nature Archives - Keith Shields

Life and Death in God’s Good Creation

God created a world in which one creature consumes another to survive. We may wish it was otherwise; we may think it would have been a better world if God had made it so that we humans could synthesize energy from the sun, but that is not the world God created. Besides which, even grass which…

George MacDonald on Reflections

Why are all reflections lovelier than what we call the reality? — not so grand or so strong, it may be, but always lovelier?…There is no cheating in nature and the simple unsought feelings of the soul. There must be a truth involved in it, though we may but in part lay hold of the…

Thermophilic Bacteria as Great Wonders of the World

Lewis Thomas[1] was an award winning author and physician who had a way of explaining complex science in simple ways. In his essay, “Seven Wonders[2],” Lewis relates how he was once asked for his list of contemporary “Wonders of the World.” He is careful to say that he thinks it would be impossible to create…

Avian Rodeo

The wonders of God’s creation will never cease to amaze me. On three different occasions in two geographically distinct areas I have witnessed Red-winged Blackbirds riding on the backs of hawks. You have likely seen the phenomenon where smaller blackbirds are seen harassing larger hawks. Red-winged Blackbirds can be quite territorial and will work…

Tools and Tool Management

Those who regularly read this blog will know that I have a fascination with crows. I have repeatedly sung their praises as one of the most intelligent animals on the planet (see here; here; and here). So, when I read another paper about crows and tool use, I naturally wanted to write about it here.…