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I recently turned 30, which, of course, is the start of a new decade in life. It's something I have had a lot of mixed feelings about. Some good, some not so. Of course, time marches on regardless of anyone's feelings on the matter. Besides, what is age but a mindset? That and an irrefutable … Continue reading Change, Time, Truth and Lessons from a Caterpillar
“Sharks, Lies, and Videotape: A content analysis of 32 years of Shark Week documentaries” is a stunningly comprehensive report on the ways in which Shark Week, arguably the largest source of shark information consumed by the masses, mixes real science with spectacle and salacious stories.
Life is full of branching points on the tree of animal life. The coelom is the next stop on our journey of how to build an animal..
There really is no shortage of ways to build an animal, but there are rules to be followed. What better place to start than the beginning?
There really is no shortage of ways to build an animal, but there are rules to be followed---rules with deep roots.
There are 1 to 2 M species of animals described today in every form imaginable. Here are some key traits they all share.
Horseshoe crabs are a biological oddity, a valuable one at that, especially to drug companies who look to them to ensure medicines and vaccines are safe for all of us. And the key is in their blood.
Horseshoe Crabs are some of the most fascinating creatures on the planet, and they are connected to us in ways you never imagined.
The Mola mola is one bizarre looking fish, but they are more than meets the eye. Learn more in this short episode from The Wild Life!
Podcasts are free to listen. Making them isn't. At the end of the year, I am able to "keep" $342 from @patreon. Usually, it's used to cover unforeseen equipment or production costs. That comes out to 65 cents per hour. That's not an exaggeration, it's an actual calculation. I'd love to expand, offer full transcripts, … Continue reading Sustaining The Wild Life
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In 2021, we produced 41 episodes (42 if we get this next one out in the next 3 days) with 12,635+ downloads across 78 countries!
2021 was, indeed, a year. Now, it's finally almost over with a new one about to begin. I decided to sit down and take a look at some of The Wild Life's stats for the year as a way to reflect on what worked, what didn't, and what to keep going into the future. Here … Continue reading The Wild Life’s 2021 Blog Top 10’s
How fast can fish really be? Faster than you'd probably expect.
Not every reindeer has a red nose. After all, that's part of what makes Rudolph so special—and he's not alone.
"Do fish blink?" is a reasonable question to ask, but it raises another— “do fish have eyelids?”
When you get hot, you sweat. When Elephants get hot, well, they don't sweat. So what's a 13 foot tall and 13,000-pound animal to do?
In the case of the lion, a picture represents hundreds of years of colonialism, a de-wilding of nature, and the narcissism of the human race.
This was originally written in 2015 based on a New York Times video from 2008 I decided to share this based on this week's news that the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch has downgraded British Columbia farmed salmon to "Avoid" for their "potential transmission of pathogens and parasites from farms to vulnerable populations of high … Continue reading Salmon Fight
In her article for The New York Times, “Dead Forests and Living Memories”, Helen paints a picture of a lost landscape, the struggles of restoration and conservation efforts, and the continued threat of globalization on native ecosystems.
Teaching about abstract concepts like antibiotic resistance can be a difficult undertaking. That's why it's important to utilize a variety of comprehension strategies, especially at the secondary level. The attached google slide presentation provides examples of two of my favorites: the Discussion Web, and Intra-Act. Discussion Web It is a cooperative strategy in which students … Continue reading Comprehension Strategies: Antibiotic Resistance
Dragonflies and Damselflies are both super similar to each other, but there are some key differences! (most of the time)
These two little woodpecker species are notorious for their visual similarity, but there are some key differences that can tip you off!
The Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton) Butterfly may be beautiful, but their food sure isn’t. Finding an adult on a flower isn’t likely. Instead, you’ll find them on dead animals, poop, mud, and sap, slurping up broths of minerally goodness.
This here is a froghopper. They can jump distances over 100 times their body length, accelerate at 4000 m/s^2 (nearly 9,000 mph), and experience 400 Gs while doing it. For context, a typical human could withstand no more than 9 Gs of force, and the average bullet travels at nearly 2000 mph. Where are the … Continue reading The Froghopper | DFS #11
Have a nature question you want to be answered? Come on the show to have it answered by Devon (and maybe even a special guest) Comment below or email your questions to hello@thewildlife.blog
Trichonephela clavipes, or The Golden Silk Orb-weaver, may be huge but they look a lot tougher than they act. They’re not aggressive and only bite if handled roughly, and they're super clumsy outside of their web!If you listen to the podcast, you might remember us discussing these with @shakiguani on Tainted Love Part 2! A single thread … Continue reading Dispatches From Somewhere #10: The Golden Silk
This is not a Turkey-tail. It’s a false one! Stereum ostrea, or False Turkey-tail, is a plant pathogen and wood decay fungus. The species name, ostrea, comes from Oyster in reference to its shape. It really is a pretty little fungi 🍄
The wind doesn’t always blow, and the sun doesn’t always shine—and not always equally or consistently. Even in the sunniest of places, like deserts, “the amount of sunlight can vary from minute to minute.” (The Economist, 2014) On the flipside, demand itself is also irregular, and times of highest demand won’t always match with highest … Continue reading Grid-Scale Storage
Fairly certain this is an American Nursery Web Spider (Pisaurina mira). This was one that caught me super off guard while rummaging through a portion of priory while leading a Tiny Nature hike with @hikehoppers. P. mira is most well known for its sexually cannibalistic behavior and extensive use of the silk web in mating. Before … Continue reading Dispatches From Somewhere 8: American Nursery Web Spider