Environment

Under the science/environment topic, one tidbit of hot news this past week was a paper linking a synergestic effect between a fungus and a virus and the death of honeybee hives.  What was not reported is that the paper's lead author, Dr. Jerry Bromenshenk, received funding from Bayer Crop Science to uncover what caused the deaths.  Bayer Crop Science is hardly a disinterested party, as they manufacture pesticides. Bromenshenk (who was a witness in a lawsuit by bee farmers against Bayer) is reported as saying that the paper "did not examine the impact of pesticides." http://money.cnn…

Some one asked me this question and I said all . All plants have some level of secondary metabolites which are at a very low level of toxicity . Some plants have these substances at sub-optimal and some have at super-optimal level. All substances are utilized in our body at micro-nutrient level and if they exceed that level they become toxic.If one over eats its toxic to body. It depends on a genetic make up a person, his immune system, metabolism and response to external or internal stimulus to get a situation which is not normal in metabolic process. Plants if taken properly in proper…

For anybody who was wondering, here's the explanation! Of course, I use my skills and background to grow lawns while the gentleman in this video uses his to grow coffee beans. While my work doesn't produce a tasty legal stimulant, at least it gives you a workout when it gets too long.

More bad news for the Argentine shortfin squid--this is the same fishery that crashed in Argentina last year. The deep sea fishing business in Taiwan is facing a crisis because of precipitous drops in its squid and saury catch . . . The main reason for the fall is that Taiwanese fishing boats have been unable to secure decent squid catches in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean near the Falkland Islands and Argentina — the world's main squid fishery. It is unknown whether the precipitous plunge is just a cyclical change or a warning sign that marine resources are drying up. As I've pointed out…

Growth of Ajmer City –A Historical Perspective If one hears the Pushkar lake is dry it hurts . The historic aspects of Ajmer tell about its glory The evolution of a city is a historical process by it self. Its image at any time is merely a cross section through a continuous stream (Blumenfield, 1982). The form and growth of the city results from the concepts in the minds of its inhabitants and also from the types of structure they build. Both are derived from pre-urban roots determined by the interaction of its site, situation, function and subsequent human activity.…

Countries, rivers, civilizations and economy. If you board a ferry at Koblenz in Germany and sail in Rhine river the stretch between Koblenz to Rudeshime is world heritage as it is dotted on both the sides with rich forests and an array of castles. Bingen is on the other side and easily connected from Mainz . As there are only two railway bridges you have the choice to go to Bingen via Mainz or go to Rudesheim from Frankfurt. Koblez itself has Deutche Ecke ) German corner where the river Mosel meets the river Rheine the mighty river that crosses several international borders. There are no…

There is huge dying industry for clothes , there is huge carpet industry for export, there is hand paper industry and there are laws that they dont employ children. Where are the laws that they comply for pollution control. Recently I was deeply pained that industry appeal to allow them a year or two years time to set up the pollution control unit at their primises was accepted by the environmental authority. I have seen these two years going on for last several years. The industry is making millions by exports but they dont want to put unit to clean the water going out the drain in a…

One broken ‘green’ CFL bulb contains at least .5 mg of mercury, some claim that .5 mg is enough to pollute 180 tons of water but without a doubt mercury poisoning is dangerous to humans and the environment. Most of the CFL lightbulbs available in Australia at present contain at least 4 mg of mercury and this amount varies considerably up to as much as 12 mg in some bulbs. The Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs otherwise known as the CFL "green" light bulbs or energy-saving bulbs are rapidly becoming accepted, popular and even almost compulsory in many countries, as the old familiar, but less…

Ayurvedic medicines are basically derived from the Vedic literature and plants of family Fabaceae have special importance in the Ayurvedic medicines.The family Fabaceae popularly known as legumes, is the third largest order of seed-plants containing about 600 genera with 12,000 species. They are usually arranged in three well defined sub families and they are Papilionaceae, Caesalpiniaceae amd Mimosaceae. Some of the important medicinal plants of sub family Papilionaceae include Abrus precatorius Linn., Alhagi camelorum Linn., Alhagi murorum, A. pseudalhagi Linn., Arachis hypogaea Linn.,…

When I arrive to west I have better option to look towards east from the west. The attitude is different. East dwels more on its glorious past, some of the most advanced nations have no past to share, and European Union and Europe has no time to look back to the past. The basic thinking is different Once I asked a cup of tea on a flight and the reply was havenot you been served before. I asked the same on another flight the answer was Sure. I dont criticise anyone but always wonder what makes it different here. The ideas, ideologies, hard work, or natural resources. Human societies have…