Diane Ackerman contemplates the wildlife that creeps into our urban habitats.
Category Archives: Finding Ourselves in Nature
Connecting prisons with nature
Watch this video about a program intended to both connect prisoners to nature and to help restore the environment.
Fake animal news abounds on social media as coronavirus upends life
The idea of nature rebounding from humanity while people are staying home is inspiring. But it isn’t necessarily true.
He went where no human had gone before. Our trash had already beaten him there.
Exploring one of the most remote places on earth, a deep-sea diver found new species as well as something depressingly familiar.
Diversity: A Garden Allegory with Suggestions for Direct Action
Poet and nature essayist Camille T. Dungy ponders the importance of diversity as she transforms her sterile yard to a more natural state.
Nature Poems
Read this short history of poems about nature.
Finding Adventure Beyond Nature
Traveler and writer Amy Ragsdale shares how exploring both the parks and building-lined streets of New York City can trigger an examination of the relationship between man and nature.
How Nature Resets Our Minds and Bodies
Something as simple as a window with a view of trees can help improve the recovery of hospital patients. This article explores how exposure to nature can help people suffering problems from ADD to cancer.
Fractal Patterns in Nature and Art Are Aesthetically Pleasing and Stress-Reducing
The patterns that appear in nature not only inspire art, but have health benefits as well.
What Impact Do We Have On Our Environment? An Arlington Art Installation Makes Us Think About Our Presence
Artist Freedom Baird’s new outdoor exhibit in Arlington, Massachusetts, encourages viewers to consider the connection between humans, consumption, and nature.
Adventuring while female: why the relationship women have with nature matters
Inspired by ecologist and author Anne LaBastille, writer Megan Mayhew Bergman takes a solo trip to the Adirondacks in New York. In this essay, she describes how she overcame fears and proved something to herself.
What Makes Us Human?
Psychologist Thomas Suddendorf argues the importance of identifying the similarities and differences between humans and other animals.
11 scientific reasons you should be spending more time outside
This article lists eight advantages, including benefits for your health and mental well-being, of spending time in nature.
Biomimicry: technology inspired by nature
This article provides examples of past, present, and future technology inspired by nature.
As Grand Canyon National Park turns 100, a man hikes the entire length to save it
After hiking the 750-mile length of the Grand Canyon, photographer and filmmaker Pete McBride reflects on the silence of the canyon and draws comparisons to his noisy life.
‘Rainbow Lightning’: One of Mother Nature’s Rare Shows
Photographers wait hours at a time to capture this phenomenon. This article explains the science behind it.
Bucket lists are a good way to ruin the experience of nature
Writer and researcher Tom Winterbottom argues that the key to enjoying nature is to slow down.
What Can Bees Teach Us About Gang Warfare?
In Los Angeles, an anthropologist is using equations to teach police about how street gangs operate.
Scientists create scarily strong drones inspired by wasps
Researchers study wasps to figure out how to create a drone that can move and lift other objects.
Poetry and the Environment
Read about the difference between nature poetry and environmental poetry and explore a curated colletion of poems.