Let’s talk about numismatics. Whoa, hang on now, don’t leave…it may sound overly academic and boring, but trust me, it’s not. Numismatics is all about money, specifically the study or collection of coins, paper currency, and medals. I mean who doesn’t like money? We can all relate to money on some level. Am I right? […]
Houston is a wonderful city for many reasons. Unfortunately those reasons do not include awesome fossil hunting spots. I suppose it’s a small price to pay for the great food, amazing academic institutions and a cool music scene we have access to every day in the Bayou City. But still, nothing beats the thrill of […]
Consider the bathroom. Ceramic backsplashes, tiled floors, and hardwood surfaces welcome some of us into a new day. Others simply pass through on their final stride to sleep, and while we all may not agree on the scheduling, quite a few us confidently howl our favorite tunes into the warm haze. Now I’m sure there […]
Mars remains in the west at dusk. Although now considerably dimmer than in July (and gradually fading), Mars still outshines all of the stars in its vicinity. Venus is now fully established as the ‘morning star’. Face east-southeast at dawn and look for the brightest thing there, outshining the stars and all other planets. Jupiter […]
In honor of Texas independence day, I thought I’d reveal a little known fact about the legendary history of our state. Most people know that Texas was once its own country. Between 1836 and 1845 we were the Republic of Texas. But most people don’t know that we were never supposed to be our own […]
Everyone loves crayfish, or crawfish as most people I know call them. The delicious little swamp bug tantalizes the taste buds of millions of Americans every year. What most connoisseurs don’t know, however, is that the creatures we’re putting in our mouths are closely related to the pests we squash at fist sight. Recent genetic […]
In a year full of bad headlines involving insects (insects populations declining globally, National Butterfly Center, one of America’s richest butterfly habitats threatened by Trump’s wall, Western migratory monarch population drops by 87%), one ray of light stands out, giving us a shimmer of hope: The Mexican migratory monarch population is seeing it’s highest numbers […]
With today being Go Texan day, I thought it would be a good time to highlight a few iconic symbols of Texas that actually have their origins outside the Lone Star State. So let’s jump right into the list: 1. Stetson Hats Nothing says Texan like a Stetson, right? Well interestingly the invention of the […]
For millenia humanity has been haunted by one burning question: What’s the deal with all these lefties? Answers to this question have varied over the years. In the middle ages popular explanations for south paw-ism included demonic possession and witchcraft. In the 19th century left handedness was associated with ignorance and laziness. Even today some […]
Texas has a weird and eclectic history filled with more iconoclastic characters than you can shake a stick at, but in honor of President’s Day I thought I’d put the spotlight on a particularly important character in the grand performance of Texas history: John Tyler. I know what you’re thinking. John who? And that statement […]
