So guess what I saw on Friday, up in the Red Rocks State Park in Sedona? A tarantula hawk wasp! Parasitoid wasps are the best.

That's all I got for now. More updates later.

I should have gone to bed an hour and a half ago, but instead I'm up and cooking food for this week. There's laundry to fold, an apartment to clean, job applications to submit, and dishes to clean. Of course, I'll probably get perhaps 10% of that done, then pass out ( Read more... )

So there's this hypothesis, among some of the more speculative biologists out there, that there exists a shadow biosphere - microbial organisms, communities, or even ecosystems that have such radically different biochemical metabolisms, they do not belong on the tree of life, and cannot even be measured by current methods due to their lack of ( Read more... )

'nother photo post. This set's of the Biosphere 2 project. Biosphere 2 was an attempt to create a self-sustaining ecosystem, closed off from the rest of the world. Oh, and eight crazy scientists lived inside it for two years.


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I can't remember what I'm supposed to say here, anymore. Some kind of re-introductory post seems appropriate, but I don't have the time or energy to get into my life story right now. So instead, here's some pictures of me and my friend Nick climbing around an abandoned mine.

Cut because oh my goodness these image files are HUGE and Photobucket ( Read more... )

Yesterday was Pi Day! Here, have some pie.


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Guess what I bought today? Actually, no, don't guess, I'll just give you a picture:


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I really ought to go to bed, but I can't right now. Today has been too exciting, too full of revelations and new commitments and joyous celebration of the present.

I got a tour of ASU's Decision Theater before the day began, with a couple of professors and graduate students. The Decision Theater is, essentially, a circular conference room with a ( Read more... )

I brought my bike in to the shop to have it looked at. There's nothing seriously wrong with it, but the wheels need truing and I'm never able to get the front derailleur lined up properly. I'm wondering if maybe the issue is with the shifter, rather than the derailleur - the range of motion needed to reach the largest chainring is there, but ( Read more... )

Today is a good day. You know why? I get to wear this shirt:


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