America’s national parks give us the rare opportunity to see a star-filled night sky — a window on nature that most of us who live anywhere near a town or developed area have probably never truly witnessed. But even in the wilds of our national parks the experience can sometimes elude us, if the night [...]
Posts Tagged ‘nature’
Polar Bears Are Older than We Thought — and They Come from Ireland
Scientists — and those of us who are polar bear enthusiasts — have long thought that polar bears started off as brown bears about 150,000 years ago, adapting to their cold environment by developing smaller ears, thicker fur, and teeth ideally shaped to tear into seal flesh. But a new, international study coming out of [...]
Watch for Ramped Up Aurora Activity This Week
Right now, Earth is experiencing an amazing natural event — one you may not even have noticed if you haven’t been looking directly at the sun, as your mother wisely warned. A very large sunspot has been tracking across our nearest star and is about to face directly toward our planet. Known as AR1476, the [...]
Happy Mother’s Day 2012, to Cheetahs, Gemsboks, and You
All animal mothers seem to share one common trait: a fierce desire to protect their young. In fact, sometimes that desire becomes a little too overbearing, and moms begin to cross the line into what’s known as “helicopter parenting.” Most animal young seem to have a universal attribute as well: an urge to prove themselves [...]
Dolphin Stampede
In September 2008 while their boat was in the Sea of Cortez between Isla Ángel de la Guarda and Bahia de los Angeles, Mexico, some fishermen encountered a pod of dolphins. The animals are known for their “bow riding” and playfulness at spotting boats; but when you run into a large pod of them, their [...]
