August 5, 2009 - MPR’s Lorna Benson profiles a special little black dog named Batman. 2009 marks the one year anniversary of cancer treatment, a major milestone for the dog and University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2008, University researchers began an experimental procedure to save Batman from an aggressive brain tumor that threatened to kill him within a month.
January 28, 2010 - MPR’s Bob Kelleher reports that a deadly fish disease has been confirmed in Lake Superior. Researchers have identified the disease known as VHS in fish taken from four places in the lake, including the Duluth-Superior Harbor. It is not known yet if that means fish populations are at risk in the big lake.
November 8, 2010 - MPR’s Stephanie Hemphill looks into a microscopic organism in Lake Superior that lives peacefully on the rocky shore. But this same algae is causing big problems in some other streams around the world, notably in New Zealand and New England. It's a bit of a mystery that a handful of scientists are racing to solve.
May 16, 2012 - MPR’s Dan Gunderson reports on pollutants from the 2010 British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico showing up in Minnesota birds that migrate to the gulf.
July 16, 2012 - MPR’s Laura Yuen investigates recent dolphin deaths at the Minnesota Zoo and the institution's decision to end exhibiting dolphins.
July 17, 2012 - MPR’s Stephanie Hemphill presents a special science report on deformed frogs in Minnesota, first found in 1995. Even seventeen years later, scientists still have not completely solved the mystery of what caused frogs to develop deformities.
August 7, 2012 - MPR’s Dan Kraker reports on researchers who are aiming to tap the wealth of information deep inside Lake Superior by sending two mechanical divers into the depths of the big, cold lake for a long period of time.
July 15, 2013 - MPR’s Dan Gunderson rides along with Kevin Kenow, a research wildfile biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, who nets a loon on South Turtle Lake in Otter Tail County. Kenow is looking for special tags that track where loons travel and how deep they dive.
August 23, 2013 - On this episode State Fair U, Morning Edition Producer Jim Bickal visits the Agriculture Horticulture Building to get a lesson in beehive hierarchy from from long-time beekeeper Warren Schave.
September 30, 2013 - MPR’s Elizabeth Dunbar reports about the rise of water demands and potential options in the metro area. Water conservation/restrictions, utilizing St. Paul water for other cities, and pumping water from the Mississippi River are among the ideas and efforts being discussed.