Why are there so fewer songbirds, and so many crows?
Songbirds seem to be disappearing, but crows are everywhere. Is there a connection?
Ask the Naturalist
How do barnacles make baby barnacles?
Barnacles are hermaphroditic -- they contain both male and female sex organs. You're thinking, "Well, they always have a date on Saturday night." No, it's a really bad idea to self-fertilize: Inbreeding results in little genetic diversity. Worms, slugs, snails -- slow-moving animals with low rates of encounter -- are all hermaphroditic. And you could not get any slower than an adult barnacle!
Dinosaur eggs on Point Reyes Estero Trail?
Tim Hastings wrote to us wondering about “many large round, almost ‘dinosaur-egg’ like rocks dotting the muddy sands” when he was hiking the Estero Trail. Tim’s guess is that the soft rock is susceptible to erosive shaping during the rise and … Read more
What’s the California newt’s lifespan?
What's a California newt's lifespan? Surprisingly long for captive newts, and wild newts' potent poison likely helps them live longer than other amphibians.
Are deer twins common?
Are deer twins common? Turns out, yes, even though any individual twin fawn is less likely to survive than its singleton cousins. What gives, nature?
Should we be worried about asbestos in serpentine rock?
Should we worry about asbestos in serpentine rock? Yes, a bit. In California, we have North America’s largest exposures. It's even our official state rock.
Biggest Local Land Invertebrate? The Tarantula
Q: What's the largest underground-dwelling invertebrate in the Bay Area? How does it live?
Why do pelicans fly so low?
Learn a few secrets of efficiency from the majestic pelican.
What’s the Secret of Nectar?
Q: When I see bees and hummingbirds feasting on even tiny flowers, I wonder if each flower replenishes the nectar supply, or is it a one-time offering?
Can bees see more colors than we can?
Can bees see colors that people can't? What about birds? How do scientists figure out what can be seen by other animals, especially small animals like insects?
