mountains out of molehills
Located in Washington State, this stratovolcano's devastating May 18, 1980 eruption reduced its summit elevation by over 1,300 feet.
MOUNT ST HELENS
English physician Edward Jenner developed the world's first vaccine in 1796 to combat this deadly viral disease using material from cowpox.
SMALLPOX
Named "Hyperion" and reaching over 380 feet in height, a specimen of this species is the world's tallest living tree.
REDWOOD / SEQUOIA
After serving as a U.S. Representative, this Republican was elected as the 46th Governor of Florida in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.
RON DESANTIS
Known by trade names like Adderall and Ritalin, these central nervous system medications work primarily by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine activity in the prefrontal cortex.
STIMULANTS / AMPHETAMINES
Capable of producing calls up to 120 decibels to attract mates, these insects spend years underground as nymphs before emerging in massive broods.
CICADAS
Unlike hand-sewing needles, which have the eye located at the dull end, sewing machine needles have the eye located at this specific part of the needle.
POINT / TIP
Found in California's White Mountains, "Methuselah" belongs to this species, widely considered the oldest non-clonal living tree species on Earth at over 4,800 years old.
PINE
Formerly a long-serving U.S. Senator representing Florida, this politician was appointed as the U.S. Secretary of State.
MARCO RUBIO
Combining Xanax with this major class of pain medications carries a strict FDA warning due to the heightened risk of severe respiratory depression, coma, or death.
OPIOIDS
In a honeybee colony, these specialized male bees do not collect pollen or sting; their sole purpose is to mate with a queen.
DRONES
Mechanizing the baling process in the late 19th century, this machine compresses cut hay into tight square or round bundles tied with twine or wire.
BALER
Counting these light-and-dark growth bands, formed annually by the vascular cambium, is the primary method used in dendrochronology to age trees.
RINGS
Serving as the senior U.S. Senator from Texas since 2013, this Republican ran for president in 2016 and remains a prominent figure in the Senate.
Marketed as Zoloft, this SSRI is notoriously known for causing mild gastrointestinal side effects when starting treatment.
SERTRALINE
Surrounded by 22 pink, fleshy appendages containing over 25,000 sensory touch organs, this North American species is the fastest-foraging mammal known.
STAR-NOSED MOLE
If hay is baled with too much moisture, bacterial respiration can generate enough heat to cause this dangerous event inside a barn loft.
FIRE
Named "Pando," a massive 106-acre clonal colony of this tree species in Utah shares a single underground root system, making it one of the heaviest living organisms on Earth.
ASPEN
Representing Louisiana's 4th congressional district, this politician was elevated to Speaker of the House in October 2023.
MIKE JOHNSON
Patients taking trazodone—particularly males—are warned about this rare but serious medical emergency involving a painful, prolonged erection unrelated to sexual stimulation.
PRIAPISM
Rising 1,979 feet above sea level near Lake Superior, this peak in the Huron Mountains is the highest natural point in Michigan.
MOUNT ARVON
Often confused with hay, straw consists of the dead stems left over after harvesting cereal grains like wheat, and is primarily used for this farm purpose.
ANIMAL BEDDING
Characterized by specialized prop roots that anchor them in muddy coastal waters, these trees form critical tropical saltwater wetland ecosystems that protect shorelines from erosion.
MANGROVES
Serving as the 48th Governor of Texas since 2015, this Republican has been a leading national figure on border security policies.
GREG ABBOTT
Abruptly stopping Zoloft or Xanax can trigger a severe rebound effect; for benzodiazepines specifically, sudden cessation can trigger these life-threatening neurological events.
SEIZURES