Walking through nature with John Palka, a neuroscientist who loves plants and ponders big questions
By John Palka — Posted June 2, 2019
Many birds are clad in brilliant plumage, especially in springtime. The color patterns in the plumage are highly specific and are used by the birds as social signals or for camouflage. To a biologist, the feathers themselves raise a host of questions. Read More
By John Palka — Posted March 3, 2019
Both living things and the non-living world consist of molecules. The molecules that make up each one of us are largely the same as those that make up every other person and animal on the planet. Molecules make up everything in the world of our experience.
By John Palka — Posted October 7, 2018
Sensitivity to light is so universally useful that many kinds of animals have evolved eyes. The structure of the eyes of diverse animals, however, varies considerably, and with this variation come differences in what information about the world the eyes can capture and convey to the brain. Thus, the role of vision in the lives of different animals cannot be assumed to be similar to our own experience. Let’s look at some examples.
By John Palka — Posted August 4, 2018
Among the most spectacular fossils are petrified trees, some preserved in such exquisite detail that it takes more than a casual glance to realize that they have indeed been petrified—turned into stone.
By John Palka — Posted July 1, 2018
It was April 20th of this year. We were sitting in our lovely three-season sun porch enjoying the coming of spring, I on the couch and Yvonne, opposite me, in her favorite gliding rocker. All of a sudden she exclaimed, “Look. There’s a duck on our railing!”
By John Palka — Posted May 6, 2018
While the colors of the winter months are mostly muted, spring brings fresh greens, pinks, yellows, and soon the full, vibrant palette of freshly emerged flowers. Where do all those fresh leaves and brilliant flowers come from? The buds.