The Well-read Naturalist

A new (to me) podcast was recently added to my regular listening rota: The HPS Podcast. #history #science #philosophy #podcast https://lnkd.in/gyVwiiin

'Tis the season for scammer shenanigans... As many of you are likely beginning to take advantage of the many book publishers' holiday sales that are now underway, I thought I'd offer a helpful reminder of how to protect yourselves against a common scammer tactic: the old fake text message from the postal service scam. These are rather easy to identify. First, the message will often come from a number that is clearly not from a postal authority. This one I received today has a country code of +63. That's the code for The Philippines. As I live in the United States where the country code is +1, that's a clue that the message is a fake. Second, the message claims to be from the U.S. Postal Service and directs me to a clearly inaccurate website address. I didn't even need to look that one up to know that it was incorrect. (In case you're wondering, the USPS website domain is the very straightforward "usps.com.") The holidays are busy times, and most of us are distracted with a variety of things, but a few moments of thought given to incoming text messages that purport to be from a parcel carrier or retail shop with which you may actually have active business underway will save you a lot of trouble should you inadvertently fall prey to one. #scam #security

I've long worn eyebobs eyewear as my cheaters of choice, so I'm honored that they included my grizzled, hoary, bespectacled visage in their social media postings. However it does now beg the question: am I now an online model? 🤔😆 https://lnkd.in/gE4py5hn

T'is the season for Amanita muscaria here in the Pacific Northwest.

Here is a link to an interesting new article in Nature Magazine about the recent rapid growth of activity on Bluesky by those in the sciences. #science #communication #socialmedia https://lnkd.in/eZKVtvCD

The world is often a savage place today (in truth, t'was always thus). Please take a moment to make your little corner of it a bit less so by listening to these readings by The Pre-Raphaelite Society's poet-in-residence Sarah Doyle. #mentalhealth #poetry https://lnkd.in/gKGWyvrT

If you haven't yet discovered the Radio Lento podcast I urge you to follow this link and do so. It offers long segments of high quality audio recordings from different natural areas. Put on your headphones and queue up the track "Night callings in the Forest of Dean," and you will mentally disappear into the soothing and restorative beauty of that place. #nature #relaxation #audio https://lnkd.in/eSNXy2Y

This is likely going to seem a bit contradictory and perhaps even hypocritical, seeing as I just published an essay lambasting social media's detrimental effects on mental health and intellectual acuity, but what with the latest exodus from Twitter-X to Bluesky, I had a look there and found a large number of the natural history and nature writing community members present whom I remember from the early days of Twitter back when it was a truly useful and not psychologically damaging communication platform. So far, I've found it to be a polite and positive environment with no abusive trolls, no porn, and no ads. This may, of course, change as it continues to grow, but for now it seems safe. I've created an account there where I am connecting to many in the nature community with whom I in some instances haven't been in communication for years. The Bluesky structure offers thematic and privately curated "starter packs" of accounts. I've followed two or these (David Shiffman's and Nic Wilson's), and they have connected me to a lovely group of scientists, naturalists, and nature writers across a range of subject areas. If you do decide to join Bluesky as well, please remember, please don't allow it to consume too much of your time. As Aristotle, Dante, Milton, and a host of others have taught us: all in moderation. https://lnkd.in/gJKSwJhX

It has been made known to me that Melissa Harrison and Peter Rogers have made the entire collection of the superb "The Stubborn Light of Things" podcast available on Bandcamp. I've made reference in my essays and other communications to this remarkable and historically important series more times than I can recall. It is worth not only hearing but keeping safe in your collection of recordings for whenever you need to hear its life-saving, nature-centered messages of compassion, community, and hope. #nature #community #mentalhealth https://lnkd.in/gZmJAFgE

In searching for something gentle and civilized for my next listen, I found "The Pleasures of the Garden" from Naxos AudioBooks. #books #gardening #nature https://lnkd.in/gW95zHjV