presence.html?ref=science&_r=0