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Rice farming 3000 years ago

New research has shed light on how paddy field rice farming rapidly expanded along Asia’s coastline 2,000–3,000 years ago after freshwater conditions improved, according to an international team of earth sciences researchers that includes a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa archaeology professor. The findings were featured in an article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. “Rice is the foundation of Asian civilizations, and our study reveals a remarkable relationship involving late Holocene coastal evolution and the rise of...

Climate Crisis – Americans suffering!

Heat Wildfire smoke had painted the sky orange last week when Sam, a Bay Area resident, plugged in his newest purchase: an air filter with a car adapter that would turn his minivan into an escape vehicle. Sam’s daughter has an immune disorder, and with smoke from nearby fires making the air among the globe’s dirtiest, the family fled north for clearer skies.  Sam, who asked the Guardian to withhold his last name to respect his daughter’s privacy, said the...

All about rhinos

World Rhino Day is celebrated on September 22 every year! This special day provides the opportunity for cause-related organizations, NGOs, zoos, and members of the public to celebrate rhinos in their own unique ways. Many groups work to protect rhinos * https://wildlifeasia.org.au * https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/wildlife/asian-rhinos * http://www.kws.go.ke * https://rhinos.org...

Dolphins found with contaminates!

Florida scientists have found human-made pollutants in the blubber of whales and dolphins – however these were not the main cause of the animals becoming stranded. About 500 whales and dolphins strand themselves every year – no one knows exactly why, although theories abound. Researchers found a wide range of substances- PCB, DDT, NPE ( found in food packaging). ( source and full article- https://www.insidescience.org/news/research-shows-range-contaminants-blubber-whales-and-dolphins ) *** A future blog will look at whale strandings...

All about manta rays

Manta rays—highly intelligent and highly threatened—are the largest rays in the world. The sea creatures live in tropical, subtropical, and temperate ocean waters across the globe. “Manta” means blanket or cloak in Spanish, describing the look of the animals’ large, flat, diamond-shaped bodies, which are characterized by triangular pectoral fins. Manta rays have two horn-shaped fins protruding from the front of their heads, which has also given them the nickname “devil fish.” For decades, scientists thought there was just one...

‘Act on Nature’ call on world leaders

On the eve of the High Level Week of the UN General Assembly, a call for Heads of State to act to halt and reverse nature loss this decade comes from far and wide. Businesses; Environment, Development and Humanitarian Organisations; Faith groups; Local and Regional Governments; Indigenous People; and Youth are all calling for action to secure a sustainable future for people and planet. GENEVA, Switzerland (18 September) Organizations representing hundreds of millions of individuals globally, alongside more than 560...

Ethnic minorities live further from green spaces

Wealthy and white people enjoy easier access to local green space than poorer households and people from ethnic minorities, according to new research. While 57% of British adults questioned in a survey for the Ramblers said they lived within five minutes’ stroll of a local park, field or canal path, just 39% of people from ethnic minority backgrounds enjoyed the same proximity to green space. Fewer than half of those with a household income of less than £15,000 lived close to green...

Wildlife in ‘catastrophic decline’

Wildlife populations have fallen by more than two-thirds in less than 50 years, according to a major report by the conservation group WWF. The report says this “catastrophic decline” shows no sign of slowing. And it warns that nature is being destroyed by humans at a rate never seen before. Wildlife is “in freefall” as we burn forests, over-fish our seas and destroy wild areas, says Tanya Steele, chief executive at WWF. “We are wrecking our world – the one...

Parrot without night vision?

New Zealand Geographic reports that AUSTRALIA’S CRITICALLY ENDANGERED night parrot may not be very good at seeing in the dark, according to new research from Flinders University. An international group of researchers CT-scanned a night parrot skull, as well as skulls of related bird species, and found that the night parrot had smaller optic nerves and lobes than the others, suggesting it had limited visual processing ability. The parrot’s vision appears to be sensitive but low-resolution, meaning that it struggles to...

‘Spring Alive’ : the Common Ringed Plover

As birds migrate from Europe to their wintering grounds in Africa, we explore the fascinating behaviour of the Common Ringed Plover, a small but feisty wader familiar across Africa’s wetlands. Have you ever looked at a migratory bird and imagined where it came from, and all the places it passed through to get to where it is here, today? Have you ever thought about all the different people of different nationalities who have observed and appreciated this bird before you? In...

Goldfields hopefully world Heritage

A campaign to win UNESCO recognition for Victoria’s goldfields has united two former premiers from opposing parties and gained the support of a world heritage expert. Former Labor premier John Brumby and ex-Liberal premier Denis Napthine have both been appointed patrons of the bid for UNESCO World Heritage listing for Victorian gold rush era sites. They hope a successful bid will spur another gold rush by bringing international recognition to Victoria’s goldfields and drive a major economic boost from international...