Nature Unveiled Blog
Beauty exists in nature but also in the scientific understanding of nature, yet the science is often mistakenly perceived to be dry, nerdy, boring, the antithesis of beauty. The blog Nature Unveiled revels in the beauty of both as it explores natural phenomena from bioluminescence to carnivorous plants to seal whiskers.
Nature Unveiled is a collaboration of father and son, Edwin Barkdoll and Forest Barkdoll-Weil.

Transparent Animals โ Nature’s Invisibility Cloaks
Long before J.R.R. Tolkienโs Ring of Power enabled its wearer to vanish, animals evolved the superpower of transparency. No mean parlor trick, Tolkien’s Ring also conferred the power to prevail against oneโs competitors. Transparent animals profit similarly in their struggle to survive.

The Life of Sand
Sand is the consummate shapeshifter, marking time as it sifts through an hourglass, forming ephemeral wave patterns on a beach, squeezing between one’s toes or even morphing into the concrete of our buildings. Yet few realize sand’s fascinating story. What is sand, and where does it form?

An Urchin in Hand
An Urchin in Hand Red pencil urchin (Heterocentrotus mamillatus) in Hawaii Sea urchin skeletons are frequent finds along the Maine coast. With luck, the shell-like skeleton is entire but denuded of the animalโs tube feet and protective spines, revealing orderly but mysterious patterns of tiny knobs and holes. Alive, a sea urchin is equally enigmatic.

Grow a spine or two – in defense of cacti
Cacti are more than charismatic desert superstars of movie Westerns. They have fascinating biology, and some even live in rainforests.

Avoiding the Big Freeze – Animals in the Cold
Avoiding the Big Freeze – Animals in the Cold A spider, about 1 centimeter long, traveling on the snow at -2ยฐC (28ยฐF) Imagine a tiny spider no more than a centimeter long. Winter is in full force, and the spiderโs body temperature is below freezing as it slowly crawls across the snow. Yet, the spider

FOAM-Oh!
FOAM-Oh! 1 Stream foam collecting around fall leaves Foam isnโt just stuff that comes out of shaving cream cans, keeps your take-out coffee hot, or floats in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.2 It is a ubiquitous natural phenomenon that is fascinating and can affect rainfall; has caused seabird die-offs; and influences global climate. Donโt sell