tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52399737890114194902024-03-16T14:52:49.446-04:00SuperocerasA blog about science and life on Earth from a simple man making his way through the Universe.David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.comBlogger237125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-71636177957959202572014-11-18T11:09:00.000-05:002014-11-18T11:09:12.958-05:00InGen Currently Recruiting for Genetic Biologist InternsYou can apply at the "Careers" section of the <a href="http://www.masraniglobal.com/index.html">Masrani</a> website, but I suggest you take a look around while you're there, too. I just got accepted!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hold on to your butts.</td></tr>
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<br />David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-17274670406933622862014-10-22T15:22:00.000-04:002014-10-22T15:22:12.041-04:00Survival or Extinction?<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception." </blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Carl Sagan, <i>The Varieties of Scientific Experience</i></span></blockquote>
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I am ashamed to say that it's been over a year since I've posted to this blog. That's pitiful, and I'm ready to do something about it. For a while, I wasn't sure what that something was. Maybe I'm still not. But <i>Superoceras</i> will be undergoing some changes in the next few months, and as I get some content created and lined up, I look forward to sharing it with anyone who is still out there reading this. So much is happening right now in the world of science and natural history, it'd be silly to stay out of the conversation. </div>
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In the meantime, there are a number of great bloggers out there who have kept that conversation going, and I encourage you to check out the links to the right and see the amazing things they are doing. I'll be back with you all shortly.</div>
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David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-54617005818641894752013-09-17T08:00:00.000-04:002013-09-17T10:03:37.461-04:00Deep TimeAnother semester has started, which means back to the books for me. But three weeks in, I'm pretty excited about the course I'm taking, the material I'll be learning, and the discussions I'll be a part of with my class and professor. Last week we talked a little about deep time (in relation to some other topics I'm going to be covering in greater detail soon), and I realized how difficult of a concept it can be to wrap your head around, even for someone like myself who spends a great deal of time thinking about it. I know the Earth is 4.54 ± 0.05 billion years old, but what does it mean when we all live in a timescale of years, hours, or even minutes? When most people think about time, this is probably <b>not</b> what comes to mind.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The GSA Geologic Time Scale, not actually to scale, from <a href="http://www.geosociety.org/science/timescale/timescl.pdf">http://www.geosociety.org/science/timescale/timescl.pdf</a>.</td></tr>
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All those numbers and colors can be intimidating, so I find it's helpful to try and explain deep time to people in a way they can relate to. Some use a 12 or 24 hour clock as an analogy. Others use a calendar year. I swear one time in <a href="http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite/">ELT</a> we used a role of receipt paper. But my favorite analogy is one I always have on hand...<br />
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It's the human arm. And it serves as a pretty good point of reference. I'm not sure where I first learned it (probably from Merck and Holtz), but it goes a little something like this:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Geologic Time Scale... kind of to scale... on my arm.</td></tr>
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The start of the shoulder marks the formation of earth ~4.6 bya. From there to the end of the shoulder/start of the arm is the length of the Hadean Eon. The upper arm (4.0 bya to 2.5 bya) is the Archean Eon, terminating in the elbow. From the elbow to the first knuckle of the middle finger (2.5 bya to 542 mya) is the Proterozoic, Eon and the Phanerozoic Eon starts there. Breaking it down, the first knuckle to the second knuckle (542 to 252.2 mya) is the Paleozoic Era, and from the second knuckle to the cuticle (252.2 - 65.5 mya) is the Mesozoic Era. All that's left is the Cenozoic Era, which is basically your fingernail (65.5 mya to present). And all of human existence is basically right there at the very tip. Years, hours, and minutes are small potatoes compared to the timespans we're talking about here. But as the semester really starts to pick up speed, I still find myself wishing I had more of them! Good old Deep Time sure puts things in perspective.<br />
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David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-61890519935079631522013-09-03T09:00:00.000-04:002018-03-14T20:55:39.287-04:00Birds Over the Bay<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nesting pair of osprey, reunited after separating for the winter and living it up down ol' South America way.</td></tr>
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It's no secret that I love the Chesapeake Bay. And while nothing beats getting out on the water, sometimes there are a lot of exciting things happening right above it as well. Back in March while on an <a href="http://asbchesapeakebay2013.blogspot.com/">Alternative Break</a> trip with the University of Maryland, I was lucky enough to catch a brief encounter that took place over Parrish Creek in Shady Side, Maryland. The resident osprey (<i>Pandion haliaetus</i>) couple had returned from their winter vacation, and made their way to their regular nesting platform. Lucky for me, they weren't the only raptors around that day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Haliaeetus leucocephalus </i>in flight.</td></tr>
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Enter, the bald eagle (<i>Haliaeetus leucocephalus</i>). I've seen both species regularly throughout the area, and it's always a real treat. To see them interacting was really something else, especially considering what happened next. </div>
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Generally speaking, both eagles and osprey can coexist peacefully in the Bay watershed. But when it comes to resources and territory, particularly at the beginning of the breeding season, it would seem these birds don't play around. As soon as the male osprey saw the eagle, he immediately started calling, and took off from his platform like a shot. While bald eagles are known kleptoparasites, I've not heard the same about ospreys. I get the impression that the male osprey just didn't like a bigger bird in his territory, and he was all about taking care of business.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmNVy2HKv3BcM4DOsMr07mnejTtjdZqc8aM84WEbCyvAN3ZmFfLa-QZUCAB9VFg7iWkIhVI9WEyli0HdH7e6cio4hzmkMZbBXKN8UI40n75aBtQ1dStY4kOTNgIAU9cFmp3mss6m5MOA/s1600/Pandion+haliaetus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmNVy2HKv3BcM4DOsMr07mnejTtjdZqc8aM84WEbCyvAN3ZmFfLa-QZUCAB9VFg7iWkIhVI9WEyli0HdH7e6cio4hzmkMZbBXKN8UI40n75aBtQ1dStY4kOTNgIAU9cFmp3mss6m5MOA/s400/Pandion+haliaetus.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pandion haliaetus</i> in flight.</td></tr>
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The interaction between the two took no longer than it will to get to the bottom of this post, but it was very exciting. Like two planes in a dogfight, the male osprey and the eagle went at it. Well, actually, the osprey went at it. I almost felt bad for the eagle, diving and rolling to avoid the talons of the smaller raptor. But the osprey was tenacious.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"This is Red 5; I'm going in."</td></tr>
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At one point, it even attempted to defecate on the eagle. Keeping your feathers clean and in functional order is essential for a bird, and the osprey seemed to know it, targeting one of the eagles weaknesses.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's low, even for a "thief".</td></tr>
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I'm pretty sure he missed, but that was all the nonsense the eagle needed to experience before it decided it had had enough. Frankly, that would have been it for me too. The eagle high-tailed it, and kept his distance for the remainder of the afternoon. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Until next time...</td></tr>
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So, what's the moral of the story? Don't mess with an osprey nest. Or, turf wars between raptors are awesome to watch. Or, always have your camera with you. All of the above? I'm not sure, but whatever you take away from it, I hope you enjoyed seeing it through my eyes as much as I did at the time. The male osprey casually went back to guarding his nest, and the eagle circled off into the distance, looking for another place to lay its claim.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home sweet home.</td></tr>
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But not before posing for one more super patriotic shot.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'MERICA!</td></tr>
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David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-30896550414815642152013-07-27T20:00:00.000-04:002013-07-27T20:00:00.078-04:00Wildlife Photography<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of the things I love to do most is get out into nature. And since you can't (and shouldn't, really) always bring nature home with you, I love to take pictures. Plants, critters, landscapes; they're all waiting to get captured by the lens. And with the advent of digital photography, huge memory cards, and the ability to auto-focus, I find myself with lots of photos of wild things and wild places. They usually get dumped in a folder on my computer, and that's about it. But recently, I grabbed a few <a href="http://www.recoup.com/login">Recoup</a> (like Groupon, but supporting a cause) vouchers for hardcover photo books from a company called <a href="http://www.photobin.com/">PhotoBin</a>, and spent a pretty fair amount of time looking for some of the better shots to print in coffee table style books. They came out pretty well, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with guests as they drop by the house. But now that I've gotten some of my photos sorted, I figure the Interwebs would be a pretty good place to share them as well.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gZM3ZT-Qd8kFTintfY7-nRrLZMiovXDnpODHw-VDM5yc_GUciT7UrwL2hhyphenhyphenIDLGsrJ0sJuLfYURgIdXotiWrBJW4T9bV1IKVN1kphJl3FrFIs-nNTyz_k9Bb8Tfit-k248EWRrPupIc/s1600/Osprey+vs+Eagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gZM3ZT-Qd8kFTintfY7-nRrLZMiovXDnpODHw-VDM5yc_GUciT7UrwL2hhyphenhyphenIDLGsrJ0sJuLfYURgIdXotiWrBJW4T9bV1IKVN1kphJl3FrFIs-nNTyz_k9Bb8Tfit-k248EWRrPupIc/s640/Osprey+vs+Eagle.jpg" width="499" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A male osprey (<i>Pandion haliaetus carolinensis</i>) faces off against a bald eagle (<i>Haliaeetus leucocephalus</i>). More of this story to come.</td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a>If you follow me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/david.tana.92">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/Superoceras">Twitter</a>, you may have noticed the <a href="https://ifttt.com/">IFTTT</a> generated post and tweet about newly uploaded photos to my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47068517@N08/">Flickr photostream</a>. I never broke down and paid for Flickr service, but I got lucky because they recently changed the amount of photos you are allowed to upload (from a set number of pictures to a solid 1TB for FREE!), which means I plan to really flesh out what I'm able to share there. I also plan to feature more or my own photos here on the blog and talk a little about when, where, and of what they were taken. Maybe even get back to <a href="http://superoceras.blogspot.com/search/label/Virtual%20Birding">virtual birding</a> or expand on that idea and create a phylogenetic tree of plants and animals I've managed to check off my life list. For now, I leave you with the teaser above (and plenty of links to click). But if you have any suggestions or ideas about what you'd like to see on the blog as a reader, let me know!David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-88784428622466936182013-07-03T11:03:00.002-04:002013-07-03T17:55:06.465-04:00Getting rid of the lazies.You're in your vehicle, being guided along the electric track back towards the Visitor's Center. Things didn't go as well as they could have today, but you got to pet a <i>Triceratops</i>, so that's pretty cool. All of a sudden, the vehicle stops. You remain calm, and figure you'll be moving again in no time. But the kid next to you can't figure out how to turn a flashlight off, and the next thing you know, you have a 6 ton <i>Tyrannosaurus</i> bearing down on you. We all know how that scene plays through.<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BfT2UHqON1s8y4w-Cl5lm6gGFNN0WBcyhqshuMHjPzazHm3XIpH-iz4HBzCQ91ilxEm2kQkwnttVK35fyQ1joGakSw17rtYOFGGubUJP7gOxzj1WFHrAQHPtsX0z3bwskYcG9GzZznU/s1600/Tyrannosaurus+Explorer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BfT2UHqON1s8y4w-Cl5lm6gGFNN0WBcyhqshuMHjPzazHm3XIpH-iz4HBzCQ91ilxEm2kQkwnttVK35fyQ1joGakSw17rtYOFGGubUJP7gOxzj1WFHrAQHPtsX0z3bwskYcG9GzZznU/s400/Tyrannosaurus+Explorer.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the vault: MS Paint job, circa 2005. I miss my Explorer.</td></tr>
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<a name="more"></a>Sometimes, you get out of the vehicle before it goes over the wall. Sometimes, you end up going over with it. Sometimes you get stranded in a tree, escape its branches before the vehicle falls on you, and somehow end up back in the car again (but at least you're out of the tree). We all have those days; it happens. But it's been over five months since I've posted to the blog, and I need to get the tyrannosaur off my back.<br>
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I'd love to say I've been busy with school/work/life; that I've been in a creative slump; anything really to explain my absence. And truthfully, all of those things do come into play. But that's not why it's been quiet on the blog-front. It's really been because of me. Because even though I've been busy, and not particularly inspired, I've also been a little down, and it's made me very, very lazy. Don't get me wrong; I'm still passionate about the subject material of the blog. And find myself doing a lot these days that reflects that. But I'm not really reflecting anymore. And that bothers me more than a little. As much as I like "doing" in the real world, I miss taking part in the "online" conversation as well. This blog is a way for me to not only communicate to others, but to really communicate with myself, too. So how do you get rid of the lazies, and get back into it after so long? I'm not exactly sure, but I'm working it out. And I hope that in the next few weeks, I can manage to produce some solid results. Talk to you all soon.David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-14192166824460319392013-01-21T18:00:00.000-05:002013-05-29T15:15:12.550-04:00Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMFWkjek5HEcLmb6Nxwt2UVXrQk2Yv8lbhFlGISMEwJ88tU1Is3BR8nvmHEuyc1pFH9RtInmvERVd-DMgFiOB5XYqkj9xtmFHhxVZljoQ0lUsdZfWnE7MGE59qOqjvODEUY8ekR32Eok/s1600/Sciurus+carolinensis+(juvenile)+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMFWkjek5HEcLmb6Nxwt2UVXrQk2Yv8lbhFlGISMEwJ88tU1Is3BR8nvmHEuyc1pFH9RtInmvERVd-DMgFiOB5XYqkj9xtmFHhxVZljoQ0lUsdZfWnE7MGE59qOqjvODEUY8ekR32Eok/s320/Sciurus+carolinensis+(juvenile)+.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most adorable thing I've ever seen.</td></tr>
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I may not like it when they eat all my birdseed, but I've always had a soft spot for squirrels. In fact, I'm quite fond of them. And what better way to show that fondness than by observing Squirrel Appreciation Day. Celebrated annually on January 21st, it's simply a day to keep our furry friends in mind, and even give them a hand (or paw). As squirrels don't hibernate and keep very active all winter long, I typically put out a few extra treats for them to help them get through the cold months ahead; sunflower seeds, peanuts, and dried corn seem to be favorites in my area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEcW3FmO4ChaWf4d_NIXsK_wocLo6dZh7GrtCCJUp3-en_tUZC2cDZQry5a_CbrunkBjY2MRR3Ps2EY5huWifXy0gV5UJ9CkxNKWKQ2RKJLtq195kUouIe5fxouc2GSAL9qI-0lzcWtk/s1600/Sciurus+carolinensis+(white+morph).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEcW3FmO4ChaWf4d_NIXsK_wocLo6dZh7GrtCCJUp3-en_tUZC2cDZQry5a_CbrunkBjY2MRR3Ps2EY5huWifXy0gV5UJ9CkxNKWKQ2RKJLtq195kUouIe5fxouc2GSAL9qI-0lzcWtk/s200/Sciurus+carolinensis+(white+morph).JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of DC's "white" grey squirrels.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWb51JcBLn78lhOTKlFfSsZRuw9vlfFxt-Wj5ND5D2T-hj9CG6PMAZDMLSd21NcJ7QpGGYGAfU3svbzQVOm6M2y6Jc9sdpq7T0jwEz5eV1X6FO2EXrnwg8TFSM_YUJ2zteFxFclOqmLU/s1600/Sciurus+carolinensis+(melanistic+morph).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWb51JcBLn78lhOTKlFfSsZRuw9vlfFxt-Wj5ND5D2T-hj9CG6PMAZDMLSd21NcJ7QpGGYGAfU3svbzQVOm6M2y6Jc9sdpq7T0jwEz5eV1X6FO2EXrnwg8TFSM_YUJ2zteFxFclOqmLU/s200/Sciurus+carolinensis+(melanistic+morph).jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the melanistic squirrels on campus.</td></tr>
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Around here, we have an abundance of Eastern grey squirrel (<i>Sciurus </i><i>carolinensis</i>) in a variety of different colors. We have the standard grey variety (that actually range in color between a reddish brown and true grey), but also melanistic and white morphs. But the Sciuridae, or squirrel "family", is comprised of many other types of rodents as well. Along with the tree squirrels, you'll find prairie dogs, ground squirells, marmots, flying squirells, and chipmunks. Keen eyes, bushy tails, and big cheeks, all these critters deserve a little recognition today. So the next time you see a squirrel, say "hello" with a tail-flick, and wish it well. Or better yet, Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day!</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpTW-PcVrYdaeJN1JxCmONUO8qsCKnYjDyIBC6_bwtZOdUKG6K5tfTQTNQx3s00WZxAer38Z9m9wx9g8etyVsGwEAXCf2U6jAQPTiN5w7a2MnaXCNKNPL07EVoor5Bq6Psg4x2R9FyTk/s1600/Sciuridae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpTW-PcVrYdaeJN1JxCmONUO8qsCKnYjDyIBC6_bwtZOdUKG6K5tfTQTNQx3s00WZxAer38Z9m9wx9g8etyVsGwEAXCf2U6jAQPTiN5w7a2MnaXCNKNPL07EVoor5Bq6Psg4x2R9FyTk/s320/Sciuridae.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Clockwise from top: A groundhog (Marmota monax), Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus), and black-tailed prarie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus).</td></tr>
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David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-89335811281543039592013-01-07T23:30:00.000-05:002013-01-15T11:28:19.838-05:00New Year, New StuffToday was like most Mondays. I got up, got ready for work, sat at my desk, and took care of business. But as I responded to e-mails, took calls, and finished a few projects, I realized that in three weeks, I'll be back in classes. I'll have a lot less time on my hands to spend away from course readings, writing papers, and the day to day affairs of a home owning nine-to-fiver. Right now, I have time, and I'd better start to take advantage of it.<br />
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So on my lunch break, I grabbed a sheet of "second life" paper, a number 2 pencil, and I drew. Nothing fancy; just a 30 minute sketch of a stegosaur. And it was <b>amazing</b>. Not the sketch itself. It looked like one of the lumbering beasts from the books I read as a child. But the act, just going for it without researching, referencing, or even really thinking about it, was something I hadn't done in a long time. Too long. It was absolutely freeing, and exactly what I needed to get myself out of the creative slump I've been in for... well, a while.</div>
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I really want to hang onto that feeling and start creating again. Not setting deadlines, and worrying about holding myself to them. Just enjoying the process, and getting back to doing what I really love to do. Luckily there is a wonderful community of science bloggers and artists out there that provide constant inspiration with their work. So to get the ball rolling on this end, here's the "evolution" of that stegosaur, from start to finish (eraser marks and all). <br />
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<a href="http://picasion.com/"><img alt="pictures to animation" border="0" height="307" src="http://i.picasion.com/pic63/a92dcbde9c4e1dad9496930b1374f800.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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Maybe it will be another sketch, or a photo, or a brief post about who knows what. But there will be more coming soon. I'm looking forward to it.</div>
David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-14979145796555551392012-11-22T10:00:00.000-05:002012-11-22T12:53:40.048-05:00"A Bird of Courage"<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America." Benjamin Franklin, 1784</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7P_UG4U5IDPmVVmBj78gKTkdaFLVEFNk3nWwqZCRzwQJ2bgHi5fmbkEVJhhY4dmPRlMCwfhX1rEztLUjjl_3LMd7QLXetCXXdnl9pra6BjoDZvFg9oaPRjYnowUTpXbWpYfRR3C9Y1w/s1600/Meleagris+gallopavo+silvestris+(hen).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7P_UG4U5IDPmVVmBj78gKTkdaFLVEFNk3nWwqZCRzwQJ2bgHi5fmbkEVJhhY4dmPRlMCwfhX1rEztLUjjl_3LMd7QLXetCXXdnl9pra6BjoDZvFg9oaPRjYnowUTpXbWpYfRR3C9Y1w/s400/Meleagris+gallopavo+silvestris+(hen).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Eastern wild turkey hen, photographed at <a href="http://www.nps.gov/stri/index.htm">Stones River National Battlefield</a> in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.</td></tr>
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What's for dinner tonight? Well for many citizens of the United States, it will be dinosaur. Turkey is the cornerstone of the Thanksgiving meal, and perhaps rightly so. The turkeys, both fossil and modern forms, are only found in the Americas. The <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Rhegminornis%20restudied:%20A%20Tiny%20Miocene%20Turkey%20Storrs%20L.%20Olson%20and%20John%20Farrand,%20Jr.%20The%20Wilson%20Bulletin%20,%20Vol.%2086,%20No.%202%20(Jun.,%201974),%20pp.%20114-120">most basal</a>, <i>Rhegminornis calobates</i>, comes from the Early Miocene of Florida. The type element (MCZ 2331) is the distal end of a right tarsometatarsus that belonged to a rather small bird (Olson & Farrand 1974). By comparison the modern wild turkey, <i>Meleagris gallopavo</i>, is much more imposing, with an average mass (of large males; they are a sexually dimorphic species) somewhere between that of a pelican and swan (Dunning 1992).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsom0cU_wmD3UVSqKZ7GNKZcyb-v013RgGCCB_C5ECF68tRfjV7PJ1ObgGIodfZpdbQmPjuN6n7u1wxMOkl2R4x5j6h51jqbhdOF33s1bnFkXX7PhQZAhttnI7oXtT1EKKUCDXNR0BFAE/s1600/Meleagris+gallopavo+osceola+(hen).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsom0cU_wmD3UVSqKZ7GNKZcyb-v013RgGCCB_C5ECF68tRfjV7PJ1ObgGIodfZpdbQmPjuN6n7u1wxMOkl2R4x5j6h51jqbhdOF33s1bnFkXX7PhQZAhttnI7oXtT1EKKUCDXNR0BFAE/s400/Meleagris+gallopavo+osceola+(hen).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Osceola wild turkey hen (much more iridescent and colorful than the Eastern subspecies), photographed along the St. Johns River, near <a href="http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/">Blue Spring State Park,</a> Florida.</td></tr>
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I've been lucky enough to check two subspecies of wild turkey off my life list. In Florida, a rafter of Osceola wild turkey (<i>M. g. osceola</i>) would frequent the palmetto scrub near my campsite at Blue Spring State Park, gobbling away the morning just out of sight. I'd also catch glimpses of them in the swamp lands on the banks of the St. Johns River. They seem to be more reclusive than their cousins, the Eastern wild turkey (<i>M. g. silvestris</i>), who have no problem strolling right up to you and proceeding to chase you through fields, forests, and front lawns. Later today, I'll encounter a slightly less lively variety, as I dine on domestic turkey with family, and give thanks for that "vain & silly" bird that sustains the spirit of the season and the winter months ahead. I'd also like to give thanks to all of you, the readers, commenters, and sharers, who despite my virtual absence for most of the year still pop by to check in on me when I do get to posting. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">References</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Dunning, John B., Jr. (ed.). 1992. <i>CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses</i>. CRC Press, United States.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Olson, Stoors L. & Farrand, John, Jr. 1974. <i>Rhegminornis</i> restudies: A tiny Miocene turkey. <i>The Wilson Bulletin</i> 86(2), 114-120.</span></div>
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David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-10826173818182260942012-10-23T15:30:00.000-04:002012-10-23T15:37:05.780-04:00Summer in the Butterfly GardenBack in early May, I decided to give myself a birthday present and do something beneficial for my yard and wildlife by planting a butterfly garden. I spent a large part of the summer tweeting about the Maryland native plants that I chose to attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, but wanted to share a little more of the story here. I took what was the area I had been using as a tree nursery, and cleared a little more space for over two dozen species of native shrubs and flowers. The plot went from this...<br />
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And in just about a month, it looked like the little plants had taken hold and were going to thrive. </div>
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And did they ever. Unfortunately, I never took a photo of the entire garden when it was at its strongest growth, but all the flowers that it produced were beautiful, and attracted a variety of wildlife. I was specifically looking to attract monarch and swallowtail butterflies, and I was very successful at that. Next year, I hope to attract (or see if they came by already) hummingbirds as well. There is something very satisfying about being able to walk out your back door and sit among the angiosperms watching the endopterygotes go about their business. As we head through fall and into winter, I look forward to spring, and the joys that the garden will bring me in the coming seasons. It was a place that made me happy, and I'm happy to share it with you all. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A monarch butterfly (<i>Danaus plexippus</i>) feeding on blue vervain (<i>Verbana hasta</i>).</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Eastern tiger swallowtail feeding (<i>Papilio glaucus</i>) on Joe-Pye weed (<i>Eutrochium fistulosum</i>).</td></tr>
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For more information on butterfly and native gardens, planting your own, and all the benefits that come from it, check out the <a href="http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Habitat/WildAcres/wahumbutbee.asp">Maryland Department of Natural Resource</a>s and <a href="http://www.nwf.org/get-outside/outdoor-activities/garden-for-wildlife.aspx">National Wildlife Federation</a> websites for more information.</div>
David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-32969695744470092452012-10-17T11:18:00.001-04:002012-10-17T14:52:08.916-04:00Happy National Fossil Day!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 2012 National Fossil Day logo, from the National Park Service <a href="http://nature.nps.gov/geology/nationalfossilday/nfd_2012_artwork_fossils.cfm">website</a>.</td></tr>
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The 72nd Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology starts today, and the morning has already been full of great talks. But it's also the 3rd year that National Fossil Day is being celebrated. The <a href="http://naturalsciences.org/">North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences</a> has a bunch of <a href="http://naturalsciences.org/programs-events/national-fossil-day">great events</a> going on all day, as do many other museums, parks, and centers across the country. Be sure to check out the National Fossil Day website for <a href="http://nature.nps.gov/geology/nationalfossilday/events.cfm">events in your area</a>, and celebrate discovery, science, and prehistoric life!<br />
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(This post will be updated with images, links, and additional goodies as soon as I can find that reliable Wi-Fi hot spot I so desperately seek. If you're at <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%232012SVP&src=hash">#2012SVP</a> and you know where it is, let me know <a href="https://twitter.com/Superoceras">@Superoceras</a>. Thanks!)David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-28999175593412255072012-10-15T12:00:00.000-04:002012-10-15T12:00:16.053-04:00Another Day, Another WIPI now have at least a dozen paleo-art related projects that I've been really excited for, started, and then left on the back burner. This is one of the more recent that I had hoped to have done for the latest <i><a href="http://blogevolved.blogspot.com/">ART Evolved</a></i> gallery, but alas, still just a work in progress. Meant as a tribute to the recent series 7 episode of <i>Doctor Who</i> titled "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship", I had hoped to surround the TARDIS with lifelike reconstructions of the ornithodirans featured in the show. Then I realized I left out the fuzzy juvenile tyrannosaur. Now if I could just figure out where to put it.<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Ornithodirans on a Spaceship", a work in progress. Pencil on paper. </td></tr>
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David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-33854853789185082262012-10-14T21:26:00.000-04:002012-10-14T21:26:40.521-04:00Brace Yourselves: SVP is ComingAlright boys and girls. It's been too long. I shame myself. And as <a href="http://www.earthsciweek.org/">Earth Science</a> week begins with the <a href="http://www.vertpaleo.info/Home1.htm">72nd SVP Annual Meeting</a> and <a href="http://nature.nps.gov/geology/nationalfossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> right around the corner, I figure I'd better get on the ball. I will be in Raleigh, and I hope to see many of you there. But if you can't find me in the convention center, and I don't harass you to buy a raffel ticket, look for (one of) the (many) individual(s) wearing one of these snazzy buttons. They can help you locate me, anything else you're looking for, or just lend a hand (or other homologous structure)!<div>
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During the meeting, I do plan to blog as much as possible. And I will also be tweeting quite a bit, so look for the official #2012SVP hashtag and get in on the conversation! See you in North Carolina!</div>
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David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-5055452015501726572012-09-11T12:55:00.000-04:002012-09-11T12:55:31.096-04:00Ornithodirans on a Spaceship<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image used with respect to the copyright holders, the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/">BBC</a>. From their <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/galleries/p00y59ln">lovely online gallery</a>.</td></tr>
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I've been a horrible blogger, artist, and Whovian lately. But all that will hopefully change soon. In the meantime, check out what Brian Switek and Marc Vincent have to say about "<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mm5c9">Dinosaurs on a Spaceship</a>" over at <a href="http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2012/09/dinosaurs-on-a-spaceship/"><i>Dinosaur Tracking</i></a> and <a href="http://chasmosaurs.blogspot.com/2012/09/dinosaurson-spaceship.html"><i>Love in the Time of Chasmosaurus</i></a>, respectively. And check out the <i><a href="http://blogevolved.blogspot.hk/2012/09/the-2nd-pop-culture-gallery.html">Art Evolved: Life's Time Capsule</a></i> "A 2nd Pop Culture Gallery" while you're at it. The Doctor has already made one appearance there as well!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hopefully the <a href="http://blogevolved.blogspot.hk/">Art Evolved Crew</a> are cool with me using this as well!</td></tr>
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David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-23854731211703472562012-08-18T17:02:00.002-04:002012-08-18T17:02:56.944-04:00Fiddler on the Beach<div class="p1">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sand fiddler crab emerges from his burrow. Photographed at <a href="http://www.floridastateparks.org/northpeninsula/default.cfm">North Peninsula State Park, Florida</a>.</td></tr>
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In the last post (and quite some time ago) I wrote about how closely connected our world is to off-world things. The Sun, Moon, and tides are all non-living components of the natural world that interact with one another. But they also interact with many living components as well. In fact, there are many species that live their lives completely governed by the rise and fall of the tides. One of my favorite is the sand fiddler crab (<i>Uca pugilator</i>). I mean, who doesn't love a boy with a giant claw? Fiddler crabs live in burrows created in the mud or sand along coastal areas. And although I don't normally see them on the beach, I do see them up and down Jefferson Creek where I kayak in Delaware. But only if I'm very quiet, and very lucky to catch a glimpse of them. These crabs will scatter and retreat to their burrows when startled. They also do this during high tides, only to emerge again during low tide when they spend their time feeding and trying to attract mates. The crabs live by the tidal patterns; their behavior is triggered by the Earth’s rotation itself. These triggers can also come in the form of changes in temperature, light, or even color. </div>
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As fiddlers are affected by non-living components of environment, they too have an effect on it. They feed on detritus and parts of dead organisms that would be left behind as the tide retreats. Almost frantically, they use their one small claw to shovel bit after bit of mud into their bristly mouthparts where water pumped in from their gills separate food particles from sediment. Their digging oxygenates the sand and soil in the process making it richer and more productive. The idea that they only have the time during low tide to feed as much as they can might account for why they always appear to be in a rush to eat. They know when to get the job done, and don't waste a second. In fact, this biological clock, centered around the tidal cycles, is so engrained in some fiddler crabs that even when taken away from their natural environment they continue to follow it. When placed in an artificial environment with a controlled temperature and amount of light, the crabs still follow the movement of the tides. Fascinating little critters, am I right?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Reference</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Castro, P., & Huber, M. E. (2010). <i>Marine biology</i> (8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.</span></div>
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David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-17914228920446144042012-07-06T11:29:00.000-04:002012-07-06T11:31:09.181-04:00Bringing the Thunder<span style="background-color: white;">The last two weekends in Maryland have started out with very powerful Friday evening storms. The derecho that took place last week was crazy. Strong winds and powerful thunderstorms surged as they moved from the midwest to the Mid-Atlantic coast. But I was inland for it. I can only imagine what it was like here at the beach. During a bad, long lasting storm, consistently strong winds would cause swells which, upon reaching the shore, could generate extremely high surf. The energy generated by the wind is expended along the shoreline as the wave reaches it, so the higher the winds, the greater the damage that could occur. But winds and weather aren't the only thing that have an impact on the coastline. I was reminded of that the </span><a href="http://twitter.com/Superoceras/status/220714536955682816/photo/1">other night </a><span style="background-color: white;">as I observed a beautiful full "Thunder Moon" over the Atlantic Ocean, and thought of the powerful effect it has on the Earth's tides.</span><br />
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The gravitational force that holds the earth and the moon together is generated from a common center of mass located in the earth. But because this point is different from the center of the earth, it causes a slight wobble in the earth-moon system. The centrifugal force caused by this motion causes the water on the surface of the earth to bulge out on the side that is furthest from the moon. On the side closest to the moon, the gravitational pull from the moon itself is strong enough to counteract this centrifugal force, and so the water on this surface of the earth bulges out as well. Water underneath either of these bulges would naturally be deeper than the water that was located away from them, and as the earth spins on its axis, a point on the planet's surface will go from being underneath a bulge to not being underneath a bulge, respectively causing high and low tides. </div>
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But the moon is not the only body in the solar system that has an effect on the tides. The sun also has the same effect on the tidal bulges as the moon, and when the sun and the moon are in line with one another as they are during a new moon and a full moon (like the one that occurred just a few days ago), the effects combine to create even higher tidal ranges. This rise and fall in sea level is a twice-daily reminder of how connected we are to things outside of our world. Tide goes in, tide goes out. Never a miscommunication. You can't explain that. Oh, wait, I think I just did.</div>David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-90823372662549836742012-07-04T20:15:00.001-04:002012-07-04T20:15:24.021-04:00Seashore Ornithology: The Brown PelicanOne of my favorite shorebirds is by far the brown pelican (<i>Pelecanus occidentalis</i>). It is small in comparison to the other members of its genus, and it is a fairly common bird in my neck of the woods. But that makes them no less interesting. They also have a relatively rich fossil record. Fossil <i>Pelecanus </i>are known from the Early Oligocene around 30 million years ago, and by that point they were already very like modern forms. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76SsxXU-xd7Y_JkPIIXKj7BEVNACh0qJ6DOfAh95zKnB6HqIiNCzGfHKvRBMf6XBEM2wsHH-tzdSTGMMEu6W1og9gONXkxemk4XBN1udw9Ufyh1tB8ThuJSyjW5IPqhbWRPzwznmWWdU/s1600/Pelecanus+occidentalis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76SsxXU-xd7Y_JkPIIXKj7BEVNACh0qJ6DOfAh95zKnB6HqIiNCzGfHKvRBMf6XBEM2wsHH-tzdSTGMMEu6W1og9gONXkxemk4XBN1udw9Ufyh1tB8ThuJSyjW5IPqhbWRPzwznmWWdU/s400/Pelecanus+occidentalis.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pair of <i>Pelecanus occidentalis</i> fly above the beach at <a href="http://www.floridastateparks.org/northpeninsula/default.cfm">North Peninsula State Park, Florida</a>.</td></tr>
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Brown pelicans are known for diving for their meals, which they catch in large gular pouches attached to their lower bill. On land, they move about rather clumsily with their large bodies and webbed feet. But in flight, they are truly magnificent. Their long broad wings make them brilliant gliders. And when they flock together, which they do more often than not, they are a sight to see as they soar gently above the sand and waves.</div>David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-933906984625926502012-07-02T16:36:00.001-04:002012-07-04T20:16:11.336-04:00Beach Blogging<div style="text-align: center;">
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Time for a holiday! This week I'll be spending my days by the beach and bay, and am looking forward to a little relaxation, plenty of time outdoors, and a chance to share it with you all. The sea, home of our earliest ancestors, has always held a certain appeal to me. While our more recent ancestors may have moved away from it for more terrestrial way of life, there are many plants and animals that never left. And even more that returned to the waters and shorelines of the world secondarily. I think I've always envied them a bit. Combined with the endless hours I spent as a child combing the beach and watching the water, I always look forward to being able to return myself. So with that in mind, keep an eye out here and on <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Superoceras">Twitter</a> for seaside science <span style="background-color: white;">(among other things) </span><span style="background-color: white;">this week.</span><br />
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<br />David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-86923265304125498952012-06-24T21:30:00.000-04:002012-06-24T21:32:26.453-04:00Goodbye, Lonesome George.<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Lonesome George in his corral at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin_Research_Station">Charles Darwin Research Center</a> on Isla Santa Cruz.</td></tr>
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In December 1971 , the last Pinta Island tortoise (<i>Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni</i>) was discovered in the Galápagos. This <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelonoidis_nigra_abingdoni">solitary male</a> would come to be known as "Lonesome George", and he would spend the rest of his days serving as an international symbol for conservation. As the last of his subspecies, much effort was put into trying to breed him with females of closely related subspecies, but all eggs laid were infertile. Today, Lonesome George's life ended, and with it, another (sub)species has gone extinct. <br />
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The loss of one tortoise (or any tortoise for that matter) may seem trivial to some, but George's death is important to take note of. He became the last of his species because of human activity. His kind was over-hunted, and the introduction of a non-native, competing species to his home island put additional stress on an already struggling population. Nothing was thought of it at the time. They are just tortoises after all, right? I don't think so. We have a considerable amount of power when it comes to the livelihood of the other organisms we share the planet with. How we use that power is up to us. It's our responsibility to be mindful of our choices, and be good stewards of this place we call home. Just because we can force a species in to extinction, doesn't mean we should. Even if they are just tortoises. <span style="background-color: white;">Let the life and death of Lonesome George serve as a reminder of that.</span><br />
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<br /></div>David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-42545352192617417172012-06-22T10:01:00.000-04:002012-06-22T10:01:09.820-04:00Interweb Science of the Week #11It's been a long time since I've done an ISW, but this video from MinutePhysics was so great, I had to bring it back.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN39H1Eb-6I&list=PLED25F943F8D6081C&index=1&feature=plcp"><i>Open Letter to the Universe</i></a>, by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/minutephysics?feature=watch">Minute Physics</a>, from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a>.<br />
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Simple, entertaining videos explaining what can be rather complex ideas about science. Love it. This is what the Interwebs were made for. Just throw a few cats in there, and you're covered.</div>
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And while on the subject of Interweb Science, Dr. Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. has entered the Twitterverse, "mostly for instructional purposes". Dr. Holtz already has a fairly large web presence, so I'm a little concerned his being on Twitter might officially break the internet. But I still recommend following him <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/TomHoltzPaleo">@TomHoltzPaleo</a>. I'm sure we'll end up seeing some cats there too. Happy Friday!</div>
</div>David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-73608353594658677842012-06-20T23:50:00.001-04:002012-06-22T09:00:26.675-04:00Things I Learned This Semester #31<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white;">I've been learning since the day I was born, and this semester was no exception. In my lifetime I've managed to pick up a little bit about a lot of things. But I'm certainly no expert when it comes to any of it. And I kind of like that. This world is a big place, and the vastness beyond it is incomprehensible. It's hard to focus on any one thing when there is always so much left out there to focus on. I'm eternally grateful for that. Because it means that no matter what I learn, there will always be something out there left for me to discover. We'll never have all of the answers to all of our questions about Life. </span><span style="background-color: white;">None of us can ever learn all there is to know about the Universe. And when it comes to Everything, well, you can forget it.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: white;">But that's ok. We don't have to know everything. Being able to live and learn a little along the way is amazing in itself. The fact that I'm here today to write this at all (or that you're here to read it for that matter) is a wonderful gift. We're all here because some </span><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17453-timeline-the-evolution-of-life.html?full=true">3.8 billion years ago</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Life began on this little blue sphere. And we're all fortunate enough to be the end result. Our ancestors, and the ancestors of every other living thing on Earth, managed to survive every mass extinction event in the history of the planet. We all share a common ancestry, and have a very long history. Science, knowledge itself, is the vessel through which we can explore it together.</span><br />
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I promised 31 things I learned this semester for the 31 days in May. May is long over, and as the Summer Solstice comes to an end, so does this series. But never forget the most important thing you can ever learn: there is never a point at which we stop learning. Every day is a unique experience, and there is always something you can take from it. No matter how small any of us may seem in the grand scheme of things, it's important to realize that we get to be a part of it. That the very fiber of the Universe runs through each and every one of us. That we are all connected to each other, and everything else as well. <span style="background-color: white;">Our collective story is a </span><span style="background-color: white;">phenomenal</span><span style="background-color: white;"> one. The next time you look up into the night sky, take a moment to </span><span style="background-color: white;">realize</span><span style="background-color: white;"> we're all <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronology_of_the_universe">13.75 billion years</a> (give or take) in the making. This is not an original thought, and many minds more brilliant than mine have said it in many ways more elegant than this. But it never hurts to reiterate. So as the heat of summer approaches, keep learning, everyone. I'm very eager to hear about what you discover along the way.</span><br />
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<br /></div>David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-63109804181340196992012-06-20T21:54:00.003-04:002012-06-20T21:54:52.275-04:00Things I Learned This Semester #30<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white;">I'll admit, I'm a bit of a collector. And when it comes to my passion for natural history, there aren't many exceptions. Fossils, plant specimens for the garden, even toys (I'm not proud... well, maybe a little); all collected. And I love wildlife and wild places, so I collect them too. But bringing home the Great Smokey Mountains or an American alligator is a bit of a stretch. So I collect things like that in pictures. I know some really talented photographers, and I'm not one of them. In my experience, I've learned it's not the </span><span style="background-color: white;">lens</span><span style="background-color: white;"> or the camera; heck, with me it's not even the photographer. It's all luck, in more ways than one. Being in the right place, at the right time. Being able to go to those places at all. Being able to see the things I've seen. And sometimes, being able to bring them home with me. I'm a very lucky person, indeed.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More wildlife than you can shake a stick at, soaking up the sun on the banks of the St. Johns River in Florida.</td></tr>
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<br /></div>David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-21901964935966086982012-05-31T11:32:00.001-04:002012-06-07T22:51:31.061-04:00Things I Learned This Semester #29<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Water, water, everywhere, right? We're all taught that something like 70% of the surface of the Earth is covered in water. And when you take a look at an image of our "blue planet" from space, it does look more "blue" than anything else. But this stunning image puts a whole new perspective on it. Or, at least, it did for me.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Earth, with all it's water locked up in a bunch of huge marbles. Illustration by <a href="http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=80696&i=7301">Jack Cook</a> of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, from the <a href="http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/2010/gallery/global-water-volume.html">USGS website</a>.</td></tr>
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The large blue sphere over the middle of the North American continent represents <b>all</b> of the water on Earth. Every molecule of H<sub>2</sub>O, solid, liquid, or gas, in every living and non-living system. The smaller sphere over Kentucky represents the portion ( around 2.5%) of that water that is actually fresh, the majority of which is underground and inaccessible to the life that relies on it. The even smaller dot, the one over Atlanta, Georgia; that one represents the freshwater in all the rivers and lakes on the planet. The water we most rely on. <br />
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As strange and interesting as it is to see Earth's water pulled off the globe and represented in this way, there is something else to take away from this image: <b>water is precious</b>. In some parts of the world, <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/02/0224_060224_bottled_water.html">people pay more</a> for a gallon of water than they do for a gallon of gasoline. In others, water shortages take a toll on the <a href="http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-06/hyderabad/32078103_1_state-board-schools-water-crisis-anjali-razdan">lives</a> and <a href="http://southwestfarmpress.com/irrigation/water-crisis-california-texas-threatens-us-food-security">livelihoods</a> of many. And even worse, in many places water is <a href="http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-06-03/health/bs-gr-harmful-algae-blooms-20120603_1_algae-blooms-fertilizer-and-pet-waste">polluted</a> with little regard of the consequences. Having access to clean, drinkable water, right out of a tap, is something that many of us are so used to, we take it for granted. But every drop counts, and protecting and conserving water is more important now than it has ever been. As you can clearly see above, the "brown planet" is nowhere near as attractive as the "blue" one we all call home.David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-12272890208411909632012-05-29T09:16:00.000-04:002012-05-29T09:17:00.146-04:00Things I Learned This Semester #28<div style="text-align: left;">
Spanish moss is a lie. I guess I'd never thought about it, because I'd never encountered this puzzling plant before. But we crossed paths for the first time when I went to Florida this semester. As it turns out, <i>Tillandsia usneoides</i> is neither Spanish, nor moss. It's actually a bromeliad, and it is more closely related to a pineapple than it is to any moss or lichen that it resembles. Like many other bromeliads (Bromeliaceae), it is an epiphyte or "air plant", and grows by absorbing nutrients and water from moisture in the air as it hangs form the branches of its tree cousins. It's important to note that it doesn't directly harm the trees it clings to, and doesn't take anything from the tree. But it can reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches the trees leaves, or potentially break branches as water absorbed weighs them down.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spanish moss (<i>Tillandsia usneoides</i>) blows in the southern breeze at <a href="http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/">Blue Spring State Park</a> in Florida.</td></tr>
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Some fun facts about Spanish moss:</div>
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<li>Spanish moss has been used as a bedding and clothing material for quite some time. Henry T. Ford actually used it to stuff the seats of the Model-T. But remember, it is an air plant, so it grows by absorbing moisture from its environment. The story goes that as the seats got older, they also got firmer, eventually exploding at the seams because of the growth of the moss inside.</li>
<li>It also makes great great tinder for your fire. Building a fire is only half the battle, but lighting one, particularly when it's wet, can be a different story. I found Spanish moss to be a great fire starter, as is dries out fairly easily and is very combustible. But...</li>
<li>Chiggers (larval trombiculid mites, also known as redbugs) love the stuff, and commonly take up residence in Spanish moss that has fallen to the ground. If you know me, you know I didn't pull my tinder out of a tree. I got it off the ground, along with my kindling and fire fuel. That also means I got something else.</li>
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</div>David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239973789011419490.post-65024431232768586782012-05-27T21:05:00.000-04:002012-05-27T21:05:11.842-04:00Things I Learned This Semester #22 - 27: Energy Edition Part IINow, where did we leave off last time? Oh, right, alternative energy sources. I touched briefly on the potential that solar technologies have to offer. But there are a number of other alternatives to the currently fossil fuel driven system we use.<br />
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#22 - Another alternative that is currently in use is in several places across the world is nuclear power. Maryland actually gets around 30% of it's electricity from two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_reactor">nuclear reactors </a>at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, and this is actually a much cleaner source of energy than the coal that powers the bulk of the state. There is a negative stigma associated with nuclear power that, prior to the beginning of this semester, I have to admit I kind of bought into. But today my opinion has changed. The fact of the matter is, despite the few well known accidents that have occurred at nuclear power plants, it is a very safe and controlled process. And according to the International Panel on Climate Control (IPCC), there are enough world uranium reserves (the fuel nuclear reactors need) to provide energy for the next 85 years. The spent fuel could even be reprocessed and used again in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breeder_reactor">breeder reactors</a>. This would give us over 1,000 years of energy at current usage rates. There is the issue of the radioactive waste produced in the process of creating this energy, and any means of storing it would have be safe, secure, and long-lasting. But looking at the big picture, nuclear is not as bad as it seems, especially when you consider the currently used alternatives, and the volume of waste they are producing.<br />
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#23 - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy">Geothermal heat energy</a> is another sustainable option. Very sustainable, in fact, because any portion we are able to extract would seem like nothing compared to the 10<sup>31</sup> J internal heat content of the Earth. The United States actually did a fairly good job of tapping into this energy resource in 2010, producing more electricity from geothermal than any other country. Globally, 2.420856 x 10<sup>17</sup> J of electricity were produced by taking the heat from the Earth to heat a liquid (usually water) in order to turn a turbine or generator to produce electricity. Geothermal electricity plants still produce and released dissolved gasses, like carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere (around 400 kg od CO<sub>2</sub> per 3.6 x 10<sup>9</sup> J of electricity), but this is a very small number compared to what is produced by conventional fossil fuel plants.<br />
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#24 - As I mentioned in the previous post, around 1-2% of the energy coming from the sun is converted directly to wind energy. That's between 50 and 100 times more than is converted into biomass by all of the plants on Earth. So it stands to reason that harnessing the wind would be a reasonable option. Windmills have been used for quite some time to power a variety of machinery, and today they can be used to generate electricity. At the end of 2009, 2% of global electricity consumption came from wind turbines. And it is a technology that could be implemented on a large scale almost immediately. But like direct solar generated electricity, the trouble with wind is that it is not always available. And so we return to the storage issue I mentioned in part one.<br />
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#25 - Thankfully, there are a number of storage options on the table right now. Some utility companies that generate electricity from solar and wind technologies use <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumped-storage_hydroelectricity">pumped-storage hydroelectricity</a> generation. In these systems, excess energy is used to pump water into elevated reservoirs, where it cam later fall back down through turbines to generate additional electricity when it cannot be generated by the wind or sun. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_energy_storage">Thermal energy storage</a> systems are used in a similar fashion. Water or molten mineral oils are heated with excess energy, and then that heat energy can be used to generate steam to turn turbines to generate electricity during dark or wind-less times. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Two">Solar Two</a> power plant used molten salts in this fashion from 1995 to 1999 with an energy storage efficiency of around 99%. Advanced batteries would be the ideal for both large scale and individual use if you are looking to get "off the grid" completely, but they are expensive because of the cost of the materials it takes to build them. Hopefully, in the near future, this will no longer be the case.<br />
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#26 - In 2006, transportation accounted for 28% of energy used in the United States. And the price of gasoline at the pump keeps increasing on a daily basis, at least in my neck of the woods. And of course, there are a number of pollutants associated with the burning of gasoline in a combustion engine. Is the solution to this problem the electric car? Whether it is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug-in_hybrid">plug-in hybrid</a> (PHEV) or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-electric_vehicle">battery electric</a> vehicle (BEV) you are thinking about buying, the cost is still relatively high, and the payback time is great. But you use less fossil fuels, and that's good, right? That depends on where you get the electricity you're using to charge your vehicle. If you buy a BEV for use around town, and charge it at home in Maryland, that car may not be powered by gasoline, but it will more than likely be powered by electricity from coal. Foiled again! Of course, the carbon emissions coming from the burning of that coal at the power plant would be less than if your cars engine were burning gasoline directly. And if you happen to charge at home and get your electricity from renewable energy sources, that's even better. But the cost of the electric car is still high, and that means that sales of this type of vehicle will not be widespread until the costs are comparable to that of a gasoline powered vehicle.<br />
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#27 - The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Revolution">Green Revolution </a>of the 1940s was started with the intention to eliminate world hunger by advancing agricultural technology. The use of pesticides, fertilizers, machinery, irrigation systems, and new plant cultivars increased agricultural production by 1000% from 1960 to 1990, and hunger decreased during the same period of time. But as agricultural output increased, the energy required to do so also increased, meaning that today we see a decrease in the ratio of crop production to energy input. And the sad news is, most of the energy that goes into this industrial agricultural system comes from fossil fuels. That means that their is a direct correlation to the cost of energy and the cost of food you buy. Whether it is in the form of transportation, chemical fertilizer/herbicide/pesticide production, or machinery, our system of food production has become petroleum based. The food energy we put in our bodies comes from fossil fuels. And yes, I know that in the previous post I mentioned that fossil fuels are technically a form of solar energy. But it stands to reason that when it comes to the production of crops, we could cut out the non-renewable middle man, and rely directly on solar energy to power our bodies. It's worked for Life on Earth so far, so it doesn't seem like a ridiculous notion.<br />
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And that, in short, is what I learned in my physics course this semester. The law of conservation of energy says that energy cannot be created nor destroyed. But it can be conserved, in more ways than one. Yes, it can be conserved in that it it can change it's location in a isolated system over time while remaining constant. But it can also be conserved in the sense that energy use can be reduced and made more efficient. Energy efficiency results in near immediate savings, and simply reducing our energy use adds no additional cost. I think the most important thing I took away from this course was that on a large scale, policy and politics plays a big role in how we generate and use our energy. And global progress can sometimes be impeded by individual nations looking to protect their own interests. But each of us can still do things on the level of the individual to conserve our energy "commons". Keeping our tires inflated, using public transportation, or simply driving less saves energy that goes into transportation. Obtaining foods from local, sustainable sources while in season is better for energy use, and your health. And turning off lights and other electrical appliances when not in use saves energy and money on your utility bills. Reduce waste, reuse what you can, and recycle whatever your city will allow.<br />
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Yes, we need global change, and that will take political power and a whole lot of money to make it happen. But I believe any person that thinks their individual actions can't make a difference is sorely mistaken. Dino-nerds, geek out with me for a moment as you recall <a href="http://jamesgurney.com/site/">James Gurney's</a> <i><a href="http://jamesgurney.com/site/263/dinotopia20">Dinotopia</a> </i>from your childhood (or perhaps more recently), and the second line of the code: "One raindrop raises the sea." There are lots of other good bits in there too, but throughout my years, that particular phrase has really stuck with me. I hope it sticks with you too. And if you want to learn more about any of the topics I briefly covered, let me know in the comments or by e-mail. I'm always eager to hear what you guys think.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Reference</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lathrop, Daniel P. 2012. Personal communication in PHYS105, University of Maryland, College Park. </span><br />
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<br />David Tanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072328548753126802noreply@blogger.com0