Ryan Helcoski
Ryan Helcoski is pursuing his PhD at Utah State University where he works with an international team studying the ecological impacts of terrestrial megacarcasses in South Africa. At UPR, he primarily reports on discoveries and ongoing research in the life and earth sciences.
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The circular islands scattered throughout much of Great Salt Lake are reed-covered mounds nourished by pulses of freshwater that seep up from under the lake. -
In a state with over 35 million acres of public land, the Watershed Restoration Initiative hope to continue to grow this year and into the future. -
In 2024, Utah was ranked as having one of the lowest rates of vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella in the U.S. But we used to be one of the highest. -
A new study on wildfire prediction specific to Utah uses a straightforward "hot days" method to predict the frequency and severity of wildfires across the state. -
Pinyon-juniper woodlands are a common sight in much of Utah. But pinyon trees are declining, while junipers are expanding. The reason why comes down to water. -
Labyrinth Canyon, one of Utah’s most remote and accessible stretches of the Green River, faces a major policy reversal that could reopen more than 100 miles of off-road vehicle routes. -
The U.S. did not send a delegation to the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference. In a warming world, the future of Utah's tech industry may rely on international cooperation. -
Fox squirrels are native to the Eastern U.S., but they're increasingly common along the Wasatch Front. We learned about their spread, why they’re here, and what they mean for local ecosystems. -
Wild bees across the west face a growing threat from microscopic parasites. Last week an Oregon researcher visited USU’s Ecology Center to discuss her findings. -
Savannahs are characterized by their shifting dominance of grass and trees. Though fire is believed to give grass a boost over slower growing plants, it turns out we know little about their roots.
