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Why scientists are helping hellbenders

When I first heard about eastern hellbenders, I thought they sounded like a motorcycle gang, not large salamanders the color of river rocks. I also had no idea they were important ecosystem indicators for clean water. The story goes that the amphibian got its name from early settlers who thought the thing was so ugly it must be a creature from the underworld, “hell bent” on returning. But, as I stared at one in southern Indiana, I did not think it ugly. I watched it crawl around the bottom of a plastic transport container filled with water. It walked like an alligator and had long ...

State needs to resist efforts to increase spending

In a perfect world — or even just a better world — Pennsylvania’s state budget would be both completed on time and would be a plan in which Pennsylvania’s taxpayers could place their faith. We unfortunately do not live in that perfect world, and yet again our state budget has missed its deadline. We appreciate that Williamsport’s legislator, state Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, is declining his paychecks until the matter is resolved. Flick’s choice is an excellent example of leading by example. However, when contemplating our state budget, we do not want to ...

Religious freedoms are fragile

As Christianity declines in the West, the faith is flourishing in sub-Saharan Africa, which is seeing the fastest growth in Christianity the world over. By 2060, more than 4 in 10 Christians worldwide are expected to live in sub-Saharan Africa, compared with just 1 in 10 in 1970, according to Pew Research. But this growth is coming at a cost. Unlike their counterparts in the U.S., African Christians increasingly risk violent death for their beliefs. Nigeria, home to one of Africa’s largest and fastest-growing Christian populations, has also become one of the world’s deadliest ...

Researchers working on cancer puzzle

“Inflammaging” is far from being a household word now but, thanks to advances in cancer research, it apparently isn’t destined for obscurity much longer. Anyone being affected directly or indirectly by cancer needs to familiarize himself or herself regarding what is happening on the inflammaging front and recognize the good judgment of staying tuned for information on more developments, going forward. Meanwhile, no one ever knows if or when that dreaded disease might impact one’s life. What is particularly interesting about the research being conducted regarding the ...

‘Green growth,’ militarism merged

It’s an irony that the minerals needed to save the planet may help destroy it. Rare earth elements, the mineral backbones of wind turbines and electric vehicles, are now the prize in a geopolitical arms race. The trade agreement between Washington and Beijing restores rare earth shipments from China to the U.S., which had been suspended in retaliation against Donald Trump’s tariffs. Behind the bluster, there has been a realization in Washington that these are critical inputs for the U.S. They are needed not just by American icons such as Ford and Boeing but for its fighter jets, ...

President Trump made right choice to act on Iran

President Trump’s decision to strike Iran’s three most significant nuclear sites helped rid the world of a grave nuclear threat and was a large step toward restoring U.S. deterrence. It also creates an opportunity for a more peaceful Middle East, if the nations of the region will seize it. “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” Mr. Trump said the night of the strikes. He made clear Iran brought this on itself. “For 40 years, Iran has been saying ‘death to America,’ ‘death to Israel.’ They’ve been killing our ...