My family spent this spring break in Costa Rica. We went, of course, for the wildlife. Unfortunately, so did everyone else. Manuel Antonio National Park, on the Pacific coast, is one of the prime spots for seeing biodiversity. I had been there before nearly two decades ago, but friends warned me that it had changed. […]
Month: April 2026
We went back to the Moon. People were just there again, going around it and then coming home. And other people will land there again soon, maybe in the next two years, assuming all goes well and as planned at the beloved, beleaguered American space agency. Four humans were at the Moon on Monday, the […]
This week, I’m in Albuquerque celebrating Dad’s birthday, just as I did in 2021 and every year since. I didn’t know that our birthday bike ride in 2021 would be our last, but I’m grateful that it wasn’t his last birthday or our last chance to spend quality time together. What I’ve learned in the […]
I’m currently on a walking trip in Japan that has turned into more of a walking-plus-bus-and-train trip. (Walking is great! Walking with all of your stuff on your back…is great for some people.) I’m on a pilgrimage that circles the island of Shikoku, visiting 88 temples along the way. Because I’m a nerd, I’ve stopped […]
When I’m thinking about the evolution of animal forms, as one does, mostly I’m considering animals that exist, or that previously existed, and wondering what conditions and adaptations led to their rise and persistence. Which beak shape gave that bird an advantage where seeds were like stones? Which wing length made sense for a bird […]
