Some people make sketches of fanciful designs—curving, wandering lines of composition, artful constructs that would be impractical to translate into the three dimensions of real-world materials. And some people have those Dr. Seuss visions and go ahead and make them real despite the difficulty. Sabato “Simon” Rodia, also known as Sam, was an Italian immigrant to Los Angeles in the … Read More

Africa is a very big place. While much of its land is arid, it has vast areas that hold plenty of water. When you can say you are one of Africa’s largest lakes, that’s no small claim. Lake Chad was once a member of that club. Located in northern central Africa’s Sahel region where Nigeria, NIger, Cameroon, and Chad share … Read More

Some think the best way to survive a fight, or a really bad set of circumstances, is to be tough as nails. Be strong, nimble, street-smart, quick, and very determined. In some fights, however, the best quality to possess is adaptability. We live in a changing world. Seasons change, weather changes, the climate shifts to wetter or dryer, colder or … Read More

There’s nothing like a lazy soak in a steaming hot springs. It relaxes the muscles and puts one in a blissful state. However, some prefer a more active interaction with water and choose to actually swim in a pool. Nice, flat, evenly heated water there, but yeesh, the chlorine. For habitual swimmers, it can result in dry skin and hair … Read More

Conservationists note that the public is moved by what are called “charismatic megafauna.” That means the plight of pandas, elephants, tigers, and sun bears captures attention and inspires donations for their preservation far more than for say, the delta smelt, the Kentucky cave shrimp, or the valley elderberry longhorn beetle. It helps to be big, have a personality, and be … Read More

A little while back, the Geo-Joint went out into the Indian Ocean and had a look around at the Maldives. These islands, as well as Mauritius and Reunion islands to the southwest, and other islands and submarine ridges, were formed by a hotspot which pushed magma to the surface as the tectonic plates moved over it. Pretty impressive work, and … Read More

Lawns are generally not complicated things. Give them some water, rake up the leaves, run the lawnmower when it gets shaggy, and watch for dandelions and crabgrass. But sometimes strange and mysterious things appear there, and no, it’s not what the neighbor’s dog leaves behind. After a good rain, you may notice that little white heads are poking up through … Read More

There are so few things we can count on 100 percent. Certainly the doings of humankind are rife with failure, deception, and disappointment. Nature provides us with more reliable behaviors, so much so that when we get unexpected results, we are generally flabbergasted. One thing you ought to be able to be certain of is that water will always flow … Read More