A vision without a task is but a dream, a task without a vision is drudgery, a vision and a task is the hope of the world. — From a church in Sussex, England c. 1730 When I was in graduate school studying ecology during the 1980s, we all shared a conviction to make the […]
Science student Alex Young wrote in to say how he enjoyed Water bear weekend at the California Academy of Sciences and shared this photo of
When I took office, only high energy physicists had ever heard of what is called the Worldwide Web … Now even my cat has its own page. — Former President Bill Clinton Much of my global forest conservation work takes me to remote parts of the planet, including India. The culture of India is vibrant, […]
In the San Francisco Business Times‘ May 2, 2014 issue, Dr. Meg Lowman made the list of the most Influential Women in Bay Area Business. Dr. Meg Lowman Chief of science and sustainability, California Academy of Sciences Education: B.A., biology cum laude, M.A., Williams College; M.Sc., ecology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland; Ph.D., botany, University of […]
Most children have a bug period. — E.O. Wilson, Harvard entomologist and biodiversity expert I love insects, which is probably why I became a scientist focusing on these extraordinary critters and their relation to plants in the forest canopy. But insects also love me. Working in Ethiopia recently proved no exception. After one short hour […]
The nation behaves well if it treats natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased and not impaired in value. … Conservation means development as much as it does protection. — Theodore Roosevelt While some countries are struggling to get electricity, others are trying desperately to turn off the […]
The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The next best time is now. — African proverb I am swallowing mouthfuls of dust each day, driving long distances in Ethiopia during the dry season. The majority of roads are not only dusty, but the dirt surfaces give us a rodeo-ride experience in […]
A scientist in his laboratory is not a mere technician; he is a child confronting natural phenomena that impress him as though they were fairy tales. — Marie Curie In 2012, the obvious science breakthrough of the year was the discovery in Switzerland of the Higgs boson, a watershed event that finally allowed physicists to […]
An emerging community of “vinecologists” sees opportunity amidst the trellises: These ecologically minded researchers and vintners see a chance to strike a smarter balance between agriculture and conservation and to pioneer strategies that can deliver a crisp chardonnay with a bouquet of biodiversity. — David Malakoff, science writer One of the biggest challenges of the […]
Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. — Rachel Carson When baby boomers think back to their childhoods, they can probably recall a tree house, a boy/girl scout camping trip, family picnics, or a passion for fishing, hunting, or horse-riding. Now we […]
