By Refresh Editors You may have gathered that we’re animal lovers by the fact that we marked Valentine’s Day with my essay which was a love letter to cats, but did you know we have a variety of science pieces in our archive? We’ve been lucky to interview experts, and to have science writers delve into the wildest of wildlife. Read along if you interested in exploring the wonders of the natural world with us. And if you want to…
by: Ashleigh Papp The killer whale or orca, also known as Orcinus orca, carries a reputation that can send chills down the spine. The sight of their majestic dark bodies accented with white gliding through the water creates a air of mystery. And, the knowledge of their organized hunting strategies observed in the wild can trigger an image of fear. But, these marine mammals also can ignite a sense of excitement and wonder. Admittedly, the study of just about every…
by: Madhvi Ramani In 2010, when Rachel Love Nuwer was conducting scientific research about how people living near two national parks in Vietnam used the forest, her attention was drawn to the subject of illegal poaching. What followed was a years-long investigation that took her from the waterlogged jungle at Vietnam’s southern tip to a traditional Chinese market in Guangzhou to a South African prison and a reptile zoo in Japan. Poached: Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking is…
by Lauren Jonik Lauren Jonik: You’ve had an incredible career as an astronaut, an aquanaut and an artist. What inspired you to pursue these fields? Nicole Stott: My inspiration all started with parents who shared what they loved with me. My mom is very creative– sewed all our clothes growing up and enjoyed things like macramé and pottery– and she always included me and my sisters. She also encouraged me to take ballet and play softball, and she was the…
by: Ashleigh Papp You’re ready to take your obsession with furry creatures to the next level. Between their ability to go from playful to chill in a second and that oh-so-comforting purr they produce when content, you know a cat is just what you’re looking for. Instead of heading to your local shelter and choosing blindly, you pull out your phone, open an app and start swiping. For now, the idea of using a cat’s personality to fuel an app-based…