Most aquarium hobbyists enjoy their aquariums for what they are:  A fascinating, beautiful, small slice of the living environment.  Most don't ever consider all of the businesses and livelihoods that are dependant on their hobby and on which the hobby depends.  Nor do most consider all of the "support structure" that exists in the form of books, articles, photographs, etc. that make it possible for information to spread about the hobby.  Most also fail to realize all of the other applications that the hobby has, even when commercial pursuits are excluded.  Aquariums are used in therapy, for education, scientific research and more.

Since our hobby does not exist in a vacuum, we all encounter many if not all of these "outside the glass box" ways that others participate in the hobby, but we take them for granted as long as our own glass boxes are functioning well and our charges are healthy.  In this issue, we are featuring several articles that will hopefully give our readers some insight into some of the activities that occur at the fringes of the hobby, and inspire them to pursue one of them!

Enjoy reading and thinking "outside the glass box"!

Adam Cesnales and Scott Fellman, Editors.