Well not exactly. I’m still in Minnesota, but my blog has moved to the Southern Fried Science Network, also known as The Gam. My new address is http://zoologirl.southernfriedscience.com! Sorry to make you update bookmarks and whatnot, but I’m really excited about joining a network of fellow science bloggers! I’ll still be blogging about the same topics, so please join me at my new home. And while you’re at it, check out the collection of great science bloggers also on the Southern Fried Science Network.
No quick links this week. I’ve been pretty busy and haven’t had much time to even read! I soon will have time for more blogging though and also a big announcement!
But, a few weeks ago, I asked if anyone could name Carl Linnaeus’s favorite plant. I figured I should follow-up on that (even though no one tried to answer).
*drumroll*
Linnaea borealis from Wikipedia
The answer is Twinflower (Linnaea borealis)! From the photo above, you can probably tell how the plant received its common name. As for the scientific name, you may think that Linnaeus named the plant after himself, being the father of modern taxonomy and all. However, it was his teacher and friend Jan Frederik Gronovius that named the plant in his honor. On the naming, Linnaeus wrote:
“Linnaea was named by the celebrated Gronovius and is a plant of Lapland, lowly, insignificant and disregarded, flowering but for a brief space – from Linnaeus who resembles it.”
Linnaea borealis illustration from Wikipedia
Twinflower grows around the world at northern latitudes. I’ve come across it often here in Minnesota. It really is an adorable plant, especially when flowering, and I can see why it was Linnaeus’s favorite.
Posted in Frivolous Fact, Plants | Tagged botany, linnaeus, Minnesota, plants, science |
On a Thursday!
- First, something that put a smile on my face. One of my posts was included in the most recent edition of Scientia Pro Publica (Science for the People) blog carnival! There are plenty of great blog posts about science in this edition about everything from drunk bats and venomous mammals to discussions of the peer-review process. So go check it out!
- Cosmic curiosity reveals ghostly glow of dead quasar- discovered through the citizen science project Galaxy Zoo!
- Do you ever get sad from reading about endangered species and losses of biodiversity? Then you must read Back from the Brink: Victories in Conservation over at Southern Fried Science. It discusses a recent paper in Science which shows conservation efforts are helping to slow extinctions. I couldn’t help but notice that a few of the success stories they highlighted are in part thanks to zoo breeding programs, including that of the the Asian Wild Horse. The Minnesota Zoo played a significant part in their recovery, and here’s a great video on that story.
- And related to my rant yesterday, I think the paper mentioned above supports how important scientific publications can be, especially considering the paper provides evidence that conservation efforts work and need more support. In addition, one of the co-authors is none other than the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Bear Biologist David Garshelis. He is also co-chair of the IUCN Bear Specialist Group, and was recently on The Colbert Report sticking to his story that he’s not afraid of bears. Videos below!
Posted in Conservation, Minnesota, Quick Links, Wildlife | Tagged Asian Wild Horse, Bears, biodiversity, Citizen Science, conservation, Endangered Species, Minnesota, Minnesota Zoo, Research, science, The Colbert Report, wildlife, zoos |
For a while now, I have considered writing about the controversy surrounding Dr. Lynn Roger’s black bear research and whether collared bears should be protected from hunting. I haven’t done so yet because I haven’t formed a solid opinion, can see both sides of the argument, and am not a bear hunter. But recently, Lynn Rogers made some comments that I can’t ignore.
Lynn Rogers and Black Bear
Posted in Conservation, Minnesota, Wildlife | Tagged american black bear, bear hunting, Bears, black bears, Ely, ely mn, hunting, lily and hope, lily the black bear, lynn rogers, Minnesota, Research, science, wildlife, wildlife research, Wildlife Research Institute | 8 Comments »
I’ve had zero time to blog lately. Hopefully, I will have some time by the end of this week. But, I did still get the chance to put together a quick links for this week!
- It’s almost Halloween! If you will be giving out candy this Halloween, make sure it doesn’t contain non-sustainable palm oil that harms Orangutans and other wildlife by following the Orangutan Friendly Halloween Candy Guide (.pdf file). You can learn more about Orangutans and the Palm Oil Crisis here.
- More reasons why I wish I had a smart phone: What kind of beetle? This app knows.
- New tools use citizen science to monitor wildlife diseases and human health.
- From the Star Tribune: The Bear Whisperer. An in-depth look into Lynn Roger’s and The Wildlife Research Institutes’s Black Bear Research. However, I don’t think the article fully delivers on the “But not everyone agrees with methods of Lynn Rogers” aspect of the story and the controversies surrounding this research and bear hunting. I may write more on this if I get enough time in the near future.
- In my last Quick Links, I asked if anyone could name the favorite plant of Carl Linnaeus without looking it up. No one answered! I’ll give you all one more chance to answer (you can even look it up this time- but then you have to add some extra info you find interesting
). Either way, I’ll write up a post this weekend with the answer.
Posted in Quick Links | Tagged apps, Bears, candy, Citizen Science, conservation, halloween, lily the black bear, lynn rogers, orangutans, palm oil, plants, Research, science, smart phones, wildlife, wildlife diseases |
This grass was much taller than me! I don’t know what kind of grass it is, so if anyone just happens to be able to identify it from the photo, I would love to know! 
See more skies from around the world at SkyWatch Friday!
Posted in Skywatch | Tagged grass, photography, skywatch friday, This | 9 Comments »
- Linnaeus, Shlinnaeus! – Fun scientific names! Though the author didn’t mention one of my favorites Aptostichus stephencolberti named after none other than Stephen Colbert. I’ll give props to anyone who can name Linnaeus’s favorite flower (without looking it up). Anyone?
- It’s Wolf Awareness Week! So, I’m going to focus the rest of this post on wolves. The International Wolf Center has information galore online about wolves. You can learn from Frequently Asked Questions, keep up with wolves in the news, read full text scientific articles, find fun activities for kids, track wild wolves, and much, much more! The center is located in Ely, Minnesota and definitely worth a visit if you live anywhere nearby.
- Recent news: Idaho’s governor says state will no longer manage wolves or control poaching
- And I’ll finish off this Quick Links with some awesome wolf videos:
Wolf communication and hunting (David Attenborough does a pretty decent howl!) Source
From BBC Planet Earth: Wolves hunting caribou Source
Wolves Fishing! Source
Posted in Conservation, Events, Wildlife | Tagged events, international wolf center, links, linnaeus, Minnesota, science, stephen colbert, wildlife, wolf awareness week, wolves | 3 Comments »
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