#biologist poland
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Simona Kossak (1943-2007) Polish biologist, ecologist, author, PhD in forestry, and uncompromising conservation activist. They called her a witch, because she chatted with animals and owned a terrorist-crow, who stole gold and attacked bicycle riders. She spent more than 30 years in a wooden hut in the Białowieża Forest, without electricity or access to running water. A lynx slept in her bed, and a tamed boar lived under the same roof with her. She was also an activist who fought for the protection of Europe’s oldest forest. Simona believed that one ought to live simply, and close to nature. Among animals she found that which she never found with humans.
Photo: Lech Wilczek
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By Brian Melley, AP News
13 January 2024
LONDON (AP) — An unlikely refugee from the war in Ukraine — a rare Asiatic black bear — arrived at his new home in Scotland on Friday and quickly took to a meal of cucumbers and watermelon.
The 12-year-old Yampil was named for a village in the Donetsk region where he was one of the few survivors found by Ukrainian troops in the remains of a bombed-out private zoo.
Yampil, who had previously been called Borya, was discovered by soldiers who recaptured the devastated city of Lyman during the Kharkiv counteroffensive in the fall of 2022, said Yegor Yakovlev of Save Wild, who was among the first of many people who led the bear to a new life.
The bear was found in a menagerie that had long been abandoned by its owners.
Almost all the other animals had died of hunger, thirst or were struck by bullets or shrapnel and some were eaten by Russian troops.
Yampil narrowly missed the same fate, suffering a concussion from a projectile that landed nearby.
“The bear miraculously survived,” said Yakovlev, also director of the White Rock Bear Shelter, where the bear recovered.
“Our fighters did not know what to do with him, so they started looking for rescue.”
What followed was an odyssey that your average bear rarely makes, as he was moved to Kyiv for veterinary care and rehab, then shipped to a zoo in Poland, then to an animal rescue in Belgium, where he spent the past seven months, before landing in the United Kingdom.
Brian Curran, owner of Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder, Scotland, said his heart broke when he learned of the plight of the threatened Asiatic black bear.
“He was in terrible condition; five more days and they wouldn’t have been able to save him,” Curran said. “We were just so amazed he was still alive and well.”
The bear was skinny but not malnourished when he was found, said Frederik Thoelen, a biologist at the Nature Help Center in Belgium.
He now is estimated to weigh a healthy 440 pounds (200 kilograms), Thoelen said.
The nature center in Belgium, which usually treats injured wildlife and returns them to their natural settings, has taken several animals rescued from the war in Ukraine, including a wolf, a caracal cat and four lions, though those animals had not experienced the ordeal Yampil endured.
It was remarkable how calm Yampil was when he arrived in Belgium, Thoelen said.
The bear was trained in the past two weeks to move from his enclosure to the crate that would transport him across Belgium to Calais, France, then across the English Channel on a ferry to Scotland.
Pastries from a local bakery were used for good measure to lure him Thursday into the cage, where he was sedated for the journey.
“We want to use the food that he likes most, and for most bears — and for people also — it’s sweet, unhealthy foods,” Thoelen said.
Thoelen had a sense of the bear’s weight as he drove the crate to the port.
“Every time when we had a red light or a traffic jam, when the bear moved a little bit, you could feel the van moving also,” he said.
“You could feel it was a heavy animal in the back of the car.”
Yampil arrived at the zoo about 15 miles (25 kilometers) west of Edinburgh and immediately made himself at home.
He feasted on cukes — said to be his favorite food — and melon, said Adam Welsh, who works at Five Sisters.
The Asiatic black bear is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species as vulnerable to extinction in the wild, where it can be found in central and southern Asia, Russia, and Japan.
It’s known for the distinctive white crescent patch on its chest that gives it the nickname moon bear. It can live for up to 30 years in zoos.
It’s not clear if the bear will go into hibernation. The winter has been warmer than usual but colder days are on the horizon.
The zoo has other bears, but Yampil is the only Asian bear and unique in other ways.
“We’ve had circus bears, for example, that have been rescued,” Welsh said.
“We’ve had bears rescued from places like roadside restaurants where they’ve been used as kind of roadside attractions and been kept in subpar conditions. But this is the first time that we’ve worked with an animal that’s been rescued from a war zone.”
youtube
Scottish zoo welcomes black bear which survived war in Ukraine
13 January 2024
🖤🐻🤎
#Asiatic black bear#Ukraine#Scotland#Yampil#Borya#Save Wild#White Rock Bear Shelter#Five Sisters Zoo#Nature Help Center#Belgium#Poland#International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species#moon bear#save animals#protect wildlife#threatened species#refugee bear#private zoo#Youtube
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do you have any recs for more folk-influenced women's noise projects? i really like svitlana nianio and aine o'dwyer and i'm wondering if there's more similar stuff out there
Hello there, it's a very interesting question! There's plenty of artists who mix folk with experimental/noise/contemporary. Here's a list of few I can think of right now:
There's Księżyc [x], a 90s experimental classic from Poland - it's a whole band, but fronted by two women.
Adela Mede [x] is a Czech artist creating contemporary sound collages with some folk vocals
Maryana Klochko [x] - an Ukrainian artist, her style ranges from more electroacoustic to more trip-hopy/electronic, worth checking out few of her tracks to get a range (I like the song Kvity, which kind of changes from one to another)
Tomoko Sauvage [x] - Japanese artist hugely inspired by various music folklore traditions, such as Carnatic water-bowls instrument
Julia Ulehla / dalava [x] - Czech vocalist, composer, ethnomusicologist "With her husband guitarist Aram Bajakian, she initiated a new line of performance research based on the ancestral song tradition of her father’s lineage, sourcing folk songs collected and transcribed by her great-grandfather, biologist Vladimír Úlehla".
Daina Dieva [x] - from Lithuania. Her works aren't maybe the most folklorish, but their closeness to the world of nature makes me put her in the mix
Audrey Chen [x] - Chinese-American artist mixing cello, voice and analogue synthesizers to create hauting compositions
Sainkho Namtchylak [x] - is a Tuvan experimental singer, known for using Tuvian throat singing and overtone singing named Khöömei. She mixes elements of east asian culture with genres such as avant jazz or electronica.
For more Slavic avant-folk check out this this compilation by In Crudo: [x] it's not all-women but features some inspiring women artists (Svitlana Nino and Księżyc included)
One can mix folk traditions with pretty much any genres I tried to stick to your artists of reference, but it's hard to find something *just like that* and nothing else - there are many more artists than these I've mentioned!
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Simona Kossak (1943-2007) Polish biologist, ecologist, author, PhD in forestry, and uncompromising conservation activist
They called her a witch because she chatted with animals and owned a crow, who stole gold and attacked bicycle riders.
She spent more than 30 years in a wooden hut in Poland's Białowieża Forest, without electricity or access to running water. A lynx slept in her bed, and a tamed boar lived under the same roof with her. She was a scientist, ecologist, and the author of award-winning films, as well as radio broadcasts. She was also an activist who fought for the protection of Europe’s oldest forest. Simona believed that one ought to live simply, and close to nature. Among animals, she found that which she never found with humans.
Photo Lech Wilczek.
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Where bears see dens, humans see paths and plywood. Some of the tallest, straightest beech trees – each more than 100 years old – have an “S” on them, meaning sklejka, or “plywood”. A squiggly line on others is where the forest road will go. Logging happens all year round. But young bears, which weigh about 3kg each, will die if disturbed during the first three months of their life between December and March, the biologist says.
“This is a church for nature, not a drawing board for people to put marks on every tree. People have no respect for nature,” says the biologist. “It will look like a bomb has gone off once they’ve finished working in here.”
The foresters of Lutowiska district were told about the location of these bear dens in March 2020. But they still carried out logging in the area next door, Lot 72, home to a similar number of bear dens. The landscape looks so different, the biologist says he gets lost walking through it. The younger trees that grow back are not valuable to wildlife in the same way as their predecessors. All over these hills, the forests are getting younger.
From somewhere in the valley, trees can be heard being cut down. Lots 72 and 73 are both within a Natura 2000 site, meaning it should have the highest EU protection. The site is 70 metres from a national park. “Day by day, year by year, the national park becomes more of an island,” our guide says.
Hope for Lot 73 rests with the EU habitats directive, which says breeding habitats and resting places for brown bears must be protected because they are classified as a protected species. Crucially, theses areas are not just somewhere bears pass through, they are bear maternity wards. An organisation called the Natural Heritage Foundation notified authorities that the bear dens were in use – bear tracks were found and there were claw marks on trees. And for the first time, a regional court in Krosno has temporarily suspended felling based on the evidence.
This decision has no precedent in Polish judicial history, despite this EU law being in place since Poland joined the bloc 18 years ago. Campaigners say it could signal changes in the legal protection for wild animals threatened by human activity.
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Europe Mass Spectrometry Market Size, Trends & Growth Opportunity, Analysis, Top Players, Demand, Industry Challenges and Opportunities to 2030
Europe Mass Spectrometry Market
Europe Mass Spectrometry is defined as tool that calculates mass of different molecules within given sample. Europe Mass Spectrometry can be used by biologists for a range of work in laboratory and can offer some new insights or new dimensions to the study.
The Europe mass spectroscopy market is expected to register a CAGR of 6.5% over the forecast period.
Request A Sample@ https://qualiketresearch.com/request-sample/Europe-Mass-Spectrometry-Market/request-sample
Market Drivers
Increase in Developments is the Driving Factor which Fuel the Market Growth.
Increase in technological developments is considered as key driving factor which is expected to boost the global mass spectroscopy market growth. For instance, in September 2019, Proteomics International Laboratories had successfully transferred its Promarker D technology to laboratories of clinical diagnostics partners that are Atturos. After transferring this technology to Atturos, it is available as Europe Mass Spectrometry laboratory developed test to license partners in European Market.
Also, increase in usage and awareness of mass spectroscopy is expected to boost the Europe Mass Spectrometry market growth. Furthermore, increase in research and development activities, and growing usage in nano-particles industry are some of driving factors will have the positive impact on market growth.
Market Restraints
High Cost on Equipment is challenging Factor which expected to hinder the Market Growth.
High cost of mass spectroscopy equipments and huge initial investments are the major challenging factors which are expected to hinder the market growth. Also, lack of skilled professionals is restraining factor which is expected to obstruct the Europe Mass Spectrometry market growth.
Read More@ https://qualiketresearch.com/reports-details/Europe-Mass-Spectrometry-Market
Market Segmentation
Europe Mass Spectrometry Market is categorized into technology such as Hybrid Europe Mass Spectrometry, Single Europe Mass Spectrometry, and Others. Further, market is segmented into application such as Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical, Industrial Chemistry, Environmental Testing, Food & Beverage Testing, and Other.
Also, Europe Mass Spectrometry Market is categorized into various countries such as Germany, UK, France, Turkey, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Belgium.
Market Key Players
Various key players are discussed in this report such as Agilent Technologies Inc, Perkinelmer Inc, Danaher Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, Waters Corporation, Bruker Corporation, Leco Corporation,and Dani Instruments SpA
Key Questions Addressed by the Report What are the Key
Opportunities in Europe Mass Spectrometry Market?
What will be the growth rate from 2023 to 2030?
Which segment/region will have highest growth?
What are the factors that will impact/drive the Market?
What is the competitive Landscape in the Industry?
What is the role of key players in the value chain?
What are the strategies adopted by key players?
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QualiKet Research is dedicated to enhancing the ability of faster decision making by providing timely and scalable intelligence.
QualiKet Research strive hard to simplify strategic decisions enabling you to make right choice. We use different intelligence tools to come up with evidence that showcases the threats and opportunities which helps our clients outperform their competition. Our experts provide deep insights which is not available publicly that enables you to take bold steps.
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Top 2023 Microscopic Photos: Miniature Castles and Caramel Apple-Like Spores
Eerie Beauty Under the Microscope: Nikon's Small World Photomicrography Competition
A miniature crystal castle of golden rutile quartz. The dark phosphorescent armor of a blue-black weevil. Slime molds growing spores that look like rich caramel apples. An otherworldly alien pineapple, nested as the stamen and stigma of an Hibiscus flower bud.
Nikon Honors Over 80 Stunning Microscopic Images
These mesmerizing images and more than 80 others were celebrated this year as part of the prestigious Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition. For nearly half a century since its inception in 1974, this competition has been a platform to recognize the photographic brilliance of individuals who explore the world through a microscope.
Global Participation and Expert Panel
This year, the competition received approximately 1,900 submissions from photographers and scientists hailing from 72 countries worldwide. These remarkable pictures were meticulously judged by a panel of five experts, including a cell biologist from Princeton and the photo editor of the BBC's Science Focus magazine.
Top Prize Goes to Neuroscientist Aiding Diabetes Patients
The highest honor of the competition was awarded to neuroscientist Hassanain Qambari, a researcher at the Lions Eye Institute's Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science in Perth, Australia. His winning photograph, captured through confocal microscopy, presents a microscopic, compound image of a rodent's optic nerve-head. Beyond its visual appeal, this image serves a practical purpose, aiding patients with diabetes.
Focusing on Diabetic Retinopathy
Hassanain Qambari's work centers on the issue of diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that can result in blurry vision or blindness due to damage in the blood vessels near the back of the eye. He aims to enhance early detection and reversal of this disease, which affects approximately one in five people with diabetes.
Other Standout Images
While the first place went to Qambari, the second prize was awarded to German digital artist Ole Bielfeldt for his close-up of a match igniting along a matchbox. The third-place spot was claimed by healthcare consultant Malgorzata Lisowska from Warsaw, Poland, for her image of a valentine-like structure growing within a cluster of breast cancer cells.
A Visual Delight
All 86 of the top images in this year's Nikon competition are truly remarkable. Here are twelve that have captured our attention:
- A castle-like image of golden rutile in quartz, captured by Danny J. Sanchez in California.
- Budding slime molds photographed by Dr. Frantisek Bednar of Slovakia.
- A blue-black weevil pest captured by Dr. Andrew M. Posselt of the University of California, San Francisco.
- A crystallized sugar syrup magnified 25 times, taken by Dr. Diego García of Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
- An image of a match igniting, securing second place for Ole Bielfeldt.
- A fluorescent photo of Acropora sp. taken by Dr. Pichaya Lertvilai of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
- A micrometeorite resting on a testing sieve, photographed by Scott Peterson.
- Venomous tarantula fangs, snapped by John-Oliver Dum in Germany.
- A cleared mouse embryo by Dr. Arthur Chien of Macquarie University.
- Diatoms, single-celled algae, arranged on the head of a pin by Jan Rosenboom in Germany.
- Motor neurons grown in a microfluidic device, captured by Melinda Beccari and Dr. Don W. Cleveland of the University of California, San Diego.
Nikon's Small World in Motion Contest
Notably, Nikon's Small World Competition, which began in 1975 to honor photomicrographers using light microscopes, expanded in 2011 to include a category known as Small World in Motion. This category welcomes videos and digital time-lapse photography captured through microscopes, broadening the creative possibilities for participants. It encompasses various light microscopy techniques and subjects, reflecting the continuous advancement of microscopic photography.
Read the full article
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Whether scientific research is needed for canidae assemblage?
Importantly, most of the canids are poorly known. The priority species and sites are two endangered ones: wild dog of Africa (Lycaon pictus) and dholes (Cuon alpinus). As for the first one, there is a need to pioneer a small project for evaluating ethnozoological status and presence-absence study of this rare creature in West Africa. The most important area is northern Cote D'ivoire, namely Parc national de la Comoé, where the species was recorded historically. Another priority site is located somewhere in Ghana, in the east part of the country. The area of interest is Kyabobo National Park near the border with Togo. Hunters that have lived there for years reported that dog-like carnivores occured in the park. Another canid of interest is dhole, and the ecosystem of Central China. We are keen for pioneer studies or update distribution records in areas covered vast territories, from Daba Shan up to Luoxiao Range. Most interesting is the so-called Shennongjia Sanctuary, an area of mystery of biodiversity. Dhole is rare, pack-hunter recorded in various habitats of Central China. With various local names and a great role in human-wildlife conflict it is a pejorative species. This elusive carnivore has collapsed by decades, due to diseases, depletion of prey base, persecution and a bit by habitat loss.
There are of course ideas of small jobs, which are so-called species hunting. Little is known of ecological requirements of Canidae guild in high, wild plateaus of Katanga (south Congo), where explorers have recorded quaint undescribed canid. There is a lack of data about basal data on canidae guild in West Africa in such wild places, as the woodland of Nasarawa (central Nigeria), Kwahu Plateau of Ghana, but there are some studies in Atakora Mountains of Benin near well-known W-Arly-Pendjari Transboundary Park. We would undertake a small camera trapping survey for searching two canids of these lands recorded historically, such as Lycaon pictus and side-striped jackal. Short carnivore survey can be done in Koro-Toro of central Tchad. There are needed for conservation efforts in wild Asia in such wild places as indochinese region called Tonkin Jungle (of Vietnam). In such two regions research and conservation of rare canids are kindly appreciated. Other project can be undertaken in mountains of Central China, where scientists have recorded dholes Cuon alpinus of Szechuan and another canid of the Vulpes genera with shaggy fur, being not yet described by science. It is now believed to be only domestic dog but with lack of proof. Ecological requirements of these canids can be studied in this vast land.
Authors of pictures: Aelurodon/paleosleuths.org, atlas of the world/Louis Hansel and Africa part of project/Top Gear.
Posted by Tomasz Pietrzak, popular-science author and bachelor biologist from Poland/EU. Contact with @echlleaguescientific. This Q&A abstract is written under Creative Commons Licence.
Redigerat 2022-11-05, 14:33 av league-scientifique
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Festival | The Gleaners Society: FRANK WASSER INTERVIEWS SEBASTIAN CICHOCKI ABOUT HIS GUEST PROGRAMME FOR EVA INTERNATIONAL.
Continuing until 29 October, the 40th edition of EVA International centres around the theme of citizenship, and comprises the EVA Platform Commissions, Partnership Project initiatives, and a special Guest Programme, ‘The Gleaners Society’, curated by Sebastian Cichocki.
Frank Wasser: Sebastian, it’s an incredibly busy time for you, so thanks for agreeing to talk with me. I wanted to start by asking you about your own practice. Can you tell me about your research methodologies, and how you arrived at the curatorial framework for the EVA Guest Programme?
Sebastian Cichocki: Where to start? I’m very much into assemblies, summer camps, and gatherings. I’m interested in people, and so I work with movements and organisations who are eager to apply artistic strategies in their daily work. My background is in sociology, and I’ve always been fascinated by the social potential of art. I like to think of art as an apparatus that can bring people together and change things, to open our eyes to new possibilities.
Alice Maher and Rachel Fallon, The Map, 2021, installation view, Rua Red Gallery; photograph by Ros Kavanagh, courtesy the artists, Rua Red, and EVA International.
FW: Where or how do these possibilities unfold? What are the contexts that your practice operates within?
SC: I work in the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, a public institution which is under construction, and it is just about to open in its final configuration. I’ve been working with different formats. For me, curating is a lot about usefulness, agency, and doing things with art. This is much more interesting than defining something as art or not art. My natural environment is to be among people who represent different skills, competences, and backgrounds. They are chefs, gardeners, therapists, climate activists, social workers, or biologists, but what is characteristic is that most of them graduated from art academies. Climate and anti-fascist activism, feminist movements, these are all close to my heart. I’m part of the Sunflower community, an anti-imperialist think-tank and emergency centre, working mainly with the large Ukrainian diaspora and its queer community in Poland. Environmental struggle is something I’ve been working with a lot recently, which evolved from a fascination with land art practices as a possible way of escaping the traditional configuration of the museum. Needless to say, the museum might be an outmoded apparatus, but it is undergoing radical changes.
FW: You have previously spoken and published widely on the invisible histories and ideological frameworks of museums. How does the context of the art biennial differ from that of the museum?
SC: It’s fascinating how we can do things in a different way. I love museums and global biennials, but I do feel that they are operating in separate galaxies. It’s quite unusual how they are restricted by very specific ways of doing things; the singularity of an artwork, the cult of the authorship, all these obsessive ways of separating art from not-art. Many regulations, which were kind of petrified in the nineteenth century, are still determining what art is. The biennial model follows these protocols; it is mostly novelty that is fuelling this system. The expectation is that you have to present something which is new and unusual, the unknown, the forgotten, the overlooked. In a way, a contemporary focus on ‘the marginalised’ has replaced the dominance of dead white men in the western art canon. This is quite an insatiable and exploitative system. But actually, this novelty is the last thing I am interested in.
FW: So, does this refusal of ‘novelty’ underpin the thematic framework of ‘The Gleaners Society’, your Guest Programme for EVA? Gleaning was originally a farming term, denoting the act of collecting or gathering that which already exists.
SC: Yes, exactly, gleaning is about picking up stuff, the leftovers; it has specific legal and ethical connotations in different languages. The act of gleaning is the opposite of over-production and extractivism, because as you know, we do generate a lot of objects and ideas. The standard biennial is like a potlatch ritual, with the necessity to constantly commission and produce – it’s quite a monstrosity. It’s hard to believe how time-consuming and exhausting the model is, and I seriously question its sustainability. So, I was thinking about this unique opportunity in Limerick, working with such an open and generous organisation. I was told “you don’t even have to do an exhibition!” This was so liberating. Paradoxically, in the end we might end up with a quite conventional exhibition. EVA has such a rich history, albeit hardly visible in the city, but there are small traces of previous editions. It’s like a myth, something immaterial and fleeting, that is also treated as a piece of public property. For example, the person who works in the local flower shop will tell you what should be done for an exhibition!
FW: I guess the idea of gleaning also implies crisis. Is this something you’re considering?
SC: Yes, the planetary crisis; ecocide, fossil fuel wars, loss of biodiversity. In this sense, it is all about saving the resources that exist. There are so many contemporary versions of gleaning; for example, foraging, free shops, dumpster diving. For me, gleaning is not only a metaphor – it is a methodology. Let’s look at the leftovers of the past. There have been 39 editions of EVA. What are those stories, invisible traces, or unfinished businesses? One of the unwritten rules of the biennial format is that you are obliged to invite mostly new names, but what if you work with what is already established in this unique environment of collaboration and trust? One of the first things I did was scan through the incredible artists who had already contributed, such as Orla Barry and Deirdre O’Mahony, with a view to working with them again. What would it mean to bring back Janet Mullarney’s sculptures, which were exhibited in Limerick in the 1990s? There are artists who know the local context deeply, so why not engage with them and continue these conversations, in spite of expectations and fetishisation of the new?
Lala Meredith-Vula, Haystacks, 1989-ongoing; image courtesy of the artist and EVA International.
FW: Your approach is reminding me of conversations I had with the curators of documenta fifteen last year. They had this idea of harvesting ideas over the course of the event. Is there a connection here?
SC: Yes, this is interesting because I just came back from Korea, where I worked with local collectives, including ikkibawiKrrr, who will participate in EVA. They were also one of the core members of documenta fifteen. While drinking rice wine, and spending a lot of time with each other, we spoke about the particularities of what gleaning meant in European history and what might be the Asian parallels, like the lumbung concept. Our conversations are ongoing and will grow over the following months. In this sense, gleaning is also about my resources, recent projects, existing collaborations, and network of friends in the Baltic States, South Asia, Ireland, Ukraine and Poland. As the hero of my teenage years, Robert Smithson, once wrote: “Nothing is new, neither is anything old”.
Frank Wasser is an Irish artist and writer based in London.
frankwasser.info
Sebastian Cichocki lives and works in Warsaw, where he is the chief curator at the Museum of Modern Art.
artmuseum.pl/en
The 40th edition of EVA International opened on 31 August and continues until 29 October, spanning various locations in Limerick city and beyond.
eva.ie
https://visualartistsireland.com/festival-the-gleaners-society?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook #artists #ireland #news
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Sense-making of nature
Everything about nature is so fascinating and it has mysteries that are yet to be solved. There are aspects to nature that leave you wondering how it is possible to be real, and as a biological science student, learning about the functioning of the world, you tend to believe that scientists, naturalists, and biologists have got everything figured out. There are some things that appear to be unexplainable and difficult to understand in nature. One of the most interesting parts of nature that comes to mind is the ability of some animals to be able to regenerate parts of their bodies, and that mostly includes aquatic species, such as salamanders, and starfish.
Some natural wonders in the world, such as the Marfa lights and the Bermuda triangle are still a mystery to the world. The lights are unpredictable glowing orbs that appear in the desert in the town of Marfa in Texas (Lallanilla, 2013). There is no explanation for their appearance and are believed to be "fallen stars" by the Native Americans in the area (Lallanilla, 2013). Local interpreters can incorporate this interesting phenomenon when attracting visitors to this town to learn the features of the area and make sense of the unknown wonders of nature (Beck et al., 2018). The Bermuda Triangle on the other hand, is known for its dangerous and mysterious forces that have caused disappearances, and we have yet to find the cause (NOAA, 2013). Many believe it to be a work of nature, while some believe there may be supernatural effects at a play.
Another interesting landscape is Australia's pink Lake Hillier, which scientists have been unable to figure out why it is the colour pink and why the colour stays the same all the time (Nargi, 2023). There are definitely some theories, but no concrete explanation for its beautiful pink colour. This one its own is a reason to visit Australia, to check out this natural phenomenon, and take good pictures. These types of strange landscapes make the profession of an interpreter more interesting, as it provides them with a chance to fascinate visitors and create an exciting experience.
In addition to these crazy natural wonders, the crooked forest of Poland will also leave you scratching your head. This forest consisted of oddly shaped, bent trees that are growing in a healthy manner despite their strange shape (Yang, 2020). There are also several theories based upon this mystery, but there is little evidence to prove their reliability. I personally think that it is amazing that there are places such as this in our world, and that sometimes it is okay for everything to not have an explanation. It makes the world a lot more interesting! Even interpreters do not have all the answers, and perhaps these mysteries may inspire more people to grow this profession (Beck et al., 2018).
Works Cited:
Lallanilla, M. (2013, June 19). What are the Marfa Lights? LiveScience. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from https://www.livescience.com/37579-what-are-marfa-lights-texas.html
Nargi, L. (2023, January 6). 11 natural landscapes that even scientists can't explain. Reader's Digest. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from https://www.rd.com/list/natural-landscapes-scientists-cant-explain/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2013, June 1). What is the Bermuda Triangle? NOAA's National Ocean Service. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/bermudatri.html
Yang, Y. (2020, March 4). The mystery of the crooked forest. Discovery. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from https://www.discovery.com/exploration/the-mystery-of-the-crooked-forest
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Where can Music be Found in Nature?
When I read this week’s prompt, which asked “Where is music in nature.” I instantly thought of the songs of birds and whales, and I think that’s the conclusion that many people had come to as well.
For centuries, certain patterns of sound created by whales and birds have been described as “songs,” already having received credit by the English language and by early biologists, as a musical phenomenon. But this week’s readings just made me aware of just how complex, and similar they are to human-made music. Researchers have even identified the same musical laws used in whale song to those used by human composers (Gray et al. 2001). For example, some whale songs employ the ABA form, where a theme is stated, than elaborated, and then a modified version of the theme is repeated (Gray et al. 2001). In addition, an analysis of birdsong by Luis Baptista revealed that birdsong use all the rhythmic effects found in human music (Gray et al. 2001).
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The part at 0:44 drew my attention. Like in human song, whales like to reiterate the themes they created out of phrases. The song continues in such a way that reminds me a lot of human songs (Gray et al. 2001; Oceania Project 2008).
Music is a natural part of the behavior of many animals, including humans. All human cultures across the globe produced music (Gray et al. 2001). Thus it can be argued that music is a natural phenomenon. Many artists say they look to nature for inspiration for their songs. Beethoven has said that nature walks inspired his music, an example being the "Pastoral Symphony” (Wise 2005). The Hutu and Tutsi music incorporate elements inspired by the low-frequency sounds of elephants—natural sounds which, remarkably, urban residents struggle to hear! (Gray et al. 2001).
Music can also connect the listener to a landscape, whether it be through human music or other natural creator.
There are many examples I can think of how a song can take me back to a natural landscape… I have listened to recordings of Newfoundland folk songs when vacationing in Newfoundland with my family. The song of an American robin’s evening song takes me back to a childhood of summer vacation, playing in a splash pad with friends. The calls and songs of a the Common Loon ignites memories of a night spent camping in Massassauga or Killarney.
But there was one experienced someone close to me had shared that I feel inspired to talk about.
During her youth as a girl scout, way back in Poland before I was even a concept, my mom would sing this song with fellow scouts, as she played a guitar and sat by the campfire.
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The song's title: “Płonie Ognisko i Szumią Knieje” roughly translates to “The fire is burning and a wind roars through the wilderness” (Zasacki 2019).
It is a scout song about a victory in battle, reflective of the militant values held by the scout culture, and Poland’s centuries-old history of recurrent war. Throughout the song, there is a lyrical motif of the wind roaring through the oak forest, as if the land itself was crying out victoriously–an example of how a natural sound can inspire song. To my mom, however, the song is more about being in the wilderness with her friends, after a long day of adventure, and the trials and tribulations of being a scout. I think it’s powerful that a sound can bring back these memories of a time and place experienced over 40 years ago; reminding oneself of their roots, history, and culture.
References:
Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., Baptista, L. (Janurary 5, 2001). The science of nature and the nature of music. Science. 291 (52-54). American Association for the Advancement of Science. https://go-galecom.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=guel77241&id=GALE|A69270354&v=2.1&it=r&sid=AONE&asid=fb9366a8
Jarek Zasacki. (Dec 27, 2019). Płonie ognisko – Piosenki harcerskie [Video]. YouTube.
Oceania Project. (June 8, 2008). Whale Song [Video]. YouTube.
Wise, B. (April 21, 2015). Earth Day: How Mother Nature Inspired Four Major Composers. WQXR. https://www.wqxr.org/story/earth-day-how-nature-inspired-major-composers/
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Holidays 1.25
Holidays
Big Rock Day
Biologist’s Day (Mexico)
Burns Night (a.k.a. Robert Burns Day; Scotland)
Criminon Day (Scientology)
Dinner Party Day
Dydd Santes Dwynwen (Welsh Valentine's Day)
Festival of Constructive Energy
Fluoride Day
G.F. Betico Croes Day (Aruba)
International Day of Women in Multilateralism
IV Nurse Day (a.k.a. Intravenous Nurse Day)
Long Distance Day
Luanda City Day (Angola)
Macintosh Computer Day (a.k.a. Mac Day)
National Florida Day
National Heroes’ Day (Cayman Islands)
National Moose Day
National Nutrition Day (Indonesia)
National Opposite Day
National Police Day (Egypt)
National Tourism Day (India)
National Videography Day
National Voters’ Day (India)
Nut’s Day (Ancient Egyptian)
Observe the Weather Day
Public Holiday (Saint Vincent and Grenadines)
Revolution Day 2011 (Egypt)
A Room of One's Own Day
Soda Fountain Day
Tatiana Day (a.k.a. Students Day; Russia, Ukraine)
Wedding March Day
Winter-een-mas begins [thru 31st]
Winter Olympics Day
Food & Drink Celebrations
National Fish Taco Day
National Irish Coffee Day
Schnitzelbank Bratwurst Day (Jasper, Indiana)
4th & Last Wednesday in January
Library Shelfie Day [4th Wednesday]
Weedless Wednesday [4th Wednesday]
Independence Days
Federated States of Antarctica (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]
Foundation Day (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Islamic Emirate of Acre (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]
Feast Days
Apollo (Christian; Saint)
Burns Night (Pastafarian)
Conversion of Saint Paul (Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches, which concludes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity)
Dwynwen (UK; Saint)
Dydd Santes Dwynwen (Wales)
Feriae Sementivae (Ancient Roman Feast to Spring)
Gather Bathou San (Assam, India)
Great Uncle Fishknife (Muppetism)
Gregory the Theologian (Eastern or Byzantine Catholic Church)
Himachal Pradesh Statehood Day (India)
Imoinu Irapta (Manipur, India)
Isaiah (Positivist; Saint)
Juventinus and Maximinus, Martyrs of Antioch (Christian; Saint)
Keith Moon Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)
Old Disting (Norse)
Poppo of Stavello (Christian; Saint)
Prejectus (a.k.a. Prix; Christian; Saint)
Publius (Christian; Saint)
The last day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Christian ecumenism)
Lucky & Unlucky Days
Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]
Dismal Day (Unlucky or Evil Day; Medieval Europe; 2 of 24)
Egyptian Day (Unlucky Day; Middle Ages Europe) [2 of 24]
Premieres
Birds of Prey (Film; 2020)
Black Sails (TV Series; 2014)
Elektra, by Richard Strauss (Opera; 1909)
The Grifters (Film; 1991)
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (Film; 2013)
La Cenerentola (a.k.a. Cinderella), by Gioachino Riossini (Opera; 1817)
Lucifer (TV Series; 2016)
M*A*S*H (Film; 1970)
Metamorphosen, by Richard Strauss (Small Ensemble Piece; 1945)
101 Dalmatians (Animated Disney Film; 1961)
The Perils of Gwendolyn in the Land of the Yik Yak (Film; 1985)
Polar (Film; 2019)
Skins (UK TV Series; 2007)
The Thin Man Goes Home (Film; 1945)
Unplugged, recorded by Paul McCartney (Live TV Concert; 1991)
A Walk to Remember (Film; 2002)
Today’s Name Days
Paulus, Wolfram (Austria)
Grigor (Bulgaria)
Ananija, Pavao, Projekto (Croatia)
Miloš (Czech Republic)
Paap, Paavel, Paavo, Paul (Estonia)
Paavali, Paavo, Paul, Pauli, Paulus (Finland)
Pauli Bekehrung, Wolfram (Germany)
Gregorios, Gregoris, Gregory, Grigorios, Grigoris, Margaret, Margarita (Greece)
Pál (Hungary)
Paolo, Sabino, Savino (Italy)
Sigurds, Zigurds, Zigvalda, Zigvalds (Latvia)
Jaunutis, Jomantas, Povilas, Viltenis, Žiedė (Lithuania)
Pål, Paul (Norway)
Miłosz, Miłowan, Miłowit, Paweł, Tacjanna, Tatiana (Poland)
Bretanion, Grigorie (Romania)
Tatyana (Russia)
Gejza (Slovakia)
Elvira, Pablo (Spain)
Pål, Paul, Paulus (Sweden)
Amari, Amir, Amira, Amarion, Gwayne, Hakon, Hawk, Jamari, Prince, Princess (USA)
Today is Also…
Day of Year: Day 25 of 2023; 340 days remaining in the year
ISO: Day 3 of week 4 of 2023
Celtic Tree Calendar: Luis (Rowan) [Day 4 of 28]
Chinese: Month 1 (Jia-Yin), Day 4 (Gui-Wei)
Chinese Year of the: Rabbit (until February 10, 2024)
Hebrew: 3 Shevat 5783
Islamic: 3 Rajab II 1444
J Cal: 25 Aer; Foursday [25 of 30]
Julian: 12 January 2023
Moon: 21%: Waxing Crescent
Positivist: 25 Moses (1st Month), Isiah
Runic Half Month: Elhaz (Elk) [Day 1 of 15]
Season: Winter (Day 36 of 90)
Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 5 of 30)
Calendar Changes
Elhaz (Elk) [Half-Month 3 of 24; Runic Half-Months] (thru 2.8)
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Holidays 1.25
Holidays
Big Rock Day
Biologist’s Day (Mexico)
Burns Night (a.k.a. Robert Burns Day; Scotland)
Criminon Day (Scientology)
Dinner Party Day
Dydd Santes Dwynwen (Welsh Valentine's Day)
Festival of Constructive Energy
Fluoride Day
G.F. Betico Croes Day (Aruba)
International Day of Women in Multilateralism
IV Nurse Day (a.k.a. Intravenous Nurse Day)
Long Distance Day
Luanda City Day (Angola)
Macintosh Computer Day (a.k.a. Mac Day)
National Florida Day
National Heroes’ Day (Cayman Islands)
National Moose Day
National Nutrition Day (Indonesia)
National Opposite Day
National Police Day (Egypt)
National Tourism Day (India)
National Videography Day
National Voters’ Day (India)
Nut’s Day (Ancient Egyptian)
Observe the Weather Day
Public Holiday (Saint Vincent and Grenadines)
Revolution Day 2011 (Egypt)
A Room of One's Own Day
Soda Fountain Day
Tatiana Day (a.k.a. Students Day; Russia, Ukraine)
Wedding March Day
Winter-een-mas begins [thru 31st]
Winter Olympics Day
Food & Drink Celebrations
National Fish Taco Day
National Irish Coffee Day
Schnitzelbank Bratwurst Day (Jasper, Indiana)
4th & Last Wednesday in January
Library Shelfie Day [4th Wednesday]
Weedless Wednesday [4th Wednesday]
Independence Days
Federated States of Antarctica (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]
Foundation Day (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Islamic Emirate of Acre (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]
Feast Days
Apollo (Christian; Saint)
Burns Night (Pastafarian)
Conversion of Saint Paul (Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches, which concludes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity)
Dwynwen (UK; Saint)
Dydd Santes Dwynwen (Wales)
Feriae Sementivae (Ancient Roman Feast to Spring)
Gather Bathou San (Assam, India)
Great Uncle Fishknife (Muppetism)
Gregory the Theologian (Eastern or Byzantine Catholic Church)
Himachal Pradesh Statehood Day (India)
Imoinu Irapta (Manipur, India)
Isaiah (Positivist; Saint)
Juventinus and Maximinus, Martyrs of Antioch (Christian; Saint)
Keith Moon Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)
Old Disting (Norse)
Poppo of Stavello (Christian; Saint)
Prejectus (a.k.a. Prix; Christian; Saint)
Publius (Christian; Saint)
The last day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Christian ecumenism)
Lucky & Unlucky Days
Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]
Dismal Day (Unlucky or Evil Day; Medieval Europe; 2 of 24)
Egyptian Day (Unlucky Day; Middle Ages Europe) [2 of 24]
Premieres
Birds of Prey (Film; 2020)
Black Sails (TV Series; 2014)
Elektra, by Richard Strauss (Opera; 1909)
The Grifters (Film; 1991)
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (Film; 2013)
La Cenerentola (a.k.a. Cinderella), by Gioachino Riossini (Opera; 1817)
Lucifer (TV Series; 2016)
M*A*S*H (Film; 1970)
Metamorphosen, by Richard Strauss (Small Ensemble Piece; 1945)
101 Dalmatians (Animated Disney Film; 1961)
The Perils of Gwendolyn in the Land of the Yik Yak (Film; 1985)
Polar (Film; 2019)
Skins (UK TV Series; 2007)
The Thin Man Goes Home (Film; 1945)
Unplugged, recorded by Paul McCartney (Live TV Concert; 1991)
A Walk to Remember (Film; 2002)
Today’s Name Days
Paulus, Wolfram (Austria)
Grigor (Bulgaria)
Ananija, Pavao, Projekto (Croatia)
Miloš (Czech Republic)
Paap, Paavel, Paavo, Paul (Estonia)
Paavali, Paavo, Paul, Pauli, Paulus (Finland)
Pauli Bekehrung, Wolfram (Germany)
Gregorios, Gregoris, Gregory, Grigorios, Grigoris, Margaret, Margarita (Greece)
Pál (Hungary)
Paolo, Sabino, Savino (Italy)
Sigurds, Zigurds, Zigvalda, Zigvalds (Latvia)
Jaunutis, Jomantas, Povilas, Viltenis, Žiedė (Lithuania)
Pål, Paul (Norway)
Miłosz, Miłowan, Miłowit, Paweł, Tacjanna, Tatiana (Poland)
Bretanion, Grigorie (Romania)
Tatyana (Russia)
Gejza (Slovakia)
Elvira, Pablo (Spain)
Pål, Paul, Paulus (Sweden)
Amari, Amir, Amira, Amarion, Gwayne, Hakon, Hawk, Jamari, Prince, Princess (USA)
Today is Also…
Day of Year: Day 25 of 2023; 340 days remaining in the year
ISO: Day 3 of week 4 of 2023
Celtic Tree Calendar: Luis (Rowan) [Day 4 of 28]
Chinese: Month 1 (Jia-Yin), Day 4 (Gui-Wei)
Chinese Year of the: Rabbit (until February 10, 2024)
Hebrew: 3 Shevat 5783
Islamic: 3 Rajab II 1444
J Cal: 25 Aer; Foursday [25 of 30]
Julian: 12 January 2023
Moon: 21%: Waxing Crescent
Positivist: 25 Moses (1st Month), Isiah
Runic Half Month: Elhaz (Elk) [Day 1 of 15]
Season: Winter (Day 36 of 90)
Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 5 of 30)
Calendar Changes
Elhaz (Elk) [Half-Month 3 of 24; Runic Half-Months] (thru 2.8)
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i want to tell you guys weird random facts about me you probably wouldn't expect
- for most of my childhood i wanted to be a marine biologist until i realized that i was really really really bad at science and math and it involved both those things. i just wanted to work with sharks.
- i spent 3 years working as a volunteer in a snake rescue center
- i had never seen a computer until i was 11 years old and tumblr is the only social media i've ever actually used (apart from online forums)
- i wasn't allowed in graveyards as a kid because i would try to dig them up so i could see the bones (i forgot that coffins exist)
- i once destroyed my friendship with a guy by buying him a nintendog he didn't want but i did (we made up eventually but i still feel terrible about it to this day)
- i have never seen mountains in real life
- i got lost in a forest in poland once and found my way out by chasing frogs (which is also how i got lost in the first place)
- i grew up by the sea and am an excellent swimmer
- i was a national level cross country competitor in my teens and in general very sporty until i developed chronic pain
- i know 2 martial arts disciplines (karate and kickboxing)
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When we see a tree, we tend to think of it as a singular unit – just as we think of ourselves as individuals. But biologists have discovered that it’s not quite so simple. They have come to understand that trees depend on certain kinds of fungi in the soil: hair-thin structures called hyphae that interlace with cells in the roots of trees to form mycorrhiza. The fungi benefit by receiving someof the sugar that plants produce through photosynthesis (which it cannot otherwise make), while the trees benefit in turn by receiving elements like phosphorous and nitrogen that they cannot produce for themselves, and without which they cannot survive.
But this reciprocity is not confined to just two parties in this ancient relationship. Invisible fungal networks also connect the roots of different trees to one another, sometimes over great distances, forming an underground internet that allows them to communicate, and even to share energy, nutrients and medicine. The ecologist Robert Macfarlane explains how this works: A dying tree might divest itself of its resources to the benefit of the community, for example, or a young seedling in a heavily shaded understory might be supported with extra resources by its stronger neighbours. Even more remarkably, the network also allows plants to send one another warnings. A plant under attack from aphids can indicate to a nearby plant that it should raise its defensive response before the aphids reach it.
It has been known for some time that plants communicate above ground in comparable ways, by means of airborne hormones. But such warnings are more precise in terms of source and recipient when sent by means of the myco-net. 16 Trees co-operate. They communicate. They share. Not only among members of the same species, but across species barriers: Douglas firs and birches feed each other. And it’s not just trees; we now know that all plants – except for a handful of species – have this same relationship with mycorrhiza. Just as with our gut bacteria, these findings challenge how we think about the boundaries between species. Is a tree really an individual? Can it really be conceived as a separate unit? Or is it an aspect of a broader, multi-species organism?
There’s also something else going on here – something perhaps even more revolutionary. Dr Suzanne Simard, a professor in the department of forest & conservation at the University of British Columbia, has argued that mycorrhizal networks among plants operate like neural networks in humans and other animals; they function in remarkably similar ways, passing information between nodes. And just as the structure of neural networks enables cognition and intelligence in animals, mycorrhizal networks provide similar capacities to plants. Recent research shows that the network not only facilitates transmission, communication and co-operation – just like our neurons do – it also facilitates problem-solving, learning, memory and decision-making.
These words are not just metaphorical. The ecologist Monica Gagliano has published groundbreaking research on plant intelligence, showing that plants remember things that happen to them, and change their behaviour accordingly. In other words, they learn. In a recent interview with Forbes, she insisted: ‘My work is not about metaphors at all; when I talk about learning, I mean learning. When I talk about memory, I mean memory.’ Indeed, plants actively change their behaviour as they encounter new challenges and receive messages about the changing world around them. Plants sense: they see, hear, feel and smell, and they respond accordingly. If you’ve ever seen time-lapse footage of a vine growing up a tree, you’ll have an idea of what this looks like in action: that vine is no automaton – it’s sensing, moving, balancing, solving problems, trying to figure out how to navigate new terrain. The more we learn, the stranger (or perhaps more familiar?) it all becomes. Simard’s work shows that trees can recognise their own relatives through mycorrhizal networks. Older ‘mother’ trees can identify nearby saplings that came from their own seeds, and they use this information to decide how to allocate resources in times of stress. Simard also describes how trees seem to have ‘emotional’ responses to trauma in a way that’s not dissimilar to animals. After a machete whack or during an aphid attack, their serotonin levels change (yes, they have serotonin, along with a number of neurochemicals that are common in animal nervous systems), and they start pumping out emergency messages to their neighbours.
Of course, none of this is to say that plant intelligence is exactly like that of animals. In fact, scientists warn that our urge to constantly compare the intelligence of some species with that of others is exactly the problem: it ends up blinding us to how other kinds of intelligence might work. Set out in search of a brain and you’ll never even notice the mycorrhiza that have been pulsing through the earth, evolving right under our feet, for 450 million years. This research is just taking off, and we have no idea where it might lead. But Simard is careful to point out that it’s not exactly new: If you listen to some of the early teachings of the Coast Salish and the Indigenous people along the western coast of North America, they knew [about these insights] already. It’s in the writings and in the oral history.
The idea of the mother tree has long been there. The fungal networks, the below-ground networks that keep the whole forest healthy and alive, that’s also there. That these plants interact and communicate with each other, that’s all there. They used to call the trees the tree people … Western science shut that down for a while and now we’re getting back to it.
Trees aren’t only connected with each other. They are also connected with us. Over the past few years, research into human–tree relationships has yielded some truly striking findings. A team of scientists in Japan conducted an experiment with hundreds of people around the country. They asked half of the participants to walk for fifteen minutes through a forest, and the other half to walk through an urban setting, and then they tested their emotional states. In every case, the forest walkers experienced significant mood improvements when compared to the urban walkers, plus a decline in tension, anxiety, anger, hostility, depression and fatigue. The benefits were immediate and effective. Trees also have an impact on our behaviour. Researchers have found that spending time around trees makes people more co-operative, kinder and more generous. It increases our sense of awe and wonder at the world, which in turn changes how we interact with others. It reduces aggression and incivility. Studies in Chicago, Baltimore and Vancouver have all discovered that neighbourhoods with higher tree cover have significantly fewer crimes, including assault, robbery and drug use – even when controlling for socioeconomic status and other confounding factors.
It’s almost as though being with trees makes us more human. We don’t know quite why this happens. Is it just that green environments are somehow more pleasant and calming? A study in Poland suggests that doesn’t explain it. They had people spend fifteen minutes standing in a wintertime urban forest: no leaves, no green, no shrubbery; just straight, bare trees. One might think such an environment would have minimal if any positive impact on people’s mood, but not so: participants standing in the bare forest reported significant improvements in their psychological and emotional states when compared to a control group that spent those fifteen minutes hanging out in an urban landscape. And it’s not just mood and behaviour. It turns out that trees have an impact on our physical health too – in concrete, material terms. Living near trees has been found to reduce cardiovascular risk. Walking in forests has been found to lower blood pressure, cortisol levels, pulse rates and other indicators of stress and anxiety.
Even more intriguingly, a team of scientists in China found that elderly patients with chronic health conditions demonstrated significant improvements in immune function after spending time in forests. We don’t know for sure, but this may have something to do with the chemical compounds that trees exhale into the air. The aromatic vapours released by cypress, for example, have been found to enhance the activity of a number of human immune cells, while reducing stress hormone levels. In an attempt to quantify the overall benefit of trees, scientists in Canada found that trees have a more powerful impact on our health and well-being than even large sums of money. Having just ten more trees on a city block decreases cardio-metabolic conditions in ways comparable to earning an extra $20,000. And it improves one’s sense of well-being as much as earning an extra $10,000, moving to a neighbourhood with $10,000 higher median income, or being seven years younger. These results are astonishing. There’s a real mystery here, which scientists still do not yet understand. But perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised. After all, we have co-evolved with trees for millions of years. We even share DNA with trees. After countless generations, we’ve come to depend on them for our health and happiness just as we depend on other humans. We are, in a very real sense, relatives.
- Jason Hickel, Less is More
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Top 2023 Microscopic Photos: Miniature Castles and Caramel Apple-Like Spores
Eerie Beauty Under the Microscope: Nikon's Small World Photomicrography Competition
A miniature crystal castle of golden rutile quartz. The dark phosphorescent armor of a blue-black weevil. Slime molds growing spores that look like rich caramel apples. An otherworldly alien pineapple, nested as the stamen and stigma of an Hibiscus flower bud.
Nikon Honors Over 80 Stunning Microscopic Images
These mesmerizing images and more than 80 others were celebrated this year as part of the prestigious Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition. For nearly half a century since its inception in 1974, this competition has been a platform to recognize the photographic brilliance of individuals who explore the world through a microscope.
Global Participation and Expert Panel
This year, the competition received approximately 1,900 submissions from photographers and scientists hailing from 72 countries worldwide. These remarkable pictures were meticulously judged by a panel of five experts, including a cell biologist from Princeton and the photo editor of the BBC's Science Focus magazine.
Top Prize Goes to Neuroscientist Aiding Diabetes Patients
The highest honor of the competition was awarded to neuroscientist Hassanain Qambari, a researcher at the Lions Eye Institute's Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science in Perth, Australia. His winning photograph, captured through confocal microscopy, presents a microscopic, compound image of a rodent's optic nerve-head. Beyond its visual appeal, this image serves a practical purpose, aiding patients with diabetes.
Focusing on Diabetic Retinopathy
Hassanain Qambari's work centers on the issue of diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that can result in blurry vision or blindness due to damage in the blood vessels near the back of the eye. He aims to enhance early detection and reversal of this disease, which affects approximately one in five people with diabetes.
Other Standout Images
While the first place went to Qambari, the second prize was awarded to German digital artist Ole Bielfeldt for his close-up of a match igniting along a matchbox. The third-place spot was claimed by healthcare consultant Malgorzata Lisowska from Warsaw, Poland, for her image of a valentine-like structure growing within a cluster of breast cancer cells.
A Visual Delight
All 86 of the top images in this year's Nikon competition are truly remarkable. Here are twelve that have captured our attention:
- A castle-like image of golden rutile in quartz, captured by Danny J. Sanchez in California.
- Budding slime molds photographed by Dr. Frantisek Bednar of Slovakia.
- A blue-black weevil pest captured by Dr. Andrew M. Posselt of the University of California, San Francisco.
- A crystallized sugar syrup magnified 25 times, taken by Dr. Diego García of Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
- An image of a match igniting, securing second place for Ole Bielfeldt.
- A fluorescent photo of Acropora sp. taken by Dr. Pichaya Lertvilai of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
- A micrometeorite resting on a testing sieve, photographed by Scott Peterson.
- Venomous tarantula fangs, snapped by John-Oliver Dum in Germany.
- A cleared mouse embryo by Dr. Arthur Chien of Macquarie University.
- Diatoms, single-celled algae, arranged on the head of a pin by Jan Rosenboom in Germany.
- Motor neurons grown in a microfluidic device, captured by Melinda Beccari and Dr. Don W. Cleveland of the University of California, San Diego.
Nikon's Small World in Motion Contest
Notably, Nikon's Small World Competition, which began in 1975 to honor photomicrographers using light microscopes, expanded in 2011 to include a category known as Small World in Motion. This category welcomes videos and digital time-lapse photography captured through microscopes, broadening the creative possibilities for participants. It encompasses various light microscopy techniques and subjects, reflecting the continuous advancement of microscopic photography.
Read the full article
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