Category Archives: Finding Ourselves in Nature

The Perks of a Play-in-the-Mud Educational Philosophy

Researcher Conor Williams questions how to balance outdoor play with academic learning.

‘The Abundance,’ by Annie Dillard

Critic Donovan Hohn profiles the work of nature writer Annie Dillard as he reviews her latest book, The Abundance, a curated anthology of her essays.

What if nature, like corporations, had the rights of a person?

Anthropologist Chip Colwell suggests thinking about natural sites as people would help legal institutions better respect the culture of Native Americans.

John Muir’s legacy questioned

The work of environmentalist John Muir helped create the national parks system and preserve the natural beauty throughout the country. Now some question whether his view of nature is relevant to today’s challenges.

We Are Wired To Be Outside

Reporter Simon Worrrall talks to Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, about the postive effects of spending time in nature.

Nature: Closer Than It Seems

Writer and scientist Amanda Baker argues that getting out into nature isn’t as hard as some people think.

Today’s movement toward sustainable living echoes the not-so-distant past

In this radio piece, author Kate Daloz discusses her childhood growing up in an off-the-grid geodesic dome and other “back to the land” communities of the 1960s and 1970s.

Women Writing About the Wild: 25 Essential Authors

This list describes how 25 women were inspired by nature and used it heavily in their writing.

Naturally Curious Introduces City Kids to the Great Outdoors

A teacher inspired by research that showed the benefits of nature for childhood development, started a curriculum that introduces kids to the outdoors.

Do Michael Pawlyn’s nature inspired creations hold the key to designing buildings for the future?

Architect Michael Pawlyn recently presented an exhibition of architectural structures that use the power of nature’s designs. See how plant tissue and marine organisms could influence buildings in the future.

What Animals Taught Me About Being Human

Helen Macdonald, author of the best-selling memoir H is for Hawk, wonders about the desires and needs of animals. She suggests we can only imagine what they can be through our own lens of human experience.

Are we raising a generation of nature-phobic kids?

James Campbell, author of Braving It: A Father, A Daughter, and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild, discusses scientific research that shows children have become more afraid of being outside and argues that parents should take their kids out into nature.

Not So Different: Finding Human Nature in Animal Nature

In this interview, molecular biologist Nathan Lents discusses his book, Not So Different: Finding Human Nature in Animals.

This Environmental Scientist Makes Art Out Of Climate Data

By incorporating environmental data into her artwork, scientist and artist Jill Pelto hopes to inform an audience who might not otherwise seek out the information. Scroll through the images at the top of the article to view her work.

Innovative Audubon Program Connects Elders with Alzheimer’s to the Outdoors While Creating Healthy Bird Habitats

An Audubon Society program for nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, Bird Tales is intended to help people with dementia connect to the natural world. By encouraging elderly patients to create better habitats for native bird populations, both communities benefit.

Is Nature the Key to Rehabilitating Prisoners?

Read how outdoor outings can help released prisoners transition back into society.

Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal – review

Professor Matthew Cobb reviews primatologist Frans de Waal’s book, in which he attempts to erase a behavioral division between humans and other animals.