For those of us who observe the academic calendar in the United States, the end of August means the end of summer and the beginning of a new year. It's a time of general excitement and new possibilities. And while we are caught up in the craziness that comes during this season, we are generally unaware that winter is coming - at least for those that live in the northern hemisphere. Somehow, even though I know it is coming, I am never quite prepared for its arrival. My unpreparedness is partly because day-to-day busyness … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Mother Knows Best: Even Insect Mothers Provide for Their Offspring
entomology
Science Corner: Awe and Wonder Through a Microscope
Earlier this month, we had the privilege to see magnificent pictures of our universe that were taken by the new James Webb Space telescope. For the first time we were treated to pictures of a region of the Carina Nebula where young stars are forming. We also saw Stephan's Quintet, a cluster of five galaxies that you are probably familiar with if you have watched the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life." This updated picture, constructed from ~1,000 separate images, provides new information about interactions between galaxies … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Awe and Wonder Through a Microscope
Science Corner: One Person’s Trash Could Be Another Person’s Earthship
You've probably noticed that the world is a bit of a mess. Every day it seems that there is some new problem that requires our attention and/or provides some new topic for people to argue about discuss and debate. Some of the issues that spawn arguments discussions are trivial matters like whether pineapple belongs on pizza (yes, it absolutely does). Other topics, like global climate change, the impact people are having on the planet, and our responsibility as Christians to care for the Earth, are much more serious. The … [Read more...] about Science Corner: One Person’s Trash Could Be Another Person’s Earthship
Science Corner: Let There Be Light (But Not Too Much)
According to Genesis 1, on the first day of creation God called the light into being, he separated light from darkness, he called the light "day" and the darkness "night", and he called it good. Most of us would agree that light is, indeed, good. Both literally and metaphorically light drives out the darkness and allows us to see so that we can find our way. And it is not only humans that value light--all of the natural world benefits from it. … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Let There Be Light (But Not Too Much)
Science Corner: Bug-Eat-Bug World
It has been said that it's a bug-eat-bug world. Although in the circle of life, it's probably more accurate to say that it's a bird-eat-bug world. No matter how you phrase it, nature is full of heterotrophic organisms that need to consume other organisms in order to survive. Being eaten can have a significant negative impact on your fitness (your reproductive success, not your ability to climb Mt Everest or run a marathon). At the end of the day, the organisms/species that have the largest number of healthy offspring … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Bug-Eat-Bug World