Nalini Nadkarni
Dr. Nalini Nadkarni is an emeritus professor of both The Evergreen State College and the University of Utah, one of the world’s leading ecologists and a popular science communicator. Dr. Nadkarni’s research and public engagement work is supported by the National Geographic Society and the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. @nalininadkarni
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If you look up at a forest canopy, you might see what look like tangled clusters of twigs scattered among the branches. -
Trees grace many works of fiction. Think of the magnificent treehouse in “The Swiss Family Robinson,” a beautiful, elevated place of safety on a deserted island. -
Clarinets are made from a tree in the rosewood family, a dense hardwood that allows makers to create instruments with long vibrations and resonant tones. -
On a recent visit to south Florida, I was intrigued to learn about Spanish moss, a plant that looks like wispy gray hair draped in the crowns of live oak and other trees in subtropical woodlands. -
Just how far could a primitive wooden raft get you across the ocean? According to archeologists, much further than we previously thought. -
While on my honeymoon in the lush forests of the Great Smoky Mountains, I collected a handful of seeds of a tulip poplar tree. Over 40 years later, I still have them, nestled in my dresser drawer as a memento. -
The world of trees creates many superlatives — the oldest tree, the tallest tree — but I bet that the quaking aspen is the world's liveliest tree. Its round leaves flutter in the slightest breeze. -
I’ve always thought of forests and the sea as two distinct and separate systems. But there is a connector: driftwood — which brings elements of living forests to coastal marine life. -
When I hike in the coastal forests of Washington State, I’m intrigued by sighting "culturally modified trees," or CMTs. These are living trees that have been visibly modified by indigenous peoples for use in their cultural traditions. -
Most of us wash the fuzz off a peach before we eat it. But research shows that peaches need those fuzzy hairs for their survival. -
Utah’s Wasatch Mountains have a rich mining history, but for many of those years, there was as much activity above ground as below. -
Take a look at the packet of disposable chopsticks you get with your next order of sushi — you, the snap-apart kind, tucked in a paper sleeve. These throwaway chopsticks are clean and convenient, but they contribute to a bento box of environmental problems.
