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While lots of research has been conducted on how being in space affects plant biology, no research had ever been done on exactly what the trip up into space does to a plant and its genes. That is, until Aug. 29, 2024 when UF Space Biologist, Dr. Rob Ferl, loaded himself and some small tubes with plants in them that are specially designed to allow him to freeze their genes in place at specific times — which he did at certain points of the flight on the Blue Origin New Shepard rocket. This process will allow him and his research team to see exactly how that transit up into space, and then back down again, causes the plants to turn certain genes on or off to adapt to that voyage. We talked with him just a few hours after he returned to Earth.

Since President Trump returned to the White House in January his administration has undertaken a number of actions that seem to signify a retreat from international support and cooperation, and reflect a broader shift toward prioritizing domestic interests over international collaboration, fundamentally altering the United States' traditional role in global affairs. Our guest's work focuses on issues that intersect with what’s been unfolding on a number of levels. Dr. Andrew Rosenberg is an Associate Professor of International Relations and Political Methodology at University of Florida. His 2022 book “Undesirable Immigrants: Why Racism Persists in International Migration” focuses on the politics of international migration and what drives and constrains it.

About 1 in 5 women experience some negative feelings after the birth of a child or a mental health condition during pregnancy. About three quarters of these women do not receive any treatment, especially in underserved communities. Untreated mental health issues can lead to things like disrupted child bonding, impaired infant development, and even some serious health outcomes for the child and mother – suicide and overdose are among the leading causes of maternal death in the U.S., especially in the late postpartum period. Since its founding in 1977, Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida has had a mission to provide quality healthcare that is accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial means or insurance status. We sit down with its Chief Medical Officer to have a conversation about women's mental health.

Technological advances have brought much good to the world. But as ways to communicate have diversified and led to anyone being able to get their message out to the entire world, it seems undeniable that society has taken a turn toward hyper-polarization and partisanship – and the number of people – especially young people who are experiencing mental health issues has increased and the trendline is heading in the wrong direction. Our guests are part of a cross-partisan political reform group comprised a wide range of people, from elected officials and national security experts to mental health professionals and technologists who are trying to encourage change and find ways to address the negative effects of our online world.

The W.P Franklin Lock on the Caloosahatchee River will be closed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers diving survey.

Save the dates for two upcoming license-free fishing weekends hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), a perfect opportunity to try fishing with your friends and family.This summer's license-free fishing weekends are on June 7-8 for saltwater and June 14-15 for freshwater.

Meat products produced by two companies are being recalled and an alert was issued for ground beef distributed to a popular retail outlet and possibly contaminated with E. coli, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.

U.S. military veterans often face challenges when transitioning to civilian employment after leaving the service. Sometimes their skills and experiences don’t directly translate to civilian jobs — and employers might not fully understand the value of military experience or how it applies to their industry. Some veterans may need to undergo additional training or education to meet the standards required for civilian jobs, which can be time-consuming and costly. To help with the transition, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and some employers offer programs to help veterans find a new career by providing training, resources, and support specifically tailored to veterans' needs. We learn about one here in Florida that began in 2016 when two employees with the University of Florida Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences decided that helping veterans possibly find a path to a new career in agriculture would be a great fit, so they created the Veterans Florida Agriculture Program.

New legislation passed during the 2023 session and signed into law by Governor DeSantis makes a host of changes to election law in the state. Part of S.B. 7050 significantly restricts how third-party voter registration organizations like the League of Women Voters of Florida can operate. In response, the League of Women Voters of Florida is suing Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and Secretary of State Cord Byrd, seeking to block provisions of the new omnibus election law that would restrict and penalize the organization’s civic engagement efforts.

During the first Republican presidential candidate debate Governor Ron DeSantis said he would use U.S. military special forces inside of Mexico to help stem the flow of illegal drugs like fentanyl into the United States. While this kind of rhetoric — the idea of using the U.S. military in a sovereign foreign nation to combat illicit drug production and distribution — might seem shocking, it’s not entirely new for a political candidate or even a sitting president to say something along these lines, but rather goes back decades. To get some context we sit down with Dr. Rick Coughlin, he’s an Associate Professor of Political Science at Florida Gulf Coast University who focuses on Mexican politics and culture.