When I moved to the Northeast Coast of the US, I had no idea that hurricanes (or earthquakes!) would be something that I needed to be prepared for. But here we are, once again, with a massive storm barreling down on us around Halloween. Long Island Sound has had its first ever Hurricane Force Wind Warning. Evacuations have begun, and all mass transit in New York City will stop running later ton... »
If you didn’t hear about it, there is a Blogger Challenge for DonorsChoose.org: “DonorsChoose.org is a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public schools often lack. At this not-for-profit web site, teachers submit project proposals for materials or experiences their students need to learn. These ideas become classroom reality when concerned individuals, whom we call Cit... »
You probably have heard Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov‘s Flight of the Bumblebee at some point in your life. I have too; it’s an iconic piece of music, and really does seem to capture the flight of a bumble quite well. It was also used as the theme music for the Green Hornet on both radio and television. What I didn’t know was that the piece was part of an opera called “The Bumbl... »
I am sitting in the Tampa Airport today, on my way home after a wonderful scientific conference with the Organization of Biological Field Stations. (Also, why has no one told Tampa their logo really looks like a vulva? I mean, you would think someone would have noticed that well before the signs were printed.) Anyway. It was pretty much 4 days of very little sleep, very much alcohol, and lots of ... »
I am excited to report that the FTC has begun to take action against some of the bogus products for sale claiming to protect you against bed bugs: ”The Federal Trade Commission filed deceptive advertising charges against two marketers of remedies for bed bug infestations, who allegedly failed to back up overhyped claims that they could prevent and eliminate infestations using natural ingred... »
Just wanted to remind everyone that September 9, 2012 is International Rock Flipping Day! This is the 6th annual IRFD. Go outside, and spend some time with your inner kid (or an actual kid). There are beautiful and amazing things in the world, despite the best efforts of humans. Rediscover them. Rejoice in the joy of secret complexity hidden under a rock. If you’re joining in for the first tim... »
Hot off the press, a new report published by the Zoological Society of London, in cooperation with IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and Wildscreen. You might recognize IUCN as the authors of the Red List, the definitive international list of species that are at risk of extinction. Why should you care about a bunch of squishy boneless animals? Because invertebrates make up E... »
My friends the Bug Chicks released a new video this week about a group of little insects you’ve probably never heard of: Embiids, or webspinners. It was, as usual, adorable and informative. And it also made me remember how much I loved making forts as a kid! Couch cushions! Trees! Blankets! Snow! Just about anything was fair game. All you really needed was a lot of imagination and the abi... »
