Purbita Saha

Dec 17, 2024 | birdsandblooms.com | Purbita Saha

The Mystery of the First Bird MigrationBirds have been migrating for hundreds of thousands of years, but did they head north or south first? According to evolutionary scientists, they probably flew from colder regions down to the tropics, then made the return trip when the world around them warmed. This would explain why the majority of modern bird species in North America migrate every spring and fall. Not all birds migrate by flying.

Oct 29, 2024 | birdsandblooms.com | Purbita Saha |Kimberly Kaufman |As a teenager |Megan White

What Are Owl Pellets? A tight ball of fur and bones lies in the leaf litter under the evergreens—a telltale sign that an owl is nearby. The nocturnal raptors cough up these grisly artifacts at their roosts once a day. After snatching up a rodent or fellow bird, they swallow their prey whole, squeezing together the indigestible bits in their gizzard and discarding what’s called an “owl pellet.” Or in other words, owl puke.

Jul 30, 2024 | birdsandblooms.com | Purbita Saha |Kimberly Kaufman |As a teenager |Megan White

Get to know the fascinating falcon bird family — and learn why their ferocity is unrivaled all across North America. Falcons are nature’s fighter jets, stealth bombers and next-gen defensive drones rolled into one. These aerial artists can zoom, aim, float and, of course, dive with prowess unrivaled in the animal kingdom. Even other birds of prey pale in comparison when it comes to a falcon bird and its sheer athletic ability.

Jun 12, 2024 | audubon.org | Purbita Saha

It’s been more than 30 years since Peggy Shepard logged her first environmental win. She’d just been elected as West Harlem’s Democratic Assembly District Leader—her official debut in politics—when her people came to her with a problem: A sewage-treatment plant had recently opened on the Hudson River, and the odors and fumes were making families sick. After hearing their concerns, Shepard started asking the tough questions.

Sep 27, 2023 | popsci.com | Rachel Feltman |Liz Fuller |Purbita Saha

What’s the weirdest thing you learned this week? Well, whatever it is, we promise you’ll have an even weirder answer if you listen to PopSci’s hit podcast. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week hits Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere else you listen to podcasts every-other Wednesday morning. It’s your new favorite source for the strangest science-adjacent facts, figures, and Wikipedia spirals the editors of Popular Science can muster.