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Image of water draining from pipes in a field.

Clean Water and Farm Pollution Lawsuit

Video
Des Moines
This video discusses a lawsuit claiming that farm runoff is harming Iowa's water supply.
Image of rock faces in an old quarry.

Kiln Trail Fossils

Video
Rockford
Kiln Trail in Floyd County is one of the most abundant places in Iowa to find and collect fossils.
Image of natural bridge rock formation.

Maquoketa Caves Formation

Video
Maquoketa
Each of the rock features at Maquoketa Cave State Park were formed over time through a variety of geologic processes. 
Image of a flooded town.

Flooding Predictions

Video
Hamburg
In 2019, flooding hit Hamburg, Iowa, leaving many wondering about the impacts and likelihood of future flooding.
Aerial image of redbud trees in bloom.

Redbud Blooms in Red Haw State Park

Video
Chariton
Pink blossoms cover the Red Haw State Park redbud trees.
Image of a combine tractor offloading soybeans.

Soybean Protein Levels

Video
Des Moines
Protein levels in Midwestern soybeans have been decreasing over time.
Image of field of yellow flowers.

Farming Prairie Flowers

Video
Spencer
Prairie Flower Farm, a northwest Iowa farm, grows native plants instead of corn or soybeans.
Image of female and male goldfinches.

Bird Genders

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Baxter
The genders of different species of Iowa birds are visually unique.
Image of wind turbines in a field.

Wind Farm Controversy

Video
Madison County
In 2019, a debate occurred regarding the building of wind farms in Madison County, Iowa.
Image of man standing next to a large tree.

Trees and Climate Change

Video
Bettendorf
Trees may play multiple roles in combating climate change.
Image of bird sitting right outside a window.

Bird Behavior

Video
Lee County
A bird is repeatedly flying into the glass of a window.
Image of butterfly on a flower.

Butterfly Pollinator

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Harvey
Butterflies act as pollinators for many plants and flowers in Iowa. 
Image of buds on tree branch.

Backyard Diversity

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Bussey
A variety of life can be seen in just one backyard.
Image of newly built field terrace.

Field Tiling and Terraces

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Bussey
Some Iowa fields have been altered with tiling and terraces.
Image of fallen tree chewed by animals.

Animals as Loggers

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Monroe County
Trees can be cut down or stripped of their bark by animals.
Image of mist on a lake surface.

Lake Mist

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Council Bluffs
Mist is visible over an Iowa lake.
Image of exposed tree roots.

Tree Roots and Erosion

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Council Bluffs
Tree roots that would normally be underground have been exposed due to erosion.
Image of tree with metal tags attached to it.

Emerald Ash Borer Tagged Trees

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Council Bluffs
These ash trees have been tagged to show they were treated to prevent damage from the emerald ash borer.
Image of white growths on goldenrod plants.

Goldenrod Galls

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Bremer County
White growths (galls) on the stems of the plant allow plant growth while the fly eggs develop inside.
Image of paha hills in Iowa field.

Paha Land Formations

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Traer
A "paha" is a unique, but often unknown, Iowa geological feature.
Image of owl pellet next to a leaf.

Owl Pellets Reveal Unique Eating Processes and Behaviors

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Waterloo
When broken apart, owl pellets will reveal the types of creatures eaten by the owl. 
Image of shells with holes punched in them.

Shells with Holes

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Muscatine
These mussel shells were found with holes punched in them.
Image of man standing next to a stream bank.

Stream Bank Erosion

Video
Bettendorf
A house is in danger of collapsing into a creek due to erosion.
Image of several dead fish in a lake.

Eutrophication

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Council Bluffs
An excessive amount of nutrients, or eutrophication, can cause water quality issues.
finger with four deer ticks each of various sizes

Dangerous Ticks and Invasive Honeysuckle

Video
Bettendorf
Since 2010 the number of tick-related illnesses in Iowa have increased.
Image of a prairie being burned.

Prescribed Burning

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Lucas County
A prescribed burning is a land-management practice.
image of a bird flock flying around a commercial wind turbine

Wind Turbines and Bird Migration

Video
Council Bluffs
Wind energy companies around the world are employing different strategies to protect birds.
Image of person spearfishing a fish model.

Science of Spearfishing

Video
Council Bluffs
When spearfishing, objects appear to bend when inserted into the water.
Image of wind turbines in a field.

Shutting Off Wind Turbines

Video
Westside
When you drive by a wind farm, you may see many wind turbines spinning. It is also common to see a few wind turbines not spinning.
image of a coal mining operation in Iowa

Coal Mining and Land Reclamation

Video
Logan
There are efforts to reclaim the land used for a coal mine in Logan, Iowa. 
Image of a log burning in fire and liquid coming out of it.

Liquid in Burning Tree

Video
Council Bluffs
As a branch heated up in the campfire, a liquid started dripping out of the bark. 
image of a black squirrel

Black Squirrels

Video
Council Bluffs
Black squirrels are common in Council Bluffs, but not many other locations in Iowa.
Image of mussel held in hand.

Mussel Reproduction Process

Video
Eagle Grove
The lifecycle and reproduction of mussels are dependent on fish.
Aerial image of Carter Lake, Iowa.

Carter Lake, Iowa, Located in Nebraska

Video
Carter Lake
Carter Lake, Iowa, is unique because it is in Nebraska.
Image of a large flock of geese.

Snow Geese Migration

Video
Harrison County
At the Missouri River flyway near DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge thousands of geese can be seen migrating.
Image of large rocks stacked on each other.

Glacial Erratics

Video
Tripoli
Glacial erratics are a remnant from the most recent times when glaciers covered much of the surface of Iowa.

Funding for Iowa Science Phenomena Provided By

Aliant Energy
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Musco Lighting
Pella
Reserve Endowment and Protection (REAP)