Science
The Boy Who Built A Nuclear Reactor in His Basement
FBI records show that David Hahn attempted to construct his own nuclear reactor while he was just 17 years old. Experiments were conducted in Commerce Township, Michigan, in the backyard of his stepmother in near secrecy.
By Rare Stories3 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
Go nuts grey squirrel!
I remember the first grey squirrel (Latin name, Sciurus carolinesis) I had a long term relationship with. I know what you are thinking, that sounds like a funny thing to say, but it's true! When I was working out of Lebanon Hills Regional Park, there was a resident squirrel. Her name was Foxy, often referred to as Foxy Cleopatra, and we saw her most every day. She had a bright white tip on her tail, lived right outside of our offices in a burr oak tree, and spent her time watching the different activities going by and cacheing acorns for winter. As I started to have this more intimate (if you can call talking to a squirrel and watching her live her life intimate) relationship, I began to notice different thing about her and started to actually dive into the squirrel deep end.
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
January's Historic Eruption Will Heat Things Up On Earth
Clouds of ash and glowing lava are spewing from not one but two volcanoes on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. Scientists are warning that there could be a major eruption at any time. The activity follows a strong earthquake that happened on November 19th.
By Jason Ray Morton 3 years ago in Earth
Rock, Paper, Scissors: Nature's Playful Strategy.. Top Story - November 2022.
Almost everybody learns the two-player “Rock, Paper, Scissors” game quite early on in life - but beyond being just a bit of fun, or perhaps a means to determine whose turn it is to take the trash out - were you aware that this simple game also embodies a strategy that plays an important role in the evolution of life and the maintenance of biodiversity?
By Gordon Webster3 years ago in Earth
The Story Behind ‘Green Boots’, Mount Everest’s Most Famous Dead Body.
The human body was not built to withstand the conditions encountered on Mount Everest. Besides the possibility of dying from freezing or lack of oxygen, the rapid change in altitude might provoke heart attacks, strokes, or brain swelling.
By Rare Stories3 years ago in Earth
Solarmax Vs Sunrun - Which One is Best?
Purchasing solar panels might be the most beneficial decision you've ever made, not only ecologically but also financially. The cost and production advancements are gradually making solar power panels a viable option not just for large businesses but also for private customers. You should congratulate yourself if you have decided to purchase solar panel for your home or office. However, the next major issue is deciding on which solar panel brand is best for you.
By Mustafa Sakib3 years ago in Earth
The Fish are Calling
Waking up to the loud sound of my neighbor’s lawn mower was not the way I had wanted my Friday to start. I had imagined a much more exciting start considering today was the last day of school before fall break at my high school. Squinting at the rays of light peering through my lavender curtains, I realized that not only was I about to be late, but I had forgotten my biology class was headed to the Dallas World Aquarium for a field trip.
By Gutierrez Lizelle3 years ago in Earth
