Strange Science

You’ll have to forgive my severe lack of updates. Summer has not been kind to me where spare time is concerned. Work and chores and all manner of bustling about has caused my blog to fall into neglect.
I hope to improve my blog considerably over the next year, if at all possible, so hang tight and I’ll give it a little more TLC!
Thanks to all those who have dropped by to take a look - I hope you found it interesting!

On a more playful note, who’s seen Ponyo?

I thought it was awfully cute - nothing like a kid-friendly Man Vs. Nature-themed film by good ol’ Hayao Miyazaki! The man’s a genius. =D

Human beings have been taking from nature for many years.
This April, Disney made a landmark decision.

Isn’t it about time we started giving back?
 

A whopping 2.7 million trees will be planted in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest in honor of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures’ release of Disneynature EARTH, a movie which grossed $16.1 million in just one week during its time in theaters. This particular rainforest has suffered much deforestation and this massive replanting effort will be a massive boost for the area’s ecosystem - plant and animal alike.

A huge hit with moviegoers and critics alike, the movie gives a colorful and touching look into the world of different animal families sharing the world we call home - a poignant and powerful message for all humanity to realize and understand - we aren’t the only ones on this big blue planet, and we have to do our part to keep it alive and healthy.

If you’d like to know more about the movie, and the directors’ take on its production, check out this informative Q&A post, and you’ll be glad you did.

PS. Don’t forget - do your part whenever you can! Recycle water bottles, keep trash off the ground, and treat the environment well so it can treat you well, too.

[/cheesy ending statement]

– Silver Gummi Shark.

All right. I wanna see a show of digital hands.

Who has ever had a Sea Monkeys kit when they were growing up? Come on, don’t be shy!
Leave a comment and tell me about it!

I had a couple, if I remember well. I LOVED the little guys. I could sit and watch them for hours. I’ve been tempted to pick up another kit lately, but haven’t yet had the time.

Well, for any of you unfamiliar with the strange and fascinating world of Sea Monkeys, here’s a nice little shameless plug - I mean, official advertisement to show you how it’s done:

Aw, yeah - it’s a bit cheesy, but it sure looks easy, right?

Basically, these shrimp-like creatures live happily inside a custom tank with pure, clean water and yummy powder-food to keep them alive and well. They’re pretty cute from a distance, but they’re actually kind of creepy close up…

WHOA!

What I find most interesting is their locomotion - the way they move underwater. See how they move their many little legs? Lots of arthropods like shrimp and baby lobsters move like that, too. It helps direct microscopic food toward their mouths as well, so they basically eat as they go. Pretty cool, right?

Now, if these little chaps didn’t get your going “Ewww”, then this fellow might.

Enter the triops! It looks like something straight out of the days of dinosaurs, doesn’t it?

If you’ve got a hankering to get some of these pets for your own to observe and admire, be sure to go give the official Sea Monkeys website a look, and pick up some triops on your way. It’s well worth the money, especially if you love marine critters like I do. =P 

Hey, all. Silver Gummi Shark here, with a fun break from the solid articles I’ve been submitting.

I recently email-interviewed a very nice groundskeeper named Dana Borglum at Southeastern University in Florida, and asked him a few questions about his job there.

Time for some question and answer goodness!

1. What is your job title?
My job title is “Groundskeeper”. 

2. Why did you go into this line of work?
I have always been interested in the care and maintenance of nature, but I work at this specific job because I was attending classes here.  Although my first interest/calling is ministry (I am currently a youth pastor), I very much enjoy what I do and hope to continue this type of work in some capacity for a long time.

3.  How does nature inspire/affect you?
In the book of Romans, Paul says that man is without excuse regarding their belief in God because He has revealed Himself in nature.  When I am working closely with God’s creation I feel closer to Him.  I feel like I am doing what God originally called man to do in Eden by being a steward of His creation, and I do believe it is important for everybody to have a desire for that stewardship.

4.  Do you feel it is important to take care of nature? What advice do you have for students/anyone concerning nature?
Obviously not everybody is going have the type of job I have - somebody has to make money :).  However, everyone can participate in the care of God’s creation by simply being responsible with the resources that they have available to them.  I believe that by getting out and enjoying nature regularly, you can foster a deeper desire for its care.

Thanks again, Mr. Borglum!