Member-only story
Why You Need to Ask Why
The solution to your problem is much closer than you think
Some years ago there was a big problem at one of America’s most treasured monuments — the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC.
Simply put, birds in huge numbers were pooping all over it, which made visiting the place a very unpleasant experience.
Attempts to remedy the situation caused even bigger problems, since the harsh cleaning detergents being used were damaging the Memorial.
Fortunately, some of the National Parks workers assigned to the case were curious and began asking why — as in:
“Why was the Jefferson Memorial so much more of a target for birds than any of the other memorials?”
A little bit of investigation revealed the following:
Birds were attracted to the Jefferson Memorial because of the abundance of spiders — a gourmet treat for them.
Spiders were attracted to the Memorial because of the abundance of midges (insects) who were nesting there.
