Category: Plants & People
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Ice Age Hunters Redesigned Ancient European Landscapes
This research has generated new insights on the role of hunters in the formation of the landscape. It may be that during the coldest phase of the last Ice Age, some 20,000 years ago, hunter-gatherers deliberately lit forest fires in an attempt to create grasslands and park-like forests. They probably did this to attract wild animals and to make it easier to gather vegetable food and raw materials; it also facilitated movement. Another possibility is that the large-scale forests and steppe fires may have been the result of the hunters’ negligent use of fire in these semi-open landscapes. (Click on title for full story.)
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Cancer Patients Best Friend May Be Psychedelic Mushroom
A pair of randomized, blinded studies published Thursday in The Journal of Psychopharmacology provide the most robust evidence to date that a single dose of psilocybin can provide relief from the anxiety and gloom associated with cancer for at least six months. (Click on title for full story.)
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When Women Saved Their Village By Fighting To Save The Forest
“No one can cheat us of even one metre of our mother, the forest. She has given us life and we have given our lives for her (Click on title for full story).
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GMOs May Not Be Harmful, But Are They Doing Any Good?
The promise of genetic modification was twofold: By making crops immune to the effects of weedkillers and inherently resistant to many pests, they would grow so robustly that they would become indispensable to feeding the world’s growing population, while also requiring fewer applications of sprayed pesticides. Twenty years ago, Europe largely rejected genetic modification at the same time the United States and Canada were embracing it. Comparing results on the two continents, using independent data as well as academic and industry research, shows how the technology has fallen short of the promise. (Click on title for full story.)
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How Biodiversity On The Farm Reduces Pest Problems
Left to its own defenses, a farm field growing a variety of plants tends to attract fewer insect pests than a field growing just one type of crop. While scientists and farmers have noted that difference for years, the reasons behind it have been poorly understood. (Click on title for full story.)
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Preserving Forests Makes Farms Better
The literature review showed that trees on farms and in agricultural landscapes in most cases result in improved food security via, e.g., reduced pest problems, improved soil fertility and water regulation. The positive effects were most consistent in semi-arid areas. In general, trees in the agricultural landscape were positive, but in some cases a decline in production of particular crops was noted as a trade-off. Very few of the available studies had investigated the production of wood, medicinal products, fruits and nuts, and no studies had looked at cultural ecosystem services such as recreation and spiritual values. This makes it difficult to establish all the synergies and trade-offs associated with trees in the landscape. (Click on title for full story.)
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How An Early Feminist Leader Wrote A Children’s Botany Book To Talk About Sex
As an extension of Elmy’s activism, Baby Buds made a covert stand for sexual equality at a time when British politics were actively working against it. (Click on title for full story).
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Can This Scientist Make Peanuts Safe For Everyone?
Dodo said peanuts have three proteins that cause the majority of the reactions. Her process removes nearly all traces from the seed, she said. The seed can grow into mature peanuts nearly free of allergens. (Click on title for full story.)
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Might Selfies Save Forests?
Social media can be used to explain why some protected lands get more use than others, the findings suggest. Analyzing photo locations, the researchers identified eight key factors that drive the use of conserved lands, including forest cover, trail density, and opportunities for snow sports. These factors can inform investment decisions, researchers say. (Click on title for full story.)
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Chocolate Threatened. Mangoes To The Rescue?
Wild mango butter has a higher moisture content than cocoa butter, and a growing body of evidence shows that higher moisture content butters produce low fat chocolate which may help prevent obesity, heart diseases and diabetes . The news will please the chocolate industry as demand for cocoa is predicted to rise by 30% by 2020, especially from the cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical industries. (Click on title for full story.)