Recently, I had a week of fieldwork that illustrates the highs, lows, and in-betweens that comprise most scientific projects. Research proceeds in fits and starts, whether we’re talking high-energy particle physics, molecular genetics, or (most critically) Inyo Mountains salamanders, as during my week of contrasts: Day 1—My goal was to investigate a possible salamander locality […]

A friend once likened boredom to “driving Interstate 80 across Nebraska,” but that’s never been my experience. I’ve crossed the Great Plains from east to west at least thirty times, riding the Interstates and secondary highways out of the humid Midwest and into the arid West. I love the transition from one ecology and aesthetic […]