WINSTON WEEKLY[1] March 1, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 9 RARE AND WONDERFUL[2] French zoologist and paleontologist Frederic Cuvier described the red panda “as the most beautiful animal he had ever seen.” Today, less than 10,000 remain in the wild. Although their name suggests a relationship with the giant panda, they are more closely related to…

WINSTON WEEKLY[1] February 22, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 8 THE ECLECTIC WORLD OF EELS[2] While much has been written about the metamorphosis of caterpillars, the transformation of eels is even more fascinating. Starting as flat, transparent, and somewhat leaf-shaped larvae, they transform into elongated glass eels. As they continue to develop, they turn a brownish-pink…

WINSTON WEEKLY[1] February 15, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 7 A WHALE OF A HEART[2] With arteries the diameter of a dinner plate, blue whales have the world’s biggest heart at nearly 400 pounds and five feet in length. Sonar can detect a blue whale’s heartbeat from nearly two miles away. Below the surface, a blue…

WINSTON WEEKLY[1] February 8, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 6 AUSTRALIA’S FLIGHTLESS BIRD[2] Watching Australia’s flightless birds brings an entirely new dimension to birdwatching. Emus, within a group of birds known as ratites, are native to Australia. Occasionally growing up to six feet in height and weighing up to 130 pounds, their muscular legs and three…

WINSTON WEEKLY[1] February 1, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 5 TABER TIME[2] In the never-ending cycle of information and misinformation, one can find comfort in the many books of Gladys Taber, a prolific author, gardener, animal lover, and teacher who passed more than four decades ago. She wrote more than 59 books, including the Stillwater series…

WINSTON WEEKLY[1] January 25, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 4 TRULY GOLDEN The most rewarding class project culminated in a golden anniversary and so much more. In 1976, the late Mrs. Sanders asked her grade school students to send a letter to a school in one of the thirteen original colonies. Known as the Bicentennial Pen…