Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “The Deep Stuff”
Tropical rainforests capture people’s imagination as exotic, mysterious natural places. They conjure up images of hanging vines, colorful birds, big cats, huge flowers, and areas vibrant with life. But what makes a tropical rainforest? And why are they, and the wildlife they support, so different? In this Deep Stuff post, I’ll share what I’ve learned in my time living and …
Experts consider climate change to be one of the biggest threats to the environment. But understanding the links between a changing climate and things like species extinctions can be difficult. How can changing weather patterns have such big impacts on the natural world that we know and love? After all, what’s wrong with things getting a little warmer? After all, …
So far, my post series on Nature and Health covered ways that nature makes us healthier. It can protect our bodies from disease and improve out mental health. However, immersion in nature does more than just prevent problems. It can also help us be at our very best. There is an amazing amount of research on how being outside boosts …
A parent’s number-one concern is the health, safety, and well-being of their children. At a time when children are better at identifying pokemon than real animals, some wonder if kids are getting enough time outside. In the U.S., the average child spends about 4-7 minutes outdoors per day outdoors, compared to 7 or more hours in front of a screen. …
Nature is filled with mind-blowing adaptations. From plants and animals to fungi and microbes, living things display an incredible variety of characteristics that help them get by. Many of these seem absolutely ingenious. In this Deep Stuff post, let’s learn about one particularly cool example: Batesian mimicry. Seeing is deceiving One common theme in nature is that often, not everything …
While natural spaces like forests, meadows, and coral reefs popular destinations for outdoor adventures, other habitats get a bad rap. For example, wetlands are better known as stinky, mosquito-infested wastelands. From folklore to movies and video games, people view wetlands as sinister, unpleasant, and even dangerous. However, many laws and conservation organizations now protect them. Why is that? Why do …
Endangered species—those at risk of going extinct—often tend to get a lot of press and attention. Aside from climate change, they are among the best known environmental issues. Groups like the IUCN spend huge amounts of time and money trying to protect species that might go extinct. Likewise, people like me spend their entire careers studying how to prevent extinctions. …
Plants are so widespread in natural places that it’s easy to overlook them. Almost everywhere you go at certain times of year, the plants form a wall of green. But how do plants find their habitats in the first place? After all, they can’t move around on their own like animals. In this Deep Stuff blog post, let’s explore seed …
