2012

The top 10 new species discovered in 2012 has been announced by the International Institute of Species Exploration at Arizona State University. Tope 10 new species discovered in 2012. Image from: International Institute for Species Exploration, Arizona State University My favorites: The adorable tiny frog, Paedophryne amanuensis, from New Guinea that is only 7mm (pictured above on a dime). It is currently considered the smallest living vertebrate. Glow-in-the-dark cockroaches, Lucihormetica luckae, from Ecuador (top right in composite above). Consider them night lights. Species of glow-in-…
The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University that has just come out with the top 10 new species of 2012! This is the 5th year they have come out with such a list. If you would like to nominate your favorite new species discovered in 2013, click here. Here are my favorites from the 2012 list: The snub nose monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri) from Myanmar that sneezes when it rains: Photo reconstruction credit: Thomas Geissmann / Fauna & Flora International) The Spongebob Squarepants sponge (Spongiforma squarepantsii), just because I LOVE that cartoon!:…
In a moment of what may have been trance induced ague, my friend John McKay uttered a few words about Twinkies and the Maya that made a certain amount of sense, but something was still missing. But then it hit me like a loaf of bread. Wonderbread. Which, in Afrikaans, means "Miracle Bread" (you probably didn't know that). Anyway, look at these two Google Image Search screen captures: All Mayan sites have these things in them. That is how you tell they are Mayan. No kidding. The earliest Mayan site is defined, literally, as the oldest site with one of these things in it. When these…
First of all, I owe y'all an apology for the radio silence. Somehow this month I've felt a deep need for some quiet, rest and offlineness. It was quite an autumn here - it started with the destruction of Irene and Lee (and dealing with those disasters are still a major part of life in our community although they've faded from public focus), included the usual autumn and holiday rush, our usual sequence of family events and birthday parties (three kids have birthday in six weeks, right after the high holidays wind up), ASPO, my book, two foster placements and the loss of M., and the wind up…