Blue Planet Journey

Standing underneath the red fir, about 50 feet off the trail, the coyote stood still.  We were panting, having ridden our bikes up the steep climb to the Twin Falls overlook in the Inyo National Forest.  We stopped, and the coyote remained in place, yellow eyes focused on us. After a full minute, it turned and seemed to saunter away without a care. Caroline, my partner of 30 years, had tears in her eyes. Hands clasped to her chest, she whispered, “She’s such a beautiful animal.” This rare glimpse of a shy and elusive predator was a treat for both of us, and I’m a wildlife biologist. We both felt very lucky to see this animal on its terms, in the wild.   California coyote And so too, of course, was this coyote. Near the California resort town of Mammoth Lakes, it was probably safe from humans, although there were no guarantees. Had we been home, then in northern Utah, any coyote showing its face was not long for this world, given the $50 bounty authorized by Utah's Predato...

  It goes without saying that natural history museums are full of experts in their fields, and that one person's area of expertise is another person's area of total ignorance. I pick up my grandson from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science  (DMNS) on a regular basis, and we spend many hours roaming the halls. Over time, I've noticed some errors, inconsistencies, and puzzling displays. I recognize that, unlike something on a screen that can be altered with a few keystrokes, displays are complicated things to change. But, step one has to be noting that they actually should be changed. I'm going to go out on a limb and propose some changes. These suggestions sometimes will be in my area of expertise, and sometimes will not. I'm going to start with one that is absolutely not within my expertise, but caught my attention because of my experience. It starts off with... a plesiosaur skeleton. Signage for this plesiosaur, Thalassomedon haningtoni , discovered in 1939 in ...

Since our family expanded into Colorado, we've made a number of trips to the Centennial State.  There's a lot to be said about the qualities of the state, including the politics, the sunshine, the breweries, and the protected natural areas.  Colorado is not perfect, obviously.  But there is one issue that is very sobering... school shootings. Although it was not the first, the killings at Columbine High School  in 1999 put the topic on the national map.  You would think that this tragedy would shake our national psyche to its very core, resulting in meaningful and significant actions to keep something similar from ever happening again.  That was not the case , with deranged shooters now targeting even the most innocent at elementary schools .  I know a person who lost a nephew at Sandy Hook Elementary  in 2012, and his grief was endless and life-shaking.  Can there be a more sadistic and sinister act than shooting young child...