The Pressures of Stardom
Our sun, like any other star, is held together by the constant push and pull of complementary forces. Without this ongoing tug-of-war, stars wouldn't be stars at all.
It takes ... Read More
Another Leaf on Life
Compared to leaves like the maple or oak, pine needles couldn’t be more unimpressive. Yet these humble creations can keep their green, long after other leaves are becoming compost.
The hearty ... Read More
Grounded
When brush fires ravage a tinder-dry landscape, grass is scorched but not destroyed. When droughts kill off other vegetation, grass withers but doesn't die.
Through the thick and ... Read More
Rising from the Ashes
There’s nothing like a volcanic eruption to transform an idyllic landscape into a barren moonscape.
Yet life quickly launches a comeback. Seeds, riding the winds for hundreds of miles, ... Read More
The Bridge Across 1000 Miles
Our car’s odometer clicks off less than two miles as we drive across the Golden Gate Bridge. But geologically, we’ve traveled more than 500 times that distance.
... Read More
Bowl to Bowl?
Relative security and regular meals — there's something to be said for the fishbowl-life.
But then, isn't life more than ... Read More
If Caterpillars Could Fly
How can a self-respecting butterfly be proud of her caterpillar off-spring? It bears no family resemblance. And it does nothing but gorge itself on milkweed leaves all day?
... Read More