0
POPS Climbing as easy as walking for some. Nature Abhors a vacuum. When the treetops offered a niche, Some of the smaller primates made it their home and no doubt evolved specifically to it. The fact that larger primates and other predators had difficulty getting to the tree tops, would have made it much easier for a squirrel monkey, or a lemur to get away, they would have had difficulty defending them selves against anything, and they can't run very fast. A lot of squirrel monkeys who got too close to the ground, wouldn't have had any descendants. If everything could climb trees, there probably wouldn't have been any squirrel monkeys now.
0
POPSObesity contributes to global warming,too This isn't a problem that is specific to any country in particular, but seems to be a 'side effect' of an 'improvement in living standards' across the world. Another case of where while it may be easy to point out a problem, how this problem can be solved is completely beyond us. Where the intervention of the authorities is pointless, because it involves a change in lifestyle as a personal decision. There is also a general failure to recognize that the problems with obesity, and overeating have a character that can be compared to many other addictions. Beside the flat denial that this is a problem, and the allusion that it is something beyond our control.
1
POPSHerbicide review 'fails' the environment The review recommends changes on labels to reduce the risk of the herbicide contaminating waterways. I'm sure that's physically impossible. Unless we can work out how to grow dry plants. There is also a cop out, saying that it is the responsibility of the States to ensure this happens. The don't mention how, apart from the warning on the label.
10
POPSDogs just want to have fun
Dogs have personalities if you watch them. We have Izzy. When he gets a chewy bone, he likes to throw it in the air like a toy, smiling. Sometimes he loses it, or gets ripped off. He has more fun playing with it than eating it. Izzy come up with that one. Pokemon is serious most of the time, and barks at anyone she hasn't seen in a week when they walk in the door. She's been doing it since she was born. She's 9 now. We have a picture of her in the litter a few weeks old, and you can tell it is her by the look on her face. But she does the 'wiggle' Like rolling on the grass with a smile on her face, (It's usually on someones bed, she feels important then. on 'Prime real estate'). Duke is always barking. If you know him you know why. He wants you to go outside to play with the ball.He asks everybody. Most of the dogs would play with the ball-if Duke gave them the chance. Duke has 4 balls. If you kick all of them around he can't be happier. Lani bows when she knows it's time for a walk
2
POPSBirds and bees acting up with climate change Due to space, I have only included a few examples, but there are more details of changes throughout the world on the page. It seems ironic that we can be prepared to cast blame, while ignoring the problem. Nature will not be ignored. I remember an old Japanese saying "Do not look for blame. Look for solution." Then of course there was King Canute. Despite his authority over people the tide continued to rise. The worst thing we can do is give up. We can't argue with the elements, much less change them. We have to change our behavior. Reminds me of dieting. It is not a short term thing. For dieting to be successful, it has to be a permanent change in eating habits. Very soon, with the correct diet, the improvement in health can make us wonder why we ever ate incorrectly in the first place. Also similar to things like stopping smoking, or drinking Alcohol. They only seem hard until you become determined to stop. Then it's not long before the benefits become clear.
4
POPSLow tech best in China, Burma disasters Sometimes the only way rescuers can dig someone out of the rubble, without making the situation more dangerous, is with their bare hands, after the Human ears of the searchers recognize cries for help. People who are drowning, or buried don't have the time to wait for technology to arrive, particularly in remote areas, where the survivors in an immediate area,who can start looking straight away, may be the only chance they have. In China, many hands seem to be on the job, While the regime in Burma are trying to wash their hands. Not as Pilate, but as Lady Macbeth. The Damned spot will not disappear.
8
POPSIt might take two to fool a crowd So it seems stupidity is infectious. Perhaps an indication that people have trouble thinking for themselves. Wasn't there a story once about the blind leading the blind into a ditch?
4
POPSTiny tubes, rocket fuel soup up motors Nanomotors. The rods that are part of the nanomachines, are coated, one end with platinum, the other with gold. The metals act as a catalyst and break up either hydrogen peroxide, or rocket fuel (hydrazine). While other nanomachines use the metals, it is the way they break up the rocket fuel that gives the kick. They draw water from the chemicals, and use it as a 'jet' . Of course they use much less rocket fuel than a launch.
1
POPSChile fears effects of volcanic ash What once was green is now gray. The ash from the Volcano has dramatically changed environmental conditions, choking an ecosystem. Despite any delusions Mankind has regarding the management of the environment, we are still, and always will be at the mercy of the elements.
3
POPSTough grasses may be key to new carbon sink Grasses like this may be part of a solution, where it will be need to be part of a new approach to agriculture, which will involve a combination of measures, that will allow us to be more compatible with the environment. Things like putting back into the soil what is taken out, with fewer chemicals like pesticides, and herbicides, which nature cannot digest, being left behind. If we try and compete with nature, we lose, we need to learn to work with nature, and the resources it has available - how nature and mankind should be on the same team, but we spend too much time banging our heads against the immovable object that is nature. We often seem to be trying to replace what is natural with our own ideas, but the time that we can run a show as well as nature, is a long way off. It's about time we tried to learn.
7
POPSDenzel Washington tells NY kids science is important Denzel and his wife Pauletta have been awarding neuroscience research scholarships to college students, and he was talking to high school kids at Mt Vernon, his home town. His main message was that it may be great to be famous, but if you want to do something more important, learn about sciences, and the opportunities available, where there can be a field that is both interesting, and where they could make a difference.
2
POPSIncubator fields affect baby's heart rate. The heart ? No doubt it is going to be affected, but the brain seems like it is more at risk. The brain runs at a very low frequency - between 0, and 25 Hz in a natural state -compared to MHz, and kHz for radio, and GHz for a cpu, but as with the chords in music, a frequency higher up the scale can, amplify a note it harmonizes with somewhere else on the scale. Maybe there is a link between incubator EMR. and ADHD. A kid may not need Ritlin, they might need a tune up. If you want to know more about brain frequencies, wikki has a good summary in electroencephalograpy. Below is the url : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroencephalography#Wave_patterns
7
POPSAbsinthe's mystique cops a blow 70% Alcohol would make anyone see green elephants. A researcher also pointed out that when absinthe was most popular, there were no restrictions on drugs such as opium, and cocaine, which are controlled today, so many episodes of 'absinthe' madness may have been a result of taking a number of drugs in combination, with some of the drugs taken not being mentioned.
17
POPSPyramids packed with fossil shells. They say that seashells prove that the rock was quarried, instead of cast in moulds. I can't imagine how making their own 10 tonne bricks in moulds would have made things any easier. Maybe just adding another stage to a process that was already a huge undertaking. I also heard once that after something is build it hasto 'settle' into into it's foundations, Very few builders or architects have been able to find a way to overcome this, but with their weight, and perfect seams with no mortar, the pyramids have only settled a fraction - perhaps a few inches, over thousands of years. Something that seems much more likely with solid rock than bricks. If only the library in Alexandria hadn't burned down with all of the blueprints.
4
POPSInsect genes to make crops drip lube. We've found chemicals for use in industry and health in plants, fungi, and bacteria, but the insects rule the planet, and some of the poisons,venoms,pheromones, antibiotics, and other defensive chemicals, produced by insects, designed through natural selection, over millions of years, are perfect for specific tasks, while we struggle with artificial substitutes. There are billions of undiscovered insect chemicals, many will give us a greater insight into chemical engineering, materials sciences, and protein construction, Some will be so exotic, that they will cause the creation of new threads, even new scientific fields.. All we have to do is look - before we leap.
5
POPSThe Great Barrier Reef The individual pictures don't link, but there are larger copies at the site that also show the details of the copyright holder
5
POPSGlobal warming 'rescue' plan may backfire We can't predict the weather, yet solutions keep rising as to how we could 'fix' the weather. Most fixes also threaten 'side effects' that promise to be more complicated than the original problem. We seem to pretend we can dictate terms to nature, when it is clearly the other way around.
6
Clips
Latest Pops
Latest Comments
Most Pops
Tags
Print
Save
Turn on live update