Community Edition - Jan. 8, 2023

Kick back with a blanket and a mug of hot cocoa to remember a year of groundbreaking science at CU Boulder—and reflect on what lies in store for 2023.

The one-year anniversary of the Marshall Fire may bring up strong reminders and memories. Professional counselor Stanley Ly gives advice on what to do about anniversary reactions, helping children cope and more.

A new CU Boulder study estimates more than 1,000 house pets perished in the Marshall Fire. With the one-year anniversary approaching, the study authors encourage guardians to have a pet evacuation plan in place. They're also helping to develop a new pet rescue app.

Although the people who lived in still-standing homes after the Marshall Fire were spared the loss of everything they owned, when they returned, they found another disaster. CU experts Joost de Gouw, Michael Hannigan and Colleen Reid share on The Conversation.

The Marshall Fire spurred researchers—many of them personally affected by the fire—to pivot and apply their expertise to the aftermath. One year later, dozens of ongoing research projects continue to explore the science behind what happened that day, the widespread impacts on people, pets and the environment and how we can mitigate future catastrophes amid a changing climate.

The first-ever randomized controlled trial of community gardening shows it boosts fiber intake and physical activity while decreasing stress and anxiety. It could even reduce risk of cancer and chronic illness. And that’s all in the first season of getting your hands dirty.

When gas leaks into and contaminates a household water well near an oil and gas drilling site, there is always a question of where it came from. Is it from a failure in the drilling or did the gas migrate naturally? New research from CU Boulder could help definitively answer that question.