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.
Nature & Wildlife
I like to think of biodiversity as a symphony orchestra, where each note, each instrument—every single part—is needed to make the whole. In the concert called “biodiversity,” then, every species, from microscopic life to towering trees and vast oceans, plays a vital role.
Nature & Wildlife
The word birdbrain became a common slang term for a stupid person in the early 20th century. And while it’s still sometimes used as an insult, it’s a misnomer. In fact, the brains of birds are so large (relative to their body size) that scientists say they are practically braincases with beaks.
Conservation
Conservation is a complex and multifaceted undertaking, requiring the concerted efforts of communities, governments, individuals and organizations to safeguard and manage ecosystems, natural resources and wildlife.
Conservation
The ubiquitous social media in our lives has its benefits, including allowing us to interact quickly with our loved ones, network with our colleagues and share information almost instantaneously.
Nature & Wildlife
With the end of October near and Halloween decorations almost everywhere you look, you might be wondering why certain animals are so often featured as we approach the spookiest holiday. Why do plastic owls decorate lawns, and fake bats hang from every nook and cranny?
Nature & Wildlife
For me, spring and Rachel Carson are inextricably linked. In her visionary, 1962 book, Silent Spring, Carson—a marine biologist and environmental trailblazer—wrote: “Over increasingly large areas of the United States, spring now comes unheralded by the return of birds, and the early mornings are strangely silent where once they were filled with the beauty…
African Safaris
I have never been fortunate enough to go on an Africa safari, but I never tire of reading about the experiences of others who have visited the continent, such as the thrill of seeing a herd of wildebeest spread across a vast, open plain or spotting a leopard lazing in a tree as the…
Nature & Wildlife
“New England Boy’s Song About Thanksgiving Day,” based on a poem by Lydia Maria Child, published in 1844. Ever since that time, we’ve associated Thanksgiving with a drive to grandma and grandpa’s house—or at least a road trip to visit family and friends.
Nature & Wildlife
One of my favorite environmental authors, Terry Tempest Williams, once wrote about an experience she had in 1994 when testifying before Congress on behalf of conserving wild lands in Utah. She said: “Congressman Jim Hansen and his colleagues sat on a riser above us, designed to intimidate.
News & More
Citizen science has become an important tool for scientific research. Now, as funds for federal agencies and state natural resources departments around the country shrink, using ordinary folks to gather and record wildlife and environmental observations stretch limited research dollars by getting reams of data for free. NASA relies on amateur astronomers for asteroid observations.
Travel Tips
Thanks to your handy smartphone, you can contribute to scientific endeavors while you’re traveling or exploring natural areas near your home. More and more smartphone users are becoming so-called “citizen scientists” using their phones to capture photographs, sightings and other data about the natural world and submitting it through scientific websites and apps.
