Creepy Critters for Halloween

With Halloween just around the corner, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History offers this selection of frightening fish and creepy crustaceans to make us all happy we're trick-or-treating on land and not in the watery deep: 

http://ocean.si.edu/slideshow/creepy-critters-marine-life-surfaces-halloween

Even if yours is a Marine Halloween, stay safe, and don't eat all your candy (or plankton) in one sitting.

Time Travel

In the movie "Back to the Future II," Marty McFly and Doc Brown arrive in the future on October 21, 2015.  There will be many celebrations this week as we finally reach that once futuristic date.  This momentous event may leave you wondering whether or not time travel is really possible.  At least one scientist at NASA seems to think it is: 

http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/review/dr-marc-space/#/review/dr-marc-space/time-travel.html

Hmm...I wonder if he owns a DeLorean?

Christopher Columbus

Most of us know that Christopher Columbus "sailed the ocean blue" in 1492 and discovered America.  For those who'd like to know a bit more about why he sailed, what he found, and the ongoing impact of these events, this online exhibit from the Library of Congress may be of great interest:

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/1492/index.html

If you can't explore the world yourself, you can at least explore this information about one famous explorer.

Mental Health Statistics

October 4-10 is Mental Health Awareness Week.  According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), "...mental disorders are common throughout the United States, affecting tens of millions of people each year, and...only about half of those affected receive treatment."  To improve your own awareness, explore these statistics from NIMH on the prevalence, treatment, and costs of mental disorders: 

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/index.shtml

If you believe you might be among the millions with an untreated disorder, that page also links to information about how to find help.  There's no shame in having a mental disorder, so please find the courage to request the help you need.