By the end of this century, Spring pollen emissions could begin 40 days earlier, making the allergy season even longer and more intense. People who have allergies could see the season last an additional 19 days, before high pollen counts subside. Scientists developed a model that examines 15 of the most common pollen types and predicts how their production will be impacted by projected changes in temperatures and precipitation. Learn more on NSF’s “The Discovery Files.”

During hot, dry, Autumn weather, mighty offshore winds like California's Santa Ana and Diablo winds, and Western Oregon's East Wind, can cause unprecedented, destructive wildfires in those states. Scientists have learned human activity can play a major role in such catastrophic fires also. Learn more on NSF’s “The Discovery Files.”

Asteroids are made up of materials dating back to the beginnings of our solar system and, when they orbit the sun on the same path as a planet, are classified as trojans. And much like the Trojan Horse of Greek mythology, they may harbor secrets inside. An international team of astronomers, supported in part by NSF, has confirmed only the second known Earth Trojan, which is designated 20-20 XL5.Learn more on NSF’s “The Discovery Files.”

Thirty-two million Americans have osteoarthritis, deterioration of joint cartilage and the attached bone. Many also have post-traumatic osteoarthritis, PTOA, as a result of an injury, like the more than 3 million veterans who suffer from it. There is no treatment for PTOA other than over-the-counter medications. Yet, researchers have developed a revolutionary gel, which can potentially be delivered by injection directly to the diseased joints to reduce inflammation and induce cartilage regeneration. Learn more at NSF’s “The Discovery Files.”

The heartbeat is the core of the symphony that is human anatomy. But when the heart loses its rhythm (arrhythmia), it can be a symptom of a genetic heart condition that causes thickening and scarring of heart muscles. These researchers have developed 3D models of a patient’s heart, unique to each individual, that show how the heart skips a beat, requiring an additional instrument such as a defibrillator to help keep the rhythm, while identifying others who would not benefit from the device. Learn more at NSF’s “The Discovery Files.”

Lizards might tell us how they and other species have evolved over centuries, millennia even, to adapt to changing environments. It is a process called “adaptive radiation,” how organisms evolve to adapt to changing environments. Researchers are studying Caribbean lizards to see if ecological communities can endure for extended periods. Dr. Melissa Kemp, a paleobiologist at the University of Texas at Austin, is leading the study. During Women’s History Month, learn how NSF’s “The Discovery Files” is highlighting the work of notable women scientists.

John Henry was more than mere legend. He was quite real and having competed against a machine until he dropped, he endured mental, emotional and physical stress, all also quite real. He coped by exerting excessive effort. This coping mechanism is called “John Henryism” and it puts one’s overall health and career at great risk. Researchers are exploring “John Henryism” in “PEERS,” Persons Excluded from science because of Ethnicity and Race.” Learn more on NSF’s “The Discovery Files.”

Coastal wetlands around the U.S. are vulnerable to rising sea levels and increasing levels of salt. The health of many freshwater ecosystems is being impacted by changes in freshwater supply, especially in the Florida Everglades. In this special National Black History Month edition of “The Discovery Files,” we focus on Dr. Sparkle Malone, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Science, Florida International University. Dr. Malone is taking measurements to assess how changes in salt levels affect a plant’s ability to use sunlight to make food, and how the response of specific species to increased salt impacts vegetation cover. Learn more on NSF’s “The Discovery Files.”

Standing at an elevation of 14,692 feet, Switzerland’s towering The Matterhorn appears immovable. But an international team of researchers discovered it sways back and forth, about once every two seconds. This perpetual motion creates a monumental waltz caused by seismic energy deep in the earth, created by earthquakes and the world’s oceans. The study could assist geologists in predicting rock damage and dangerous mountain landslides triggered by earthquakes. Learn more on NSF’s “The Discovery Files.”

The U.S. won its first Men’s Singles Luge medal, a Silver, in the 2018 Winter Olympics, having missed the mark by only 0.026 of a second. For the last decade, USA Luge has engaged teams of engineers using a computational design method to optimize shapes, testing the new designs in wind tunnel experiments, to create an ultrafast luge sled. Their sights are fixed on the 2022 Winter Olympics. Learn more at NSF’s “The Discovery Files.”