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Deanna Conners

Deanna Conners

Deanna Conners is an Environmental Scientist who holds a Ph.D. in Toxicology and an M.S. in Environmental Studies. Her interest in toxicology stems from having grown up near the Love Canal Superfund Site in New York. Her current work is to provide high-quality scientific information to the public and decision-makers and to help build cross-disciplinary partnerships that help solve environmental problems. She writes about Earth science and nature conservation for EarthSky.

Which insects have the worst stings?

Posted by in Earth | Human World | 3 weeks ago
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Some of the most painful stings come from tarantula hawk wasps, warrior wasps, and bullet ants.

Why Earth has 4 seasons

Posted by in Earth | 4 weeks ago
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Some assume our planet’s changing distance from the sun causes the change in the seasons. That’s logical, but not the case for Earth.

Hurricane Hanna shrinks Gulf of Mexico dead zone

Posted by in Earth | 2 months ago
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The Gulf of Mexico dead zone is much smaller than usual this year because Hurricane Hanna stirred up the area of low-oxygen water.
cloud-streets-bering-sea-20jan2006-300

What are cloud streets?

Posted by in Earth | 2 months ago
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Cloud streets are a manifestation of Earth’s atmosphere in motion. They’re mostly seen by satellites looking down on Earth, but people sometimes catch them from the ground, too. Check out these cool images!

Dark Sky Sanctuary established in New England

Posted by in Earth | Human World | 3 months ago
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Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine was certified as a Dark Sky Sanctuary on May 8, 2020.
Colorful bursts in night sky with text annotations.

How do fireworks get their colors?

Posted by and in Human World | 4 months ago
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Many, perhaps most, fireworks displays have been canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. Still, it’s fun to contemplate the fact that the beautiful colors in fireworks – so good at stirring our emotions – are created by chemistry.
Photo of stars above the Sahara

Will large parts of Earth be too hot for people in 50 years?

Posted by in Earth | Human World | 4 months ago
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Inhospitably hot regions on Earth occupy about 0.8% of the globe now. New research indicates that – if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated – these regions may expand to something more like 19% by 2070.
A hurricane off the U.S. Eastern seaboard.

How do hurricanes get their names?

Posted by in Earth | Human World | 5 months ago
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The World Meteorological Organization manages the formal system by which hurricanes receive their names. Find hurricane names for 2020 here.

How to spot ISS in your sky

Posted by in Human World | Space | 5 months ago
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Learn to watch ISS moving silently and steadily across your night sky, and think of the 2 astronauts currently making their way there.

Photograph of a Lohmann Brown hen by Konstantin Nikiforov

What are zoonotic diseases and what can we do about them?

Posted by in Human World | 6 months ago
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Infectious diseases that leap from animals to humans are called zoonotic diseases. Covid-19 is an example of a zoonotic disease caused by a coronavirus.