By Aaron Pomerantz The author at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Gamboa, Panama. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Pomerantz.) How does an animal become invisible? Enter the paradox of the glasswing butterfly. As the name implies, these butterflies have transparent parts of their wings, engendering a common notion that they are “invisible” to avoid... Continue Reading →
By Ignacio Escalante A muddy trail on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, right after the rain. (Photo by Ignacio Escalante.) I am walking in a tropical rainforest on a small island in central Panama. The sound of my muddy boots mixes with the sounds of raindrops hitting the tree canopy, and toucans singing, and monkeys howling in... Continue Reading →
By Rucker Alex and Charlotte D. Smith, Ph.D. Roof top tanks store water in a Panamanian village without continuous water supply. Despite being surrounded — and bisected — by water, Panama struggles to meet its citizens’ water needs in both urban and rural areas. In 2013, 840,000 of the country’s 3.8 million people lacked 24-hour... Continue Reading →
