Zachary Hertz (ZH): For our Homecoming installment, we have esteemed alumnus Juan Castañeda (LA '18), who can be found asking Siri to download Grubhub every weekend. Our sticks are from Pinky’s, a local restaurant with somewhat of a reputation: Its owner was sentenced on federal tax charges ...
Put simply, a niche is the ecological role a species plays in its environment. Think about the classic backyard birds and the niches they occupy — American robins hop around on the ground hunting for worms, downy woodpeckers drill holes in trees extracting insects and house finches crack thick seeds in their powerful bills. If you live somewhere like the tropics, the increased availability of resources leads to a higher quantity of occupiable niches. With more available niches, more species can coexist. And once two species start to utilize the same resource, they attempt to avoid competition by specializing on one part of that resource over years of evolution, effectively dividing — or partitioning — that niche. (For example, a hummingbird eats the nectar of a flower, while a tanager eats the insects on or around the flower.) This is one of the leading theories explaining the marvelously diverse array of species present in these ecosystems. Twenty species of shorebirds can happily coexist on the same mudflat because their unique bill lengths and foraging strategies target different invertebrates living just below the surface. Mixed flocks exceeding 30 species of Amazonian songbirds can hang out in a fig tree together gulping down insects, flowers, berries, fruit and lizards, among other things. It makes me wonder — do we, in our modern, civilized world, partition niches too?
You’ve been working at the deli for three years now. The pay is garbage, but the hours are decent. An older man comes up to the counter and puts in his order. “No problem,” you reply. Suddenly, disgust. A snarl erupts across the man’s face. He begins to berate you for your poor manners. You ...
This is a follow-up to a column published on March 14, in which I wrote about Tiger Woods in the Valspar Championship, where he placed second after a great round of golf. I wrote then of comebacks, but now I have more to write about: redemption.Tiger had a spectacular fall from grace in both his golfing ...
Tech billionaires are your worst enemy. There is nothing progressive in the commodification of all your time, attention and information. In fact, growing sectors of the digital economy are at the forefront of authoritarian, anti-democratic politics in the United States.This form of politics includes ...
I have been a casual zoo-goer since I was a child, so when I learned of the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, I was filled with curiosity and nostalgia. Located a mere seven miles away, the zoo is reachable by public transportation in approximately an hour. Although the trip was nothing like I expected, ...
With all the stories coming out on a daily basis covering NBA injuries, potential trades and drama, you’d find it hard to believe that the NBA season still hasn’t even begun. It’s felt that way for nearly the entire summer, to be honest, as the NBA continues to prove why it’s the best sports ...
I seem to like being in introductory courses. My first semester at Tufts, I took EC 5; I don’t understand graphs. This semester, I’m taking BIO 13. Last semester, I took COMP 11. I was interested in the course in a curiously-peeking-around-a-corner way, in part because of the large number of computer ...
Welcome to The Coin Toss, where I make bold predictions about your favorite professional sports.To quickly recap last week's predictions: I had the Jets beating the Browns,Blake Bortles as a top ten fantasy quarterback again and the Chargers upsetting the Rams. None of those came true! This will ...
The Beto O’Rourke campaign has been a big energizer in national politics, especially in Texas where he mobilized a large supporter and donor base. While his charisma, grassroots campaign style and unabashedly progressive platform are unique, Rep. O’Rourke is part of a larger group of Democrats running ...
The French have an incredibly rich filmic history — some may argue a richer one than the United States — yet many amazing modern French films are overshadowed by their black-and-white, cigarette-heavy, slow-moving '60s predecessors.I am not going to sit here and deny the importance of films ...
Former Congressman Mike Espy is no stranger to the people of Mississippi. The three-term legislator-turned Secretary of Agriculture won four elections in one of the most conservative states in the United States by positioning himself as a Blue Dog Democrat willing to put Mississippi above the sport of politics. And he might just be the first Democratic U.S. Senator from The Magnolia State in almost three decades.
“Tom vs. Time” is reaching an untimely pinnacle for Patriots fans. As in, is it time to worry about Tom ... for good ... like really start sounding the alarm ... and realizing there’s no backup plan. Uh oh.Brady’s arm unremarkably expired on a fourth quarter heave to Phillip Dorsett in the dying ...
Zachary Hertz (ZH): Welcome back! This week’s guest is Robert Hoover, a beleaguered sophomore who, as an athlete, physics major, percussion hero and campus celeb, proves you really can have it all, as long as you don’t sleep! Today’s another pop punk classic: Fall Out Boy's (FOB) “Infinity ...
When I ask whether urbanization is a positive force, I am really asking two questions: Is the standard of living higher for people who live in cities? And, is it a positive force for the environment? Urbanization can lead to economic development, and, if done well, can help reduce the effects of climate ...
Given how expensive they are, it’s hard not to see your dorm as a gift horse with a serious case of lockjaw. However, studies (I totally haven’t made up) show that fluorescent lighting is the leading cause of ego death among 18 to 22 year-olds, so it seems appropriate that I should furnish you with ...
We need a workers’ party if we are to win any lasting change.With the far right in control of all branches of the U.S. government and the Democratic Party increasingly reliant on the military-industrial complex for its candidates and fundraising, the need for a left-wing party is clearer than ever. ...
I spent this summer up in New Hampshire working as a loon biologist for the Loon Preservation Committee (LPC). Yes, that is a real thing. The LPC has been around for over 40 years now and hires several loon biologists each summer to monitor the entire loon population of N.H. It was such a sweet job; I basically kayaked around in the sun all day.
Two weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles took the field for the first time since they won their first Super Bowl ever. In the first half, they had 68 yards of offense and 66 penalty yards. The team kneeled to end the half and headed into the locker rooms. That is when the fans started booing.My immediate ...
In an article published on Sept. 19 on Sporting News, the former NFL 1999 Executive of the Year Jeff Diamond ripped into Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell and his decision to not yet sign the franchise tag placed on him by the Steelers. Diamond referred to Bell’s actions as “illogical” ...
