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What is patriotism?

June 26, 2024

'Right or wrong, our country' is a popular but flawed expression of patriotism; a morally responsible patriot, on the other hand, tries to protect and improve her country’s moral character.

ruddy

Ruddy copper butterflies are sexually dimorphic for color and color vision

Feb. 2, 2022

It seems that reproductive success and sexual dimorphisms for dorsal color and for vision are inexorably interdependent in ruddy copper butterflies.

solstice

Winter solstice dawn from Flagstaff Mountain amphitheater

Jan. 5, 2022

My viewing of winter solstice dawn was quiet, but I had the conviction that this sort of observation reached far back into history, all around the world.

dead tree

A forensic analysis of a dead ponderosa pine

Dec. 19, 2021

Why did that one tree die? An expert is on the case.

cattails

Cattails are on the move in North America

Dec. 7, 2021

Invasive propensities of the various species are enhanced and more successful in disturbed environments. Consequently, both native and introduced cattails are expanding their ranges.

ruby

Late-fall pollination reflects the globally changing climate

Nov. 17, 2021

My observation that fall temperatures and pollination seemed to last longer this year is anecdotal, but the anecdote seems to fit into a documented pattern of climate change altering the onsets and durations of the seasons.

Plan flying putting out fires by a neighborhood

Humans ignite almost every wildfire that threatens homes

Sept. 22, 2020

Wildfires are a natural disturbance for these regions, but when combined with climate change and housing growth in the wildland-urban interface, they become larger and more destructive.

Kamala Harris

With Kamala Harris, Americans yet again have trouble understanding what multiracial means

Sept. 1, 2020

News that Sen. Kamala Harris was Joe Biden’s choice for the 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee drove speculation and argumentation about her identity. The big question appeared to be, “Is Kamala Harris truly African American?â€

Intentionally mutilated head of Egyptian Pharaoh Hatshepsut. Elizabeth Ellis, CC BY-SA

Ancient cancel cultures: The defacement of statues in America replicates a tradition going back millennia

Aug. 20, 2020

The result of months of protests over racial injustice and monument destruction may seem like a modern form of American political speech. It’s not.

Police car moth on sneezeweed

Police car moths have conspicuous color patterns and fly during the day

Aug. 17, 2020

Wielding all of these defenses, these moths have little to fear from birds or bats and they ignore photographers with impunity Triangular leaf senecio, Senecio triangularis , is common on the eastern slope of Cimarron Ridge in the San Juan Mountains, from 9,000 to over 10,000 feet. This year they...

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