September still, but winter is coming. I spent last weekend exploring Amager, an island southeast of Copenhagen. There was a crisp smell to the air and a cool breeze blowing. Many trees, like these birches (Betula sp.) are beginning to drop their leaves. And other trees have already lost all of theirs. This part of…

I don’t own a car. In the United States, people are often surprised that I am able to live without one. I am a minority. Especially in western cities like Tucson, the necessities of life are too spread out to make this way of living common. It takes me extra effort to do simple things…

Science museums are often thought of as educational institutions, dedicated to broadening the horizons of the public. But museums also serve an important role as research institutions that make collections and store them. Until I began working in museums this past year, I wasn’t able to appreciate this fact. Biological collections represent invaluable data sources…

Go exploring in the higher latitudes of North America and you may find yourself in a forest that look like this one below. Small hardwood trees and an understorey dominated by royal ferns (Osmunda regalis). This ancient-looking scene hides a more interesting story. Here the ground is swampy and often spotted with small pools of…