Science Matters

It’s 50॰F in the fall and you reach for a jacket. It’s 50॰F in the spring and some intrepid souls run outside in shorts? Why does the same temperature feel cold in October and warm in April? Science Might Surprise You! Dr. Rose Basom, biological anthropologist and David and Jane Cohn Scientist at the Science Museum of Virginia, shares her insights on the phenomenon of acclimation.

The brain is the nerve center that regulates blood flow, sweat glands, and heart rate; vital activities that help us adjust to environmental changes. Want to learn more?
https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/why-65-degree-day-feels-cold-fall-warm-spring

The Monarch is the only butterfly on Earth to make a two-way migration across North America, but it’s a journey no single individual can finish alone. This 6,000-mile odyssey is a trans-generational relay race, requiring multiple generations to complete the loop from Mexico to Canada, and back again. A crucial pitstop on this voyage is Big Meadows in Shenandoah—an open landscape first cleared by Indigenous hunter-gatherers nearly 9,000 years ago. Here, the butterflies seek out milkweed to lay their eggs. While this plant is poisonous to most creatures, the hatched caterpillars thrive on it, absorbing toxins and developing bold black and yellow stripes that warn predators to stay away. Guided by a mysterious biological compass, the next generation takes up the torch and continues one of nature's most epic voyages.
Shenandoah is produced by Orange Frame Productions, presented and co-produced by VPM, with the cooperation of Shenandoah National Park. The documentary premieres on the PBS app and broadcast April 23rd, and will be released on VPM's Youtube channel on the 24th.

Have you ever wondered what goes on inside a bee hive? Our new digital series, Bee Thoughtful with Dr. Hollee Freeman, gives you a closer look! You can watch the first episode now on our new VPM Spark YouTube channel! Fuel & 19RED petersburgoasisyouthfarm