Culture. Knowledge. Nature.
The Linda Hall Library houses a remarkable History of Science collection, showcasing pivotal works like Gart der Gesundheit, Mundus Subterraneus, and Micrographia. These texts not only reflect the scientific knowledge of their times but also laid foundational concepts that influence modern science, illustrating the evolving relationship between evidence, imagination, and inquiry.
Annie Lennox's song "Keep Young and Beautiful" reflects the irony of beauty as a persuasion strategy rooted in evolutionary biology. Various species, from cleaner wrasses to dung beetles, demonstrate deliberate manipulation of appearance and behavior to enhance mating success, revealing shared evolutionary patterns in beauty and attraction across species.
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 →
Every December, Santa Claus faces the challenge of delivering presents worldwide. By integrating modern technologies such as jet and ion propulsion, graphene wings, and bioengineering for reindeer, his sleigh could potentially take flight. However, significant breakthroughs in quantum mechanics and materials science are essential for this fantasy to become reality.
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 →
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 →
The recent post I wrote about planetary issues was so popular that I've decided to do another one. Like before, it's hard to keep up, because things are changing rapidly. And, like before, much of the news - frankly - isn't great, although within that, there's reason for hope. Ocean Temperatures. The world's oceans have... Continue Reading →
ERIC DORFMAN 