… Ask any scientist what they are currently working on and their answer will almost always start with, “I was first fascinated by x back in y….” Something caught their attention, sparked a … asking question after question, developing hypotheses and gathering data to test them, with their answers pushing them forward, sometimes down unanticipated paths, and sometimes into … of a research idea In 2008, I started my current research program. After many conversations with Rob Raguso (Cornell University) and Tass Kelso (Colorado College), I drove out to Colorado …
Type: Blog
… “Titan Tim” Pollak here, with some thoughts about Spike the corpse flower as he goes into dormancy. I never thought I’d … individual flowers inside. If healthy enough, we could attempt to pollinate the female flowers with donor pollen from recent titans at the Denver Botanic Gardens and California’s Huntington … phenomenon. That morning, I experienced the power of one plant—an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Despite the disappointment, Spike was a success: he was a rock …
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… child’s first preschool experience. No. 1: Children in nature preschools learn by doing and with hands-on activities. You must be hands-on when you learn in nature. You cannot be a passive … development. Growing and planting teaches a valuable lesson in change over time, and sticking with a project to see results that may take a while to be revealed. According to Ken Finch, … creativity, problem-solving, and emotional and intellectual development.” Children engaging with nature experience similar failures, and learn from them. They try new ways to solve …
Type: Blog
… a conference to evaluate what was happening and what needed to be done to reverse this trend. With much work and determination, it was discovered that the pesticide DDT was to blame for the … States. Today, there is a record high of 1,695 breeding pairs of bald eagles in Wisconsin, with at least one pair in all of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. In Illinois, there are at least 30 to … that it is now relatively common to see them here almost any week during spring and summer, with occasional sightings the rest of the year. Bald eagles start their courtship early in …
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… thing, there are several wild species of Rudbeckia growing in the region and several cultivars with bigger and/or fancier flowers that have been developed for people’s gardens. My favorite, … the familiar common black-eyed Susan is a short (about 1 – 2 feet), often annual or biennial with simple leaves, whereas sweet black-eyed Susan is a much taller (3 – 5 feet) perennial with three-lobed leaves. Also, sweet black-eyed Susan begins blooming when common black-eyed …
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… from the ootheca all at one time. During their first hour, they darken in color to blend in with their surroundings. After our praying mantises hatched inside an insect cage, I discovered … plants ( Heliopsis helianthoides) in the Grunsfeld Children’s Growing Garden was infested with red aphids. I released the praying mantises, and the hungry babies immediately began to … to the disappointment of our eighth grade Camp CBG helper, Joshua, who assisted me with the release—but the young predators did appear to enjoy their first meal. It may surprise …
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… the eastern screech-owl (Megascops asio) is primarily found in woodlands; it prefers trees with natural cavities near a field with a stream or shallow river. But it can also be found in wooded residential neighborhoods, … or in its daytime roosting hole will see a dark streaking on the owl’s breast that blends well with the tree’s bark. It has a 20-inch wingspan, piercing yellow eyes, and tiny ear tufts. …
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… front and center during our previous Science After Hours event. Mix up your own potion at home with these fun botanical cocktail recipes. Herbal experts Nancy Clifton of the Chicago Botanic … pepper shrub or sparkling water Stir ingredients together and serve over ice. *garnish with orange slice The Cherry Blossom 2 ounces vodka or whiskey 2 ounces tart cherry juice 1 ounce … syrup *Optional ginger simple syrup Stir ingredients together and serve over ice. *Garnish with fresh mint leaves Science Thyme 2 ounces vodka or whiskey 1 ounce thyme simple syrup .25 …
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… National Aquarium. This opportunity made me think that I actually could have a career working with bonsai. Then, during a Baltimore Bonsai Club event at the National Arboretum’s Bonsai and Penjing Museum in Washington, D.C., I had a chance meeting with the curator Jack Sustic. I introduced myself by saying, “Hi, I’m Chris Baker. I have … the first full-time curator here at a collection of this caliber is a dream job, which comes with a lot of expectations and responsibility. During the display season (April to November), …
Type: Blog
… flexibility is that they construct the nest of soft plant fibers and then wrap the whole thing with spiderweb silk. This creates an elastic nest that has the ability to expand as the contents … you imagine yourself going out and plucking a strand of sticky silk from a spider web with your fingers and then trying to use it to build something out of lightweight fuzzy plant … often the case that hummingbirds in these colder situations will locate their nests on a limb with an overhanging branch acting as a sort of roof to help block the nest from the night sky. …
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