I was in a garden the other day…
…and here are some of the things I saw:
Continue reading →Category Archives: Nature
You want escapist video? I’ll give you escapist video
And I don’t even like cats. But this is cute and very soothing: That business the cat is doing with its front paws before it lies down is called “kneading.” Why do they do it? This is supposedly why, and … Continue reading →
It’s not the same old song
Canadian sparrows have changed their tune: A new bird song is spreading like wildfire among Canadian white-throated sparrows, at a scale not seen before by scientists. Birds rarely change their chirpy little tunes, and when they do, it’s typically limited … Continue reading →
These itsy bitsy spiders…
…do a lot more than climbing up the water spout. They detect electrical fields and use them to – fly. And although I’m well aware that I just used the word “fly” there to refer to the activity and not … Continue reading →
The tardigrade seems to be here to stay
Before last night, I had never heard of the creature known as a tardigrade. But once I came across it, I still could hardly believe it existed. I think you can see why just by looking at it: Yes, that … Continue reading →
Dark days
I’m not speaking metaphorically when I say “dark days.” Right now is one of those days of the early early sunsets. To me, sunset is the most important marker rather than the shortest amount of daylight, which can actually involve … Continue reading →
Coula edulis are hard nuts to crack
But gorillas are eager to do it, despite the fact that their teeth don’t seem equipped for the job. Where there’s a will, there’s a way: After watching Loango gorillas chow down on Coula edulis nuts for over three and … Continue reading →
The California power outages everyone is railing against
A year ago, right after the terribly destructive fires in northern California, PG&E was heavily criticized for not having cut the power sufficiently when the winds blew. Now they are criticized for cutting the power when the winds blow and … Continue reading →
Something more pleasant…
…for a beautiful weekend, here’s a photo I took the other day at the ocean:
Continue reading →YouTube star Li ZiQi: imaginary life
Li ZiQi is a phenomenally successful YouTube star from China who seems to me to be a cross between Martha Stewart and Vermeer, 21st Century style. I discovered her recently via Gerard Vanderleun’s American Digest blog, and I find her … Continue reading →
“You dirty rats”
Los Angeles is experiencing an increase in its rat population: At a press conference at Los Angeles City Hall on Tuesday, DeMaio there were two particular reasons behind the rodent explosion. “First, the homeless population increase, which provides a source … Continue reading →
Tree planting and climate change
If true, this is pretty amazing: “This new quantitative evaluation shows [forest] restoration isn’t just one of our climate change solutions, it is overwhelmingly the top one,” said Prof Tom Crowther at the Swiss university ETH Zürich, who led the … Continue reading →