Death Valley is one of the hottest places on the planet, and most of the time, it’s sandy and barren. But when rain falls, all that changes. Seeds that lay hidden in the soil (sometimes for years) burst open and
First book signing!
Last week was a huge one for me. First we got the outdoor classroom installed at my kids’ school. Then on Saturday, I had my first book signing at the Bookworm Book Store in Omaha, Nebraska–and sold out of books
New outdoor classroom–now in!
Here it is, the culmination of something I have poured my heart and soul into for the past two years: the outdoor classroom is in! I applied for the main grant for this space two years ago. That school year,
Big project underway!
It’s been a long, crazy few months, but I am very excited about a project I’ve been heading up: my kids’ school is getting a spectacular sustainable outdoor classroom. The schools is one of 30 in Nebraska that is part
Just moosing around
This is the cutest thing I’ve seen this week, because moose … in a sprinkler.
Alison’s adventures: When bees swarm
Beekeeping! It’s a great hobby. And if your bees do well (which isn’t a guarantee), they’ll eventually get a bit crowded. When that happens, they rear up some new queens by feeding eggs a special substance called “royal jelly.” (Tasty
Alison’s adventures: Keeping bees
Once up on a time, I was a beekeeper. Now it wasn’t my dream to work with bees. In fact, when my biology professor offered me a job in his lab for the summer, I almost turned him down. Because,
Jellyfish cousin stuns scientists
Scientists discover unusual deep-sea siphonophore Scientists discovered this remarkable creature, called a siphonophore, while exploring the ocean floor with a submarine. Although it looks a bit like a sawfish, it’s actually a relative of corals and jellies. Like its cnidarian
Shape-shifting frog
Scientists in Ecuador have discovered a frog with shape-shifting abilities. Researchers Katherine and Tim Krynak weren’t looking for shape-shifters. In fact, their discovery was a complete accident. They spotted a tiny, spike-covered frog they hadn’t seen before and took it
Biggest fish doesn’t have a bone in its body
What’s 8 feet across, 14 feet long, and weighs almost 800 pounds? The world’s biggest freshwater fish. And it’s no ordinary fish, it’s a giant freshwater stingray, also known as a freshwater whipray. The ray was captured in Thailand’s Mae