ashleystimpson's User Profile - Atlas Obscura

ashleystimpson

Writer & editor based in Baltimore, MD.

www.ashleystimpson.com

2019
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How to Poop in the Woods

Be #1 at going #2 when nature calls in nature.

The Anxious History of the American Summer Camp

The annual rite of passage has always been more about the ambivalence of adults than the amusement of children.

How to Read Wildlife Tracks and Signs

Spotting the clues left behind by animals is a free and fun way to connect with nature.

This 'Satan' Spider Turned Out to Be a Real Teddy Bear

In Ecuador, Satanas the tarantula—named for his feisty attitude—became both teacher and friend to researchers.

January 19, 2024

Dominica's Sperm Whales Have a Surprising Superpower: Poop

Around the Caribbean island nation, local cetaceans have some unique traits, including doubling down on defecation.

November 27, 2023

Maryland's Rare Seabirds Get a Life Raft and Babysitters

Scientists don bike helmets and dodge bird poop to care for a colony of endangered common terns.

A Cougar Swam Puget Sound, Making a Splash Among Scientists

The young male known as M161 kitty-paddled his way through chilly waters full of orcas, raising questions about the animals' potential range.

In the World of Animal Courtship, These Males Go to Extremes

For some species, mating season means detachable penises, urine-based perfumes, and ear-splitting declarations of love.

February 9, 2023

Hawai'i Tackles Invasive Little Fire Ants With Vigilance, Slingshots, and Gooey 'Sputter'

Across the archipelago, scientists and citizens are uniting against the tiny terrors, deploying an arsenal of creative weapons.

December 14, 2022

On the Coast of British Columbia, Ancient Stewardship Gets a Modern Spin

From tracking rare spirit bears to responding to disasters, First Nations coastal guardians are on watch.

August 30, 2022

Dolphins in the Red Sea May Use Coral to 'Self-Medicate'

Scientists observing a pod in the wild think the animals may choose specific species for a skin care wellness routine.

scientists at work

How Indigenous-Led Conservation Brought a Caribou Herd Back From the Brink

An innovative collaboration between two British Columbia First Nations protects the most vulnerable animals.

Remembering America's Forgotten 'Fish Evangelist'

Evelene Spencer was the force behind the wartime campaign that encouraged the country to love fish.

How to Resurrect Gold-Rush Era Orchards Ravaged by Fire

The 2018 Carr Fire destroyed historic fruit trees—but not the will to make them bloom again.

January 14, 2022

Wanted: Sweet Skunks That Do Sick Stunts

Scientists' creative approach to collecting spotted skunks led to a new family tree for the handstanding li'l stinkers.

September 22, 2021

A San Francisco Airport Site Is Crawling With Snakes—And That's a Good Thing

An endangered species is thriving at a once-blighted lot, but climate change and other challenges threaten its future.

One Biologist’s 20-Year Mission to Save Angola’s Giant Sable

The curly-horned antelope is hanging in there—sometimes from a helicopter.

Won't Someone Please Think of Brazil's Least-Adorable Marmoset?

The wildly uncharismatic buffy-tufted-ear marmoset needs a boost.

Why Rhinos Fly Upside Down Over Namibia

Researchers determined that the pachyderms fare just fine when they sail suspended from a helicopter.

February 9, 2021

The Milwaukee Dogs That Learned to Sniff Out New Zealand Mud Snails

In a Wisconsin basement, two Labradors learned to detect tiny aquatic hitchhikers.

January 11, 2021

To Protect Pennsylvania's Hellbender, Teenagers Made It the State Amphibian

The Eastern hellbender looks like a long, slimy potato and is sometimes called a snot otter.

October 21, 2019