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Articles on Appalachia

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Henry Darger worked as a hospital custodian. After his death in 1973, hundreds of his illustrations were discovered. Brooklyn Taxidermy/flickr

What is vernacular art? A visual artist explains

The genre – also known as ‘folk art’ or ‘outsider art’ – serves as a reminder that art is a universal human pursuit.
People catch La Crosse disease primarily from the bite of the eastern tree-hole mosquito – although two other species may also carry the virus. Nipol Plobmuang/EyeEm via Getty Images

La Crosse virus is the second-most common virus in the US spread by mosquitoes – and can cause severe neurological damage in rare cases

Not all cases of La Crosse disease affect the neurological system, but those that do can be severe and sometimes fatal – especially in children.
The red salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) is a species endemic to the United States. Betty4240/iStock via Getty Images

A skin-eating fungus from Europe could decimate Appalachia’s salamanders – but researchers are working to prevent an outbreak

The Bsal fungus is not yet here in North America, or any place in the Western Hemisphere, but there is concern that the pet trade is the most likely route for introduction here.
Each has its own merits, even in a technology-centric world. The Conversation from Shutterstock images by heinsbergsphotos, jannoon028, Troy Kellogg

Resisting technology, Appalachian style

People in Appalachia are skeptical and cautious around technology – and how they think can be useful and instructive for living in a tech-centric world.
Coal miner Scott Tiller works next to a drill in an underground coal mine roughly 40 inches high in Welch, West Virginia. AP Photo/David Goldman

Black lung disease on the rise: 5 questions answered

A recent study found the largest cluster of advanced black lung disease ever recorded among coal miners in central Appalachia. Two doctors who treat black lung patients explain how miners contract it.
Even pocket parks in cities (Duane Park in Lower Manhattan, pictured here) can shelter wildlife. Read below for ideas about urban biodiversity and other green innovations. Aude

Creating a sustainable future: 5 essential reads

Trump administration rollbacks dominated news about the environment in 2017 – but beyond Washington D.C., many researchers are developing innovative visions for a greener future.
TVA Kingston Fossil Plant in Tennessee, site of a 1.1 billion gallon spill of coal ash slurry in 2008, photographed on March 28, 2012. Appalachian Voices

Trump’s policies will harm coal-dependent communities instead of helping them

Rural development experts say the best way to help coal communities by is investing in people, infrastructure and a clean environment. Instead, President Trump’s budget cuts programs in these areas.
Demonstrators at a rally in Frankfort, Kentucky, Feb. 13, 2013, protest against mountaintop removal coal mining. AP Photo/James Crisp

Is a healthy environment a human right? Testing the idea in Appalachia

Are all people entitled to live in a clean and healthy environment? A legal scholar says yes, and argues for using this principle to address damage from polluting industries in Appalachia.

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