Science Friday

Science Friday is no longer posting on X.

We didn’t make this decision lightly. We had many wonderful years on X/Twitter and have enjoyed thoughtful audience conversations, banter, and questions in this space. Thank you for supporting SciFri over the years—your curiosity fuels everything we do. We hope to see you in other spaces.

This mini-forest, like many across the globe, follows the Miyawaki Method of densely planting specific native species to jump-start forest development.

“Since they’re planted close together, as they grow, they branch out, and they start to touch each other and form a canopy,” says Hannah Lewis, author of the book “Mini-Forest Revolution– Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild the World”.

“And so then they’re shading out weeds and they’re creating that microclimate that holds humidity inside, so you no longer need to water or weed after two or three years.”

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1: Dr. Nicholas Geron, Salem State University
2: Somerville High School Forest | Funded by SUGi
3-5: Alexandra Ionescu

This month’s SciFri Book Club pick is here! 📚

We’re reading “Life on a Little-Known Planet: Dispatches from a Changing World” by Elizabeth Kolbert for March and April. Join us as as we discover a carbon-neutral island in Denmark, explore a biologist’s efforts to talk to whales, and meet the “father of global warming.”

Each week, we'll share discussion questions in our community group and newsletter. Ready to look at our planet a little differently?

Start reading with us:
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New research shows that a modest amount of specialized cognitive training could reduce dementia risk by 25%. Plus, we talk with playwright Jake Brasch about his new play “The Reservoir” that shines a comedic light on cognitive reserve and shared experiences with failing memory. buff.ly/2CtUk1p

Loved our episode on planting mini-forests? Want to learn more about the Miyawaki Method? Check out our latest article and see how people are attempting to fast-track forests in their communities. 🌳 🌲 🌳

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