Book Reviews
Ancient Relationships
In our fragmented society, where concepts of competition and survival of the fittest pervade our way of life, we could learn a thing or two from one of the oldest of relationships. Somewhere around 600 million years ago fungi and algae formed a collaboration that allowed algae to move out of the sea and onto […]
It’s Raining Bugs
Well, not quite bugs – microbes! As someone who still squeals every time I see a new type of soil organism beneath the microscope, imagine my delight to discover that these same microbes are an important catalyst for the formation of rain, hail, and snow, and are thought to be responsible for up to 80% […]
Fenna’s Carrots
It’s the last of the dog days of summer (in October!) and we are sitting around a picnic blanket celebrating my youngest’s birthday. The lovely mama next to me is telling us how much she enjoys the sweetness of “Fenna’s carrots.” In two strokes of coincidence, Fenna’s carrots happen to be on the vegetable […]
Soil Matters
If you’re anything like me, hearing doom and gloom numbers about the rapidly dwindling diversity in the biosphere is enough to do your head (and heart) in. Knowing that you can make a real impact, and that there are simple places to start, is a welcome antidote to the paralysis that can come with this […]