biking bus to school in portland bald eagles rebuild nest after hurricane ian

By Philip GrayDeputy Op-Ed Editor

Oct. 18, 2022 3 AM PT

The biking bus

A PE teacher in Portland, Ore., started with a fun idea, which caught on with others at school, which delighted the people of the city, which now delights the people of TikTok. The concept? A “biking bus” every Wednesday morning to pedal collectively to school. Teacher Sam Balto and his two children get the parade started on their bikes, with a portable speaker to amp everyone’s energy. Other kids join as they go along, and residents line the street to cheer. That’s a heck of a way to start a Wednesday.

The ballad of Harriet and M15

It’s the Florida way: When Hurricane Ian destroyed this couple’s home, and they returned to find only rubble, they wasted no time getting to work on rebuilding. Rebuilding their nest, that is. Harriet and M15 are bald eagles who summer in Fort Myers, Fla., for mating season. Harriet has been visiting the same pine tree every year since 2006, initially with her mate Ozzie, who died in 2015. She later welcomed M15, and they’ve nested there since. We wish these seasonal Southerners the best of luck in their rebuilding.

The rat race is cooperative

Humans are OK, but have you tried hanging with rats? Scientists have discovered that our little furry companions regularly use ultrasonic pleas to ask one another for help. And you know what? Those who ask for help receive it, especially if they have been helpful in the past. When rats are hungry and emitting olfactory cues that they have had poor nutrition, they are more likely than well-fed rats to receive help finding food. No wonder rats have taken over six continents. Their brief homage from Pixar is well deserved: Check out “Your Friend the Rat.”