Outdoors

Heat brings more reports of dead fish in Minnesota lakes
It's not uncommon for the DNR to get reports of large numbers of dead fish floating in Minnesota lakes in spring and summer. But fish die-offs have been more frequent and widespread than usual, as temperatures soared to record highs in June across much of Minnesota.
Stunning photos capture 2 brothers' walk 1,600 feet above Yosemite
Moises and Daniel Monterrubio, with the help of friends, set up a nylon line across a massive gap in Yosemite National Park. They walked 2,800 feet across the line, which hung 1,600 feet above ground.
What you need to know about ticks, mosquitoes and the diseases they carry
Angela Davis spoke with a vector-borne illness expert and an entomologist about what Minnesotans need to know about ticks and mosquitoes this summer.
Enthusiastic amateurs advance science as they hunt for exotic mushrooms
Scientists who study mushrooms get a boost from a surprisingly sophisticated world of amateurs who tromp through the forests observing oddball species and sharing valuable information about their finds.
Audio postcard: Searching for orchids at Lake Bemidji State Park
We get occasional dispatches from wildflower chasers Phyllis Root and Kelly Povo, as they roam the state looking for what’s in bloom. Their latest postcard comes from the bog boardwalk at Lake Bemidji State Park, where they caught the beginning of orchid season.
Monuments and teams have changed names as America reckons with racism. Birds are next
As America tries to come to terms with its complicated racial past, efforts are underway to remove all eponymous bird names and to "decolonize the birding experience" to include more Black people.
Friendship, health, community: Twin Cities Latino cyclists on a roll
Latino Social Biking is a Twin Cities group helping Latino people connect, get healthy and get past the isolation and sedentary influences of the pandemic. MPR News recently tagged along for a ride.