Articles written by M E Skeel

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About me - M E Skeel

I am a biologist turned high school science and marine studies teacher. Born in Oregon, I developed a life-long love of nature and wildlife. I now live on a large property in the Australian Bush, which is a wildlife refuge for such animals as platypus, koalas,

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Pets & Animals > Animal Facts & Resources The effect of animals on human mood: 1 of 16

Animals have both positive and negative effects on human mood. Let's start with the negative effects. Many people have deep-seated, almost irrational fears of certain types of animals, especially snakes and spiders. This may have an evolutionary connection to days when we lived much closer to nature and where medical care was... More..
Sciences > Medical Science (Other) Is euthanasia ethical or unethical?: 5 of 66

If we are talking about the euthanasia of hurt animals, then euthanasia is not only ethical, it is a cruel necessity. When I became a wildlife carer in Australia, I wanted to save everything. Obviously, I cannot and it has become part of a carer's job list to make sure that dying animals do not suffer unnecessarily. A wallaby... More..
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Humorous stories for children: 3 of 35

Once upon a time, a little garden hoe came alive. No one knows how this happened, but M'gee suspects Elen did it. Elen is a fairy that lives in the garden. Hidey Hoe wasn't the only tool to come to life, either. Glove came alive and so did Clippy Shears. That was too much of a coincidence to M'gee, so she suspected the little... More..
Sciences > Microbiology Fungal dispersal mechanisms: 1 of 10

Fungi move mainly by growing. The cells in fungal hyphae divide and grow and this stretches the hyphal threads out into the soil or whatever substrates the fungi are using. This is a good strategy for reaching nearby food sources but for long distance dispersal, other methods are needed. The mushrooms we see popping their ... More..
Health & Fitness > Health & Fitness (Other) Gardening as therapy: 1 of 8

My garden gives me herbs, flowers and vegetables but these things are secondary to my garden's true purpose. It is my natural therapist and saves me hundreds of dollars that I might otherwise spend on counsellors, psychologists or tranquilisers and sleeping pills.Instead, after a hard day at work, where I am not allowed to re... More..
Pets & Animals > Birds Wild bird care: 1 of 7

Caring for wild birds can be rewarding. It can also be heartbreaking. Wild birds come into care because they are sick, injured or orphaned. Many are beyond help and all you can do is give them a safe place to die. Wild birds often do not know that you are trying to help them. All they see is another scary predator. Some... More..
Health & Fitness > Healthy Living & Wellness Why is obesity such a widespread problem?: 3 of 20

For most of our evolutionary history we lived in hunter-gatherer societies where high quality food was not always available. During times of plenty, it was a good idea to eat as much as possible, because fat had survival value, becaue its stored energy can be burned during times of starvation. Harsh winters, droughts and ot... More..
Sciences > Microbiology A look at algae's symbiotic relationships: 2 of 13

Algae can produce their own food by photosynthesis, so why do they need to associate with other organisms? The answer is simple: protection. Single celled algae are susceptible to predation and water loss. By themselves, they cannot survive out of water and they have no protection against herbivores. So, over millions of ... More..
Sciences > Ecology & Environment Solution for the energy crisis: Solar power: 4 of 23

I have had a look at the articles written to this title and I believe that I am the only person who is actually using Solar Power to solve my own energy needs. Obviously for this reason I do believe that solar power is a potential solution to the energy crisis. I want to explain here how we have used solar power to reduce o... More..
Sciences > Water & Oceanography Animals of the Great Barrier Reef: 2 of 11

The Great Barrier Reef has so many animals that it is impossible to cover them all here. Fifteen hundred fish species live at the northern end of the Reef in the warmest tropical waters,. Even at the bottom end of the reef there are still over five hundred species of fish. The number of invertebrate species, animals witho... More..