Rick's Blog

#bunyipsbooksbeyond

Use the menu below to explore "All Posts," or delve into selected topics like "Children's Picture Books", and more.

After several days in the cities, it was the absence that began to strike me. Not the absence of people. There were people everywhere. Not the absence of noise. India hums continuously with movement and life. It was the absence of animals. On earlier visits to India, I had always been aware of animals as part of the everyday landscape. Street dogs slept in the shade of tea stalls. Cattle wandered slowly through traffic with the calm assurance of creatures that know they belon

I remember the moment the valley opened. We had been climbing through the Andes all morning, the road tracing ridges where clouds brushed the hillsides and the air smelled clean enough to drink. The land felt ancient and patient. Terraces, scattered farms, eucalyptus leaning into the wind. Then, as we descended, the color changed. At first it was only a glint. Pale rectangles catching the sun. I thought they were ponds, or frost. But around the next bend the truth came into f

There are moments in public policy when science quietly accumulates in the background for decades, until suddenly it must step forward and speak with a single voice. In the United States, the Endangerment Finding  was one of those moments. Most people outside environmental law have never heard of it. Yet it sits at the foundation of modern U.S. climate policy, shaping regulations on cars, power plants, methane emissions, and industrial pollution. Without it, much of the feder

The 2025 State of the Climate Report  published today (29 October 2025) in BioScience offers the clearest warning yet. The planet’s vital signs are in crisis. Of the 34 indicators that scientists track to measure Earth’s health, from atmospheric carbon and ocean heat to ice loss and biodiversity, 22 have reached record levels . “Earth’s systems are nearing tipping points that could plunge the planet into a ‘hothouse’ regime,” warns William Ripple, co-lead author and professo

The weak spot in Earth’s magnetic field , known as the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) , is highly significant because it offers insights into the behavior of Earth’s core dynamics , space-weather vulnerability , and satellite safety . What is the weak spot? The SAA is a vast region over the South Atlantic Ocean  where Earth’s magnetic field is significantly weaker than elsewhere. This anomaly was first detected in the late 1950s  when satellites noticed unusually high radiation

Every morning on my walk, I pick up trash. Not out of compulsion, but out of quiet disbelief. The worst offenders, and the most...

This week, the world lost one of its most luminous champions for wildlife, nature, and hope. Dr. Jane Goodall, pioneering primatologist,...

While diet and exercise are often blamed for rising obesity rates, accumulating evidence points to a less visible culprit—...

Cats are among the most cherished companions in the modern world. Their independence, elegance, and comforting purrs have earned them a...

The once-abundant wild parrots vanished mysteriously in the early 20th century.   Now scientists are closer to solving their...

Deep within the forests of the southeastern United States and parts of the Amazon, a peculiar caterpillar has captured public attention,...

A Relentless Retreat from Environmental Protection and Wildlife Conservation   The first 100 days of the current administration’s return...

Imagine a forest suddenly turning gray, its vibrant life vanishing without a sound. That’s exactly what’s happening beneath the waves...

Inside Climate News  was founded in 2007 and provides unbiased, non-partisan reporting on climate change to inform the national...

Last week, six women boarded Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin rocket and made headlines for their 11-minute suborbital flight.   It was hailed as...

When we think of the Great Barrier Reef , our minds often drift to the kaleidoscope of corals, the graceful movements of sea turtles, or...

When we think of freshwater on a grand scale, The Great Lakes  stand unrivaled in North America.   Spanning two countries and housing...

Stretching nearly 3,500 miles across Australia’s arid interior, the Dingo Fence is the longest man-made barrier in the world. Built not...

Cancer is a disease that affects millions of species, including humans, yet some animals have developed remarkable resistance to it....

Nestled in the coastal town of Ushimado, Japan, the Gokogu Shrine stands as a testament to harmonious coexistence between humans and a...