Articles by Daniel Strain

The secret life of a Californian pest

"Waka, waka." The acorn woodpecker is best known for its chortle, which may have inspired Woody the Woodpecker's iconic laugh. But many California residents say there's nothing funny about the…

Seeing the forest for the test-tube trees

Paper manufacturers and environmentalists seem to be reliving Robert Frost’s age-old dilemma caused by two roads diverging in the woods. Proponents of genetically engineered trees say the road they’ve chosen…