Tobin and Vassal public art decision nears end, though one of the proposals will need 100 years
Four finalist art proposals are in for the remaking the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools in West Cambridge. The winner of the $650,000 commission won’t be announced until November, but the first step to a decision is homework: learning about each project.
Attend meetings as sweet as a new Ben & Jerry’s and as serious as hiking real estate ‘linkage’ fees
Public meetings this week look at a big leap proposed for real estate fees that build affordable housing, “green new deal” zoning for Cambridge, a condominium conversion law and bubble tea and a relocated Ben & Jerry’s for Porter Square.
American lady butterfly spots aren’t camouflage, but what they are remains a scintillating mystery
American lady butterflies have two large eyespots on each hindwing. Animals often evolve patterns to help camouflage themselves from predators, but eyespots make butterflies stand out. Why would American ladies want to stand out?
State’s Armory Committee agrees to look at sale of land touching the Tobin and Vassal campuses
The state Armory Committee voted unanimously Monday to look at transferring a portion of its land in Cambridge to city ownership, which officials called “the first major step in a multistep process.”
On a day of reflection and wide-open blue skies, feeling the loss of three old oak trees all the more
With all the human suffering in the world and the clearcutting of old-growth forests in the Amazon and Indonesia, why waste tears on a trio of old trees?
Though great black digger wasps look fearsome, they’d rather hunt for insects than sting humans
This wasp paralyzes its prey and feeds it to her offspring. But don’t worry. Its sting will not immobilize you.
City prepares to raze old oaks, only starting talks on an alternative despite council request in 2017
Three mature oak trees will be torn down Friday to make way for rebuilding the Tobin School and Vassal Lane Upper School, according to the City Manager’s Office, but a potential path to saving them is only now entering discussions despite the City Council requesting its study in 2017.
Why Cambridge needs the green new deal zoning petition
To prevent the climate crisis from hurting the place we all call home, Cambridge needs to take bold climate action now. The green new deal zoning petition is a targeted policy designed to help our city actually reduce emissions while promoting economic and racial equity.
Painted turtles can survive intense watery cold, but climate change could make them all female
A fascinating fact about painted turtles: The temperature of their eggs determine the sex of a baby. Warmer egg temperatures produce females, which is why scientists fear that climate change bringing higher temperatures of just 2 degrees might lead to population collapse or even extinction
American goldfinch: A lemon-colored acrobat that’s the strictest of vegetarians
Goldfinches are seed eaters who wait until their food is plentiful in July and August before nesting and raising their young, which means you may be able to spot them right now in sunflowers and thistles.
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