Climate
The Top 10 Weirdest Things in the Alps
The Top 10 Weirdest Things in the Alps The majestic and amazing European Alps are a sight to see. What's not to love about this stunning region of the world, with its gleaming white peaks, bustling ski resorts, and small and endearing alpine towns? Nevertheless, the Alps can be a really strange—and occasionally creepy—place beneath the charm and fondue. There is more to the Alps than just hiking, skiing, and natural beauty. There are oddball festivals, eerie ghost and folk tales, and horrifying tourist sites. The peculiarities are so fascinating that they just keep coming! Consequently, what are the top ten wackiest things to encounter in the Alps, and where can you find them? Let's get started and learn more!
By Paul Smith3 years ago in Earth
10 Strangest Defense Mechanisms In Nature
10 Strangest Defense Mechanisms In Nature We are all familiar with the biological concept of "fight or flight," according to which an animal would either turn its back on an aggressor or flee from one. Nature responds to these dangers in some fascinating ways. The top 10 animals (plus one extra) with the most unusual defenses are listed below.
By Paul Smith3 years ago in Earth
Summer Blizzard
We drove up the snowy, winding road towards the cozy A-frame cabin, each of us speechless and wildly perplexed. The winding road was not the cause of our quiet ride or collective bewilderment – the dips, elevations, and sharp curves of the road had long failed to bring the same tingle of fear and excitement that it did on our 1st trip 19 years ago. We marveled at the snow and how heavy the gigantic flakes appeared as they lightly floated in a mesmerizing pattern to a perfect pre-assigned spot on what could only be described as a Norman Rockwell Christmas portrait. The snow covered the cabin, ground, and trees in the brightest white velvet, yet the road was still remarkably clear.
By Jeremy Christopher3 years ago in Earth
Tree-sicles!
I woke up this morning with the terrified realization that I had left pop cans in the garage. So is the woe of the wintery Minnesotan. For those of you who have lived in warmer climates all your lives, you might not realize this, but when cans freeze in your garage in the winter, they often times will explode, leaving a caffeinated, carbonated mess. My mind then took a sharp left, and started thinking about our loveable friends, trees. Deciduous trees (oaks, maples, things that don't have needles for leaves) all look dead and desolate over the winter, but we know they are simply dormant waiting for spring.
By Michael Harrison3 years ago in Earth
The Masked Naturalist
Hello! During the early days of the pandemic, I had the idea of doing a project called "The Masked Naturalist". For a little background, I have worked as naturalist and environmental educator for the past five years, working primarily in Minnesota, but also spending a lot of time on the West Coast as well as the desert Southwest. I was laid off for the first six months of 2020, which meant a lot of down time, and a lot of time to go out and explore in nature. During this time I had the idea of starting a blog, a website, or something to document cool nature things I have found, noticed, or seen as I have more of an experts eye, spotting things that others may not notice when walking through the woods. I decided this would be a good idea because I often feel like outdoor education and environmental education are sometimes considered a luxury and I think all people have interest in nature, and especially in light of fake news, climate crises world wide, and many of us left wondering what will become of our wild spaces, I would start putting out cool information. I want to do this because I would like to help cultivate peoples love of nature, and to see the extremely cool side of the mundane, the things we take for granted, the things you might walk past and not notice if you were hiking through your neighborhood woods.
By Michael Harrison3 years ago in Earth
The Dead and Homeless: Engines of Profit
To a certain subset of our population, the fact that nearly 90,000 rent-stabilized apartments in New York City are deliberately being left vacant while the number of people sleeping in the street balloons is not a glitch. It’s a feature. It’s the point.
By Remington Write3 years ago in Earth
