I haven't written anything on this blog for awhile. I got busy with work. I had bronchitis. I was also playing music and enjoying some downtime. My priority was completing (and even enjoying?) the many end-of-the-year academic tasks and celebrations that are part of my job and the rhythms of family life. And in the … Continue reading Phenology and the arrival of spring
environment
Insects of summer
Insect adventures A couple of days ago, my son spotted an insect riding along on our car's windshield shortly after I had started driving. A very pretty green grasshopper had found its way aboard while I was parked near some grass and trees. I hoped it would be alarmed enough by the wind to jump … Continue reading Insects of summer
Tiny science update: Clouds and microbes
In one of my very first blog posts on this site ("Raindrops keep falling on our heads…and on the microbes") I shared some science news I had seen about microorganisms and clouds. Scientists across different disciplines are trying to learn about the relationship between the planet's water cycles and the growth of tiny organisms (such … Continue reading Tiny science update: Clouds and microbes
Climate and weather: Is this the new normal?
Over the past week or so, I saw headline after headline reporting on extremes: heat waves in the Arctic, in England, in Japan. Wildfires in California and across Europe, including the Arctic circle. Drought in Australia. Extreme summer weather conditions around the world have suddenly become high-profile news, and none of it is encouraging. It made … Continue reading Climate and weather: Is this the new normal?
The perils of plastic
Did you see the news recently about the whale that died in Thailand because it had a stomach full of plastic bags and other trash—more than 17 pounds' worth? How about about increasingly vocal efforts to remove plastic drinking straws from the list of common dining accessories? Plastic news really caught my eye that past couple … Continue reading The perils of plastic
Mulled Science 