J. Besl
Author bio
J. Besl’s Contributions:
Ancient Greece’s Biggest Port Is Older Than We Thought
New archaeological discoveries add 500 years to the history of this storied harbor.
Mar 13, 2024 | 650 words, about 3 minutes
Coastal Flooding Will Be More Extensive Sooner than Scientists Thought
Updated, more accurate data gives a new look at the effects of sea level rise.
Jun 21, 2023 | 750 words, about 3 minutes
Alaskans Have Been Photographing This Volkswagen Beetle–Sized Boulder for 33 Years
In 1990, a scientist began visually documenting Prince William Sound’s recovery from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. When funding ran out, volunteers took over.
Jun 1, 2023 | 850 words, about 4 minutes
By Fighting the Ozone Hole, We Accidentally Saved Ourselves
With the Montreal Protocol, life on Earth dodged a bullet we didn’t even know was headed our way.
May 17, 2023 | 650 words, about 3 minutes
To Whom It May Concern: 300-Year-Old Letters Reveal Hurricanes’ Long-Term Rise
The number of storms in the south Indian Ocean has spiked since 1940, alongside a local increase in seawater temperatures.
Mar 30, 2023 | 750 words, about 3 minutes
Finding a Whale in a Watery Haystack
Satellite detection of whales is improving rapidly, but finding the behemoth creatures is still surprisingly tricky.
Feb 8, 2023 | 950 words, about 4 minutes
River Deltas Are Running Out of Land
Estimates of many deltas’ stabilities in the face of sea level rise were overoptimistic.
Sep 28, 2022 | 650 words, about 3 minutes
Blue Holes Show Hurricane Activity in the Bahamas Is at a Centuries-Long Low
Compared to what we’re seeing now, hurricane activity in the region used to be much, much higher.
Jun 8, 2022 | 850 words, about 4 minutes
The Ever-Shifting—Not Necessarily Shrinking—Pacific Island Nations
Analyses of satellite imagery show many Pacific Islands are actually growing, but that doesn’t mean all is well for the people who live there.
Sep 22, 2021 | 700 words, about 3 minutes