There’s an old New England joke that we’ve got two seasons here: winter and the Fourth of July. But not this year. This year, folks, we’ve got a real summer, one that would do any place proud. It’s been sunny … Continue reading →
…than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Continue reading →Erle C. Ellis, associate professor of geography and environmental systems at the University of Maryland, writes that we’re fully in the Anthropocene, a proposed term to describe an era in which the environment has been heavily influenced by humankind: Earth’s … Continue reading →
No part of the US is immune to tornadoes, although the well-known “Tornado Alley” in the midwest has by far the largest number in this country and the world. But New England has some, too, and yesterday Springfield, Massachusetts—a large … Continue reading →
A pair of friends at the elephant sanctuary:
Continue reading →The terrible earthquake and tsunami last night in Japan recalls the fact that tsunami is a Japanese word: The term “Tsunami” comes from the Japanese word for harbor (tsu) and wave (nami). The origins of the word are not surprising … Continue reading →
The news that Vladimir Nabokov, illustrious author and respected lepidopterist, came up with a theory of butterfly evolution that was poo-pooed in his time but which has now been vindicated by DNA research has made me unaccountably happy. Nabokov speculated … Continue reading →
How does one get ready for the big stormstorm that’s predicted for the Northeast? First thing to do is to accept it. Then, make sure there’s enough food in the place—although after the almost nonstop eating fest of the last … Continue reading →
This recent thread about Palin and hunting engendered a lively exchange in the comments section, including a discussion of the following comment by a liberal on another blog, “Only arrogant humans think it’s ok to take a life.” What could … Continue reading →
There’s a pretty exciting week coming up in the sky starting next Monday. First, on Dec 13-14, we have the Geminid meteor shower. Then, on Dec 20-21, a total eclipse of the moon, visible in the entire northern and southern … Continue reading →
…found on earth. In California, naturally. All joking aside, this is fascinating. It’s a bacteria that can incorporate arsenic rather than phosphorus into its DNA, expanding the possibilities for the basic building blocks of life.
Continue reading →Last night was a rare “super harvest moon” (see also this), and I went outside to gaze at the lovely sight. And since I’m one of those people with a lot of poetry rattling around in my head, up popped … Continue reading →