Flap your arms. Right now, and quickly. Can you do so 80 times in a minute? Well, how about 80 arm flaps in a second?! If so, get the video on YouTube as soon as you catch your breath, and count hummingbirds among your creature cousins.
Yes, nature delivers Olympian feats. As the Tokyo Games unfold on the other side of the planet, you and your family can explore various degrees of “higher, faster, stronger” at Memphis Botanic Garden. “Nature’s Champions: Olympic Games Trek” is a self-guided stroll — with informative displays — through the grounds of the city’s most delightful horticultural showcase.
“Seeds get dispersed by wind, water, animals, and even explosions,” reads one sign along the trek. “The fruit of the squirting cucumber explodes when ripe and can travel 10-20 feet. That makes this plant the seed-throwing champion.” You won’t find squirting cucumbers in the Garden, but see if you can find jewelweed (another “exploding” plant).
You think all those gold, silver, and bronze medals have a sheen? Well, there are 75 species of fungi that give off light, some bright enough to read by at night. It’s called bioluminescence and it can be found — among plants and creatures — right here in the Mid-South.
Track and field, gymnastics, and swimming will dominate broadcasts from Tokyo. For a version of “Olympics” a bit more quiet and natural, head to MBG.
This unique trail experience runs through August 8th and is free with admission to Memphis Botanic Garden.