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Boise State Public Radio Music ushers in new shows after Arthur Balinger’s retirement

How scientists are using dragonflies to study mercury in our waterways

Mercury is a toxic chemical that can have devastating effects when it gets into our environment, especially our waterways. Figuring out where it’s contaminating our lakes and rivers is the first step to getting it out of our water.

For more than a decade, scientists have been using baby dragonflies to measure mercury levels around the country and they've been using citizen scientists, especially kids to help.

USGS research ecologist's and co-authors of the study Christopher Kotalik and Collin Eagles Smith, as well as co-author and national park service ecologist Colleen Flanagan Pritz, joined Idaho Matters to talk more.

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As Senior Producer of our live daily talk show Idaho Matters, I’m able to indulge my love of storytelling and share all kinds of information (I was probably a Town Crier in a past life). My career has allowed me to learn something new everyday and to share that knowledge with all my friends on the radio.

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