September 25, 2026: Alumni and Pathfinders
This weekend is the confluence of two worlds, or maybe more accurately, of two ages – young and old (which sometimes seems like two worlds). The Lake Union Conference is holding its annual Pathfinder camporee just down the road with many activities on our campus. At the same time, it is the annual Alumni Homecoming Weekend. I’ll let you decide which is old and which is young. Age all depends on your perspective.
Some time ago I was walking in the woods and came across this slime mold growing on the forest floor. It got me thinking – does the slime mold have a birthday? What exactly defines its age? Is this one old or young, or is there a way to tell? It seemed quite beautiful to me, but they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so maybe irrelevant to this conversation.
A quick search brought me to a study (Rolland et al., 2023) that tells me that slime mold plasmodia do indeed get old – their migration speed slows down over time. And here’s a fascinating one: slime molds, whether young or old, prefer to hang out with younger friends. But even though they like the young slime molds, the old guys are still able to effectively make decisions and learn. Did I hear that correctly – slime molds make decisions and learn?! Well, we live in a fascinating world, and even more fascinating if you look closely when you are out for a walk!
If you’d like to take a walk tomorrow, Sabbath, September 26, feel free to stop by the Andrews Botanical Conservatory, our greenhouse on the rooftop of Price Hall. We will be open from 3-5pm with refreshments for those who stop by. The Museum of Nature and Science on the first floor of Price Hall will also be open at that time. Have you seen our very own mammoth yet? I don’t think he has a name, but we should consider a naming competition for the future.
Today, many of our science faculty (and others) are involved in teaching a variety of Pathfinder honors. As I write, honors are being taught on Endangered Species; Moths & Butterflies; Pizza Making; Seeds; Poultry; Bones, Muscles & Movement; Brain and Behavior; Origami; Dinosaurs; Physics; and Chemical Reactions and Solutions. That’s a lot of science this weekend!
I will continue to pray for each of you, our biology community, wherever life finds you – student, alumnus, faculty, staff. Wishing you another blessed Sabbath and week ahead.
