If birds are dinosaurs, does that mean modern birds are descended from raptors? Looking at the piercing eyes and sharp talons of hawks and eagles, it’s easy to think they are great great great (millions of times multiplied) grandchildren of Velociraptor. However, the answer is a little more complicated. First off, raptors are NOT the…
Category: Informative
Riding a Japanese Ferry – The Tachibana Maru
As an island nation, Japan has many ferries connecting its numerous islands, and they are critical lifelines for the island communities they serve. When my wife and I visited Japan in September 2024, we went out of our way to ride one of these ferries, the Tachibana Maru. This ship runs a route along the…
Bizarre Sea Creatures of Japan’s Izu Peninsula
While scuba diving in Japan’s Izu Peninsula, I encountered many bizarre sea creatures. From peacock wrasse to porcupinefish, there’s all sorts of weird critters here.
How Dangerous are Lionfish???
Lionfish are like living naval mines. See those long fins that look like a lion’s mane? Yeah, those are all venomous spines. For an unwary swimmer or diver, these spines can pack quite a punch. But how dangerous can this “punch” truly be? Let’s put on our scuba gear and find out for ourselves!
The Legendary Dragon Moray
This is the dragon moray (Enchelycore pardalis), aka the leopard or tiger moray. With its impressive colors and mythical features, you can see where it gets the name. I mean, it looks like a legendary beast you’d find in a video game. Unlike typical morays, the dragon moray has curved jaws that prevent it from…
Feeding Bowing Deer in Nara, Japan – 奈良で鹿に餌をやる
Nara is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan, and it is rich in history and nature. Here, there are over 1200 deer that roam the city’s numerous parks and temples, and you can feed them rice crackers called shika senbei or “deer cookies” (鹿せんべい). Known as shika deer, their name comes from…
Tokyo’s Dolphin Island – 東京のイルカ島
200 kilometers (120 miles) south of Tokyo lies an island that’s home to over 100 dolphins. Known as Mikura-jima, this place is nothing short of paradise. Every year between March and October, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins make their home here, and you can swim with them in the clear, blue waters of the Pacific. But the…
Beginner’s Guide to Wildlife Photography
Do you dream of taking amazing wildlife photos? Well, that’s actually a very attainable goal. But, like any skill, it takes time to master. I’ve been taking wildlife photos for over a decade, and to this day, I’m still learning and improving. So, having said that, there’s a lot more to photography than simply picking…
Building Jurassic Park with Scientifically Accurate Dinosaurs
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to run a Jurassic Park style zoo with scientifically accurate dinosaurs? Well, I played this game called Prehistoric Kingdom and got a good taste of that experience. I spared no expense, as I went bankrupt in the game, like, 5 times. The dinosaurs in this game…
How Much Freshwater is There on Earth?
How much freshwater is there on Earth? Not as much as you’d think. Salty oceans make up nearly 97% of water on Earth while freshwater sources make up a mere 3%. Of that 3%, very little is the freshwater we see in lakes and rivers. In fact, most of Earth’s freshwater is frozen in the…
Tidewater Teddy 