We leave October feeling haunted, slightly cursed and guilty of at least six of the seven deadly sins (Sloth couldn’t be bothered). You smashed the Community Challenge, so go ahead and take a victory lap round the graveyard.
Now the pumpkins are composted and it’s back to business as usual.
This week: a fixer-upper on Mars and a frog that glows in the dark. Let’s ride…
Location, location, location
FOR SALE: Utopia Planitia, Mars. A substantial plot on the northern plains, within an impact basin 3,300 kilometres across. Established neighbours include NASA’s Viking 2 (moved in 1976) and China’s Zhurong rover (2021). Generous buried ice storage, roughly a Lake Superior’s worth. Trekkies will know the address: the Enterprise-D was built here. Atmosphere not included.
Lights, camera, amphibian
Observe the Polka-dot Tree Frog in its natural habitat: mottled, spotted, utterly unremarkable. Now switch on the ultraviolet torch. In 2017, researchers in Argentina did exactly that and the frog lit up like kryptonite with legs, the first fluorescent amphibian ever recorded. It isn’t producing light, merely reflecting it: molecules in its lymph and glands soak up UV and beam it back in blue-green. Truly, nature’s hi-vis.
Stranger in a strange land
Every Western needs a tumbleweed bouncing down main street before the shootout. But this staple of the American West is no American at all! Salsola tragus, or Russian thistle, arrived in South Dakota in the 1870s, hidden in a shipment of flaxseed. Once dead, it snaps off at the base and rolls, scattering up to 250,000 seeds. Riding off into the sunset was never so productive.
Coming your way this week…
Get inspired by the Prominent Painters, gaze up at the Super Structures, and set course for Exploring the Stars. Put down roots with Plant Life, arm yourself with Weapons of Choice, and take cover from the Fearsome Flyers above!
Energy Rules:
Featured Collections:
Prominent Painters
Super Structures
Exploring the Stars
Plant Life
Weapons of Choice
Fearsome Flyers
As always,
Keep it CUE!
We leave October feeling haunted, slightly cursed and guilty of at least six of the seven deadly sins (Sloth couldn’t be bothered). You smashed the Community Challenge, so go ahead and take a victory lap round the graveyard.
Now the pumpkins are composted and it’s back to business as usual.
This week: a fixer-upper on Mars and a frog that glows in the dark. Let’s ride…
Location, location, location
FOR SALE: Utopia Planitia, Mars. A substantial plot on the northern plains, within an impact basin 3,300 kilometres across. Established neighbours include NASA’s Viking 2 (moved in 1976) and China’s Zhurong rover (2021). Generous buried ice storage, roughly a Lake Superior’s worth. Trekkies will know the address: the Enterprise-D was built here. Atmosphere not included.
Lights, camera, amphibian
Observe the Polka-dot Tree Frog in its natural habitat: mottled, spotted, utterly unremarkable. Now switch on the ultraviolet torch. In 2017, researchers in Argentina did exactly that and the frog lit up like kryptonite with legs, the first fluorescent amphibian ever recorded. It isn’t producing light, merely reflecting it: molecules in its lymph and glands soak up UV and beam it back in blue-green. Truly, nature’s hi-vis.
Stranger in a strange land
Every Western needs a tumbleweed bouncing down main street before the shootout. But this staple of the American West is no American at all! Salsola tragus, or Russian thistle, arrived in South Dakota in the 1870s, hidden in a shipment of flaxseed. Once dead, it snaps off at the base and rolls, scattering up to 250,000 seeds. Riding off into the sunset was never so productive.
Coming your way this week…
Get inspired by the Prominent Painters, gaze up at the Super Structures, and set course for Exploring the Stars. Put down roots with Plant Life, arm yourself with Weapons of Choice, and take cover from the Fearsome Flyers above!
Energy Rules:
Featured Collections:
Prominent Painters
Super Structures
Exploring the Stars
Plant Life
Weapons of Choice
Fearsome Flyers
As always,
Keep it CUE!
