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Blog: Exploring Science and Nature in North Carolina

Mushroom-Powered Toilets Could Transform Your Outdoor Experiences

April Smith, Ph.D./Executive Director September 30, 2025

It’s October and the Citizen Science NC Mushroom Quest is on! We told you about the Mushroom Quest recently in this blog post, and your opportunity to do the Mushroom Quest through our fun scavenger hunt on Goosechase. We hope you’ll take advantage of that this month. As I was reading through some interesting new…

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Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve: A Curious Minds Adventure

April Smith, Ph.D./Executive Director September 17, 2025

Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve is a truly unique bit of North Carolina nature. With relics from an ancient past and evidence of North Carolina’s formation and ecological evolution, there’s a story to be told around every curve of the path. Come explore this incredible State Nature Preserve as it was meant to be experienced:…

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Join NC MUSHROOM QUEST with Science Across NC

April Smith, Ph.D./Executive Director September 15, 2025

When my family was camping in Tennessee a few years back the forests surrounding our campsite were packed full of some of the most beautiful mushrooms I have ever seen. In terms only a scientist could love – it was a decomposers’ paradise. 🙂 I am not a fungi expert, but adore the variety of…

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Explore Your Nature Neighborhood: Making an Entry in Nature’s Notebook

April Smith, Ph.D./Executive Director August 22, 2025

I have just had one of those incredibly satisfying moments where I learned about a new resource (new to me!) with the potential to change the way I work with science data and interact with nature. That’s a pretty big statement. We all live and work in a world that is rapidly changing. Sometimes that’s…

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Bringing Science to Life: Outdoor Learning with Muddy Sneakers

April Smith, Ph.D./Executive Director August 8, 2025

Muddy Sneakers joined the NC Science Trail early in 2025 and they have quickly become a huge part of our Science Trail Teacher Resources. They’ve joined us at events to meet educators and are looking to help teachers across the state find meaningful ways to incorporate life-changing opportunities into their science education lesson plans. If…

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Explore Your Nature Neighborhood: Trees to Meet You

April Smith, Ph.D./Executive Director August 4, 2025

There are certain things that I pay more attention to when I’m outside. I listen for animal calls, I watch for things scurrying by quickly, I note small insect movements all around me, but the things I most often overlook are the trees. Isn’t that odd? Yet, when I’m standing in the bright, hot August…

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Sammie at the Davidson Farmer’s Market: Pollinator Power

April Smith, Ph.D./Executive Director July 31, 2025

Hi, it’s Sammie, the NCST Intern with a new blog post! This summer I am working on a campaign against pollinator loss in communities like Davidson, and a large part of that effort requires nurturing an appreciation for the little guys we need so badly yet so often forget. So this weekend the North Carolina…

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Celebrating Conservation and Transformation at Daniel Stowe Conservancy

April Smith, Ph.D./Executive Director July 27, 2025

Daniel Stowe Conservancy has recently undergone a bit of a transformation, and the new logo below is not the only change! In this blog post you’ll see how Sammie the Intern explores Daniel Stowe’s gardens, Butterfly Den, and water features. This is a great place for exploration any time of year with all ages. **********…

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Explore Your Nature Neighborhood: Under a Rotten Log

April Smith, Ph.D./Executive Director July 21, 2025

There are few things I enjoy more than a great outdoor hike on a beautiful day – a chance to observe nature at its best. I crave the small critters that scurry behind rocks. I constantly keep my eyes peeled for all things crawling, slithering, and wriggling under logs, around bends, and into holes in…

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Explore Your Nature Neighborhood: Looking Closely

April Smith, Ph.D./Executive Director July 17, 2025

My job, in a nutshell, is to teach people to pay attention to the little things and then, ASK WHY? You’ve heard it from me before and I’ll continue to say it here (but this time with a little help from my friend Alexandria Lupton). The best way to hone your science skills is to…

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NC Science News

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  • Why are White Oaks the “King of Trees”?
  • Spark a Girl’s Future in Tech!
  • Troll Hopping in North Carolina
  • My Night with Cadavera, the Corpse Flower (and 1,000 New Friends)
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