Finally, with the onset of rain, we have amazing mushrooms pushing up throughout the coast redwood forest. One of my favorites is the shaggy mane mushroom, Coprinus comatus. This is a gilled mushroom that emerges with a white scaly cap that begins to leak black goo as its spores mature. It literally liquefies itself to … Continue reading
Heavy storms in the UK this winter have uncovered traces of an ancient forest that was submerged by rising tides 4-6,000 years ago. Well preserved trunks and stumps of oaks, pine, and hazel are now visible along the beaches in Penzance, UK (south western England). Scientists conjecture this forest was vibrant in a time of … Continue reading
The last 12 months in California have been the driest on record since weather records began in 1885. NASA’s Earth Observatory recently showed us just how seriously the drought is impacting Californian vegetation statewide from the redwood forest to grassy Central Valley. This MODIS satellite image shows where the vegetation in California is less green … Continue reading
