The Forks, Maine yesterday Apparently, fall color is off the scale this year. There are many postings I have seen that say the same thing. Skye Glen, Cape Breton Island Not as bright yet but I love it. If I was ever there I forgot it. I likely passed through at least once. Speaking of …
Sakhalin Taimen
Source The Japanese huchen, also known as the Sakhalin taimen, is a large anadromous salmonid emblematic of the Japanese island of Hokkaido, where it is called ito. This beautiful specimen was caught—and then released—by big-fish hunter Kozo Okubo. Sakhalin Taimen Before the web, the only thing you might find on this fish would be its …
Reading vs Brain Health
Fiction gives people tools to navigate the social world and find meaning in life, and research suggests that it may also help extend their lives. Among more than 3,500 older adults in a nationally representative U.S. sample, those who read books survived 23 months longer than nonreaders, measured when 20% of each group had died. …
Mongolian Cooking
The fire was not placed around the animal. It was placed inside it. Mongolian herders prepared boodog by cleaning a goat or marmot, filling the cavity with stones heated until extremely hot, then sealing the opening. The animal’s own skin became the cooking container. There was no metal pot, no roasting spit, and no …
Sunball Rocket.
Sunball Rocket. Gold Winner, Birds in the Environment, and Bird Photographer of the Year 2026. “A northern gannet seems to burst through the sun as it pierces down through the water. The handsome northern gannets lead a dualistic existence. In the nest, their newborn is carefully nurtured, and a couple’s bond is reinforced by …
Love the Perspective.
Susaki and the Jumantsubo Plain (Eagle Over Fukagawa) by Utagawa Hiroshige, circa 1856-1857. His work is as Japanese as it gets and great.
Neutrino Sun
Astronomers have successfully captured a photograph of the Sun while looking straight through the solid mass of the Earth at night. This extraordinary feat was accomplished by detecting elusive, ghost-like subatomic particles known as neutrinos rather than capturing standard light. Deep within the Sun’s core, an ongoing nuclear fusion process produces these particles in …
Wendell Berry’s Impact
Chatting with Harry and Jennifer in early 2024, I asked why they thought differently about the connection between environmentalism and living out their faith. “Wendell Berry opened my eyes,” Harry replied immediately. “Mine too,” Jennifer said. “Mine too.” “I mean, we owe a lot to that man,” Harry reflected. In the face of messages …
Railroad Crossing Signals
Researchers installed railroad crossing signals for wild animals in Banff National Park. Bells rang and lights flashed 30 seconds before each train arrived. Grizzly bears, elk, wolves, and coyotes fled the tracks 62 percent earlier at sites with the warning system than at sites without it, gaining an extra 360 feet of distance between themselves …
The King of Sting.
In a 2018 interview for the Guardian he explained that many of the stings were accidentally received due to the nature of his work. But what wasn’t accidental was his dedication to recording and capturing the unique data: “I know some people think me crazy, but I am no masochist, and only occasionally am stung …