Biodiversity Festival

By Stuart Thornton, National Geographic Roving Reporter There is a lot to see at BioBlitz’s Biodiversity Festival. Inside a long tented pavilion, manned booths offer students, teachers and parents information about a wide variety of subjects from—local San Francisco Bay area parks to artistically created oyster reefs. The Marine Mammal Center, KQED Science and, of course, National Geographic Education have set up areas that receive … Continue reading Biodiversity Festival

Pedal Power

By Stuart Thornton, National Geographic Roving Reporter AshEl SeaSunZ stalks the main stage at BioBlitz’s Biodiversity Festival rapping about alternative energy—while seven kids and adults furiously pedal stationary bicycles nearby. It turns out the cyclists in the tent are an important component of SeaSunZ’s show: their pedaling provides energy for the stage’s audio system. When the power starts to get low, a red light turns … Continue reading Pedal Power

Raptors: The Reality Show

By Stuart Thornton, National Geographic On the main stage at the BioBlitz Biodiversity Festival, Jenny Papka of Native Bird Connections has the full crowd in the palm of her hand. She showcases three birds of prey during her “Raptors: The Reality Show” presentation. Papka begins by showing the crowd a live American kestrel—a bird she calls the “F-14 fighter of the raptor world.” Next up is a … Continue reading Raptors: The Reality Show