November 29—Celebrating a three-tined tribute to the stuff that makes gardens grow seems odd at this time of year. But Global Soil Week, punctuates the end of the U.N.’s International Year of Soils and ends in a trifecta with Saturday’s World Soil Day, relates as much to winter here as … Read more →
Category Archives: Science Scribe
Gadget rich and money poor, British Columbians increase household debt
A relative remarked to me recently about a particular couple of our mutual acquaintance. “They both have good jobs. They have a beautiful house. They have no kids. They travel. They drive expensive cars. They heat their garage throughout the winter. Oh, and you should see all the gadgets and … Read more →
Ghosts of seasons past appear in many guises
During this season of celebrations, seasonal concerts and parties, the subject of holiday traditions inevitably comes up. At a recent party, a friend admitted she had a number of tangible Christmas memories hanging around her place. “I think of them more like skeletons,” she said. “In the closet.” Her closet … Read more →
Hollywood dramas influence real-world medical practice
I recently asked Nature Boy when he had last seen a doctor. He answered, “Not since the final season of House M.D.” Other British Columbians share a similar rate of exposure to medical practice. Most of us are more familiar with characters who take medical license on TV than with … Read more →
We obsess over celebrities’ tribulations and ignore widespread horrors
The killing of Cecil the Lion by big-game hunters in June outraged the world. Thirteen-year-old Cecil lived in Hwanga National Park, Zimbabwe, where he was a major attraction for wildlife tourists. He may have been lured out of the park prior to being killed. Yet this is one animal, albeit … Read more →
