Poison Ivy Lab

A very irritating cartoon

The genome of Eastern Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) has been sequenced, but there is much to learn. The most interesting questions is how the plant makes urushiol (pronounced yoo-ROO-shee-all), the compound in Poison Ivy sap that causes contact dermatitis. About 85% of people in the US have a severe reaction to urushiol. Can we just agree that the other 15% should be permanently in charge of getting frisbees out of bushes? (71 words)

The Bob

I really enjoy The Bob, the newsletter from cartoonist, Bob Eckstein - lots of great cartoons by Bob and others as well as interviews and insights. It’s a master class in humor writing.

Hold That Thought

This cartoon was recently published in Hold That Thought: 12 Cartoonists and Their Worlds of Humor (Less Words Press, 2023). The book is really funny. I’m proud to be part of it!