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Have a Happy Thought: One of the best things about learning about nature is coming to understand that there is so much more going on than we can see. Sometimes it’s because things are too small for our eyes to pick up. Sometimes it’s methods of communication that are simply beyond human senses. Sometimes, it’s because so much is happening under the surface. Like with plants – root systems are often much more extensive than one would think. Which is why when they are drawn out for us, it becomes something that I had to share. Take, for example, this illustration of plants native to the North American Great Plains. It utterly fascinates me that a plant that seems so small above surface has 2-3 times the depth and biomass underground. Image: Root Systems of Prairie Plants   This seems to hold fairly true around the world – see this drawing of a kōwhai ( Sophora tetraptera ) tree and its root system: Image: Marden, M., Lambie, S. & Rowan, D. Root system attributes of...

Have a Happy Thought: Another two-for one 😊 Proof that I’m still seeing cool stuff to share! Part 1 – Birds acting a little too smart Some myna birds in Sydney have recently made the news for doing something that humans do every day – commuting. Apparently two myna birds have taken to hopping on a passenger train, riding a couple of stops to a different neighbourhood, and then getting off to scrounge for food there. And then they take a different train back “home” later in the day. Image: still from Instagram video uploaded by @jackiedentwrites Local wildlife experts assume that this is a mated pair, just living their best lives.   Part 2 – The fourth annual waterlily weigh-off results are in! For the past four years, botanic gardens around the globe have been virtually (on Instagram) participating in a competition to see who can grow the waterlily that can hold up the most weight. Here’s a sample of how that ...

  Have a Happy Thought: I’ve been a bit inconsistent lately, so this week is a two-for one. Part 1 – Nagori One of the great things about learning about other cultures and languages can be finding a out about a word that doesn’t exist in your language, even though the concept resonates deeply. Many English speakers find this in German words (like schadenfreude ). This week’s example comes out of Japan: Nagori: appreciating the fleeting beauty of the passage of time; or savouring something that you know will soon be ending. ·       The first hit of colour in leaves that reminds you to relish those last lingering summer nights ·       The last night in an old house before moving to a new one ·       Gathering for a (family or friend-group) reunion photo ·       Looking back at your footprints toward the end of a particularly enjoyable walk Here’s the nudge to make som...

  Have a Happy Thought: We’re past the halfway point of the year, which means very few if any New Year’s Resolutions are still going. That being said, you don’t need to wait for a new calendar to make some change in your life. In fact, making a change at a significant date is one of only 93 effective behaviour change techniques available to you (ok, not all 93 are as effective as others, but…) If the change you want to make is to read the actual source material… knock yourself out: Behaviour change techniques: the development and evaluation of a taxonomic method for reporting and describing behaviour change interventions (a suite of five studies involving consensus methods, randomised controlled trials and analysis of qualitative data) | NIHR Journals Library Or you can trust this quick summary of the 16 categories (93 total techniques): ·       scheduled consequences (10), ·       reward/threat (7), ·   ...

  Have a Happy Thought: Penguins are a social species – like humans, dogs and meerkats. Also like these other social species, the social relationships between penguins can be… confusing. And ever-changing. Two zoo/aquariums in Japan have especially noticed the dynamic relationships of the penguins under their care, and have mapped out all of the strong friendships, crushes, temporary marriages, break-ups, polyamory, cheating... if it’s a type of relationship, these penguins have tried it out. Just as an overview, here is the relationship chart for penguins in Sumida Aquarium in Tokyo: Visit the aquarium’s home page to be able to zoom right on in Sumida Penguins Relationship Chart 2026 ｜ Sumida Aquarium   And here is just a snippet of the penguins at the Kyoto Aquarium: Full chart at Kyoto Penguins Relationship Chart 2026 ｜ Kyoto Aquarium   The best part is that these charts are updated (at least...

  Have a Happy Thought: I’m just going to spew some volcano facts at you today (like a volcano spews lava, get it?). There are around 1,350 active volcanoes on the Earth. 4 of those active volcanoes are in Antarctica (there are another 15 on the continent , but they’re not considered active) There might be over a hundred more volcanoes (active or not) under the ice sheets in Antarctica. When a volcano erupts under a literal kilometer of ice , it actually doesn’t really melt a lot of the ice. It might melt a little bit of the bottom of a glacier, which might speed up a glacier moving (think of a frozen ice cube on a dry table. Now think of putting an ice cube on a patch of water on a table on a slight slope. Oops! That ice cube is off the side of the table now.) If it does melt a significant amount of water, a sub-glacial volcano can cause a jökulhlaup – basically a massive and sudden flood coming out of the bottom of a glacier. ...

Have a Happy Thought: It’s never too late to switch careers. Take Edward Lear, for example. Aside from sounding like a weird mashup of Shakespearean tragedies, this incredible artist had several careers – starting serious, and ending… less so. In his early life, Lear used his love and talent for drawing to put food on the table. Don’t think that means what he drew was boring… he was one of the great naturalist artists of the late 19 th century, drawing incredibly accurate pictures of living animals: ​ ​ By Edward Lear - First edition of Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots. Originally a painting by Edward Lear posted to flickr at Macrocercus aracanga. Red and yellow maccaw, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7798168  ​ ​ Greater sulphur-crested cockatoo in Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots, 1832 By Edward Lear - sAHdEw7PismRDw at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimed...