Every once in a while something comes along that changes everything. For example: in the mid seventeenth century, Dutch scientist, Antonin Van Leeuwenhoek, invented the first microscope. He could actually see previously unknown single-celled critters we now call microorganisms. This…
Dale’s Column
Tiny Terrorists?!
by Dale Goodner • • Comments Off on Tiny Terrorists?!
It was a vision from a horror movie. The kids had formed a wide circle, backing away in disbelief as a growing gang of bee-sized yellow jacket wasps crowded over a can of soda. Screams and shrieks from fifth graders…
Every day should be Earth Day
by Dale Goodner • • Comments Off on Every day should be Earth Day
It boiled down to cleanliness. That was the consensus from a class of 4th graders, to the question, “What is Earth Day all about?” Their experience reflects a common impression that it’s about picking up litter; cleaning up our towns,…
SuperPACs not so super
by Dale Goodner • • Comments Off on SuperPACs not so super
From my vantage point at the curb, in front of Green Bay West High School, I could see the approach of the police escort followed closely by a large black car. All of us students crowded to the road and started waving and…
Going North … Or South?
by Dale Goodner • • Comments Off on Going North … Or South?
There was something new at the Jake Wolf Fish Hatchery in Sand Ridge. At least new to me. At the side of one of the fish ponds, basking in the sun, were over a dozen huge, dark, bald headed turkey…
Goose Music or ‘Sky Carp’
by Dale Goodner • • Comments Off on Goose Music or ‘Sky Carp’
Irene Cull was a botanist, but her enthusiasm for all things natural was contagious. It was March, just over 30 years ago, and my wife, Mary, and I were on our way to a prairie conference in Chicago. Irene was scheduled…
A Mole by Any Other Name
by Dale Goodner • • Comments Off on A Mole by Any Other Name
In the summer of 1988 there was a terrible drought in Peoria. That fall, I received an interesting phone call at the Nature Center. A nurse wanted to know if I could explain why there had been a 500 percent…
A Look Back at Science in 2011
by Dale Goodner • • Comments Off on A Look Back at Science in 2011
The news, as most of us know it, can seem to be a study in redundancy, a repetitive procession of murders, wars, bombings, deaths, thefts, floods and fires, with a few tornadoes and earthquakes thrown in. But when you review…
Bah … Humbug! Egoism or Altruism
by Dale Goodner • • Comments Off on Bah … Humbug! Egoism or Altruism
My wife, Mary, and I were driving south of Peoria to visit the Emiquon Wetland Restoration and National Wildlife Refuge at Dickson Mounds near Lewistown. It was just before Thanksgiving, and I was looking forward to finding a bunch of…
November: Month of the Turkey
by Dale Goodner • • Comments Off on November: Month of the Turkey
My brother in law, John, described a collision with a wild turkey as “cartoon like.” It was an explosion of feathers. The car concealing cloud of plumage may have looked like something from Loony Tunes, but it was far from…