FLORA & FAUNA

Love Birds

These two can be found hanging out in the Pilar area. They've been a regular sight along the Rio since January and will likely be found in the area till about March when they typically move on.

Bald eagles, aka Haliaeetus leucocephalus, seem to be models of decorum. They mate for life, unless one partner dies early. Year after year most return to the same nests. They often remain not fully committed for the first year of courtship to ensure their partner is a good match. Once the commitment is made, they are in it for life!

Their free fall courtship ritual of bald eagles' is both a dangerous and spectacular test of agility and fidelity! It's a demonstration of capability and commitment which is key to their mutual survival and that of their future offspring as similar aerial feats are often employed to protect their mates and offspring against predators.

EARTH & SKY SCIENCE

Geomancy

Geomancy is the study or understanding of the energies of the Earth. The word is derived from the Greek words Gaia, meaning the Earth Goddess, and Manteia, meaning study or divination. Traditionally associated with sacred craft, geomancy today takes many forms, from the profane simple dowsing for underground water, to the highly complex sacred ritual techniques employed in the enhancement and cultivation of the Earth’s subtle yet vital force fields. Of all the geomancy traditions around the world, perhaps the best known is feng shui, although geomancy features prominently in the architecture of ancient Britain, Greece, and the Roman Empire. There is some evidence for geomantic principles applied to the layout of more recent cities, of which Washington DC has received the latest attention…

THEORY OF (ONE) MIND

Cosmic law of love: deepening of the individual and community

In this episode we investigate how increase in population in the Neolithic stage of humanity contributed to the emergence of the noosphere through the deepening bonds with one another. This can be seen as an expression of the cosmic law of love. Love is the foundational dynamic for the universe's development. The elements of the universe are seeking to bond in order to deepen their creativity, which we see even at the level of gravity. Atoms attracted to each other give birth to stars and planets. It is the same at the human level. Our attraction might have different names – fascination, allurement, love – but the dynamism is the same. Union differentiates. That is, union with things that one is not gives birth to who one truly is. Pursuing what we love enables the universe to advance. If a new world is to be born, it is crucial that we follow our unique fascinations.

The Noosphere film series does come off a bit “pie in the sky" so I encourage anyone interested in a more grounded exploration of the subject to view this presentation On Being A Noospheric Species by Terrence Deacon.

And learn more about the fascinating Jesuit scientist Teilhard de Chardin in this On-Being episode with Krista Tippet here.

CREATION MYTH

A Māori Creation Story in Sand - Ranginui and Papatūānuku

In this story you will learn a `Māori story of Creation which shares the seperation of Ranginui ( Skyfather) and Papatūānuku (Earth Mother) by their son Tāne. Tāne is represented as a great tree who, with his strength, will and determination, was the only one among their children able to press the two apart. The children of Ranginui and Papatūānuku become atua (nature dieties) providing the various aspects of Nature working together to keep our world in balance and harmony.

CREATIVE COLLABORATION

This is what love sounds like

A beautiful example of following one's own bliss and having some fun with others following theirs!

Camden Stewart performs his original composition 'Love' from the album 'Transcendence', live at the National Gallery, London, with Karim Kamar ‪@Karimkamar‬ on piano and Matrick Thorpe ‪@matrickplayscello‬ on cello. This performance was recorded by ‪@adiloliversharif‬ during a spontaneous live moment in the gallery.

PURSUIT OF PASSION

Between Earth & Sky

Renowned ecologist Nalini Nadkarni studies "what grows back” after a disturbance in the rainforest canopy. After surviving a life-threatening fall from a tree, she must turn her research question onto herself to explore the effects of disturbance and recovery throughout her own life.

TRADITIONAL ART, WISDOM, CULTURE & SCIENCE

Songlines explained

A 360 experience with Rhoda Roberts at the Sydney Opera House (Best viewed on your hand-held device!)

Float amongst the endless expanse of The Pleiades, behold the majestic scar trees, marvel at the Western Kimberly and the Wandjina as Rhoda Roberts AO, Head of Indigenous Programming at Sydney Opera House and this year’s Director of Lighting the Sails, guides you through ‘Songlines’.

EARTH & SKY WARRIORSHIP

Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth

The ending of the Mayan Calendar in 2012 is now part of our own manufactured mythology, but for the source of our demise, there is no need to look to the esoteric: The remote homelands of the present-day Maya in Mexico and Guatemala present a perfect microcosm to show how unhindered globalization is impacting the planet and indigenous peoples, now under attack for their natural resources from all sides. The film follows six young Maya into their daily and ceremonial life, revealing their determination to resist the destruction of their culture and environment. They put forth an entirely indigenous perspective in their own words, without narration. Their expansive cosmovision is juxtaposed with a shortsighted exploitation of the Earth.

EARTH & SKY STEWARDSHIP

Burning up for your LEOve: Satellites and Atmospheric Pollution

Since 2019, with the first launch of SpaceX’s Starlink “mega-constellation” of internet satellites, the amount of objects in low Earth orbit (LEO) has significantly increased. As of the writing of this article, there are about 9000 Starlink satellites in orbit and a staggering 1-2 are retired each day, dragged back down through Earth’s atmosphere and burning up into striking fireballs. With SpaceX’s current domination of the space-launch sector, the company is able to send up new batches of satellites often, with a current launch cadence nearing every 2 days in 2025. These satellites are treated as relatively disposable; each new version can be deployed quickly while the old version is sent back down from LEO. 

Mega-constellations have the potential for serious impacts on the night sky and astronomy, including leaving bright streaks in optical images and radio frequency interference, each of which are causing headaches for next-generation astronomy facilities such as the Vera. C Rubin observatory and the Square Kilometer Array. 

This paper investigates another effect of mega-constellations undergoing study: ablation, or what gets left behind when satellites burn up during re-entry…

SKY LOVERS

The Last Observers

Since 1987, Karin and Lennart watched and recorded the weather every third hour, day and night, seven days a week, every day of the year, from their station by the lighthouse in Falsterbo, Sweden. Earning “a lousy salary, and a fantastic life” they remained steadfast through childbirth, illness and snowstorms—not missing a single observation in 36 years—while thousands of stations around the world fell to automation. Told through the eyes of their daughter Maja, this extraordinary and heartwarming love story shows lasting happiness exists in profound connection with nature and everyday rhythms.

TAMPERING WITH NATURE

What in the World Are They Spraying?

Have you noticed this curious criss-cross striping of our skies? Have you noticed they behave nothing like typical jet aircraft contrails? Perhaps you've noticed how each band not only fails to dissipate as a normal contrail does, they gradually spread out creating unnatural cloud formations, a lingering haze or a mono cloud which often results in precipitation of some kind within the next day or two. Though considered controversial by some and largely cloaked in mystery (because the why and who of this operation is yet to be fully disclosed), this methodical spraying of our skies falls under the banner of 'geoengineering' as its methods and effects would indicate manipulation of the biosphere is at least part of the intent.

Taos currently has (and has had for at least a few years now) a cloud-seeding program in place through a private Texas-based company. "Cloud-seeding", or weather manipulation via the dispersing of various chemicals in the atmosphere, has been in used since the 1940's with the experimental dropping of dry ice particles into super-cooled clouds. What exactly these chemical cocktails are composed of nowadays will differ according to application. Their schedules of use much less the full ingredient lists are not fully disclosed to the public so the potential consequences of those chemicals or ill effects linked to their dispersal will remain unclear. What we do know is this approach is not a perfect science and may even be the cause devastating floods that are particularly damaging to burn-scarred areas already made vulnerable to the effects of floods. For more info on cloud-seeding, a decently thorough and balanced article can be found here.

While both are forms of weather modification, Geoengineering is distinctly different from cloud-seeding and involves much more than just aerosol dispersal in the atmosphere. A pretty straightforward intro-level resource for understanding the basics of geoengineering, technologies involved and key reasons to oppose geoengineering can be found at Geoengineering Monitor. Geoeingeering Watch is another resource more focused on aerosol distributed geoengineering. The website is a library of research data, conversations with scientists and public officials, data-rich presentations, up-to-date newsfeed, activism resource materials, records of legal actions being taken… along with evidence linking aerosol distributed geoengineering to extreme weather, wildfires and ice storms. It's an excellent resource for empowering citizens to initiate change at the level of their local governments.

Though weather modification and various other geoengineering programs have treated our planet and all life on it as a big lab experiment, many are ready to adopt such risky programs as our "last hope" for addressing climate change though there are many more creative alternatives to explore which pose no risk only multiple benefits. Geoengineering is already proving to be a reckless gamble with numerous consequences and is not our only or last hope, not by any stretch.

Below are just a few examples of geoengineering risks as well as alternative approaches which, alongside the dedication to reduction of carbon emissions and pollution in general, can turn things around for this planet and all living beings who call her home. And, because the environment is directly related to social issues such as poverty, war and displacement, we can expect to see increasingly improved conditions for all people everywhere, especially in areas most directly affected by environmental decline.

• Geotherapy: Can the Anthropocene Have a Second Restorative Phase?

• Cultivating Seaweed for Carbon Removal in California: Barriers and Recommendations

• Geoengineering: The Riskiest Way to Save the Planet

• Case Against Geoengineering

• Geoengineering: The Riskiest Way to Save the Planet

• Solar Geoengineering: A Bold Solution or a Global Disaster?

• Playing God With Planet Earth

• What in the World Are They Spraying?

WHOLESOME HUMOUR

Kenneth Crazy World

Kenneth modeling a beautiful Sky shirt while gently dancing to Roddy.

BOTANICAL HOROES

Air-ated roots for cleaner air

NASA constructed a structural “Biohome” to simulate a manmade space-bubble. Built entirely of synthetic materials, at first it was so flooded with toxins that visitors quickly complained of sore eyes and breathing problems. They added 15 air cleaning houseplants and within days the toxins cleared enough that visitors no longer showed symptoms of exposure.

In the 1980s, Stennis Space Center researcher W.C. Wolverton studied how to maximize the air-scrubbing potential of houseplants. Over the 10 year course of his research, it was found that both plant leaves and roots are utilized in removing trace levels of toxic vapors from inside closed indoor spaces. Low levels of chemicals such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde can be removed from indoor environments by plant leaves alone, while higher concentrations of numerous toxic chemicals can be removed by filtering indoor air through the plant roots surrounded by activated carbon. Activated carbon absorbs large quantities of the toxic chemicals and retains them until the plant roots and associated microorganisms degrade and assimilate these chemicals. Wolverton's 1988 research paper can be found here.

Find a current NASA compiled list of most air purifying plants for indoors here along with specific benefits and care requirements.

Earthship hack:

Per NASA's findings, root aeration is key to the effectiveness of this natural air-filtration process. A simple way to aerate plants rooted in our built-in garden spaces is to simply poke holes in the soil around the plant, occassionally water with diluted H2O2 to deliver higher doses of oxygen and periodically add “plant probiotics" (friendly microbes) to the soil as they are a crucial aspect of the purification process. Adding activated charcoal and assisting plants with carbon capture is also key.

While we rarely have direct control over the pollutants in our air (from aerosol geoengineering, airborne pollutants from burning up satellites, asphalt plants, indoor electronics, furniture, etc…), we can utilize the generous gifts of Nature to counteract their detrimental effects. Throughout the millenia of human existence we see without fail for every threat to human health that exists, the plant kingdom reliably provides the remedy!