On Morning Edition today, not only did I learn that caterpillars can remember things even after their brains get scrambled during metamorphosis, but now I know they don't always become butterflies! Halfway through the feature on moth-memory this morning, I said "Wait a minute, I thought caterpillars became butterflies." And my co-workers very slowly said "Yeah..." It's wonderful to stimulate conversation in the morning. Some species of caterpillars apparently become moths which is decidedly sad. They go through so much and still come out ugly. (Not that moths are completely hideous, but let's face it, they're no butterflies.
And there's another series that got underway this morning on the timely topic of immigration. It's focusing on Arizona as a sort of bellweather state. Today, we heard from the "toughest cop in America" Sheriff Joe Arpaio . His force is now asking people their legal status when they are questioned for other offenses. Most local police stay out of areas of federal jurisdiction. It's kind of like having a CHP officer ask if you've filed your taxes on time. But, they apparently love Sheriff Joe in Maricopa county.
I will now continue my research into moth brains and butterfly makeovers...
In case you missed it: There are tropical glaciers . And it's probably a good thing NPR's Julie McCarthy did a story on them this morning because they may not be around too much longer. It was today's edition of our series on Climate Connections.
