This week, we're launching Skunk Bear, our new science tumblr.
What will I find on this tumblr?
Cool things! Cool science things!! Stuff we make or discover on the Internet that makes us laugh, or think, or turn to each other and say, "Hey, look at this cool thing!"
Here's an example — something we put up on Skunk Bear today. It's a computer model of a slo-mo flapping hummingbird, surrounded by swirling vortices of air. (The bird tilts its wings to get lift on both the upstroke and the downstroke.)
We'll be sharing animations, videos, illustrations, science GIFs, behind-the-scenes moments from radio stories, dispatches from the intersection of science and culture, homemade lava recipes, underwater operas, and the occasional fascinating graph scrawled on a napkin.
What's with the name?
Skunk bear is one nickname for the wolverine. (It's also known as the quickhatch, the carajou and simply ... the glutton.) Wolverines are strong for their size and known for their incredibly diverse diet. They consume everything from shrews to caribou. And NPR's little tumblr has an insatiable appetite for all kinds of science stories — big and small.
Wolverines also have a scary reputation. They're known for being vicious, foul-smelling predators. But biologists who study them say they form lifelong bonds and are surprisingly caring fathers. Science, too, can be initially intimidating to some people, but I'm hoping that Skunk Bear will show you science's lovable side. So check it out! And let us know when you discover something that's worth sharing.
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