Think of these ‘seasonal’ blog posts as something like a “blog within a blog.” It’s an easy-breezy way to add new content (on a variety of topics). These are subject to editing, right up to when the next seasonal one begins.
(4) (Thursday, June 4, 2026)
It might take another six months to finish going through all my boxes of past issues of Science News. But it’s fun. I’m enjoying it. I’ll give some examples of some of the pages I’ve pulled out to save (at least temporarily).
Sometimes, I rip a page out because I want to look something up (not that I’ll necessarily have the time). For example, one article states that Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) were first spotted in the United States in 1891; but are now in 21 states. But what does the ant look like? It would be nice if it included a photo.
“Residents of the brain / Scientists turn up startling diversity among nerve cells” (July 30, 2011) is an article I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s a keeper!
“If it looks like a sphere. . . / Exploring the newly proposed solution to a famous problem about three-dimensional shapes” (June 14, 2003) is a good example of the type of article that usually doesn’t interest me. But glancing through it, I found it intriguing. Maybe I’ll have a chance to read it.
“Sauna use among dads linked to tumors in children,” (August 26, 2006), not sure why I’m saving this one, but hey, I’m using it here! (And someone — not yet conceived — might benefit.)
“String Trio / Novel instrument strums like a guitar, rings like a bell” (June 3, 2006). Interesting. I’m curious what the “tritare” actually sounds like.
“Leggiest Animal / Champ millipede located after 79-year gap” (June 10, 2006). This article is about a millipede species that has up to 750 legs!
On one page I ripped out, half the page is an advertisement. For a book titled Breaking the Mind Barrier. On its cover, it states: “A brilliantly original way to think about art, science, the mind, and the universe.” It’s author, Todd Siler, seems to be setting the bar rather high, don’t you think? I’m skeptical, but curious.
Finally, I’ll conclude with this. This is the only one that directly pertains to saving the planet. On the ‘Books’ page (May 31, 2003), which features “a selection of new and notable books of scientific interest,” there’s one particularly worth noting: Our Final Hour: A Scientist’s Warning: How Terror, Error, and Environmental Disaster Threaten Humankind’s Future in This Century — on Earth and Beyond, by Martin Rees. Basic Books is the publishing house. Here is how the book is described on that page:
It used to be that our greatest threats were natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and asteroid impacts. Now, Rees argues, our future may be more imperiled by our own scientific advances. (. . .) Rees considers the ultimate challenge for humanity in this century to be to tame our inventiveness before it proves our undoing. He fears that advances in microbiology and genetics, combined with their rapid dissemination on the internet, could be a hazardous mix. Biological terrorism is one example, but Rees asserts that malicious intent isn’t a prerequisite for danger. (. . .) Rees considers how science is advancing at an exponential rate and urges us to consider the consequences.
That is from 2003. Fast forward to today and we find ourselves living in a world where we literally can’t build bombs fast enough to fuel all the wars and killing in the world. Trump is demanding Iran give up its nuclear ambitions. But bioterrorism could be the far greater danger. That and the trajectory we’re on. The greed and desire for ever more profit and consumer goods. The unquenchable thirst for energy and resources that AI datacenters demand. The increasing demand for rare earth minerals. Deep sea mining at commercial scale is in the works. There are plans to set up permanent bases on the moon. Then Mars. Geoengineering is gaining ground. The sheer speed of it all is breathtaking. Clearly, we’re moving way too fast. And the general public has zero say. Our national debt at the federal level is $40 trillion. We’re adding 1,000,000 people to this planet roughly every 100 hours. And what do people want to talk about? Sports, travel and entertainment. WTF.
(3) (Saturday, May 30, 2026) A Poem, by John Gallo
It’ll probably take me a few months to finish — provided that I stick to this endeavor — but right now, with my spare time, I’m going through boxes of old Science News magazines. It’s slow going. So much interesting stuff. What to save, what not to save? Decisions, decisions.
To save money, for the first time in my life, I didn’t renew my subscription when it came due last year — and I’ve been getting Science News a long time, maybe since my junior high school days. But I’m thoroughly enjoying going through these. Maybe in the coming months I’ll pass along some of the interesting stuff I come across.
For example, I thought this was cute. This is from the letters section (May 10, 2003), from John Gallo, of Dallas, Texas. Gallo writes that while visiting a friend he “noticed some June bugs flying around the outside porch light.” That sight “and your recent article,” Gallo continues, “inspired the following short poem entitled ‘Greenhouse Gases’:”
Some people warn
the temperature is rising,
others say it’s not a sure bet.
But June bugs in April
it seems to me,
is as real as a warning can get!
[Note: The article Gallo is referring to in his letter is “Spring Forward,” Science News: 3/8/03, p. 152.]
(2) (Wednesday, April 1, 2026) ‘Noteworthy, 2026′
I’ve started a new feature on my Home page. I call it “Noteworthy.” It’s for sharing articles and headlines I’ve seen recently or in the past. Some are linked, some aren’t. Sometimes the headline says it all. Sometimes, because of the importance of the topic, or because the article brings up some good points, for example, I might choose to hyperlink it for easy access.
I was originally planning to launch this as a unique way to finish off each ‘seasonal’ blog post. But I think it works so much better as an annually recurring “blog post” (page on my Home page). That way I can post new material at my own pace.
The articles and headlines I choose to highlight in this way represent only a small fraction of those I’ve seen. For example, on a daily basis, I visit both The Guardian news site and DrudgeReport.com. Combined, these two sites feature about 100 or so news stories and opinion pieces. But I only make note of about three. And only a fraction of those will find their way onto “Noteworthy.”
Also, it’s possible I might sometimes come across stuff in my storage unit worth sharing on “Noteworthy.”
I hope you enjoy this new feature and find it useful. Check it out!
(1) (Friday, March 27, 2026) A Cartoon that Hangs Near My Desk
“How was your weekend?”
Whenever that question is aimed my way, my answer will likely be: “Weak.”
That response often gets a chuckle — if not a slight look of confusion.
I might ask: “Do you know why?”
And if they take the bait: “No, why?” Then I’ll explain.
With my hands as far apart as is humanly possible, I say: “Because this is my ‘to-do’ list.”
Then, with a thumb and forefinger just a hair’s-width apart, I say: “And this is how much time I have.”
This also gets a laugh. However, it happens to be true.
So much so that, unfortunately, I’ve long since had to make peace with the fact that 99.99% of what ends up in my ‘to-do’ pile (on one of my ‘to-do’ lists), I just don’t have time for, and likely never will. C’est la vie.
By the way, I don’t always take the time to explain this, but my “weekend” falls in the middle of the week. Which is fine, I like it that way. That makes it easier getting certain things done. Like an oil change, or a dentist appointment. Lots of places are closed Sundays or have much-shortened hours, so I’m very glad I don’t have Sundays off.
Would you like to see this all sorta summed up in a cartoon? It was so long ago that I can’t even recall precisely where I first saw this particular cartoon, but when I did, I knew instantly, I just had to make a copy of it! It’s taped up near my desk as I’m writing this. I once made a copy of it and handed it to someone I knew who was working for someone who happened to be the sister of a famous recording artist. She read it, laughed, and right away, said: “This is going on my door!” And she taped it to her office door.
My sincerest thanks to Jerry King — the cartoonist who created it — for giving me permission to include it here. He’s a very talented and busy cartoonist. I read in an article that he “often draws up to 10 cartoons a day and between 200 and 300 a month.”
If you’d like to find out more about Jerry King, or help support his work, he has a Patreon page, and is on Facebook. He is also reachable by email.