I woke up hard, dusty, and sore, as happens when you fall asleep in the dirt and the straw of the stables. I felt a yen for a smoke and maybe eggs, but I needed to get my bearings first. Through the stable door, across the yard, I saw some piglets suckling at an exhausted looking sow, the runt of the litter trying to find purchase amid the scramble of the mass of wriggling pink skin. I’ve always liked the runts. You play the cards you’re dealt and scramble with the rest. Pa

The date was March 31st 2026, a damp Tuesday afternoon right after I had just finished my Ecology and Philosophy class. On my walk to my car I caught a glimpse of a weird little alien walking across the sidewalk. As one does after catching a glimpse of a weird little alien, I came closer to inspect what it was doing in the parking lot of our campus. Upon further inspection I discovered that it was not an alien, but a crayfish that was on a pleasant stroll that day. As I got i

A new collaboration between Oakton's Naturalist, Biology Professor, and students is ready for 2025!