September Synergy

It's been a hell of a month filled with experiences that have made me soar and those that sent me crashing back down to Earth. Been quite a ride so far, with no sign of slowing down.

So, let me catch you up.

In the past month, I had two articles published on Scientific American regarding two very different subjects.

The first article came about when I was asked by noted Scientific American blogger, Jason Goldman, to write on his blog, The Thoughtful Animal, a post about animal behavior when he was on vacation last month. Knowing that I studied animal behavior and physiology, Jason couldn't have asked a better person.

The resulting article, entitled "The Right Stuff: What It Takes To Be The Ocean’s Top Predator," takes a closer look at the behavior of one of the most feared predators in the world - the Great White Shark.  In the article, I discuss how sharks hunt using some very impressive adaptations, as well as how they adapt their attack strategies based on the prey they are attempting to catch. It was one of the most fascinating articles I've ever written, and I hope you all find it as interesting as I did!

The second article stemmed from a conversation I had with my sister Sara about how much I love animals and visiting the zoo, and that her 16-month-old son Anderson enjoys going as well. Therefore, we packed up a week or so later with my twin brother in tow, and ventured off to the Toronto Zoo.
The article, "In the flesh and before your eyes," was published last week on the Scientific American Guest Blog and uses the narrative of our trip to the zoo to discuss a wide range of issues, including conservation efforts, does a zoo do more harm than good and the price of poaching.

While it may seem like a very negative article, I believe it actually is rather hopeful and optimistic. But, you be the judge.

Lastly, I've been mulling over something different to do with my blog, and this month will be a little different. Every Monday starting September 5th, I will be putting up a very different kind of post. Some will touch on news and politics, others science and the natural world, and maybe even some pop culture or musings about life, the universe and everything in between. But rest assured, every post this month will deal with something note-worthy.

Keep an eye out for the first of these posts at the beginning of next week dealing with a topic that has never been discussed on my blog before. Stay tuned!