Procyon lotor—the raccoon—is a mid-size mammal native to North America. The raccoon has expanded its range due to human activity in several ways. As a result of intentional introductions gone awry, the raccoon has become quite the nuisance and invasive species in parts of Europe. In a similar situation, the successful and culturally impactful 1997…
Talking about sex at school has always been taboo. Whether it be giggles in the back of the classroom during a health lesson, or the crowd who attends URI Sex Toy Bingo as a joke, the edge of discomfort has kept its grip on us into adulthood. “Sex and the Cigar” was revamped last semester…
Pandion haliaetus–the osprey–is a large bird of prey with a worldwide distribution. These notorious piscivores are experts at catching fish, hovering up to 40 meters above the water before locking eyes and locking in, plunging into the brine. It is estimated that about 99% of an osprey’s diet is fish, which puts even the most…
The angles are horrible. Someone is always cold. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Shower sex has reputation issues. People may call it impractical or put it in the same category as sex on the beach, which is debatable. But with a towel in hand, I am here to defend it. When the…
Gallus gallus domesticus–the chicken–is the domesticated subspecies of the wild red jungle fowl native to Southeast Asia. Some estimate that humans first domesticated the red jungle fowl over 8,000 years ago. Once people noticed that, when there’s an excess of food, chickens turn their reproductive cycle upside down and start producing a ton of eggs….
How often do you get something right on the first try? How often do you get something wrong if you don’t try? Never. As everyone around me began getting into relationships, I told my friends my plan. I was going to go one-and-done, find my perfect person, and be with her till death do us…
Lithobates palustris–the pickerel frog– is a medium-sized frog and the only native poisonous frog in North America. These amphibians secrete toxic bradykinin compounds through their skin. As you can imagine, this defense is capable of deterring many predators. Given the choice between a poison sandwich and a poisonless sandwich, I’m siding with the latter every…
Branta canadensis–Canada goose–is the largest species of goose and is a ubiquitous migratory species in North America. These herbivorous, freshwater-preferring waterfowl have done quite well in the modern age, conservatively numbering 5 million strong. While the picture above is a goose, some people long ago decided to refer to a grouping of these critters as…
Buteo jamaicensis–the red-tailed hawk–is one of the most common birds of prey that is seen on campus. With a range that spans from Alaska to Panama and a little beyond, these birds are both common and conspicuous. These hawks feed on many other critters on campus, such as small mammals and birds, but will actively…
Four seasons, four types of flings and two people who are together for no romantic reason, how did they meet in the first place? In March 2025, I was doing homework in Coddington Hall’s common room for a change of scenery rather than my dorm room. As I was working, a few people passed by,…