It’s something that some orb spiders do, a web embellishment whose purpose is debated. It’s called a stabilimentum, and arty spiders named Shea or Absinthe (Charlotte is just too on the nose) spin it out aciniform silk — different material than they use for the surrounding web. Typically its done in concentric circles or an […]
What can I say about Kate Horowitz, our newest LWON member, whose debut piece is about to drop on Monday? She’s insanely creative and smart, generous as can be, and has a truly unique voice that draws you in and holds you tight. She’s a science writer, essayist, and poet, for starters; I promise her […]
Coral head? Nope. Fungus! Hen of the Woods, perhaps, though I’m no mycologist and am happy to be corrected. (It popped up on my wooded property in central Virginia. It’s the size of a soccer ball. Impressive.) What I do know is Nature loves to repeat herself. If a shape works nicely in one environment, […]
We are people who love clubs. By “we” I mean all of us. As much as we pledge unity and “oneness,” people are regularly slapping on a label of some kind and then flashing that label to those who don’t have it. It’s human nature to affiliate, of course, and it’s also satisfying to belong. […]
“Is today Sunday?” my dad asks. Here we are again, having the usual phone conversation, when we go over the day of the week, the time, and whether it’s a “shower day” at the nursing home. If we talk two hours later, the same questions are bound to come up. What day is it? Do […]
Material mirth: It has a nice ring to it. And there’s nothing wrong with buying new cork placemats or ridiculously overpriced hiking socks because new placemats or new socks make you smile. In fact, sometimes buying things you don’t really need is super rewarding. Like, if I could buy a tiny tropical white-sand island with […]
An explosive inflammatory response called a cytokine storm damages the blood-brain barrier. This may allow inflammatory cells and molecules—and possibly viral particles—to enter the brain. Patients may develop seizures, confusion, coma or encephalopathy (a brain abnormality that leads to altered mental states or behaviors). (Here.) Back in April, as the pandemic was just revving up, […]
When I look in the mirror, though everything is mildly blurry, I can’t not see the signs of aging I used to think might miraculously skip me—back when I was being carded in bars (at 43!!). But there they all are, the sags and swollen bits, the divots and wrinkles, the spots and stiff (and […]