Culture. Knowledge. Nature.
Corvids, particularly crows and magpies, exhibit cognitive abilities comparable to human toddlers, including tool use, self-recognition, and social inference. Their intelligence prompts reconsideration of evolutionary assumptions about cognition. Recognizing these advanced mental processes highlights the need for conservation efforts to protect these remarkable birds amidst human threats to their habitats.
The Legend and the Man Vlad the Impaler dining amongst his victims. German, published posthumously (1499), twenty-two years after his death. Vlad III, known as Vlad the Impaler (1448-1477), has long been entangled with the legend of Count Dracula. Bram Stoker’s vampire borrows his name and homeland, but the real Vlad was no immortal creature... Continue Reading →
In a recent blog post, I explored the intriguing hypothesis that octopus intelligence may have extraterrestrial origins, as proposed by a global team of researchers, as part of the Astrobiology section of the upcoming Life Beyond Earth? exhibition at the Linda Hall Library. The idea was tantalizing—a species so vastly different from anything else on... Continue Reading →
The male White Bellbird Procnias albus. Nature's answer to KISS. Photo: Hector Bottai, 2019. Imagine strolling under the lush, deep green canopy of the Amazon Rainforest. You are surrounded by a vibrant mix of bird calls - macaws, hoatzins, the musician wren. Then, one voice cuts through the symphony with the power of a rock... Continue Reading →
Years ago, I kept an octopus in a tank for a while. I was able to see, up close, its complex behaviors, problem-solving abilities. Its behavior suggested that it could distinguish me ("The-Guy-Who-Brings-Me-Dinner") from other people("Other-Folks"). Ever since that time, I've been captivated by octopi, and I'm definitely not alone. From their prodigious ability to... Continue Reading →
Photo: Aaron Pomerantz For my last post of 2023, I’m paying tribute to one of my favorite birds: the Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin). Along the verdant waterways of the Amazon, a bird that redefines the term 'living fossil' flaps its ungainly way through the foliage. The Hoatzin, the scruffy Goth of the avian world, is a... Continue Reading →
In honor of the Linda Hall Library opening its latest exhibition, "Chained to the Sky: The Science of Birds, Past and Future," this post is a celebration of birds' place in music through the ages. While the celebration is muted by birds' precipitous decline, it also serves as a crucial reminder that there is still... Continue Reading →
It seems incredible that it was three weeks ago that I dragged my overstuffed bags past the sun room and caught a final glimpse of the frog pond I created, observed, fretted over, and about which I’ve shared in couple of times in blog posts. As we gear up for a new life in Kansas... Continue Reading →
Today, June 22, is World Rainforest Day. It's a day I'm happy to observe. Over the years, I've had the great good fortune of visiting, and occasionally working in, some of the world's most majestic rainforests. The arching canopies tinting everything beneath with a wash of green, the the constant hum of insects punctuated occasionally... Continue Reading →
In case you missed it, International Bat Appreciation Day was April 17. It's easy to overlook, crammed up against Earth Day on April 22 (today, in fact). The bat appreciation celebration was founded by Bat Conservation International (BCI) in 1982 to recognize the importance of protecting them. And they truly do deserve our appreciation. Far... Continue Reading →
ERIC DORFMAN 