I think there's a whole lot to unpack in that single line. I love how you weave together science, wonder, awe, and nature.. not as separate ideas, but as interconnected ways of understanding the same world. Thanks for sharing.
I was in a forest recently and realized I couldn't possibly isolate one tree or plant from another, really. That underground they're all connected. A green sea of we-ness. Thanks for validating that.
Wendy - This is a beautiful essay. I love the way you bring science and the natural world together without losing your sense of wonder that first drew you there. Your ability to weave this understanding together with your personal reflections is quite something. Rather than diminishing the mystery, the science seems to deepen it. It makes me smile.
Bronce, Thank you so much. The wonder and awe is what keeps bringing me back to science and keeps me working to protect our natural world. And, yes, science itself can be pretty magical too. Thanks for being here.
Ditto what Sumaya said so well! Also, on the cool science, tree ring researchers have used that same ability of the different isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen stored in tree tissue to determine pre-weather-record hurricane and drought patterns on forests of the SE US, and have correlated some of that to pirate activity in the Caribbean. That's an example of integrating the parts into a fascinating whole, too. xo
That comes from interviews with dendrochronology researchers for "Reading the Rings," a feature article I wrote for Wildflower Magazine in 2018. Dendrochronology is yielding some pretty fascinating correlations! You can read the article here: https://www.wildflower.org/magazine/native-plants/reading-the-rings
Love how you wove together the sensory images of you as a child eating dirt (actually and metaphorically!), you as adult loving the sea and the wild, and you as the scientist sharing the cool details. Love all the parts! Thanks for the great read, Wendy
Do you stay up to date on the physics world? Sometimes Reels on Facebook has talks from Richard Feynman. I think they are AI, but they are still good. His favorite refrain iss something like: now pay close attention because this is where it gets really strange. And of course it does. I really don't have any idea of the actual physics and math involved, but the concepts are fun to ponder. When I tell friends about the info they just look at me and tell me get a real life... Happy trails
I really appreciate this mix of science and naturalist observations + witchy
Thank you, Rachel!
"The forest is an integrated whole."
I think there's a whole lot to unpack in that single line. I love how you weave together science, wonder, awe, and nature.. not as separate ideas, but as interconnected ways of understanding the same world. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much, VJ. I agree, that one line does speak to the infinitely complex, interconnected, and beautiful world we live in. 🌳
I was in a forest recently and realized I couldn't possibly isolate one tree or plant from another, really. That underground they're all connected. A green sea of we-ness. Thanks for validating that.
Yes!! And in an aspen grove it is even more directly so. I love that: a green sea of we-ness.
https://substack.com/@drwendypabich/note/c-179313073?r=2cc9mz&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Went straight down the oxygen isotope rabbit hole after reading this.
Ha! Let me know what you learn! 💫
I love your messages of integration! ❤️❤️❤️
Re water: Have you checked oit the works of Dr. Ms sako Emoto?
Thank you, Ana!! Yes, I have a couple of his books.
👌
Wendy - This is a beautiful essay. I love the way you bring science and the natural world together without losing your sense of wonder that first drew you there. Your ability to weave this understanding together with your personal reflections is quite something. Rather than diminishing the mystery, the science seems to deepen it. It makes me smile.
Bronce, Thank you so much. The wonder and awe is what keeps bringing me back to science and keeps me working to protect our natural world. And, yes, science itself can be pretty magical too. Thanks for being here.
Ditto what Sumaya said so well! Also, on the cool science, tree ring researchers have used that same ability of the different isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen stored in tree tissue to determine pre-weather-record hurricane and drought patterns on forests of the SE US, and have correlated some of that to pirate activity in the Caribbean. That's an example of integrating the parts into a fascinating whole, too. xo
Thank you, Susan. The part about the pirates is pretty cool! I haven’t heard that. It’s all connected. xo
That comes from interviews with dendrochronology researchers for "Reading the Rings," a feature article I wrote for Wildflower Magazine in 2018. Dendrochronology is yielding some pretty fascinating correlations! You can read the article here: https://www.wildflower.org/magazine/native-plants/reading-the-rings
I’ll definitely check it out. I know something about dendrochronology but not about the ties to pirate stories. Thanks for sharing.
Love how you wove together the sensory images of you as a child eating dirt (actually and metaphorically!), you as adult loving the sea and the wild, and you as the scientist sharing the cool details. Love all the parts! Thanks for the great read, Wendy
Thank you, Sumaya!! To bringing all the parts! xo
I wish science in school was as enjoyable as reading this. I might have done better. Cool read. Enjoy those ducks. Thank you
Thank you! Wonder and awe beget “why?” beget science. To start with the books—as often happens in school—misses the magic.
That’s so true. A class walk in the forest and some simple explanations might have been a better planter of that magic
💯
The wonders of science, passion and words. Thank you Wendy.
Thank you, Jerry. 🙏
Do you stay up to date on the physics world? Sometimes Reels on Facebook has talks from Richard Feynman. I think they are AI, but they are still good. His favorite refrain iss something like: now pay close attention because this is where it gets really strange. And of course it does. I really don't have any idea of the actual physics and math involved, but the concepts are fun to ponder. When I tell friends about the info they just look at me and tell me get a real life... Happy trails
I don’t know of him but I’ll definitely check him out. Things most definitely do get strange…