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If the joy of seeing butterflies seems increasingly rare these days, it isnt your imagination. From 2000 to 2020, the number of butterflies fell by 22% across the continental United States. Thats 1 in 5 butterflies lost. The findings are from an analysis just published in the journal Science by the U.S. Geological Surveys Powell Center Status of Butterflies of the United States Working Group, which I am involved in. The endangered Karner blue butterfly has struggled with habitat loss. [Photo: USFWS/Flickr] We found declines in just about every region of the continental U.S. and across almost all butterfly species. Overall, nearly one-third of the 342 butterfly species we were able to study declined by more than half. Twenty-two species fell by more than 90%. Only nine actually increased in numbers. West Coast lady butterflies range across the Western U.S., but their numbers have dropped by 80% in two decades. [Photo: Renee Las Vegas/Wiki Commons] Some species numbers are dropping faster than others. The West Coast lady, a fairly widespread species across the western U.S., dropped by 80% in 20 years. Given everything we know about its biology, it should be doing fine it has a wide range and feeds on a variety of plants. Yet, its numbers are absolutely tanking across its range. Why care about butterflies? Butterflies are beautiful. They inspire people, from art to literature and poetry. They deserve to exist simply for the sake of existing. They are also important for ecosystem function. Butterflies are pollinators, picking up pollen on their legs and bodies as they feed on nectar from one flower and carrying it to the next. In their caterpillar stage, they also play an important role as herbivores, keeping plant growth in check. A pipevine swallowtail caterpillar munches on leaves at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Md. Herbivores help keep plant growth in check. [Photo: Judy Gallagher/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY] Butterflies can also serve as an indicator species that can warn of threats and trends in other insects. Because humans are fond of butterflies, its easy to get volunteers to participate in surveys to count them. The annual North American Butterfly Association Fourth of July Count is an example and one we used in the analysis. The same kind of nationwide monitoring by amateur naturalists doesnt exist for less charismatic insects such as walking sticks. Whats causing butterflies to decline? Butterfly populations can decline for a number of reasons. Habitat loss, insecticides, rising temperatures and drying landscapes can all harm these fragile insects. A study published in 2024 found that a change in insecticide use was a major factor in driving butterfly declines in the Midwest over 17 years. The authors, many of whom were also part of the current study, noted that the drop coincided with a shift to using seeds with prophylactic insecticides, rather than only spraying crops after an infestation. The Southwest saw the greatest drops in butterfly abundance of any region. As that region heats up and dries out, the changing climate may be driving some of the butterfly decline there. Butterflies have a high surface-to-volume ratio they dont hold much moisture so they can easily become desiccated in dry conditions. Drought can also harm the plants that butterflies rely on. Only the Pacific Northwest didnt lose butterfly population on average. This trend was largely driven by an irruptive species, meaning one with extremely high abundance in some years the California tortoiseshell. When this species was excluded from the analyses, trends in the Pacific Northwest were similar to other regions. The California tortoiseshell butterfly can look like wood when its wings are closed, but theyre a soft orange on the other side. [Photo: Walter Siegmund/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA] When we looked at each species by its historical range, we found something else interesting. Many species suffered their highest losses at the southern ends of their ranges, while the northern losses generally werent as severe. While we could not link drivers to trends directly, the reason for this pattern might involve climate change, or greater exposure to agriculture with insecticides in southern areas, or it may be a combination of many stressors. There is hope for populations to recover Some butterfly species can have multiple generations per year, and depending on the environmental conditions, the number of generations can vary between years. This gives me a bit of hope when it comes to butterfly conservation. Because they have such short generation times, even small conservation steps can make a big difference and we can see populations bounce back. The Karner blue is an example. Its a small, endangered butterfly that depends on oak savannas and pine barren ecosystems. These habitats are uncommon and require management, especially prescribed burning, to maintain. With restoration efforts, one Karner blue population in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve in New York rebounded from a few hundred individuals in the early 1990s to thousands of butterflies. Similar management and restoration efforts could help other rare and declining butterflies to recover. What you can do to help butterflies recover The magnitude and rate of biodiversity loss in the world right now can make one feel helpless. But while national and international efforts are needed to address the crisis, you can also take small actions that can have quick benefits, starting in your own backyard. Butterflies love wildflowers, and planting native wildflowers can benefit many butterfly species. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has guides recommending which native species are best to plant in which parts of the country. Letting grass grow can help, even if its just a strip of grass and wildflowers a couple of feet wide at the back of the yard. A patch of wildflowers and grasses can become a butterfly garden, like this one in Townsend, Tenn. [Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA] Supporting policies that benefit conservation can also help. In some states, insects arent considered wildlife, so state wildlife agencies have their hands tied when it comes to working on butterfly conservation. But those laws could be changed. The federal Endangered Species Act can also help. The law mandates that the government maintain habitat for listed species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in December 2024 recommended listing the monarch butterfly as a threatened species. With the new study, we now have population trends for more than half of all U.S. butterfly species, including many that likely should be considered for listing. With so many species needing help, it can be difficult to know where to start. But the new data can help concentrate conservation efforts on those species at the highest risk. I believe this study should be a wake-up call about the need to better protect butterflies and other insects the little things that run the world. Eliza Grames is an assistant professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University, State University of New York. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Let’s face it: The workplace is pretty much an extrovert’s world, with all those meetings and open work spaces. It’s not always easy for introverts and people who prefer a quieter setting to be at the top of their game, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be productive in an office and have a really successful career. The trick is finding the right job fit. Resume Genius, a website for job seekers, recently released its curated list of introvert-friendly well-paying jobs for 2025. Jobs were ranked based on four factors: autonomy, amount of social interaction, minimum median salary of $48,000 a year, and high job-growth potential. The researchers compiled their results from O*Net and Glassdoor reviews to determine the first two factors, and data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine the last two. The jobs on this list emphasize independent work, problem-solving, and analysis. Introverts can be more independent and usually possess highly sought-after soft skills like deep focus and creative problem-solving,” Nathan Soto, a career expert at Resume Genius, said in a statement. Here are the top 10 jobs for introverts: 1. RadiologistMedian annual salary: $353,960Estimated job growth (2023 to 2033): 3%Typical educational requirements: Doctor of medicine (MD) degree, radiology residency program 2. Natural Sciences ManagerMedian annual salary: $169,120Estimated job growth (2023 to 2033): 8%Typical education level: Bachelors degree in natural science or a related field 3. Computer and information research scientistMedian annual salary: $157,160Estimated job growth (2023 to 2033): 26%Typical educational requirements: Master’s degree in computer science or related field4. Physicist and AstronomerMedian annual salary: $149,530Estimated job growth (2023 to 2033): 7%Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree for entry-level position, master’s and PhD in physics for advanced5. Computer hardware engineerMedian annual salary: $147,770Estimated job growth (2023 to 2033): 7%Typical educational requirements: Bachelors degree 6. Software developerMedian annual salary: $138,110Estimated job growth (2023 to 2033): 17%Typical educational requirements: Bachelors degree in computer and information technology or related field7. Computer network architectMedian annual salary: $133,930Estimated job growth (2023 to 2033): 13%Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in computer-related field8. ActuaryMedian annual salary: $132,500Estimated job growth (2023 to 2033): 22%Typical educational requirements: Bachelors degree in mathematics, actuarial science, statistics, or other analytical field 9. Biochemist and Biophysicist Median annual salary: $120,310Estimated job growth (2023 to 2033): 9%Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, biology or related field for entry-level position; master’s and PhD for advanced 10. Operations research analystMedian annual salary: $95,600Estimated job growth (2023 to 2033): 23%Typical educational requirements: Bachelors degree in operations research, business, mathematics, or engineering
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This article is republished with permission from Wonder Tools, a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps. Subscribe here. I like thinking on paper. Thats why Ive got a box under my desk with 27 old idea notebooks. But when Im looking for a specific note scrawled early in 2020, digital notes are helpfully searchable. Given that paper and digital have distinct advantages, Ive been experimenting lately with hybrid approaches. Read on for what Ive found to be most useful. My current notebook of choice: The reMarkable Paper Pro What it is: A specialized paper tablet originating from Oslo, Norway that feels like a cross between a Kindle and an iPad. Its designed for writing and reading, not Web surfing, games or social apps. In touch and sound its closer to paper than any digital device Ive used. Its simple to use, well-designed, and I rarely need to charge it. Choose this if . . . You like the feel of paper but prefer having a single, organized device to piles of paper notebooks. Its great if youre easily distracted by multi-purpose devices (thats me) or if you spend a lot of time taking notes by hand and want a luxurious, minimalist device. My favorite features: Feels like paper. You can adjust the marker (stylus) to look and feel like various pens or pencils. The screen somehow even sounds like paper. Backup and sync. See any of your notes later on your phone, tablet, or laptop app as editable PDFs. During an online meeting you can even use the paper tablet as a whiteboard to screenshare live notes or diagrams. Flexible annotations. I like annotating PDFs as I read. You can toggle your notes on/off to return to the original. Unlike the Remarkable 2, this model lets you add color annotations, though I rarely do. You might find it handy to have distinct hues for highlighting facts or quotes. Distraction-free. No apps, email, browser, or notifications to tug at your attention. Easy import. You can easily import articles or documents from your Web browser or from Google Drive or Dropbox. Eye-friendly Its easier on your eyes than an iPad or computer, and works well in the dark, too, with an adjustable, built-in backlight. Templates. You can start with a blank page or your choice of lined or dotted page templates; calendar or task list templates; or even a Bullet Journal from the new template and workbook collection. Caveats Single-purpose device. If you need a multi-function tablet, this isn’t it. If you already have a digital watch, phone, tablet, & laptop, you may have enough. Premium investment. The $579 price point makes this a luxury device for those who can afford to invest in a fancy note-taking tablet. Doesnt work with Kindle books or other reading formats. Its great for PDFs and ePub files, and you can even import Web articles with a bookmarklet in your browser. But you cant use it to read your Kindle books. Feels large for reading. If youre used to holding a small Kindle in your hand, this device feels big at 274 x 197mm (10.8 x 7.8). The reMarkable 2 is a little smaller and cheaper ($399). No multi-document view. Unlike a laptop or an iPad, this device doesnt let you view multiple documents at once. Thats good for staying focused, but it adds friction when youre switching back and forth between two reference documents, as Ive been doing lately. Slower page turns. As with other E Ink screens, you have to wait a bit longer for each new page to load on this device than on LCD or LED screen devices. Clunky handwriting to text conversion. You can convert handwritten notes into digital text, even if you have messy handwriting like mine, but the process involves multiple clicks and I havent been thrilled with the resulting conversion and formatting. Slight learning curve. Its easy to use out of the box. But for advanced features, like triple-tapping to cut and paste text or adding multiple annotation layers, youll need a bit of practice. Pricing: $579 with the Marker (stylus) or $629 with the Marker Plus, which has a built-in digital eraser. The Book Folio protective cover is $89, while the Type Folio cover, which lets you type notes, is $229. The eraser tip is worth the extra $50 for quick corrections. The cover with built-in keyboard is only necessary for those who type all the time or use the device in place of a laptop. The optional Connect subscription for backing up your device and syncing to mobile and desktop apps is $30/year after a free 100-day trial. My flexible, reusable backup notebook: Rocketbook What it is: A reusable notebook with plastic pages (made with Polyester/ Polypropylene) that you write on with erasable FriXion pens. How it works: To digitize notes, use Rocketbooks free smartphone app (iOS or Android) to scan a page and send it to Google Drive, Evernote, Slack, Dropbox, Box, Trello, OneNote, OneDrive, iMessage, iCloud, or Google Photos. Then wipe the page off to reuse it. Choose this if . . . You like writing with an ink pen but want to keep notes organized in your preferred digital hub. It works well if you want a relatively low-cost, reusable notebook and dont want another digital device. My favorite features Reusable pages. Wipe off the ink with a damp cloth and you can repeatedly use the same pages. Easily scan notes to your digital hub. By marking a symbol at the bottom of a given notes page, you can send that particular page to your preferred destination. You can send some pages to one place, others to another. No subscription cost. The app is free, with no monthly fees. Lightweight design. The spiral binding and fold-back cover makes it easy to quickly return to any page. Easy page titling. You can write a double-hashtag at the top of any page to set its title for simpler digital categorization. Text conversion. Transform your handwriting to searchable text as long as its not illegible. Caveats Requires a special pen. Youll need a backup supply of FriXion pens. Different writing feel. Plastic pages feel different from traditional paper. Occasional smudging. The erasable ink can sometimes smudge before it dries completely. Be careful about leaning your hand on fresh ink. Cheap, light material. This is essentially a collection of coated plastic sheets, so it doesnt have the heft of a thick notebook or a digital tablet. Pricing: $30 to $50 depending on the size and style. These go on sale periodically. FriXion pens cost a few dollars each. Tips: I like the $38 Fusion model because it includes 42 pages with seven different page templates. It includes monthly and weekly calendar pages, dotted, lined and list pages, and project, goal and idea templates. Size: I prefer the executive size (6 x 8.8 inches) because its a bit more portable than the larger letter format. The mini size can be handy if you like keeping a notebook in your pocket. I also like a new hybrid alternative, the Boogie Board Blackboard 2.0 This reusable smart notebook has a permanently dark screen. It feels like writing on black glass with a special smart pen/stylus. Like the Rocketbook, you link the Blackboard to a free mobile app. From the app you can send an image or PDF of anything youve written or drawn to another app like Dropbox or Apple Notes. Like the Rocketbook, you don’t have to worry about recharging the screen. There is, technically, a battery in the Blackboard, because it’s a passive LCD screen, but you can use it for years without an issue. Ive used other Boogie Board screens and never had to change a battery. I think of it like a grown-up Etch a Sketch. It’s a fraction of the cost of the reMarkable tablet or an iPad, but its flimsy case gives it a much cheaper, more plastic-y feel. Limited space: The Blackboard 2.0 has just one page to use and then sync before running out of space. The Rocketbook, by comparison, gives you 42 pages to write on before you need to sync or erase. The reMarkable can store hundreds of thousands of pages of digital notes. Charging and syncing: If you get the Blackboard version with the Smart Pen, you do have to recharge the stylus. Its easy to misplace either the pen or the pen cover. On the plus side, it’s a little easier to sync and erase than the Rocketbookjust press a button to sync your writing or drawing to your online notes. Press another button to erase a page and start fresh. Pricing: $150 for the Blackboard 2.0 with the Smart Pen, or $45 for the same Blackboard minus the smart penin which case you use your phone to scan what you write into the Blackboard app, much like the Rocketbook. If you want a digital pen: Livescribes LivePen What it is: A digital pen that records what you write on special paper and converts it to digital text. Consider this if you like the feel of paper and want to backup your notes digitally without a tablet. Youll still have to buy special notebooks so the pens built-in camera can track your words digitally. I like that the newest model is ultra-portable. I had an old version of this pen that felt like a chunky highlighter. The $65 LivePen bundle includes four 158-page journal-sized notebooks. Keep them in distinct locations so you can use them with your digital pen wherever inspiration strikes. Caveats Special paper required. Youll have to repeatedly buy Livescribe notebooks or download and print special paper files with the required micro-dots. Easy to misplace. The LivePen is smaller than the other note-taking tools, meaning its easier to lose it. Comfort considerations. Its smaller than older models, but may not be as sleek as your favorite Cross pen. Battery dependent. Youll have to charge it every couple of weeks. Prefer plain paper? Try Leuchtturm1917 What it is: A traditional, sturdy, paper notebook, with a table of contents section at the front to help make it easier to organize notes inside. Choose this if . . . Youre a traditionalist who wants zero distractions or if have no interest in additional gizmos to plug in. Or maybe you just enjoy the tactile experience of pen on paper. No batteries, charging, cords or software updates needed. Tips: Snap picturesof important notes and upload them to ChatGPT, which excels at recognizing handwriting and converting it to digital text. No special app needed, and you can send the converted notes to your digital hub of choice. Options: I like the $17.50 dotted model with numbered pages, two page markers, a pocket and an elastic closure band. If you often write outdoors, consider the $29 Outlines model for extra durable waterproof paper and a water resistant cover. Or if you draw, try the 120g model for $29 for low-transparency paper that wont let ink run or colors show through to the back. Want a cheaper choice? This similar Rettacy notebook is just $8. Bottom line: I rely on a blended system No one tool satisfies all of my note-taking needs. Other explorations: I use Letterly to take audio notes, and I experiment occasionally with Goodnotes and other iPhone and iPad apps. Why all-digital isnt optimal: I need to get away from screens on Saturdays, and periodically at work. So no digital-only system will work for me. Why all-paper doesnt work: Having filled up desk drawers and storage bins with old reporting notebooks, Im not eager to accumulate more paper. And my urban life is variableI often dont have a paper notebook with me. What I prefer: For now, the reMarkable Paper Pro is my preferred note-taking tool when Im at work or doing extended brainstorming at home. An occasional replacement: When in meetings or with my children, I sometimes prefer my Rocketbook to remove any hint of digitalia. Paper lives on. I sometimes pull out an individual piece of paperor index cardsand later digitize it with ChatGPT. This article is republished with permission from Wonder Tools, a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps. Subscribe here.
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