Maine has the country’s biggest cholesterol problem, new data analysis finds

WalletHub — the finance website that has become something of a central data cruncher for all sorts of statistics ranking states and cities on things like education and public safety — recently released its breakdown of how states compare in terms of obesity. The increase in obesity among Americans has been well-publicized, of course. As […]

11 animated maps showing how sea level rise could change the shapes of Maine towns

Nonprofit climate news and advocacy group Climate Central has released a series of multi-layered interactive maps designed to illustrate how various levels of sea level rise may affect coastal communities all around the United States. The group’s latest mapping tool, titled “Mapping Choices,” allows you to enter any zip code or U.S. city and compare — side-by-side […]

Two alien planets that are most like Maine

The movie “The Martian” has been critically acclaimed and opened over the weekend to a box-office topping $55 million domestic haul. Movie goers across America have been fascinated by the prospect of an astronaut — played by star Matt Damon — gardening and otherwise hashing out a sustainable life on a foreign planet. But let’s get […]

The science behind Maine’s extreme rainstorm and why we can expect many more like it

Wednesday’s rainstorm dominated Maine headlines, setting a daily rainfall record in Portland with nearly 6 inches of precipitation and pounding Searsport with nearly 10 inches. Resultant flooding across the state of Maine, cutting off roadways and reaching almost as high as the windows of passing cars, was well documented. But for those who are still pumping out their basements […]

‘They don’t head bang past the cage doing the air guitar,’ but great white sharks do love heavy metal, researchers say

Almost every summer, there are a handful of reported great white shark sightings in the Gulf of Maine. And while many of these are later written off by experts as likely cases of mistaken identity — basking sharks can look very similar to great whites to the untrained eye — those same experts agree great whites are almost certainly […]

Should pumpkins join blueberries and potatoes as a signature Maine crop? New fall map tracks the gourds

When most people think of Maine’s signature crops, they think of blueberries and potatoes. The other food items that quickly come up are lobster and maple syrup, although they’re obviously not harvested the same way. But could an argument be made for pumpkins to join that proverbial Mount Rushmore of Maine food staples? The gourds certainly […]