Everyone's got an opinion on the best way to build one (the secret is good airflow, by the way), but what exactly is fire?
Tag: devon bowker
Can Porcupines Shoot Their Quills?
While it's true you should keep your distance, is there any truth to the tale of a tenacious porcupine shooting their quills?
Do Ticks Fall From Trees?
Ticks, for as small as they are, strike a disproportionate amount of fear and disgust into our hearts and minds. And nothing quite leads to misconception like fear.
Raccoon Problems
Raccoons and humans don't always get along. There's a reason for that, and a solution. Truth is, we're more similar than you might think.
Podcast| Confronting Climate Change with Jeff Corwin
Jeff Corwin, American biologist and wildlife conservationist, joins Devon on The Wild Life today to talk about his new show on ABC, Wildlife Nation with Jeff Corwin, in partnership with Defenders of Wildlife, his career's core-wins, lessons learned, finding the right tone, focusing on what matters, finding hope, and confronting climate change. Jeff is known … Continue reading Podcast| Confronting Climate Change with Jeff Corwin
Field Notes: The Nursery Web Spider
The Danger Zone
This was originally written as an essay in 2015 based on a New Yorker article by Elizabeth Kolbert entitled “A New Climate-Change Danger Zone?” and reflects my opinions at the time. Much has changed in the world and the climate crisis has only gotten worse and my understanding of that crisis as well as the … Continue reading The Danger Zone
The Nutrient Hunter
This was originally written in 2015 and is based on an interview originally published in Nature Investigative food journalist, Jo Robinson, is a “Nutrient Hunter” and her demonstration garden in Washington as well as her new book, ‘Eating on the Wild Side’, is showcasing what she’s found. Her thesis is simple, “All plants make phytochemicals, … Continue reading The Nutrient Hunter
The Wild Life’s 50th Episode Celebration: Live Trivia Show!
Well, we’ve come a long way. We’re at our 50th episode! We will be hosting a live show on Zoom!and YOU are invited. On May 1st at 7pm CT, we’ll be playing trivia (of course, based on topics from our first 49 episodes [and no, you don’t have to have listened to all of them … Continue reading The Wild Life’s 50th Episode Celebration: Live Trivia Show!
Fossil Friday| Introducing Evolution with the Archaeopteryx
In celebration of #FossilFriday, I wanted to share an educational resource: a lesson I used during student teaching to introduce a unit on evolution. This lesson can be modified for middle school level and was written in accordance to MN state standards which very closely mirror NGSS, however, I structured this lesson for the high … Continue reading Fossil Friday| Introducing Evolution with the Archaeopteryx
Mid-Season Finale| S2E5: No Brainer
In the mid-season finale, Devon and Richard talk to Lucas Brotz, research associate at the Marine Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries at the University of British Columbia and a Cnidaria Scientist for Quantitative Aquatics, to discuss how a creature without a brain dominates the worlds oceans, and the many ways they impact our lives.
S2E3| Animal Magnetism
In this episode, Devon and Richard explore the animal magnetism. No, not the kind you might be thinking. Instead, we're talking about the surprisingly common animal superpower which allows creatures all around the world, from the skies to the oceans, to sense the magnetic field of our planet.
#SundayFishSketch Banded Scuplin
The banded sculpin (Cottus carolinae) is a mottled brown freshwater fish with dark vertical bands native to swift moving streams of the eastern United States where they dine on insects, various larvae, and occasionally, though sparingly, on other smaller fish or crustaceans.
Mud-Puddling: The Dirty Truth About Butterflies
Ever have a butterfly land on your skin and start licking you and thought "Awe, I've got a new best bro!" Well, you were wrong. Butterflies have a dirty secret!
The Wild Life Season 1 Finale: The Metamorphosis Metaphor
In the Season 1 Finale of The Wild Life, Devon and Richard expose the mystery of metamorphosis, what happens inside the chrysalis, whether or not a butterfly remembers or a caterpillar knows, destroy the metamorphosis metaphor, and build it anew, all with the help of Dr. Martha Weiss of Georgetown University.
S1E8 Leave it to Beavers
In this episode, Devon and Richard go on a totally real, not-recorded-indoors, time travel adventure to explore the life history of the busiest mammal out there---the beaver.
S1E5 It’s Not Easy Being Green: Canary in the Coal Mine
In the mid-season premiere, we tell the story of two Harvard professors with a bucket of frogs and a rooftop, solve the decade old mystery of exploding toads in Germany, identify the culprit of frog deformities across the Western US, speak with Dr. Voyles about her research on disease ecology and amphibians in Panama, and chat with Dr. Konrad Rykaczewski about the inspiration for his antifreeze technology.
S1E2: Spectrum
Find out how to resolve conflicts peacefully, answer the age old question "Do dogs really see in black and white?", explore vision in the animal kingdom, and tell you all about the most amazing animal ever: the mantis shrimp.
This Rare, Sapphire Tarantula Is An Unbelievable ‘Gem’
Move over 'spider paws'! The Gooty Sapphire Tarantula's galactic colors are stunning.
Facebook Live Q&A: September 20, 2017
Devon answers YOUR questions on Facebook LIVE during a Q&A on September 20, 2017