Erika Celeste

Butterfly Populations Reflect Health of US Wetlands

Forty-eight insects are currently included on the U.S. Endangered Species List, and the only way any insect has ever come off the list is through extinction

Butterfly Populations Reflect Health of Wetlands

There are 48 insects included on the U.S. Endangered Species List, and the only way any insect has ever come off the list is through extinction. This is especially troubling for the world's butterfly populations, which have declined by 20% in the last decades. Erika Celeste takes us to visit one of the rarest wild butterfly populations in the world, the Mitchell's satyr butterfly at the Sarett Nature Center in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Butterfly Populations Reflect Health of Wetlands

There are 48 insects included on the U.S. Endangered Species List, and the only way any insect has ever come off the list is through extinction. This is especially troubling for the world's butterfly populations, which have declined by 20% in the last decades. Erika Celeste takes us to visit one of the rarest wild butterfly populations in the world, the Mitchell's satyr butterfly at the Sarett Nature Center in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Exploring America's Newest National Park

Indiana Dunes is one of the most ecologically diverse places in North America

Exploring America's Newest National Park

America’s National Parks System includes parks, monuments and conservation and historic sites. The federal agency - established in 1916 - is constantly changing. For instance, 26 parks it originally managed have been removed from its list of properties. Some (like Michigan’s Mackinac Island Park) were transferred to state holdings, and others (like South Carolina’s Castle Pinckney Monument) were found to be too expensive to maintain. Erika Celeste reports.

It's Christmas All Year at Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland

With more than one hectare under one roof, filled with every conceivable item for the holiday, it promotes itself as the largest Christmas store in the world

Are We Alone in the Universe?

To answer 'Are we alone in the universe?' scientists recommend how and what the US should explore in space over the next decade

Scientists Seek Answers to Are We Alone?

The United States Congress has a big question for the National Academy of Sciences or NAS. It wants to know “are we alone in the universe” or are there other planets like ours, with intelligent lifeforms out there? NAS has been working with scientists across the country to answer that question. Erika Celeste caught up with one of them at the University of Notre Dame.

Advances in exoskeleton technology help get people back on their feet

Developing an Intuitive Exoskeleton

Every year more than 15 million people worldwide suffer injuries and illnesses that leave them unable to walk according to the World Health Organization. But new technological advances and physical therapy could help some of them walk again. Among the most promising - is the use of robotic exoskeletons. As Erika Celeste reports, scientists at the University of Notre Dame are leading the way with their work on wearable robots that allow patients to regain some or all of their mobility.

Star Trek Tricorder Moves Closer to Reality

Science fiction-like device could help diagnose disease, refine surgery

Stand-in Santas Get Refresher Course for Holidays

Real-life Indiana Jones Finds Ancient Religious Sites in Turkey

New documentary follows adventures of Biblical archeologist Mark Fairchild through ancient Turkey

Biblical Archeologist Searching Ancient Turkish Sites

Like the film character Indiana Jones, Mark Fairchild is a professor at a university in Indiana. He travels to far off places in search of Biblical antiquities and doesn’t like snakes. That’s why his students call him Indiana Mark. It’s also one of the reasons he’s the focus of a new documentary. Erika Celeste reports from Huntington, Indiana.

Big Fish, Big Hope for the Ecosystem

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reintroducing a living fossil into its waterways. The alligator gar is a fish so old, it’s thought to have evolved during the Early Cretaceous period, over a hundred million years ago. Erika Celeste reports from Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area.

Living Fossil Returns to Illinois Waters

Re-introduced alligator gars could help Illinois control invasive fish, provide sport fishing action

Bison Reclaim, Restore their Natural Range

The Nature Conservancy brings in bison to restore Indiana prairie

Bison Reclaim, Restore their Natural Range

Bison once roamed North America by the millions. But they were hunted to near extinction in the 19th century for their meat and hides. Today, their numbers are growing again, thanks in part to the important role they can play in land restoration. Erika Celeste has that story from Morocco, Indiana.

How Schools Are Going Solar

Residents of small town have relied on sun to warm their fields and draw tourists to their lakes, now town's school superintendent says they’re counting on it to power their schools

Lab on a Paper Card Can Test Drugs for Purity

Not getting the right medicine or the correct dosage can have fatal consequences for severely ill patients