Life on Land

Imagine a substance that can perform an array of valuable services, and is also astoundingly durable. In the 1940s, 3M and DuPont discovered this wonder product. A class of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) offered long-lasting use in a spectrum of applications and products but today their ubiquity and durability have come back to haunt humanity. 

Minnesota’s small towns are home to some of the state’s most beloved gems. Along with breathtaking and subtly beautiful landscapes, friendly faces, and a strong sense of place, lower-population areas can also have limited resources. 

Veterinary students at the University of Minnesota are embracing an unlikely patient: the honeybee.

The recent 2025 Great Minnsect Show at the University of Minnesota was a buzzing success. Held on May 3 at the North Star Ballroom and Ruttan Hall on the St. Paul campus, the event attracted over 1,000 visitors, all eager to explore the fascinating world of insects.

While laws to limit pollution have been around for decades, heavy metal pollutants like lead remain a problem in many areas. Lead and other metals in the soil or air can move through urban ecosystems, impacting the health of humans, plants and animals.

At the University of Minnesota, we're rolling up our sleeves and amping up our research to help feed the world while protecting our environment.

Japanese beetles are an annual pest Aditya Prabhu knows something about. As he looked into finding a solution to his pest problem, he partnered with James Duquette, a recent Carlson School of Management graduate. With support from the Carlson School, the pair invented a new kind of beetle trap called Alure.

New University of Minnesota research suggests that seeding native plants alongside invasive removal efforts may turn the tide in the battle against buckthorn. 

With $1.267 million in funding approved by Governor Tim Walz on Jan. 3, researchers from the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine will lead a collaborative effort to address highly pathogenic avian influenza and its emerging threat to Minnesota wildlife.

Amy Morey, a research associate with the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, answers questions about terrestrial, or land-dwelling, invasive species and the latest research helping to slow their spread.