Birds and Weather Signs
Perching birds usually face into any breeze. It stops their feathers getting ruffled, but more importantly allows them to take off quickly into wind. So…
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Latest from Tristan
Hydrangeas – Nature’s Litmus Test
Hydrangeas are nature’s litmus test, by which I mean they can tell us the pH of the soil they are growing in. There are actually…
The Mongolian Ger Compass
Mongolian traditional homes are structures like yurts and are known as ‘gers’. The doors of gers face south. This is a useful compass or GPS…
The Sorting by Sea Currents
Sea currents sort objects according to size, shape and weight. There is a documented case of left Wellington boots from a lost container washing up…
The Avenue Effect in Trees
My thanks to Alun for sending in this photo of autumn colour near the Kitano Tenman-Gu Shrine in Kyoto. And the following question: “I saw…
The Tree Root Compass
A short video explaining how we can use tree roots as a compass. There are over 20 methods for using trees to help us find…
How to Navigate with Rainbows
Many people believe that a thing must be either beautiful or practical. But nature brims with examples that manage both. Rainbows are pretty, but they…
How To Tell If You Are Looking at a Full Moon
A lot of people see a big round moon in the sky and confidently call it a full moon. And then wonder, is it really?…
Desire Paths
Footpaths are, to state the obvious, established routes for walkers between two points. But paths are born. First one, then two, then more people decide…