Author Archives: norayork

Rachel Louise Carson (1907-1964) was an environmental activist, marine biologist and writer. She grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania, where she was very interested in animals and reading. Carson obtained an undergraduate degree in biology from the Pennsylvania College for Women. She went on to graduate school, studying zoology and genetics at John HopkinsContinue reading “Rachel Carson”

One film I nominated for the Applied Plant Ecology film festival was James Cameron’s 2009 movie Avatar. This film relates to Applied Plant Ecology in a variety of ways. One example is the Home tree of the Na’vi people. This giant, ancient population of trees that come together to form one structure is very importantContinue reading “Avatar (2009)”

1. COVID-19 can seriously affect a. young children b. older people c. sick people d. unvaccinated e. all of the above 2. COVID-19 is a  a. new virus b. a seasonal cold c. a virus from years ago that has come back d. none of the above 3. The best way to stop the spreadContinue reading “Test Your Knowledge – COVID-19 Questions”

Different types of sources can be very helpful for different types of people in different scenarios. The three most common types of literature used in scientific writing are peer reviewed primary, secondary and tertiary literature. Peer reviewed primary literature contains content that is gathered firsthand by the author. The experiments are done, studies are conductedContinue reading “Types of Scientific Literature”

Janaki Ammal was an Anglo-Indian botanist who lived from 1897-1984. She was most famous for her work on plant cytogenetics, specifically in sugarcane and eggplant. Dr. Janaki Ammal first received an honours degree in botany from the Presidency College and went on to get her masters in botany from the University of Michigan. She thenContinue reading “Janaki Ammal – India’s first female botanist”