The Quiz: The story of the death of this knight in the Pyrenees is the oldest surviving major work of French literature: A Sir Lancelot B Joan of Arc C Roland Roland was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who died in a battle with the Basques as the army returned to France following a … Read more
The Quiz: What’s the moose mating season called? A Randy B Rut C Roam The rut isn’t unique to moose—it’s the mating season for many mammals, but especially moose and other ruminants like deer, goats, camels, and bison. For Alaska moose like these two, the rutting season lasts from late September to early October. During … Read more
The Quiz: What is unique about the Alaska moose’s antlers? A They’re the largest in the deer family B They have the most points C They’re green at birth The Alaska moose is the largest subspecies of moose—so large that it’s sometimes called the ‘giant moose.’ An Alaska bull moose’s antlers can measure nearly 6 … Read more
The Quiz: Which politician led the Bull Moose Party? A Theodore Roosevelt B Ross Perot C Woodrow Wilson After Roosevelt narrowly lost the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in 1912 to his former protégé, William Howard Taft, he ran in the general election as the candidate of the newly formed Progressive Party. It was popularly called … Read more
The Quiz: What’s the name of the study of life on Earth through fossils? A Paleontology B Sedimentology C Entomology Yes, paleontology is the study of specific plants and animals through examining fossils in layers of rock. Experts continue to make remarkable discoveries to this day by unearthing fossils. The correct answer to this quiz … Read more
The Quiz: Why are we showing you ancient ammonites today? A October is Ammonite Month B It’s National Fossil Day C It’s 75 years since paleontologists found the first ammonite That’s right, it’s National Fossil Day, a time to recognize the value of fossils in helping us figure out the history of planet Earth. The … Read more
The Quiz: Ammonites are most closely related to which modern-day creatures? A Octopuses and squid B Sea urchins and starfish C Snails and slugs In the past, people thought ammonites were snakes that had been turned to stone (snakestones), and we can see why. And while they also resemble snails, in fact ammonites are ancient … Read more
The Quiz: What’s one way that mosses help the environment? A Fire prevention B Absorption of gamma rays C Temperature control Mosses can keep the soil warm or cool it down. In deserts, for example, they protect tree roots by acting as a buffer to minimize the heat that reaches the soil. In icy environments, … Read more
The Quiz: What type of photography was used to take this picture of wall screw-moss? A Micro B Macro C Light painting Macro photography is the art of taking close-up photos of tiny things—often the insects, animals, and plants we can’t see very well with the naked eye. The correct answer to this quiz is … Read more
The Quiz: What is the branch of botany that studies mosses? A Crenology B Bryology C Mossophagy ‘Bryein’ is the Greek word for moss, and it means ‘to grow luxuriantly.’ That makes bryology a perfect name for the study of these resilient plants, since they account for most of the biodiversity in wetlands as well … Read more