Conservation
On National Arbor Day—which this year is on April 24—we typically recognize forests and trees for their essential roles in conserving soils, providing oxygen, reducing energy consumption through shade and serving as wildlife habitats.
Conservation
The theme for the 56th annual Earth Day, April 22, 2026, is “Our Power, Our Planet.” According to the official Earth Day website, “it emphasizes collective action, community mobilization and the role of individuals in defending environmental protections, accelerating the transition to clean energy and ensuring a sustainable future.”
Latin America
Some animals are known for being loud; for example, howler monkeys are said to be aptly named. When a number of them let loose their lungs in concert, the din can be heard up to three miles away. These New World monkeys—found in tropical Central and South America—often cry at dawn or dusk.
Nature & Wildlife
This year, International Haiku Poetry Day is on April 17. Traditionally, haiku is a Japanese poetic form that takes the natural world and the seasons as its primary subject matter. It acts as a concise form of environmental literature, emphasizing direct observation, sensory details and an appreciation for the transient beauty of the natural world.
Nature & Wildlife
“Life finds a way.” That’s a now-famous statement from Dr. Ian Malcolm, a fictional character played by actor Jeff Goldblum in the 1993 movie Jurassic Park.
Nature & Wildlife
Natural lights in nature come in two familiar forms: bioluminescence and fluorescence. They differ primarily by their light source: bioluminescence is a chemical reaction within an organism that creates its own light, while fluorescence is a physical process where an organism or object absorbs external light and reemits it.
Galapagos Islands
If you’re a lover of books (or a bibliophile) like me, you’ll appreciate Charles Darwin, the biologist famous for his Theory of Evolution that was formulated while visiting the Galapagos Islands. Arguably the most influential man of science in history, Darwin accumulated a vast personal library throughout his working life.
Nature & Wildlife
When the island of Surtsey erupted from the sea near Iceland in 1963, it became a living experiment in how life begins anew. Decades later, scientists discovered that the plants colonizing this young island weren’t carried there by ocean currents or by the wind, but by birds, who served as winged gardeners.
Canada & the North
The Canadian Rockies have called to me ever since I first visited the region at the tender age of one. My parents had a photo in my childhood home, taken along the Icefields Parkway, that elicited stories of my trip there with them.
Nature & Wildlife
The predator/prey relationship is an age-old association. Despite that longevity, it can still mystify us. For example, on a remote Alaskan island, gray wolves are rewriting the rule book by hunting sea otters—a behavior few scientists ever expected to see.
Nature & Wildlife
Because it’s so automatic, hearing is a sense that is often taken for granted. However, it’s a crucial sensory system for humans and other animals, acting as a primary tool for survival by detecting threats, locating food and enabling communication, often functioning even in darkness or over long distances.
Nature & Wildlife
Every February 14th, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, a time that has become synonymous with emotional connections and loving relationships. It’s often marked by romantic gestures, such as giving chocolates or flowers, writing a love letter, preparing a candlelight dinner, holding hands—or kissing.
