by Geoffrey Carpentier Throughout history, people offered the unsuspecting public snake oil – a cure-all for everything from childbirth to hemorrhoids to cancer. These elixirs contained no snake byproducts and certainly no snake oil - whatever that is? The concept arose in the 18th and 19th centuries, when travelling salesmen mixed up ‘secret’ blends of unspecified products and claimed they were proven to cure myriad ailments. Hogwash! Many stories persist about traditional m

by Geoffrey Carpentier In the last few columns, we explored the lives of some of the amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals and how they catch and consume their prey. So now let’s focus on some smaller critters and see what techniques they utilize to capture and subdue prey. In higher animals, mandibles refer to both the upper and lower jaw, but in insects, these structures refer to the lower part of the mouth only. Mandibles in insects are pairs of hardened structures that

by Jonathan van Bilsen I never planned to spend a night in jail, but then again, few seventeen-year-olds do. Most people never see the inside of a cell, unless it is on television, and that is probably a good thing. It is certainly not the Marriott. Still, I can honestly say, I have done time in ‘the Big House’. It all started with a heartbreak. My first, in fact. She was the prettiest girl in my class, and for two glorious weeks, I thought we were destined for greatness. The

by Geoffrey Carpentier Let’s move on to an easy one, mammals. Wait, not so easy, as some mammals are herbivores, others carnivores, and still others are omnivores! All animals have a mouth which opens wide and has teeth, right? Nope, baleen whales and some other marine mammals do not have teeth but rather have baleen plates. These act like a huge comb which filters food out of a column of water, trapping the prey behind the jaws, so it can be swallowed whole, while water is d

by Geoffrey Carpentier Last time, I explored the reptiles and amphibians, to determine how they use their jaws and teeth (or non-teeth) to capture or harvest food. Today, we’ll look more closely at birds and how they use their beaks to hunt and eat. All birds have beaks – this is indisputable, but the size, structure, shape and use of them varies considerably between groups of birds. Beaks come in many forms: hooked or curved, cone-shaped, needle-like, spatulate and even cros

by Jonathan van Bilsen The very first time I went to Beijing was in the late eighties. The tallest building was no more than three stories high, and individuals were not allowed to own cars. It was a city of unadvertised adventure, and I fell right into the middle of it. It was my last day in the capital city, en route to Singapore. I had contacted the airport to confirm my flight, only to be told it was overbooked and I would not be able to leave on schedule. I have never be

by Geoffrey Carpentier In the last column, we explored the lives of some amphibians and discovered they use a variety of techniques to...

by Geoffrey Carpentier The observant, amongst you, will notice, as I continue the discussion of animals’ mouths and jaws, I cleverly...

By Jonathan van Bilsen Those of us fortunate enough to remember the sixties (or at least part of them), have two remarkable events logged...

by Geoffrey Carpentier People sometimes ask me how I decide what topics to write about, when I tackle my column. The simple answer is, my...

by Geoffrey Carpentier From time to time I stumble onto an opportunity which is so incredible, I want to share it with others. Usually...

by Jonathan van Bilsen I had only been to Whistler once before, many years earlier, so when my friend Jim suggested we head into the...

by Geoffrey Carpentier Ah, late summer is upon us, and the first late summer blooms are brightening our roadsides and wild places. Rising...

by Geoffrey Carpentier There has been much said of bears this year, for they have been making themselves obvious in and around North...

by Geoffrey Carpentier Summer is upon us, and the news is abuzz with broad and confusing statements about our weather and our climate....

By Jonathan van Bilsen One thing travel has taught me over the years, is that mishaps are often the highlights. I have seen wonders, met...

by Geoffrey Carpentier At this time of year my mind is pre-occupied with birds and other wild things, for a variety of reasons - personal...

by Jonathan van Bilsen I find it interesting how certain memories tend to stay with me forever. I remember the very first time I went to...

by Geoffrey Carpentier People spend a lot of time and money trying to keep their lawns perfectly weed-free. I could not determine how...

by Geoffrey Carpentier Fungi is not a word which leaps to mind when we think I want to know more about that one! Most people know little...