The Huntington: Galleries

By Eilene Lyon During my day-long visit to the Huntington, I alternated between strolling through the gardens and visiting the galleries to get out of the sun for a bit. I wrote previously about the gardens. Henry and Arabella were both collectors and particularly enamored with Louis XVI French style. Their former residence is dedicated... Continue Reading →

April 29, 2019 23

Rude Awakening

By Eilene Lyon I decided to have lunch on the deck today - apparently I don't open the umbrella often enough! Cautiously peering up inside before opening it, I was expecting perhaps some paper wasp nests. This little guy probably didn't appreciate such a rude disturbance to his/her midday slumber. I swear I heard and... Continue Reading →

July 13, 2018 28

History of the Theory of Evolution

By Eilene Lyon This is the follow-up article to Science and Belief. Darwin’s Observations on the Natural World Charles Darwin formulated his hypothesis of evolution by natural selection based on observations he made during his trip around the world on the Beagle in the 1830s. Some of those observations: Island groups had wildlife differing from... Continue Reading →

April 4, 2018 10

Science and Belief

By Eilene Lyon I once asked a classroom of college biology majors, some of them pre-med, whether they “believe in evolution.” About half raised their hand. Ha! Trick question. Science is not about believing. Belief and faith are the realm of religion and spirituality. In fact, you could say that science is the antithesis of... Continue Reading →

March 27, 2018 7