Nature
A Day to Highlight Another Disaster
There are five rhino species in the world. Zoos might have a few rhino species, but probably not all five. Rhinos are quite rare nowadays. Your chances of seeing these amazing creatures in the wild are pretty low now. Here are the latest population numbers (2024):
By Calvin London2 months ago in Earth
The Silent Giants in Our Yards: How to Spot a Dangerous Tree
Most of us look at a mature shade tree and see nothing but benefits: a place to string a summer hammock, a natural canopy that lowers our afternoon cooling bills, and a beautiful, grounding anchor for our landscaping. Because we naturally associate green leaves with vitality, we tend to assume that a tree with a full canopy is strong and safe.
By ORB Tree Service Marketing2 months ago in Earth
Adventures in Trail Running
“The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” - Christopher McCandless from “Into the Wild”
By Jeff Barton2 months ago in Earth
Rare and Endangered Animals of Canada
Burrowing Owls Two laws are simultaneously broken by a grassland owl that lives underground and hunts during the day. On the prairies, burrowing owls build their nests in old ground squirrel and badger burrows, which is problematic when the grassland and tunnels are continuously being turned into agriculture. Only a few hundred pairs remain in Canada, and the birds that migrate south over the winter do not return. They are so small that they are hardly taller than a soda can. To frighten away predators, they will make a rattlesnake impression from inside the burrow.
By Rasma Raisters2 months ago in Earth
From Hydrogen to Life: The Story of Matter
• • • We left off with a universe of stars, elements, and increasingly complex molecules forming on the surfaces of young planets. The process had already demonstrated a clear direction, from simple toward complex, from formless toward structured. But the most extraordinary chapter was still ahead.
By Han Elucidation2 months ago in Earth
The Silent Threat to California’s Native Oaks: Understanding the Goldspotted Oak Borer
California’s native oaks are more than beautiful features of the landscape; they are living anchors across the state's natural ecosystems. From rolling coastal valleys to mountain foothills, mature oak trees provide essential wildlife habitat, prevent soil erosion, and offer deep shade that defines the region’s environment. Yet across Southern California, thousands of these iconic giants are dying from a threat operating almost entirely out of sight.
By ORB Tree Service Marketing2 months ago in Earth
Rattlesnake Circles in The Sand
Despite it being 107° in Southern Arizona last week, it’s my favorite time of year. Not only is it monsoon season, when you can watch towering and ominous clouds roll in from afar that often result in intense storms and fiery sunsets, it’s also when the animal population comes alive. The desert becomes lush and vibrant, contrasting with the drabness of winter. While I’m certainly ready for cooler temperatures after enduring another Arizona summer, the desert wildlife aren’t as abundant in colder months, and seeing animals is one of my favorite joys of trail running. Plus, when it’s hot, the trails are empty and not full of people who act like it’s their first time outdoors.
By Jeff Barton2 months ago in Earth
What a Decaying Canopy Taught Us About Tree Diagnostics
A few years back, a homeowner called an inspection team in a near panic. A mature red oak in their backyard was rapidly turning brown and dropping leaves out of season. The homeowner was convinced a wood-boring beetle was devouring the trunk from the inside out.
By ORB Tree Service Marketing2 months ago in Earth
