Dr. Cara Shillington

There are tarantulas in Ypsilanti! Fortunately, they are kept under the close watch of some good folks in the Eastern Michigan University biology department. Studying tarantulas in the lab is one thing, but getting up close and personal with the eight-legged wonders on their territory is an entirely different experience. So, some EMU students are heading out west to see and study the arachnids at work and play in their natural habitat. EMU student Spencer Poscente joins Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale for “On the Ground Ypsi” to talk about his experiences in EMU's arachnid lab and what he hopes to learn out in the field.

It's not often that when we think of jellyfish that we think of them existing in fresh water. But an Eastern Michigan University biology professor and a group of her students are studying this phenomenon in various lakes across Michigan. WEMU's Cathy Shafran was joined by Concentrate Media reporter Rylee Barnsdale to discuss her article on the subject. And, they are joined by EMU biology professor Cara Shillington and EMU grad student Rachel Koski to explore the growing statewide interest in the freshwater creatures since the first report of their work was shared late last year.