We are surrounded by human-made structures and things, newer and older. They are evidence that we are/were here, past and present and maybe into the future. Imagine for a moment a world in which the only evidence of our physical selves is our footprints in the sand. Measuring time, as well as our perception of […]

Horses have played such a crucial role in human history, from transportation and trade to warfare and migration, that their impact is deeply woven into the narrative of human civilization. In the summer of 2024, I volunteered at a regional horse trial where hundreds of horses and riders gathered to compete at different levels. Ranged […]

Many historians believe that fireworks originally were developed in the second century B.C. in ancient Liuyang, China. It is believed that the first natural “firecrackers” were bamboo stalks that when thrown in a fire, would explode with a bang because of the overheating of the hollow air pockets in the bamboo. The day I left […]

On November 6, the nation awoke to the news that Donald Trump was elected the 47th President of the United States. While nearly half of America was in shock and grief, the winning half pretended like Donald Trump received an unanimous vote and is entitled to wreak havoc on our “liberal democracy.” It’s not my […]

“We’re not on a planet we think we’re on—when we call it the earth but it’s clearly the ocean.” Richard Powers Trying to imagine a planet that is ¾ water and contains 90% of the life on the planet, where life first evolved before life on the terrestrial surface, is a humbling thought. Trying to […]