
Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the increased interest in all outdoor activities has been widely reported. Both the reduction of other safe social options, and the increased time spent working from home, have resulted in an unprecedented number of us taking to our parks, woods and other outdoor spaces. Of course, any time spent outside is always beneficial, but never before has connecting with nature been as important as during this pandemic.
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Hidden life beneath the snow and ice can take many forms. This year, our active lives themselves are ready to burst forth when the vaccine allows a new normal to arrive. For now, it’s still safest for everyone to hibernate at home. We saw another example last week, with the methanogen bacteria under frozen lakes, hiding methane under the ice, ready to burst forth in flame. Read More
For those of us in more Northern climes, the Winter Thermstice, or Imbolc, means ice and snow. Here in Michigan, frozen lakes usually become strong enough to drive cars onto, and that ice also freezes bubbles rising from the lake floor. Much of this gas is methane produced by methanogenic bacteria, which is found across the globe. Some lake bottoms – especially in farther north areas – produce more methane (accelerated by climate change), making the striking images of large, plentiful bubbles.
Today, as we celebrate and reflect upon the legacy and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, we can also celebrate one of his many accomplishments – the fact that he did so much to make it possible for a black woman to be the Vice President of the United States – which will become reality the day after tomorrow, for the first time in our history. If Dr. King were alive to see this day, I imagine he would feel the pride and hope justly deserved. The juxtaposition of these dates stirs the hope of a more equal and just America within the minds of many of us.
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