Curations from the Human Jungle
[The authors here don't even consider what impact the disappearance of the moon would have on the human menstrual cycle. Yikes! SB SM] Today's encore selection -- from Eureka! with an introduction by Jim Al-Khalili. What would happen to Earth if the moon were no longer there?: "The most immediate difference would be the disappearance of the tides. Both... Continue Reading →
[Cancel Culture ... this doesn't exist in The Jungle, only in the real world. This is the worst of human nature. It's getting your way by being more annoying than your opponent. SB SM] Today's selection-- from The Canceling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott. Vitriol in the American political dialogue is as... Continue Reading →
[I had never heard of this guy before, but I won't forget him now. I try to keep politics out of The Jungle, but this guy, who is both a Christian and a politician (and a Texan to boot) does an excellent job of explaining how supposedly devout Christians can support a person with the... Continue Reading →
[Headlines like this are bound to attract hordes of tourists to Brazil. SB SM] from Smithsonian Magazine The Brazilian sharpnose sharks were purchased from fishers between September 2021 and August 2023. Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis It might sound like science fiction, but researchers have discovered real “cocaine sharks” off the coast of Brazil. Thirteen wild Brazilian sharpnose sharks (Rhizoprionodon lalandii)... Continue Reading →
[Stick with today's post right through the closing video. Andy Huggins is clearly a mighty Silverback. SB SM] and finally (thanks to SB Dave, Arizona Silverbacks). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbbKaM8_LUc
[The feature image for today is what happens when you ask AI to generate an image for Vermont Ridgerunner. I don't know what it is, but it looks appropriate. Kristina Stykos is a Vermont-based blogger who has a newsletter published on Substack. I enjoy her writing in microcosm, although I can get lost in her... Continue Reading →
The Outside Story By Catherine Schmitt Ferns have grown on Earth for longer than trees and flowers, and existed well before Homo sapiens. In our region, the oldest lineage, emerging 200 million years ago, is the royal fern family (Osmundaceae), including royal, cinnamon, and interrupted ferns. Named for the fertile, spore-producing pinnae that “interrupt” the... Continue Reading →
["Hey, Steve Shepard. What have you been up to this summer?" It turns out that Silverback Steve, our podcasting partner, as been up to a lot. Here are some recent episodes. You can listen here, but it makes more sense to subscribe. SB SM] I know, tilting at windmills again, but as we enter this... Continue Reading →
[I think of myself as a fisherman, but the truth is I almost never put a hook in the water. As a kid, however, I lived to fish. During the non-fishing months I devoured my Field & Stream and Outdoor Life magazines, and the fish of my dreams was the Arctic Char (I don't know... Continue Reading →
[If you are anything like me, the Lindy Hop conjures vague images of a silly dance they used to do in the Roaring 20s (1920s, that is). I came across this, not sure where, but it widened my eyes over my morning coffee. If you can make it through this video without smiling, you are... Continue Reading →