Curations from the Human Jungle
[We have a murder of crows that live in the woods behind our house. They watch us all the time. They talk about us and are not shy about letting us overhear them. They know when to raid the compost. If you asked me to bet on who is more likely to take over the... Continue Reading →
[This might be the most important post ever in Silverback Digest. Memorize it! BTW, the best taste in the world is banana! SB SM] https://www.sparrowdove.com/2018/02/the-periodic-table-of-tastes-and-how-to-cook-with-them/?ref=thebrowser.com The periodic table of tastes, and how to cook with them Posted on 21 February 2018 by Spuggy One of the more confusing bits of childhood science education is learning that there are... Continue Reading →
The Outside Story Tiny Predators, Big Impact: Northeastern Crayfish By Tiffany Soukup Crayfish fill my childhood memories. I spent summers playing in streams, flipping over rocks, and, if I was lucky, catching glimpses of these mysterious little creatures. Most crayfish are nocturnal and dart backwards to escape danger. An early summer morning last year at... Continue Reading →
[Believe it or not, I actually do all this stuff. If it's good enough for Martha Stewart, it's good enough for this Silverback! Thanks to Silverbelle Sandy for suggesting this. SB SM] How to Use Cardboard in the Garden to Prevent Weeds and Enrich Soil Repurpose your cardboard instead of throwing it away. By Samantha... Continue Reading →
[How many times have I been stopped by people saying "What you should do in Silverback Digest is to publish more pictures of giraffes!" OK ... so, I am lying. The only giraffes I've ever seen is in zoos, or on television, or in magazines. To me, they are the most magnificent animals on earth,... Continue Reading →
[In April, 1968 golfer Roberto De Vincenzo, lost The Master's golf tournament when he signed an incorrect scorecard. When informed of his mistake, De Vincenzo coined the classic phrase that I have invoked many times in my life. SB SM] Today's encore selection -- from Brilliant Blunders by Mario Livio. A blunder by the world’s greatest chemist,... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOlO_kN0KiA The Outside Story Loren Merrill If you live near a large meadow, hayfield, or grassland, you may have recently noticed some bubbly robotic noises emanating from those areas. It might sound like an overexcited android, but the real source is a medium-sized songbird, the bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). One of the few avian grassland specialists... Continue Reading →
[This would be a good one to take to the predictions market. "Changing the flow of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans ... what's the over/under on mankind screwing it up?" I'd be more confident if beavers were in charge. SB SM] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-building-a-dam-across-the-bering-straight-save-the-planet-from-some-effects-of-climate-change-180988725/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93171674 May 14, 2026 The Bering Strait is a narrow waterway between Russia and... Continue Reading →
[This is The Pass. We bought it ... er, Sandy bought it back in 2008 for $10. Mind you, this is for a Lifetime Pass to all the National Parks. "It's a rip-off" I warned her, but she just plunged ahead. he never listens to me, especially in financial matters. Since then we've been to... Continue Reading →
[Another Substack discovery made possible by The Browser. These days I'll read anything with the title of "The Last Incorruptible Thing," because every morning we're hearing about "the most ..." SB SM] https://sarahkendzior.substack.com/p/the-last-incorruptible-thing The Last Incorruptible Thing Life lessons from the morel majority. Sarah Kendzior May 04, 2026 I was five miles in the woods,... Continue Reading →