There’s something uniquely Scottish about bothys. These tiny mountain shacks are normally found in remote parts of the Scottish highlands and islands. They can be found in all kinds of conditions – some with running water and a fireplace and even electricity! Other’s don’t have more than an old fashioned hearth where you can throwContinue reading “Explore the cosiest bothies in the Scottish highlands”
Category Archives: The Natural World
Ancient Word of the Day: Reave
Reave A long and low boundary wall or bank, found especially on Dartmoor and in Devon, mostly now sunk back into the landscape. Also, as a verb, to tear, split, divide or cleave. Rof/rifa An Icelandic word meaning to rip or tear something. Rof á landi refers to the rupture of the top soils ofContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Reave”
Beltane of the Southern Hemisphere
Today, in the Pagan calendar, the north celebrate the coming of winter at Samhainn. And all the while the sun is peaking up from behind the lush vernal trees and dancing for us once more in the southern hemisphere, as we welcome Beltane on October 31st. Or as I like to refer to it BeltaneContinue reading “Beltane of the Southern Hemisphere”
The Jigsaw Puzzle of Pangea: What It Tells Us About Our Fragile Human Lives
Around 200 million years ago the world’s landmass was contained in one giant supercontinent called Pangea surrounded by a mega ocean. I know that this isn’t news but I still find it startling and incredible nonetheless. In the graphic below you can see the composition of Pangea but with the modern countries boundaries superimposed onContinue reading “The Jigsaw Puzzle of Pangea: What It Tells Us About Our Fragile Human Lives”
Book Review: Codex Seraphinianus by Luigi Serafini
A surreal art book that redefines the meaning of imagination. Codex Seraphinianus has a lot in common with other bizarre books like the Voynich manuscript. This new edition by Italian publisher Rizzoli was republished in 2013. It has been redesigned by the author Luigi Serafini with includes new illustrations. The fascination and curiosity for CodexContinue reading “Book Review: Codex Seraphinianus by Luigi Serafini”
Roland: Gargantuan Elephant Seal Of Berlin Zoo
Roland was a goliath 4,000 pound sea elephant (A.K.A an Elephant Seal Mirunga patagonica. He lived in Berlin Zoo from the late 1920’s until his death during the second world war. Here he is getting a snow bath from his handler at the Berlin Zoo (date unknown) In this film you can see his largeContinue reading “Roland: Gargantuan Elephant Seal Of Berlin Zoo”
The ultimate guide to collective nouns for New Zealand birds
This post is for all of the New Zealand and global bird-lovers out there. New Zealand has some wonderful and incredibly intelligent birds that also tend to have rambuctious, mischievous and cheeky personalities. Check out this video of a kea being, well… a kea if you don’t believe me… Here are some little known collectiveContinue reading “The ultimate guide to collective nouns for New Zealand birds”
How Long Does It Take to Make a Woods?
“How long does it take to make the woods? As long as it takes to make the world. It is always finished, it is always being made, the act of its making forever greater than the act of its destruction.” (Wendell Berry, from A Timbered Choir, 1999)
Exquisite Marine Invertebrates of the 19th Century
In this blog in previous years, I’ve talked about how humans and cephalopods are oddly similar, explored the underwater realm of Sydney Harbour in great detail, and the invisible realm of microscopic creatures rendered by Ernest Haeckel. But in terms of delicate creatures, the Blaschkas were the 19th Century heavy-weights. I originally posted this postContinue reading “Exquisite Marine Invertebrates of the 19th Century”
The Strandbeest and its glittering seaside evolution
Theo Jansen’s strandbeests are composed of spindly plastic organs that take elephantine strides. They have guts that store energy and are powered by wind. They are sensitive mechanical beasts that can even detect water. Each of Jansen’s ingenious strandbeests are miracles in motion. They may very well be the next stages of natural selection. JansenContinue reading “The Strandbeest and its glittering seaside evolution”
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