Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Quick
Well I thought it was spring; but I continually keep getting proved wrong. I want summer, no more cold wind and 20 degree mornings. I want surfing and wakeboarding. And snorkeling. The ocean has the most beautiful and colorful life anywhere and I wish there was more being done to protect it. If we're not careful it will vanish; and we know less about the ocean that we do outer space.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Flower Craze
My newest pastime has been my orchid. I'm in love with this flower. I want more but I don't have a place to put it. So far it's doing really well (although I think it's time to fertilize it), and I love seeing how many flowers it has. I started with two blooms and it's well over 9 at least. I need a greenhouse! Maybe that will be my second summer project. It would be amazing to see how many flowers I can actually get!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Spring! And trees
It is finally starting to become warm and wonderful. New growth and rebirth is happening at last, and the cold of winter can fade into a distant memory for a few months. Spring means renewal and things coming "back to life" so to speak. Bringing things back to life can have different meanings, so what about bringing back something from extinction.
Not necessarily animals this time; but an entire forest. Chestnut trees once numbered by the billions across the US. They were shelter, food, used for logs and just beautiful. Around 1904, it was noticed that the Bronx Zoo's chestnut tree was dying. It was discovered that the tree was infected by a fungus, and it spread throughout the US to almost all of the chestnut trees, decimating the once full forests. The Asian tree species seemed immune to the fungus that destroyed the chestnuts so quickly. Even today a cure for this fungus has not been found and continues to kill the new shoots of young chestnut trees.
Scientists have started to "borrow" genes from the Asian version of the chestnut tree and insert them into the American chestnut. After much trial and error it seemed as though the fungus was being fought off. Even if the tree became infected, it seemed as though they could heal what the fungus had done to them. If this continues to be successful, it is hoped that chestnut trees could again be planted in the wild and survive.
Resurrecting a Forest:
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/03/11/resurrecting-a-forest/
Not necessarily animals this time; but an entire forest. Chestnut trees once numbered by the billions across the US. They were shelter, food, used for logs and just beautiful. Around 1904, it was noticed that the Bronx Zoo's chestnut tree was dying. It was discovered that the tree was infected by a fungus, and it spread throughout the US to almost all of the chestnut trees, decimating the once full forests. The Asian tree species seemed immune to the fungus that destroyed the chestnuts so quickly. Even today a cure for this fungus has not been found and continues to kill the new shoots of young chestnut trees.
Scientists have started to "borrow" genes from the Asian version of the chestnut tree and insert them into the American chestnut. After much trial and error it seemed as though the fungus was being fought off. Even if the tree became infected, it seemed as though they could heal what the fungus had done to them. If this continues to be successful, it is hoped that chestnut trees could again be planted in the wild and survive.
The article link below is worth reading and is extremely informative. There's a great diagram documenting the backcrossing experiments of the tree. It's amazing what science can do nowadays; it would be wonderful to have these trees come back
Resurrecting a Forest:
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/03/11/resurrecting-a-forest/
Monday, March 11, 2013
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
*Shiver*
It's safe to say I'm not a fan of spiders. At All. Yes they are bug control, but I wish they weren't so creepy about it. I think it's the legs...they're too long and propel way too fast. I'm getting creeped out just thinking about it.
Even though I think spiders are terrifying (mostly when they're in my house with me), they are completely fascinating. They are intricately put together and knowing they're silk is stronger than steel is mind blowing. Interestingly tarantulas don't scare me (maybe because they have hair) as much, even though they are the biggest ones. When they move fast though, I guarantee I will shriek and run. So I feel the need to post this video I found on National Geographic about the Goliath tarantula, the largest spider in the world.
A spider the size of a dinner plate...no thank you. That's bigger than my face and that's terrifying enough to imagine. *Shiver again*
Well enjoy (:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/animals/bugs-animals/spiders-and-scorpions/tarantula_goliath/
Even though I think spiders are terrifying (mostly when they're in my house with me), they are completely fascinating. They are intricately put together and knowing they're silk is stronger than steel is mind blowing. Interestingly tarantulas don't scare me (maybe because they have hair) as much, even though they are the biggest ones. When they move fast though, I guarantee I will shriek and run. So I feel the need to post this video I found on National Geographic about the Goliath tarantula, the largest spider in the world.
A spider the size of a dinner plate...no thank you. That's bigger than my face and that's terrifying enough to imagine. *Shiver again*
Well enjoy (:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/animals/bugs-animals/spiders-and-scorpions/tarantula_goliath/
Thursday, February 21, 2013
More Proof!
Not that you needed it...but here's more proof that dogs are so awesome and smart.
http://now.msn.com/abandoned-newborn-baby-found-in-wal-mart-bag
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Smart Pup
I ran across this article in National Geographic, but I think that long-time dog owners have known this with no proof needed. According to the new study dogs are smarter than we may have thought, and can potentially see things in a humans viewpoint. Like a naughty child, dogs will do things that they know they're not supposed to when we owners aren't looking.
Like sneaking food. Apparently in a darker room dogs will steal food when the owners don't know or just aren't paying attention. My dog has done bad things when I'm pretending not to look for the whole 7 years I've had him. As soon as we make eye contact, he stops and is perfect puppy again. Don't let anyone tell you different: dogs are scary smart. They know when you're sick or sad and act accordingly. Only people that don't own dogs have no knowledge of these things (which I'm sure is who these studies are really for).
Dogs are pretty amazing. They can detect cancer and seizures, save people from bombed buildings, detect danger during war and are the world's best therapy. In all honesty did this study really need to take place? (:
Smart Dog:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/02/130218-dogs-animals-science-mind-smart/?source=hp_dl4_news_dogs_know_when_looking_20130220#
Like sneaking food. Apparently in a darker room dogs will steal food when the owners don't know or just aren't paying attention. My dog has done bad things when I'm pretending not to look for the whole 7 years I've had him. As soon as we make eye contact, he stops and is perfect puppy again. Don't let anyone tell you different: dogs are scary smart. They know when you're sick or sad and act accordingly. Only people that don't own dogs have no knowledge of these things (which I'm sure is who these studies are really for).
Dogs are pretty amazing. They can detect cancer and seizures, save people from bombed buildings, detect danger during war and are the world's best therapy. In all honesty did this study really need to take place? (:
Smart Dog:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/02/130218-dogs-animals-science-mind-smart/?source=hp_dl4_news_dogs_know_when_looking_20130220#
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Pinnacles!
Finally!
Pinnacles National monument is now part of Pinnacles National Park. Like Yellowstone, it is part of an old volcanic field; although Yellowstone is still very active and Pinnacles seems not to be. There are now about 60 national parks in the US thanks to to addition of Pinnacles. In my humble opinion the US could benefit from even more areas that are protected; it just seems as though things are disappearing at a very high rate.
I have never been to Pinnacles and I'm hoping this summer to change that. I have been learning to rock climb, and hopefully I can get good enough to show off my talents (I'm sure this will go very well...eye roll). I've tried to get more into backpacking and rock climbing simply because of what you can see by doing those things. In National parks there are so many things you can't see unless you hike to them.
Hopefully more National parks will be founded and protected. Nowhere can have enough of that!
Pinnacles Info:
http://www.nps.gov/pinn/index.htm
Pinnacles National monument is now part of Pinnacles National Park. Like Yellowstone, it is part of an old volcanic field; although Yellowstone is still very active and Pinnacles seems not to be. There are now about 60 national parks in the US thanks to to addition of Pinnacles. In my humble opinion the US could benefit from even more areas that are protected; it just seems as though things are disappearing at a very high rate.
Pinnacles National Monument
I have never been to Pinnacles and I'm hoping this summer to change that. I have been learning to rock climb, and hopefully I can get good enough to show off my talents (I'm sure this will go very well...eye roll). I've tried to get more into backpacking and rock climbing simply because of what you can see by doing those things. In National parks there are so many things you can't see unless you hike to them.
Hopefully more National parks will be founded and protected. Nowhere can have enough of that!
Pinnacles Info:
http://www.nps.gov/pinn/index.htm
Monday, February 18, 2013
Little Bigfoots
I admit I'm a little addicted to Finding Bigfoot on Animal Planet. The premise is utterly ridiculous, however it does seem plausible at the same time since there's so many things about our world we don't know. I have to say some of those videos that are out there are very convincing. A few are downright creepy and it does plant that little "what if" in the back of your mind.
The one last night was a little different and interesting to me. The show went to Indonesia in search of the Orang Pendek which is supposedly a smaller version of the North American Bigfoot. They appear to look similar to an orangutan primate but have silver-blonde hair instead of the orange coloring of the orangutan. They appear to be bipedal and the locals seem to be able to get closer to them than us North Americans can to our Bigfoot.
When I was watching this, it reminded me of Homo floresiensis; or also known as hobbits (sorry, not the Lord of the Rings kind). Although they lived on the Island of Flores (the Orang Pendek is said to live in Sumatra), I wonder if this could possibly some kind of variation? Either that or it's an evolved variation of the orangutan primate possibly? If they are smaller, perhaps it is easier for them to avoid humans more easily. Also since the locals generally lack the material things we US-ers have, video of the primate is not readily forthcoming. National geographic did pay for an expedition to try to produce photos of the Pendek, but nothing came from it (they have not given up, however).
There has to be reasons these legends persist, and it can't be "just because". I have to admit I've started to believe these things really are out there, and maybe they really are just this smart to evade us. We know more about outer space than we do about our own ocean; perhaps there are still animals out there that we know next to nothing to. New species are still being discovered, so I hope that there is that possibility.
Information on floresiensis:
http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/homo-floresiensis
Information on Orang Pendek:
http://www.orangpendek.org/
The one last night was a little different and interesting to me. The show went to Indonesia in search of the Orang Pendek which is supposedly a smaller version of the North American Bigfoot. They appear to look similar to an orangutan primate but have silver-blonde hair instead of the orange coloring of the orangutan. They appear to be bipedal and the locals seem to be able to get closer to them than us North Americans can to our Bigfoot.
When I was watching this, it reminded me of Homo floresiensis; or also known as hobbits (sorry, not the Lord of the Rings kind). Although they lived on the Island of Flores (the Orang Pendek is said to live in Sumatra), I wonder if this could possibly some kind of variation? Either that or it's an evolved variation of the orangutan primate possibly? If they are smaller, perhaps it is easier for them to avoid humans more easily. Also since the locals generally lack the material things we US-ers have, video of the primate is not readily forthcoming. National geographic did pay for an expedition to try to produce photos of the Pendek, but nothing came from it (they have not given up, however).
There has to be reasons these legends persist, and it can't be "just because". I have to admit I've started to believe these things really are out there, and maybe they really are just this smart to evade us. We know more about outer space than we do about our own ocean; perhaps there are still animals out there that we know next to nothing to. New species are still being discovered, so I hope that there is that possibility.
Information on floresiensis:
http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/homo-floresiensis
Information on Orang Pendek:
http://www.orangpendek.org/
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