When Paine conceived The Delahaye Group 10 years ago, she wanted to include the good features of all the places she'd worked. One of these was the dress code -- or more precisely, the lack of one. She doesn't need a dress-down Friday. At Delahaye, it's dress-down all year long.
Delahaye is a reputation-measuring company. "We provide quantitative and qualitative research around corporate reputations. We measure the effects of what PR agencies do. The short version is that we're image consultants."
Paine's policy, in an overnight bag: "We wear whatever we can be most productive in. For some, that's a dress or suit, and for others it might he shorts and a T-shirt."
Paine expects her staffers to use their judgment, and, she says, they do. "When we know there's a client coming in, it's dress-up day." But there isn't a lot of drop-in trade at Delahaye. "We usually know when a client is coming."
So far, no one has taken advantage of Paine's laissez-faire policy. She credits employees' common sense. "It's downtown Portsmouth -- nobody is going to show up in a bikini. But we're all grown-ups here. If someone was inappropriately dressed for a business meeting off-site, I might say something. But it hasn't happened."
Delahaye now has 52 staffers in-house. Most opt for comfort, and outfits range from business casual to jeans and sweats. "Five or six still dress up, and they're all women. The guys are more casual," she says.
Banks and other financial institutions are Delahaye's polar opposite. Maureen Donovan, human resources director for Bank of NH, Manchester, says the company has a dress code, and it's dressier than most.
"We still prefer the more formal business attire," Donovan says. This means skirt suits for women, or possibly an upscale pantsuit. Men must wear ties and jackets when in the public eye; in the privacy of their offices, they can ditch the jacket, but the tie stays.
There is no regular "dress-down Friday." Staff members may dress in casual clothes occasionally, for special promotions or holidays. But formal is normal for the 85 employees in the bank's main Manchester office.
Donovan adds, though, that even bank attire has changed with the times. "It hasn't changed dramatically, but what's acceptable has loosened up a little."
For example, women don't have to wear suits all the time. What is Donovan wearing? She practices what she preaches.
"Today I'm in a dressy dress, with a jacket and scarf."
Other companies also prefer the older formal style of dress. Steve Griffin, vice-president of Isaacson Steel in Berlin, says his company opts for traditional business attire four days a week. "The account and administrative departments meet with the public every day. It's expected."
He and the other male staffers wear coats and ties; for the women, skirts are in order.
But Isaacson's staff can romp through a casual day every Friday. It's corporate casual, which means no jeans. "I get to take the tie off," Griffin says. "It's not as stuffy, but it's not grubby, either."
"Casual Friday" came into being in June 1995. "The president and I got tired of wearing ties. There was a `stuffiness cloud' over our heads."
Isaacson's professionals try to schedule client meetings Monday through Thursday, and save Friday for a catch-up day. It's Thursday afternoon, and Griffin is wearing a white shirt, blue slacks and a blue "teardrop" tie. "There's a sport coat on my coat rack."
Will "business casual" replace traditional business dress? Griffin enjoys it, but he hopes not. "The `uniform' of the '70s went too far. Everybody looked like a banker. But if you dress too casually, your mind-set will be too casual toward your work. For some reason, I have to have a coat and tie on most of the time. It's something between my ears, I guess."
But PSNN's Murray believes business casual represents a "loosening up of society, of how we communicate. A shirt and tie doesn't necessarily demonstrate your expertise and abilities. But an appropriate level of dress is a reflection of the company in the eyes of the customer."
Whatever your sartorial style, there's a company out there for you. And if it's an unstructured dress policy, like Paine's, there's an unexpected side benefit. "You can tell when people come to the last of their clean laundry," Paine says. "The fancier clothes are all they have left."
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Should Every Day Be Dress Down #2
Forbidden footwear includes sandals, flip flops, clogs, athletic shoes of any kind, work boots or hiking boots. Casual walking shoes and flat shoes/loafers are acceptable.
What is he wearing on a September Monday? "Oxford comfort shoes, navy blue slacks, a striped Oxford shirt" and no tie.
"Casual dress days" are becoming quite prevalent around the Granite State, according to a recent survey by the NH affiliate of the National Human Resources Association. Of the companies responding to the survey (mostly manufacturing/distribution firms) 83 percent have designated casual days, although only about one-third have a written policy. Just over 80 percent permitted denim jeans at work, and all permitted open-toed shoes in areas where safety is not a concern.
Business casual is also the year-round policy at Public Service of New Hampshire, according to Martin Murray, a spokesman from the Manchester headquarters. PSNH follows the dress code of its Connecticut parent company, Northeast Utilities.
PSNH formerly had a "casual Friday" and dressed up the rest of the week. One summer the company tried the casual mode day-by-day. After Labor Day, Murray says, a corporate decision was made to keep "casual" 12 months a year.
But the policy isn't as detailed as Associated Grocers'. "The employee is asked to use his/her best judgment to select appropriate attire for his or her job," Murray says. However, "it's strongly suggested that jeans, shorts, T-shirts and sneakers are not appropriate. But the onus is on the employee."
Murray cites two of those advantages. First, casual business dress is less expensive than traditional office wear. "I know I kept one dry cleaner in business by myself. Now my dry cleaning bill has gone down."
And people have told him they're more comfortable in the casual attire, and this makes it easier for them to do their jobs.
What is Murray wearing as he talks to a visitor? "I have on a golf shirt and pants -- I think they're Dockers, but I can't see the label. They're not khakis, because they're black. And my comfortable dress shoes are interesting --they're those lace-up things from Timberland. They're like a short boot."
What is he wearing on a September Monday? "Oxford comfort shoes, navy blue slacks, a striped Oxford shirt" and no tie.
"Casual dress days" are becoming quite prevalent around the Granite State, according to a recent survey by the NH affiliate of the National Human Resources Association. Of the companies responding to the survey (mostly manufacturing/distribution firms) 83 percent have designated casual days, although only about one-third have a written policy. Just over 80 percent permitted denim jeans at work, and all permitted open-toed shoes in areas where safety is not a concern.
Business casual is also the year-round policy at Public Service of New Hampshire, according to Martin Murray, a spokesman from the Manchester headquarters. PSNH follows the dress code of its Connecticut parent company, Northeast Utilities.
PSNH formerly had a "casual Friday" and dressed up the rest of the week. One summer the company tried the casual mode day-by-day. After Labor Day, Murray says, a corporate decision was made to keep "casual" 12 months a year.
But the policy isn't as detailed as Associated Grocers'. "The employee is asked to use his/her best judgment to select appropriate attire for his or her job," Murray says. However, "it's strongly suggested that jeans, shorts, T-shirts and sneakers are not appropriate. But the onus is on the employee."
Murray cites two of those advantages. First, casual business dress is less expensive than traditional office wear. "I know I kept one dry cleaner in business by myself. Now my dry cleaning bill has gone down."
And people have told him they're more comfortable in the casual attire, and this makes it easier for them to do their jobs.
What is Murray wearing as he talks to a visitor? "I have on a golf shirt and pants -- I think they're Dockers, but I can't see the label. They're not khakis, because they're black. And my comfortable dress shoes are interesting --they're those lace-up things from Timberland. They're like a short boot."
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Should Every Day Be Dress Down #1
The Do's and Dont's of business fashion are changing.
Robert Molloy was very clear in the first edition of his bestseller "Dress for Success." Never wear brown. Women should wear suits, not dresses, and certainly not pants. Forget dangling earrings, colored nail polish and colored nylons. Men with an eye for the fast track should only wear blue, light gray or charcoal gray suits. No one ever heard of corporate casual.
Now the dress debate is not suit versus sports coat, but how far down is "dress down"?
When Katharine Delahaye Paine, owner of The Delahaye Group, Portsmouth, worked in California's Silicon Valley, she found "casual dress" took on a new meaning. "My ax-husband was actually asked to wear ties less often. It's much less formal than the East Coast."
But the East is catching up. When Molloy wrote his first primer in the 1970s, many professionals scrambled to acquire the "correct" office look for the upward climb. But the robot look eventually lost its charm, and now '90s companies are striving to find a middle ground between comfort and the image they hope to present.
Norm Turcotte, CEO of Associated Grocers, Manchester, chuckles a bit when asked about his company's experience with "dress down" Fridays. "The results were, by and large, pretty good ... with some notable exceptions" because some employees' definitions of dress down were "vastly different" than others.
Rather than scrap the whole dress down idea, however, an employee committee recommended a policy of "business casual" all year round --and the dress down days were dropped.
AG's 150 office workers now have a detailed five-page dress code to guide them as they shop for work attire. On the "do" list: polo shirts, Oxford shirts, sweaters/cardigans, blazers/sport coats, casual pants such as Dockers, business skirts no shorter than four inches above the knee, and tailored dress shorts for women, worn with tights or nylons. Ties are optional.
On the "don't" list: T-shirts, flannel shirts, sweatshirts and tank tops unless covered. Stirrup pants and leggings are out, and shorts for men are verboten. Denim of any sort, top or bottom, has been relegated to home and garden to Turcotte's dismay, who laments that he can't wear his favorite Ralph Lauren denim shirt to the office.
The "denim issue" apparently generated heated discussion among the committee members. But, while he wishes he could work in his favorite shirt, Turcotte says the committee pondered the wide variety of denim clothing today -- from pricey, tailored designer jeans to someone's favorite well-worn holey relics from college -- and decided to nix the whole fabric. And he agrees.
Robert Molloy was very clear in the first edition of his bestseller "Dress for Success." Never wear brown. Women should wear suits, not dresses, and certainly not pants. Forget dangling earrings, colored nail polish and colored nylons. Men with an eye for the fast track should only wear blue, light gray or charcoal gray suits. No one ever heard of corporate casual.
Now the dress debate is not suit versus sports coat, but how far down is "dress down"?
When Katharine Delahaye Paine, owner of The Delahaye Group, Portsmouth, worked in California's Silicon Valley, she found "casual dress" took on a new meaning. "My ax-husband was actually asked to wear ties less often. It's much less formal than the East Coast."
But the East is catching up. When Molloy wrote his first primer in the 1970s, many professionals scrambled to acquire the "correct" office look for the upward climb. But the robot look eventually lost its charm, and now '90s companies are striving to find a middle ground between comfort and the image they hope to present.
Norm Turcotte, CEO of Associated Grocers, Manchester, chuckles a bit when asked about his company's experience with "dress down" Fridays. "The results were, by and large, pretty good ... with some notable exceptions" because some employees' definitions of dress down were "vastly different" than others.
Rather than scrap the whole dress down idea, however, an employee committee recommended a policy of "business casual" all year round --and the dress down days were dropped.
AG's 150 office workers now have a detailed five-page dress code to guide them as they shop for work attire. On the "do" list: polo shirts, Oxford shirts, sweaters/cardigans, blazers/sport coats, casual pants such as Dockers, business skirts no shorter than four inches above the knee, and tailored dress shorts for women, worn with tights or nylons. Ties are optional.
On the "don't" list: T-shirts, flannel shirts, sweatshirts and tank tops unless covered. Stirrup pants and leggings are out, and shorts for men are verboten. Denim of any sort, top or bottom, has been relegated to home and garden to Turcotte's dismay, who laments that he can't wear his favorite Ralph Lauren denim shirt to the office.
The "denim issue" apparently generated heated discussion among the committee members. But, while he wishes he could work in his favorite shirt, Turcotte says the committee pondered the wide variety of denim clothing today -- from pricey, tailored designer jeans to someone's favorite well-worn holey relics from college -- and decided to nix the whole fabric. And he agrees.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Left Brain, Right Brain. Game Review
A better title, "Left Handed, Right Handed", this unusual title asks you to compare the fine motor abilities of your left and right hands, by doing identical tasks with both, and then comparing the scores. To put it another way, it measures your ambidexterity. To play the game, you turn the Nintendo DS on its side, book style, to test your ambidexterity -- in other words, the fine motor skills that you have in your right hand vs. your left hand. Note that this isn't a game per se. Like Brain Age, it is more of a collection of fine motor drills -- some fun and some more like work.There are 15 mini-games that start with asking you to touch a moving box, first with one hand, and then the other (you turn the DS 180 degrees). After you do the same task with both hands, the computer tells you your percent correct on both sides of your body.
The idea is that you can work to exercise your least dominant hand in order to become stronger. Other activities ask you to connect dots, flick moving asteroids from hitting the Earth, play a game of whack-a-mole, and move a dot through a maze. This latter activity replays your prior performance, and challenges to you beat yourself. Or, you can race against another player using the DS wireless play mode. So does it work? If nothing else, it is an interesting example of creative design, measurement and assessment, using the DS pen based interface. Note that reading is required. Records for up to four people can be saved on the cartridge. Created by Japan Art Media for Majesco.
Link to buy Left Brain, Right Brain Game
Monday, May 11, 2009
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga Game Review
Now available on a variety of platforms, the game console version of LEGO Star Wars offers one of the finest two-player experiences to date. Don't be fooled by the E 10+ rating -- even children as young as five can play the game -- although it helps if they're paired with an older brother, sister or parent. It features a unique interaction style called “drop in, drop out cooperative mode.”This edition contains content from 160 LEGO Star Wars characters, with content from all the movies. There's a variety of problem solving opportunities in the 36 unlockable levels. Unlike most games where players compete, this game goes out of the way to create a cooperative problem solving setting. Because each Star Wars character has different abilities, working together is mandatory to getting through the game to solve the puzzles and unlock all 160 characters. It’s like you and a friend exploring a dark cave, but your friend has the only flashlight. Discussion is mandatory.
So what if your friend has to go? The computer’s AI sniffs that nothing is happening with the other controller, and takes over in autopilot mode, so it is possible to continue to play by yourself. At any time, a new player can pick up the controller, and join the game.
This game was developed by Giant Software/Traveller’s Tales (both of the UK), and is distributed in the US by LucasArts. The DS version has a different design. Created for LucasArts by the UK-based Traveller’s Tales.
Link to buy LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga Game
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Portable, Remote Technology Aids Escape from Arizona's Summer Heat
As reported vacation rentals in Arizona, portable computers, high-speed modems and fax machines make it possible for Valley residents to get out of the sweltering heat and telecommute from their second homes or arizona vacation rentals in the cool pines of Flagstaff, Greer or Pinetop.
It's amazing how much work you can get done without all the interruptions, said Tom Lewis, president of T.W. Lewis Co. Lewis often runs his Tempe home-building business from the den of his Forest Highlands home eight miles southwest of Flagstaff.
"I'm not a modem cowboy," he said, "and I basically come here to relax and get away from work. But I always take a laptop with me and plan on doing some work," he said.
He's not alone. The Forest Highlands community and country club is a haven for Phoenix business people during the summer, and many of them are working in between rounds of golf and hikes in the woods.
Tom Smyth regularly telecommutes from his Forest Highlands home with his office at Scottsdale's Independent Newspapers Inc.
"I see more Phoenix people that I know at Forest Highlands than I do in Phoenix," Lewis added.
R.L. Brown runs his Phoenix-area real estate consulting business from his home in Munds Park, 20 miles south of Flagstaff.
Brown and his wife, Joann, have never regretted moving their business permanently to the pines in 1991. While they work regular hours inside their 3,800-square-foot home, they often take a break at lunch and go for a hike or, in the winter, a cross-country ski trek.
At first they worried they might lose touch with the Phoenix market and their customer base. But that wasn't the case.
"We never lost a customer," R.L. Brown said.
A Phoenix phone line lets customers reach the business with a local call, and a computer network allows the Browns' computers in Munds Park to communicate with those at employees' homes in the Valley.
Brown also spends about two days a week in the Phoenix area, flying into Deer Valley in the morning and back to Munds Park at night.
For heat-weary Phoenicians who aren't into telecommuting, there are hundreds of summer jobs available in the north country. Hotels and restaurants generally hire extra help in the spring.
The Little America Hotel, which employs about 300 people, usually adds employees in the spring when it gears up for its busy season, which can run through October. The hotel doesn't lay off people during the slow season. Instead it doesn't replace, untilspring, those employees who leave during the winter, especially when it starts to snow.
The U.S. Forest Service also hires summer help. Darla Flores, the Forest Service's personnel management specialist in Flagstaff, said the agency typically has about 250 seasonal openings for firefighters, tourist information workers and maintenance personnel.
The positions are in Tonto, Prescott, Coconino and Kaibab national forests and usually last four to five months. Pay ranges from $7.35 to $9.02 per hour. The agency typically advertises the openings in mid-December and can receive more than 2,000 applications.
arizona vacation homes
It's amazing how much work you can get done without all the interruptions, said Tom Lewis, president of T.W. Lewis Co. Lewis often runs his Tempe home-building business from the den of his Forest Highlands home eight miles southwest of Flagstaff.
"I'm not a modem cowboy," he said, "and I basically come here to relax and get away from work. But I always take a laptop with me and plan on doing some work," he said.
He's not alone. The Forest Highlands community and country club is a haven for Phoenix business people during the summer, and many of them are working in between rounds of golf and hikes in the woods.
Tom Smyth regularly telecommutes from his Forest Highlands home with his office at Scottsdale's Independent Newspapers Inc.
"I see more Phoenix people that I know at Forest Highlands than I do in Phoenix," Lewis added.
R.L. Brown runs his Phoenix-area real estate consulting business from his home in Munds Park, 20 miles south of Flagstaff.
Brown and his wife, Joann, have never regretted moving their business permanently to the pines in 1991. While they work regular hours inside their 3,800-square-foot home, they often take a break at lunch and go for a hike or, in the winter, a cross-country ski trek.
At first they worried they might lose touch with the Phoenix market and their customer base. But that wasn't the case.
"We never lost a customer," R.L. Brown said.
A Phoenix phone line lets customers reach the business with a local call, and a computer network allows the Browns' computers in Munds Park to communicate with those at employees' homes in the Valley.
Brown also spends about two days a week in the Phoenix area, flying into Deer Valley in the morning and back to Munds Park at night.
For heat-weary Phoenicians who aren't into telecommuting, there are hundreds of summer jobs available in the north country. Hotels and restaurants generally hire extra help in the spring.
The Little America Hotel, which employs about 300 people, usually adds employees in the spring when it gears up for its busy season, which can run through October. The hotel doesn't lay off people during the slow season. Instead it doesn't replace, untilspring, those employees who leave during the winter, especially when it starts to snow.
The U.S. Forest Service also hires summer help. Darla Flores, the Forest Service's personnel management specialist in Flagstaff, said the agency typically has about 250 seasonal openings for firefighters, tourist information workers and maintenance personnel.
The positions are in Tonto, Prescott, Coconino and Kaibab national forests and usually last four to five months. Pay ranges from $7.35 to $9.02 per hour. The agency typically advertises the openings in mid-December and can receive more than 2,000 applications.
arizona vacation homes
Thursday, July 26, 2007
9 Great Family Getaways
IRELAND WITH THE KIDS, GALWAY, IRELAND
Bike along Connemara's white-sand beaches, tour the ruins of a 17th-century fort, and see a falconry demonstration. There's also storytelling and dance performances for the kids, whiskey tasting and golfing for the adults, and sing-a-longs for all in the pubs. July 30-Aug. 4; $5,996; includes all meals, lodging, equipment and admission to events. Minimum age: 8. butterfield.com
ISLAND-HOPPING ON THE VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET
Cycle on car-free bike paths, pedal past rolling farmland and build sand castles at Katama Beach. Highlights include a sunset cruise on Nantucket Harbor and visits to the Black Dog Bakery. July 22-26; $1,980; includes meals, lodging at historic inns and bike rental. Minimum age: 6. bikeriderstours.com
LOIRE VALLEY WITH THE KIDS, MONTBAZON, FRANCE
After a day of cycling through forests, orchards and sunflower fields, retreat to a chateau. Kids can try ropes courses, horseback riding and fencing, and adults can enjoy a wine tasting and a sumptuous dinner. July 29-Aug. 4; $5,495; includes lodging, concierge services, most meals, all wine and bike rental. Minimum age: 5. butterfield.com
MONTANA'S BIG SKY, YELLOWSTONE AND PARADISE VALLEY FAMILY ADVENTURE
Cycle past dude ranches, ride a gondola and take a dip in natural hot springs. Pizza parties for kids, candlelight dinners for adults. Aug. 12-17; $2,198/$1,758 (under 15); includes all meals, lodging, bike equipment, and all taxes. Minimum age: 7. austin-lehman.com
NETHERLANDS BIKE AND BOAT HOLIDAY GOLDEN CIRCLE
Cycle past windmills, tulip fields and beaches, then board a houseboat, which takes you to the start of the next day's journey while you sleep. Aug. 18-Sept. 1; $867; includes meals, bike rental and lodging. All ages. cycletours.com
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND MULTISPORT, CHARLOTTETOWN
Pedal past lighthouses, visit a colony of seals or go to an old-fashioned amusement park. Aug. 5-10; $2,798-$3,098; includes all meals, lodging, bike equipment and trail-a-bikes. Minimum age: 3 to attend, 6 to ride own bike. backroads.com
REDWOODS NATIONAL PARK FAMILY BIKE TRIP
Visit Northern California's most remote beaches, bike along the Coastal Trail--closed to cars--and see the Redwood Forest's 350-foot trees. Tours from mid-June to mid-Aug.; $975/$875 (under 14); includes meals, excursions and camp gear. Extra: Bike equipment and sleeping-bag rental. All ages. westernspirit.com
SAN JUAN ISLANDS FAMILY CAMPING, SEATTLE, WA
Between ferry rides, crafts and visits to a whale museum, bike on nearly traffic-free roads. Aug. 5-9; $1,358, with kid discounts available; includes meals and camping equipment. Extra: Bike rental. All ages; minimum age for kayaking: 6. bicycleadventures.com
WHITE RIM TEENAGER TRIP, MOAB, UT
Canyonlands National Park offers some of the best mountain biking in the United States. This trip is timed for spring break, and is structured so you and your teen can enjoy biking down switchbacks together or with your individual peer groups. April 2008; $865/$764 (under 14); includes all meals, excursions and camp equipment. Extra: Bike equipment and sleeping-bag rental. westernspirit.com
By Jennifer Mack
Bike along Connemara's white-sand beaches, tour the ruins of a 17th-century fort, and see a falconry demonstration. There's also storytelling and dance performances for the kids, whiskey tasting and golfing for the adults, and sing-a-longs for all in the pubs. July 30-Aug. 4; $5,996; includes all meals, lodging, equipment and admission to events. Minimum age: 8. butterfield.com
ISLAND-HOPPING ON THE VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET
Cycle on car-free bike paths, pedal past rolling farmland and build sand castles at Katama Beach. Highlights include a sunset cruise on Nantucket Harbor and visits to the Black Dog Bakery. July 22-26; $1,980; includes meals, lodging at historic inns and bike rental. Minimum age: 6. bikeriderstours.com
LOIRE VALLEY WITH THE KIDS, MONTBAZON, FRANCE
After a day of cycling through forests, orchards and sunflower fields, retreat to a chateau. Kids can try ropes courses, horseback riding and fencing, and adults can enjoy a wine tasting and a sumptuous dinner. July 29-Aug. 4; $5,495; includes lodging, concierge services, most meals, all wine and bike rental. Minimum age: 5. butterfield.com
MONTANA'S BIG SKY, YELLOWSTONE AND PARADISE VALLEY FAMILY ADVENTURE
Cycle past dude ranches, ride a gondola and take a dip in natural hot springs. Pizza parties for kids, candlelight dinners for adults. Aug. 12-17; $2,198/$1,758 (under 15); includes all meals, lodging, bike equipment, and all taxes. Minimum age: 7. austin-lehman.com
NETHERLANDS BIKE AND BOAT HOLIDAY GOLDEN CIRCLE
Cycle past windmills, tulip fields and beaches, then board a houseboat, which takes you to the start of the next day's journey while you sleep. Aug. 18-Sept. 1; $867; includes meals, bike rental and lodging. All ages. cycletours.com
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND MULTISPORT, CHARLOTTETOWN
Pedal past lighthouses, visit a colony of seals or go to an old-fashioned amusement park. Aug. 5-10; $2,798-$3,098; includes all meals, lodging, bike equipment and trail-a-bikes. Minimum age: 3 to attend, 6 to ride own bike. backroads.com
REDWOODS NATIONAL PARK FAMILY BIKE TRIP
Visit Northern California's most remote beaches, bike along the Coastal Trail--closed to cars--and see the Redwood Forest's 350-foot trees. Tours from mid-June to mid-Aug.; $975/$875 (under 14); includes meals, excursions and camp gear. Extra: Bike equipment and sleeping-bag rental. All ages. westernspirit.com
SAN JUAN ISLANDS FAMILY CAMPING, SEATTLE, WA
Between ferry rides, crafts and visits to a whale museum, bike on nearly traffic-free roads. Aug. 5-9; $1,358, with kid discounts available; includes meals and camping equipment. Extra: Bike rental. All ages; minimum age for kayaking: 6. bicycleadventures.com
WHITE RIM TEENAGER TRIP, MOAB, UT
Canyonlands National Park offers some of the best mountain biking in the United States. This trip is timed for spring break, and is structured so you and your teen can enjoy biking down switchbacks together or with your individual peer groups. April 2008; $865/$764 (under 14); includes all meals, excursions and camp equipment. Extra: Bike equipment and sleeping-bag rental. westernspirit.com
By Jennifer Mack
Friday, July 20, 2007
6 ways to tone up, trim down, and get some Me Time, too.
We've rounded up and tested out six sensational get-moving destinations--some far-flung, some close to home--to help you get a jump-start on fitness. So whether you're on a budget or set for a splurge, turn the page and get ready to have a great time getting fit.
Get a boot-camp boost
Splurge: If you want a fitness jump-start that burns a ton of calories, there's nothing better than a boot camp. Put some exotic spice into your basic training at Amansala Eco Chic Resort's Bikini Boot Camp in Tulum, Mexico (a 2-hour drive south of Cancun). Your daily power walk won't be around the block--it'll be through the Yucatan jungle. In the morning, your body-sculpting class will be on the beach. In the afternoon, you'll bike to a freshwater swimming hole. And your cross-training will be flamenco and salsa dance lessons. A week in a beachfront cabana won't hurt either. Six-night boot camp ($1,842 per person, double occupancy) includes accommodations, meals, fitness classes, kayaking, two bike excursions, and three spa services.
On a budget: Get the boot camp experience closer to home with classes at a local gym. National-chain clubs Equinox Fitness and 24-Hour Fitness, for example, have several cool camps to choose from. Get all wet at Equinox's Aqua Boot Camp and bikini ready in its Boot Camp Intervals class.
Stretch out
Splurge: At the Aspen Club and Spa in Aspen, Colorado, your own wellness guru will create a 1- to 3-day getaway that includes a daily dose of two private yoga or Pilates sessions, lunch at the spa, and an 80-minute spa treatment. Offered year-round, the $450-per-day rate doesn't include lodging, but the spa is a short walk from several downtown Aspen hotels.
On a budget: Many yoga centers offer free or reduced-price, first-time classes, and many Pilates instructors will give you an introductory session gratis. To find yoga classes close to home. For local Pilates classes, see www.gympost.com.
Take a hike
Splurge: Put hiking center-stage at Jimmy LeSage's New Life Hiking Spa. Take a low-key ramble along country roads or a climb up one of Vermont's highest peaks in the Green Mountains. To fill out your day, try a before-breakfast stretch class, an afternoon core-training or yoga class, and an evening massage or facial. New Life's 2- to 4-day Mini Vacation ($229 per person per night, double occupancy) in the charming Inn of the Six Mountains in Killington includes all meals and fitness activities, plus one massage or facial per 3-night stay.
On a budget: Keep your trek local by using www.trails.com. Take advantage of its free 14-day trial to find reviews of more than 30,000 trails nationwide, along with all the information you'll need to get out there (including maps and campground sites, if you're planning an overnight). Start at the site's "Top 100 Trails" for inspiration, and you'll be lacing up your lightweight hikers in no time.
By Tracey Minkin
Get a boot-camp boost
Splurge: If you want a fitness jump-start that burns a ton of calories, there's nothing better than a boot camp. Put some exotic spice into your basic training at Amansala Eco Chic Resort's Bikini Boot Camp in Tulum, Mexico (a 2-hour drive south of Cancun). Your daily power walk won't be around the block--it'll be through the Yucatan jungle. In the morning, your body-sculpting class will be on the beach. In the afternoon, you'll bike to a freshwater swimming hole. And your cross-training will be flamenco and salsa dance lessons. A week in a beachfront cabana won't hurt either. Six-night boot camp ($1,842 per person, double occupancy) includes accommodations, meals, fitness classes, kayaking, two bike excursions, and three spa services.
On a budget: Get the boot camp experience closer to home with classes at a local gym. National-chain clubs Equinox Fitness and 24-Hour Fitness, for example, have several cool camps to choose from. Get all wet at Equinox's Aqua Boot Camp and bikini ready in its Boot Camp Intervals class.
Stretch out
Splurge: At the Aspen Club and Spa in Aspen, Colorado, your own wellness guru will create a 1- to 3-day getaway that includes a daily dose of two private yoga or Pilates sessions, lunch at the spa, and an 80-minute spa treatment. Offered year-round, the $450-per-day rate doesn't include lodging, but the spa is a short walk from several downtown Aspen hotels.
On a budget: Many yoga centers offer free or reduced-price, first-time classes, and many Pilates instructors will give you an introductory session gratis. To find yoga classes close to home. For local Pilates classes, see www.gympost.com.
Take a hike
Splurge: Put hiking center-stage at Jimmy LeSage's New Life Hiking Spa. Take a low-key ramble along country roads or a climb up one of Vermont's highest peaks in the Green Mountains. To fill out your day, try a before-breakfast stretch class, an afternoon core-training or yoga class, and an evening massage or facial. New Life's 2- to 4-day Mini Vacation ($229 per person per night, double occupancy) in the charming Inn of the Six Mountains in Killington includes all meals and fitness activities, plus one massage or facial per 3-night stay.
On a budget: Keep your trek local by using www.trails.com. Take advantage of its free 14-day trial to find reviews of more than 30,000 trails nationwide, along with all the information you'll need to get out there (including maps and campground sites, if you're planning an overnight). Start at the site's "Top 100 Trails" for inspiration, and you'll be lacing up your lightweight hikers in no time.
By Tracey Minkin
Monday, June 11, 2007
A trip to Antarctica reveals some completely new life under the ice
The icebreaker Polarstern arrived in Antarctica last December packed with 52 scientists and a remotely operated submersible called Cherokee. The mission: to survey the ocean life under the former Larsen B ice shelf, the 720-billion-ton mass of ice that disintegrated in 2002. After 17 dives as deep as 2,800 feet by Cherokee, the scientists had observed approximately 1,000 marine species, many of them recent arrivals to the newly uncovered ecosystem and some completely new to science. "The only species that were able to make a living under that much ice were those typically found in the deep sea," says Terry Collins of the Census of Antarctic Marine Life. "They're still there, but you can see the signs of colonizing species as well." The trip was the first of 14 Antarctic voyages aiming to document how climate change is affecting the poles.
By Kalee Thompson
By Kalee Thompson
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Got big travel plans? Here's how to stay in shape and feel great over the long haul.
One of the best things about a vacation in a far off locale is that it whisks you away and lets you forget the daily grind. For a few blissful days, you don't have to think about wake-up times, workout schedules and what to eat or drink… or do you?
Turns out that break from routine is the very thing that can leave you with postholiday regrets. Recuperating from travel fatigue and getting enough exercise often takes a backseat to fun--after all, who wants to be at the gym doing crunches or lifting weights when you can be sitting in the sun lifting Mojitos? Add a few rich restaurant dinners and the gotta-get-energized jetlag munchies to lack of exercise, and you could end up wishing you'd never left when you trade in that elastic-waist grass skirt for fitted pants once again.
The solution? A few easy, preventive measures that can help you feel fit and well rested both during and after your grand getaway.
TO STAY IN SHAPE
MAKE YOUR HEART GO PITTER-PAT
Doing some cardio exercises every third day burns a few of those cocktail-hour calories and keeps stamina at pre-vacation levels. "You can retain a relatively high level of both aerobic power and strength with just two exercise sessions per week," says William J. Stone, EdD, professor in the department of exercise and wellness at Arizona State University. Shorten the workout time if you want--for example, if you normally jog for 45 minutes, you can scale back to 30 minutes--but don't slack off on the intensity. Another good way to get your heart pumping is to integrate aerobic exercise into your vacation fun. Rent a bike for one or two afternoons and pedal as you sightsee. Try swimming a few laps each time you cool off in the pool, or turn your saunter down the sand into a 10-minute jog. Bring along a jump rope and do three to four two-minute sets, advises Los Angeles-based personal trainer Alison Copeland. "You can jump anywhere, and it's an amazing way to get your heart rate up in a short time," she says. "Plus, I don't know anyone who can't find room in a suitcase for a jump rope."
GIVE YOUR MUSCLES A LITTLE LIFT
Got a weight-training program going at the gym? Practice it once a week while you're away. "Strength gains, in the form of stronger muscles, last a bit longer than cardio fitness, but you can lose an appreciable amount in eight to ten weeks," explains John J. Duncan, PhD, CEO and founder of Texas-based Via Scan, a preventive wellness and heart-health center.
If you have a personal trainer, ask him or her to design a travel fitness program using rubber tubing. These giant, stretchy bands are inexpensive, weigh just a few ounces, fold up like belts, are available in a variety of resistances and can be found in the fitness section of most sporting good stores. (Note: if you don't have a trainer-designed regimen to take along, the tubing comes with exercise examples that are safe for most workouts.) Tubing also gives you the freedom to work out in your pj's in your hotel room instead of having to put on fitness gear and go to a gym. Another option is a set of Aqua Bells, collapsible plastic dumbbells and ankle weights that offer up to 15 lbs. of resistance when filled with water (dumbbell and ankle weight set, $80; aquabells.com). Or just grab a couple of full one-liter water bottles and use them---one liter of water weighs 2.2 lbs.
DON'T FALL OFF THE WAGON
Even if you end up taking a break from exercise during your time away, try to avoid letting your vacation be an excuse to allow your regular fitness routine to slip. Return to your schedule the first week you get back so you won't lose strength or endurance. "Ten percent of your cardiovascular stamina is lost after two weeks of not exercising, and after four to eight weeks, you're starting over," explains Duncan. In other words, if you trained for 20 years and then take off one to two months, your aerobic fitness goes back to what it was 21 years ago.
TO FIGHT TRAVEL FATIGUE
FIDDLE WITH YOUR 40 WINKS
Because the body functions on a 24-hour time frame (called circadian rhythms), small alterations in your sleep schedule can reduce the effects of changing time zones. "Making big changes in sleep cycles is like jamming on the brakes when you're on the freeway. It's much better to switch speeds gently," says Vicki Rackner, MD, one of the authors for Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living Series. "I begin adjusting my schedule days before I actually have to leave." For example, if you plan to travel east, start going to bed an hour earlier every day and getting up an hour earlier to sync up with the time zone. Rackner also recommends avoiding red-eye flights. "Quality of sleep on a plane is never as good," she explains. You may think you gain a day, but you could end up losing more because of exhaustion.
DRINK UP
Sure, you've been told a million times to down eight to ten glasses of water a day, but it's more important than ever if you're getting on a plane to travel long distances. "Staying hydrated while flying is important because dehydration may be linked to jet lag," says Rackner. But consuming your fill of fluids doesn't mean you have to forgo a glass of juice or even a cocktail when the beverage cart comes by. Just ask for a glass of water and whatever beverage you'd like to have. On longer flights make a point of taking water breaks. Water is always available at galley stations in the plane and pouring yourself a glass or two is a good excuse to get up and stretch your legs. Try to drink one cup of water for every hour in the air.
TAKE IT SLOW
As tempting as it is to hit the ground running at your destination, allow yourself a couple of days to acclimate to a new time zone. It typically takes 24 hours or more to recover for each time zone crossed and you'll enjoy the scenery more if you're not feeling sleepy. Plan busy mornings of sightseeing and long day trips toward the middle or the end of the trip rather than in the first days. To keep from waking up at 3 a.m. (long before you can hit the beach or even order breakfast) and dozing off right after dinner, help your system adjust with melatonin supplements. "Melatonin is produced naturally by the body and regulates sleep patterns without the hangover side effects some sleeping pills may have," explains Vibhuti Arya, PharmD. She recommends taking 0.5mg to 5mg melatonin for two to five days.
Whether your dream vacation centers around tiki lights and tropical destinations or sightseeing in foreign lands, take along these fitness and fatigue-fighting schemes. They'll ensure you get the most out of your great escape and make re-entry into the real world a bit easier to take.
tip
When choosing a carry-on bag, check handle height. Handles that are too short to pull at a comfortable angle put undue strain on shoulders and back.
safe AND SECURE
Is airport anxiety creating extra travel stress? Anne McAlpin, packing expert and founder of packitup.com, offers the following tips:
Protect your privacy. Use your work address instead of your home address on your luggage tag.
Share the load. If you're traveling with someone, put a few of each other's clothes in both suitcases in case one gets lost.
Double-check travel sizes You can carry on all your toiletries as long as each bottle is 3 oz. or smaller and all items fit into a 1-quart resealable plastic bag.
Wear socks Flip flops may seem like the right choice for an island escape, but they leave your feet exposed to the bare floor when passing through security. Comfy, easy-to-remove shoes with socks are your best bet.
Pack snacks Nuts, granola bars and healthy nibbles are allowed through security and help avoid overpriced fast food and nonveg airline offerings.
Stay informed For up-to-the minute security information, log on to tsa.gov.
TROUBLE SPOTS
Sure, ab exercises are great and your belly can always use an extra crunch or two, but traveling takes its toll on multiple body zones, especially your feet, neck and torso. Here are a few exercises you can do anywhere (even sitting at the gate in the airport!) to help keep them limbered up and tension free.
FEET
Toe curls Sit with legs forward, heels resting on the floor. Flex toes, then curl tightly and hold 5 seconds. Release; repeat 5 to 10 times.
Ankle circles Sit with legs forward, heels 12 inches off floor. Point toes, flex and rotate feet clockwise 5 times, then counterclockwise 5 times. Repeat 3 times.
NECK
Head tilts Let arms hang loosely at sides. Tilt head to one side until you feel a stretch in opposite side of neck. Hold 10 seconds, then tilt neck to other side. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
Shoulder stretches Extend right arm across body so it crosses left shoulder. Crook left arm under right arm next to elbow, and pull to feel stretch in shoulder blades and upper back. Hold 10 seconds, then repeat with left arm.
BACK
Low-back stretch Sit with legs slightly apart. Place head between knees, wrap arms around legs and gently hug calves. Hold 10 to 20 seconds. Rest 5 seconds, then repeat.
CHEST
Chest stretch Stand or sit up straight. Reach arms behind your back. Clasp hands together, and push arms down and back. Hold 10 to 20 seconds. Rest 5 seconds, then repeat.
By Linda Melone
Turns out that break from routine is the very thing that can leave you with postholiday regrets. Recuperating from travel fatigue and getting enough exercise often takes a backseat to fun--after all, who wants to be at the gym doing crunches or lifting weights when you can be sitting in the sun lifting Mojitos? Add a few rich restaurant dinners and the gotta-get-energized jetlag munchies to lack of exercise, and you could end up wishing you'd never left when you trade in that elastic-waist grass skirt for fitted pants once again.
The solution? A few easy, preventive measures that can help you feel fit and well rested both during and after your grand getaway.
TO STAY IN SHAPE
MAKE YOUR HEART GO PITTER-PAT
Doing some cardio exercises every third day burns a few of those cocktail-hour calories and keeps stamina at pre-vacation levels. "You can retain a relatively high level of both aerobic power and strength with just two exercise sessions per week," says William J. Stone, EdD, professor in the department of exercise and wellness at Arizona State University. Shorten the workout time if you want--for example, if you normally jog for 45 minutes, you can scale back to 30 minutes--but don't slack off on the intensity. Another good way to get your heart pumping is to integrate aerobic exercise into your vacation fun. Rent a bike for one or two afternoons and pedal as you sightsee. Try swimming a few laps each time you cool off in the pool, or turn your saunter down the sand into a 10-minute jog. Bring along a jump rope and do three to four two-minute sets, advises Los Angeles-based personal trainer Alison Copeland. "You can jump anywhere, and it's an amazing way to get your heart rate up in a short time," she says. "Plus, I don't know anyone who can't find room in a suitcase for a jump rope."
GIVE YOUR MUSCLES A LITTLE LIFT
Got a weight-training program going at the gym? Practice it once a week while you're away. "Strength gains, in the form of stronger muscles, last a bit longer than cardio fitness, but you can lose an appreciable amount in eight to ten weeks," explains John J. Duncan, PhD, CEO and founder of Texas-based Via Scan, a preventive wellness and heart-health center.
If you have a personal trainer, ask him or her to design a travel fitness program using rubber tubing. These giant, stretchy bands are inexpensive, weigh just a few ounces, fold up like belts, are available in a variety of resistances and can be found in the fitness section of most sporting good stores. (Note: if you don't have a trainer-designed regimen to take along, the tubing comes with exercise examples that are safe for most workouts.) Tubing also gives you the freedom to work out in your pj's in your hotel room instead of having to put on fitness gear and go to a gym. Another option is a set of Aqua Bells, collapsible plastic dumbbells and ankle weights that offer up to 15 lbs. of resistance when filled with water (dumbbell and ankle weight set, $80; aquabells.com). Or just grab a couple of full one-liter water bottles and use them---one liter of water weighs 2.2 lbs.
DON'T FALL OFF THE WAGON
Even if you end up taking a break from exercise during your time away, try to avoid letting your vacation be an excuse to allow your regular fitness routine to slip. Return to your schedule the first week you get back so you won't lose strength or endurance. "Ten percent of your cardiovascular stamina is lost after two weeks of not exercising, and after four to eight weeks, you're starting over," explains Duncan. In other words, if you trained for 20 years and then take off one to two months, your aerobic fitness goes back to what it was 21 years ago.
TO FIGHT TRAVEL FATIGUE
FIDDLE WITH YOUR 40 WINKS
Because the body functions on a 24-hour time frame (called circadian rhythms), small alterations in your sleep schedule can reduce the effects of changing time zones. "Making big changes in sleep cycles is like jamming on the brakes when you're on the freeway. It's much better to switch speeds gently," says Vicki Rackner, MD, one of the authors for Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living Series. "I begin adjusting my schedule days before I actually have to leave." For example, if you plan to travel east, start going to bed an hour earlier every day and getting up an hour earlier to sync up with the time zone. Rackner also recommends avoiding red-eye flights. "Quality of sleep on a plane is never as good," she explains. You may think you gain a day, but you could end up losing more because of exhaustion.
DRINK UP
Sure, you've been told a million times to down eight to ten glasses of water a day, but it's more important than ever if you're getting on a plane to travel long distances. "Staying hydrated while flying is important because dehydration may be linked to jet lag," says Rackner. But consuming your fill of fluids doesn't mean you have to forgo a glass of juice or even a cocktail when the beverage cart comes by. Just ask for a glass of water and whatever beverage you'd like to have. On longer flights make a point of taking water breaks. Water is always available at galley stations in the plane and pouring yourself a glass or two is a good excuse to get up and stretch your legs. Try to drink one cup of water for every hour in the air.
TAKE IT SLOW
As tempting as it is to hit the ground running at your destination, allow yourself a couple of days to acclimate to a new time zone. It typically takes 24 hours or more to recover for each time zone crossed and you'll enjoy the scenery more if you're not feeling sleepy. Plan busy mornings of sightseeing and long day trips toward the middle or the end of the trip rather than in the first days. To keep from waking up at 3 a.m. (long before you can hit the beach or even order breakfast) and dozing off right after dinner, help your system adjust with melatonin supplements. "Melatonin is produced naturally by the body and regulates sleep patterns without the hangover side effects some sleeping pills may have," explains Vibhuti Arya, PharmD. She recommends taking 0.5mg to 5mg melatonin for two to five days.
Whether your dream vacation centers around tiki lights and tropical destinations or sightseeing in foreign lands, take along these fitness and fatigue-fighting schemes. They'll ensure you get the most out of your great escape and make re-entry into the real world a bit easier to take.
tip
When choosing a carry-on bag, check handle height. Handles that are too short to pull at a comfortable angle put undue strain on shoulders and back.
safe AND SECURE
Is airport anxiety creating extra travel stress? Anne McAlpin, packing expert and founder of packitup.com, offers the following tips:
Protect your privacy. Use your work address instead of your home address on your luggage tag.
Share the load. If you're traveling with someone, put a few of each other's clothes in both suitcases in case one gets lost.
Double-check travel sizes You can carry on all your toiletries as long as each bottle is 3 oz. or smaller and all items fit into a 1-quart resealable plastic bag.
Wear socks Flip flops may seem like the right choice for an island escape, but they leave your feet exposed to the bare floor when passing through security. Comfy, easy-to-remove shoes with socks are your best bet.
Pack snacks Nuts, granola bars and healthy nibbles are allowed through security and help avoid overpriced fast food and nonveg airline offerings.
Stay informed For up-to-the minute security information, log on to tsa.gov.
TROUBLE SPOTS
Sure, ab exercises are great and your belly can always use an extra crunch or two, but traveling takes its toll on multiple body zones, especially your feet, neck and torso. Here are a few exercises you can do anywhere (even sitting at the gate in the airport!) to help keep them limbered up and tension free.
FEET
Toe curls Sit with legs forward, heels resting on the floor. Flex toes, then curl tightly and hold 5 seconds. Release; repeat 5 to 10 times.
Ankle circles Sit with legs forward, heels 12 inches off floor. Point toes, flex and rotate feet clockwise 5 times, then counterclockwise 5 times. Repeat 3 times.
NECK
Head tilts Let arms hang loosely at sides. Tilt head to one side until you feel a stretch in opposite side of neck. Hold 10 seconds, then tilt neck to other side. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
Shoulder stretches Extend right arm across body so it crosses left shoulder. Crook left arm under right arm next to elbow, and pull to feel stretch in shoulder blades and upper back. Hold 10 seconds, then repeat with left arm.
BACK
Low-back stretch Sit with legs slightly apart. Place head between knees, wrap arms around legs and gently hug calves. Hold 10 to 20 seconds. Rest 5 seconds, then repeat.
CHEST
Chest stretch Stand or sit up straight. Reach arms behind your back. Clasp hands together, and push arms down and back. Hold 10 to 20 seconds. Rest 5 seconds, then repeat.
By Linda Melone
Sunday, April 22, 2007
The inhospitable side of the galaxy?
The solar system's periodic visits to the northern side of the Milky Way expose life on Earth to extra cosmic rays that have caused catastrophic mass extinctions, two astrophysicists propose.
Biodiversity has had well-known ups and downs over the eons, with major extinctions followed by rebounds. In a 2005 study, Robert Rohde and Richard Muller of Lawrence Berkeley (Calif.) National Laboratory found that these swings were surprisingly regular, most of them taking place at intervals of about 62 million years. The researchers reached their conclusion after examining one of the most comprehensive long-term biodiversity surveys, a compilation of fossil data that charted the number of marine-life genera over the past 500 million years.
The extraordinary dinosaur kill 65 million years ago doesn't fit in the cyclic pattern, and experts widely blame it on the impact of a large asteroid.
To explain the cyclic pattern of mass extinctions, Rohde and Muller considered a phenomenon that has just about the right periodicity. As the solar system orbits around the galaxy, it swings from one side to the other of the galactic plane every 63 million years. Gravity from the rest of the galaxy's mass pulls the solar system back each time.
Perhaps when the sun is at the maximum distance from the galactic plane, Earth's biodiversity is at greatest risk, Rohde and Muller speculated. But that would put mass extinctions every 31.5 million years, not every 63 million. It wasn't clear why one side of the galaxy's plane would be more dangerous to life than the other.
Mikhail Medvedev and his colleagues of the University of Kansas in Lawrence now propose an explanation that rests on variations in the number of high-energy particles, known as cosmic rays, that strike Earth from space. They argue that because the galaxy is moving toward a large cluster of galaxies in the direction of the Virgo constellation, cosmic rays would be more abundant on the galaxy's north side-according to the view from Earth.
A particle flow similar to the solar wind emanates from the Milky Way as a whole, and as the galaxy moves, that wind runs into the tenuous medium that pervades intergalactic space. The collision creates a shock wave. The Kansas team calculates that when electrically charged particles rebound within the shock wave, they gain enough energy to turn into cosmic rays.
When a cosmic ray hits the upper layers of the atmosphere, it triggers a shower of millions of energetic electrons and other particles, some of which can penetrate to land and into the oceans. The particles have a variety of effects. For example, they may alter cloud coverage or damage DNA, with potentially fatal consequences for entire species.
"Drops in biodiversity correspond to peaks in cosmic rays," Medvedev says. However, he and his colleagues stress that they haven't identified the mechanism linking cosmic rays and extinctions.
"I was stunned when I learned that [Medvedev's team] had succeeded where we had failed" at explaining the 62-million-year cycle, Muller says.
Charles Dermer, an astrophysicist at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., says that the new explanation is "very tantalizing" but that it rests on Rohde and Muller's biodiversity cycles, which are not firmly established.
Medvedev and his colleagues say that the cosmic ray bombardments would also increase gamma rays from the north side of the galaxy, a prediction that new gamma-ray observatories may test in the next few years.
The researchers presented their work this week, in Jacksonville, Fla., at a meeting of the American Physical Society. The report is also due to appear in Astrophysical Journal.
By Davide Castelvecchi
Biodiversity has had well-known ups and downs over the eons, with major extinctions followed by rebounds. In a 2005 study, Robert Rohde and Richard Muller of Lawrence Berkeley (Calif.) National Laboratory found that these swings were surprisingly regular, most of them taking place at intervals of about 62 million years. The researchers reached their conclusion after examining one of the most comprehensive long-term biodiversity surveys, a compilation of fossil data that charted the number of marine-life genera over the past 500 million years.
The extraordinary dinosaur kill 65 million years ago doesn't fit in the cyclic pattern, and experts widely blame it on the impact of a large asteroid.
To explain the cyclic pattern of mass extinctions, Rohde and Muller considered a phenomenon that has just about the right periodicity. As the solar system orbits around the galaxy, it swings from one side to the other of the galactic plane every 63 million years. Gravity from the rest of the galaxy's mass pulls the solar system back each time.
Perhaps when the sun is at the maximum distance from the galactic plane, Earth's biodiversity is at greatest risk, Rohde and Muller speculated. But that would put mass extinctions every 31.5 million years, not every 63 million. It wasn't clear why one side of the galaxy's plane would be more dangerous to life than the other.
Mikhail Medvedev and his colleagues of the University of Kansas in Lawrence now propose an explanation that rests on variations in the number of high-energy particles, known as cosmic rays, that strike Earth from space. They argue that because the galaxy is moving toward a large cluster of galaxies in the direction of the Virgo constellation, cosmic rays would be more abundant on the galaxy's north side-according to the view from Earth.
A particle flow similar to the solar wind emanates from the Milky Way as a whole, and as the galaxy moves, that wind runs into the tenuous medium that pervades intergalactic space. The collision creates a shock wave. The Kansas team calculates that when electrically charged particles rebound within the shock wave, they gain enough energy to turn into cosmic rays.
When a cosmic ray hits the upper layers of the atmosphere, it triggers a shower of millions of energetic electrons and other particles, some of which can penetrate to land and into the oceans. The particles have a variety of effects. For example, they may alter cloud coverage or damage DNA, with potentially fatal consequences for entire species.
"Drops in biodiversity correspond to peaks in cosmic rays," Medvedev says. However, he and his colleagues stress that they haven't identified the mechanism linking cosmic rays and extinctions.
"I was stunned when I learned that [Medvedev's team] had succeeded where we had failed" at explaining the 62-million-year cycle, Muller says.
Charles Dermer, an astrophysicist at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., says that the new explanation is "very tantalizing" but that it rests on Rohde and Muller's biodiversity cycles, which are not firmly established.
Medvedev and his colleagues say that the cosmic ray bombardments would also increase gamma rays from the north side of the galaxy, a prediction that new gamma-ray observatories may test in the next few years.
The researchers presented their work this week, in Jacksonville, Fla., at a meeting of the American Physical Society. The report is also due to appear in Astrophysical Journal.
By Davide Castelvecchi
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