There are approximately 53 volcanoes in Auckland, which have over thousands of years produced an array of interesting lagoons, tuft rings and lava flows in Auckland city. The biggest, most active and most visible volcano – Rangitoto sits on an island of the same name in Auckland harbour. This has erupted repeatedly over the pastContinue reading “Travel: Extinct volcanos in Auckland”
Tag Archives: natural history
Travel Poetry: The Crackling Thunder of Frozen Lake Menteith
I wrote this poem in 2011 during a particularly bewitching snow-storm on Lake Menteith in Stirlingshire, Scotland. I had borrowed a pair of old, worn out and blunt ice-skates that were a size too small. And together with my friend, we set out to skate on the lake and also record the audio of theContinue reading “Travel Poetry: The Crackling Thunder of Frozen Lake Menteith”
Book Review: The Domesticated Brain by Bruce Hood
This is a riveting read from one of the leading lights of modern psychology, Bruce Hood of the University of Bristol. The book’s main premise is that 20,000 years ago our brains were 10% larger than what they are today. And that the reason for this is primarily the influence of social practices, culture andContinue reading “Book Review: The Domesticated Brain by Bruce Hood”
Tane Mahuta’s Triumph by Jane Crisp
In the beginning there was no sky, no sea no earth and no Gods. There was only darkness, only Te Kore, the Nothingness. From this nothingness, the primal parents of the Maori came, Papatuanuku, the Earth mother, and Ranginui, the Sky father. Papatuanuku and Ranginui came together,embracing in the darkness, and had 70 male children. TheseContinue reading “Tane Mahuta’s Triumph by Jane Crisp”
Welcome to the rumbling belly of the shaky isles: Orakei Korako
Welcome to the rumbling belly of the shaky isles: Orakei Korako! I visited one of Aotearoa’s most unique and unexpected delights, a #volcanic and #geothermal park near Taupo on the North Island #travel
Travel: Mornington Peninsula’s Antiques Roadshow at the Tyabb Packing House
The Mornington Peninsula (where I hail from originally) is located in the S.E tip of Port Phillip Bay, about 1 hour’s drive outside of Melbourne. It’s a sundrenched and beachy part of Melbourne which features serene and quiet, toddler friendly beaches in sheltered Port Phillip Bay, along with colourful bathing boxes. On the other sideContinue reading “Travel: Mornington Peninsula’s Antiques Roadshow at the Tyabb Packing House”
How slow-growing lichen opens up the vast universe
The Lichenologist from Matthew Killip on Vimeo. Hidden within this remarkable short film The Lichenologist is the slowly-growing story of the unassuming and vividly beautiful botanical wonder of lichen. Kerry Knudsen has the auspicious title of Curator of Lichens at the University of California. He dispels common misconception between lichens and mosses. The latter beingContinue reading “How slow-growing lichen opens up the vast universe”
<3 The Internet: Fuglefjellet a remote island in Norway in 3D
In this unique and captivating 3D immersive storytelling tool, you can learn about the lives and habitat of birds living on the remote island of Fuglefjellet off the coast of Norway. Initially in Norwegian, the app has thankfully for us been translated into English. It’s a scroll through wet-dream of beautiful animation. I couldn’t thinkContinue reading “<3 The Internet: Fuglefjellet a remote island in Norway in 3D”
Welcome to the rumbling belly of the shaky isles: Waiotapu
Waiotapu means sacred waters in Maori. It’s an active geothermal area at the southern end of New Zealand’s Taupo Volcanic Zone just outside of Rotorua. It’s a place of surreal colour, beauty and otherworldly wonder. It’s no exaggeration that you haven’t seen anything like this before. The alchemy of mineral deposits mixing over thousands and sometimes millions ofContinue reading “Welcome to the rumbling belly of the shaky isles: Waiotapu”
Amazing Human-Crustacean Architectural Collaborations
If you thought that the Auckland or NYC property market was hot right now, spare a thought for the tiny and unpredictable housing market of the hermit crab. They have a complex and sometimes cooperative and sometimes aggressive strategies for occupying shells aka homes for their fragile little bodies. Some of these strategies involve hostileContinue reading “Amazing Human-Crustacean Architectural Collaborations”
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