Traditional news stories usually cover a single subject or the straightforward relationship between two subjects. However, every once in awhile, a story comes along that crams a deceptive number of subjects and interesting relationships into a tiny space. Exploring stories like that can be an adventure. Here’s a link to a wonderful, five minute video that’s like that.

What Tardigrades Can Teach Us About Life in the Rainforest (Seeker, YouTube)

One of my favorite parts of the clip was the analogy about the rainforest as a system.

In an airplane, there are a lot of redundant screws. Maybe you don’t need every single one to fly the plane, but at some point, if they keep dropping off of the machine, it’s not going to work anymore.

Nicely said. So now, let’s unpack the story.

The most obvious thing to do is find out more about the main character in the story, Dr. Meg Lowman. It turns out she is widely known as “Canopy Meg,” she also bills herself as an “Arbornaut,” and she’s been involved in some “interesting” research.

Here’s a clip that shows more about how she was involved with some researchers who explored the canopy using hot air balloons and, incredibly, a luge. Yes, a sled, and even more oddly, they also used a raft! It’s hard to imagine — you’ve got to watch it!

CanopyMeg Lowman (YouTube Channel)
CanopyMeg Lowman (Official Website)

I couldn’t help but wonder if Canopy Meg’s experiences in the Amazon served as the basis for Medicine Man with Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco. If you’ve never seen it, then here’s a trailer about the scientific side of the plot.

Medicine Man Trailer (YouTube)

As it turns out, Medicine Man doesn’t appear to be based upon Canopy Meg. Instead, it may have been based upon a man named Dr. Henry Ferguson.

Doctor Sues the Makers of Medicine Man (Terry Pristin, LA Times)

Trying to understand more about what Ferguson and his colleagues were doing, as well as what Canopy Meg mentioned about pharmaceuticals in the first clip, led to an unexpected detour into Ethnobotany, Ethnobiology, Ethnomedicine and Ethnopharmacology.

It turns out there are tons of articles about these subjects out there.
Ethnobotany (bioRxiv), Ethnobotany (JSTOR)
Ethnobiology (bioRxiv), Ethnobiology (JSTOR)
Ethnopharmacology (bioRxiv), Ethnopharmacology (JSTOR)
Ethnomedicine (bioRxiv), Ethnomedicine (JSTOR)

There’s even a whole Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. It can be interesting reading if you’ve got an appropriate scientific background.

Along the way, while looking for media about the rainforest, I found this 360° video.

Conservation International (YouTube Channel)
Conservation International (Official Website)

This shorter, non-360°, “behind the scenes” is even more interesting.

Conservation International (YouTube Channel)
Conservation International (Official Website)

Finally, what about those “cute” little water bears that Canopy Meg mentioned? Well, they may or may not be all that cute, but they sure are tough little buggers.

Scripps News (YouTube Channel)
Scripps News (Official Website)

They’re SO fascinating, I decided to create a whole new page dedicated to water bears.

Maybe water bears aren’t so “cute” afterall, but if you want to see something really cute, then be sure to check out this absolutely adorable little video from David Williams.

Big Word Club (YouTube Channel)
Big Word Club (Official Website)

Find out more about Arbornauts at the Tree Foundation …

Find out more about forests, trees, water bears, microorganisms, life and nature in general on Cosma …