Boats to Bags, Beds & Buildings: 17 Repurposed Vessels
November 11, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Home & Garden & Tricks & Hacks. ]
Boats can’t hold water forever, and once they’re brought on land, most never return to usefulness. But a little imagination can turn ships, rowboats, canoes and other floating vessels – and all of their respective parts and accessories – into beautiful nautical-themed furniture, decor, bicycles – even shops and homes.
Fishing Boat Buildings
(images via: recyclart, david white)
Fishing vessels no longer fit for the sea make stunning rustic roofs for storage sheds in the UK. Already water-tight, the vessels are flipped upside down and sliced on one side to allow installation of a door.
Floating Gardens
(images via: marine insight, alg24, recyclart)
In summer 2011, Chicago’s Lincoln Park got a beautiful and highly unusual temporary garden exhibit: an explosion of colorful flowers and foliage in a floating lifeguard boat. Similar ideas are often employed on land, with old boats and canoes filled with dirt and used as planters with tons of character.
Sails to Bags, Beds and Chairs
(images via: uncommon goods, inhabitat, gessato)
You can take the wind out of these sails, but that doesn’t mean they’re no longer useful. Sailcloth has dozens of applications long after its time at sea. It’s often sewn into bags of all kinds, and can even be seen as beanbag-type beds and upholstery for comfy modern chairs.
Oars to Shelves & a Headboard
(images via: diy network, saganaga)
A collection of old oars can lend a hint of nautical flair to interior decor when used as creatively as this. Nail oars together into a distressed headboard as in this photo, or get inspired by the custom-built shelf made of oars and vintage wooden water skis by the DIY Network.
Cute Seaside Shop
(image via: derbyshire harrier)
The end of a small upturned fishing boat make a picturesque hut called the Half-Sovereign Cottage in Hastings, UK. Set beside two of Hastings’ landmark net houses, this cute little recycled structure is a frequently-photographed tourist attraction.
Sea Nymph: From Boat to Bike
(images via: megulon5)
This amazing amphibious vehicle is a bike – and a boat. Made of a reclaimed canoe as well as bike parts and two propellers, the ‘Sea Nymph’ by Megulon Five appears to float along the street as it’s pedaled, and from the looks of it, the rider can go straight from land to sea.
Boat Wood Furniture
(images via: custom design ball)
Reclaimed wood from boats is bound to be ultra-smooth and beautifully weathered. This wood often makes for eco-friendly wooden furniture that’s brimming with character, as evidenced by these examples built by Custom Design Bali.
Custom Poolside Seating
(image via: hgtv)
A boat-loving homeowner made a big design statement in his backyard by adapting an old unwanted boat into bench seating beside his pool.
Boats and Ships as Homes on Land
(images via: pictures of england, tofino photography)
Sure, boats can be floating houses, but what about the old, aging boats that are no longer seaworthy? Just haul them up on land, make a few adjustments and call them reclaimed boat houses. Such homes can be seen in many areas of the world including the Southsea Marina in Hampshire, UK (top image). On Strawberry Island in Tofino, British Columbia, homeowner Rod Palm has turned an old wooden ship into a fun hand-built abode (bottom image).
Fishing Boat Spa
(images via: wallpaper magazine)
A 1950s fishing boat was rebuilt and restored to become a luxurious floating spa complete with a Turkish Hammam, a Zen lounge with a wood-burning fireplace and a sauna. Sami Rintala’s Spa Boat is moored in the Arctic city of Tromsø, Norway.
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Title Recall: 10 Creatures with Doubly Descriptive Names
November 1, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steve in Animals & Habitats & History & Trivia & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
From Horseflies to Bull Elephant Seals and more, an abundance of animals bear the burden of doubly descriptive names. Does being twice-blessed in the naming department add depth to their description or merely sow confusion among those who would appreciate them? The animals aren’t saying so it’s up to us to decide.
Horsefly
(images via: TAMU, Luke Is Digging, Permatreat and Wikipedia)
There are over 4,500 species of Horse Flies and they can be found anywhere on Earth except for the hottest deserts and coldest polar regions. Horse flies are big; well over an inch (25mm) long in many cases. Their bites can be very painful as they use their sharp, knife-like mandibles to slice open skin and draw blood. Why “horse flies”? Perhaps because of their large size, “as big as a horse”.
(image via: What’s That Bug?)
Only female horse flies bite, and they do indeed bite horses should the opportunity present itself. In some parts of Canada, the insects are dubbed Bulldog Flies as a nod to both their intimidating size, growling buzz when in flight and their dogged persistence when in search of a blood meal.
Mantis Shrimp
(images via: Aquatic Animals, eHow and British Marine Life Study Society)
“It’s a Mantis, it’s a Shrimp, it’s a…” actually, Mantis Shrimps are neither mantises nor shrimps… a double DOHse of name-dropping if there ever was! These reclusive, poorly understood creatures are actually Stomatopods, marine crustaceans that are related to lobsters and shrimp. Their claws are used to spear or stun prey, the former method utilizing wickedly barbed folding claws that to some eyes look rather Praying Mantis-like.
(image via: Rapture of the Deep)
Mantis Shrimp can grow up to 15 inches (38cm) in length but size isn’t their weapon, their stunning claws are. That’s “stunning” as a verb, not a mark of beauty: mantis shrimps can snap their claws as quick as a .22 caliber bullet in flight, producing a shock wave that’s been known to shatter glass aquarium walls. Mantis Shrimp are also notable for their stalked eyes, believed to be the most complex ocular sensors in the entire animal kingdom.
Wolf Fish
(images via: Deep Down, Annabel Chaffer and AT S, AM B)
There are five separate species of wolf fish (or wolffish), with the Atlantic Wolf Fish (Anarhichas Lupus) being the only one that incorporates Lupus, the Latin term for “wolf”, into its taxonomic name. Though fearsome to look at, wolf fish are actually quite shy and pose no threat to humans. Clams and other bottom-feeders DO need to worry, however, as the wolf fish’s wolfish teeth are designed to pierce, puncture and crush shellfish shells. Maybe the wolf fish need to worry too, as Annabel Chaffer (“Where the Cognoscenti love to shop”) is selling Spotted Wolf Fish Leather Wallets. That bites.
(image via: Science Daily)
Wolf fish are rarely seen in the flesh as they are deep-water dwellers and most divers never visit their stomping grounds 2,000 feet (600 meters) below sea level. Just as well… wolf fish have been known to grow as much as 6.6 feet (2.2 meters) in length.
Cowbird
(images via: We Saw That, Fat Finch, Alan Lenk and Birdorable)
Doubtless you’ve watched nature programs in which birds casually ride on the backs of cattle, plucking and parasites they might find. Those aren’t Cowbirds, regardless of that being a better name than “Cattle Egret”. Cowbirds are insect eaters, however, and they have been known to shadow herds of herbivores, and one alternate name for the Brown-headed Cowbird is the Buffalo Bird.
(image via: BirdForum)
Cowbirds are the New World counterpart to the Cuckoo in that both birds lay their eggs in other bird species’ nests, leaving the feeding duties to the foster parents. The Brown-headed Cowbird is the best-known of the five recognized Cowbird species, with the the others being the Shiny Cowbird (above), the Giant Cowbird, the Bronzed Cowbird and the Screaming Cowbird. “Great screaming cowbirds, Batman!”… sorry, couldn’t resist.
Kangaroo Rat
(images via: ElyWoody/Panoramio, Animals, Animals, Animals and Science Photo Library)
Kangaroo Rats are big-eyed, long-tailed rodents but they are not specifically rats. They hop around much like kangaroos but they’re native to western North America, not Australia. That said, Kangaroo Rats do have fur-lined pouches – not for their young, but for storing the seeds the find on food-gathering missions.
(image via: Arkive)
There are 19 known species of Kangaroo Rat and all have six toes. There are also two related species of Kangaroo Mice, though a fuller description of them must wait for a follow-up post on double-named creatures.
Raccoon Dog
(images via: Kathy Pippig Harris)
Raccoon Dogs look a lot like those masked woodland critters familiar to North American suburbanites but their roots are firmly in the Dog family. There are major differences between Raccoon Dogs and man’s best friend, however. Raccoon Dogs enjoy a mixed diet of meat and vegetables, whereas your dog only wants steak.
(image via: FactZoo)
Raccoon Dogs are native to East Asia; in Japan they’re known as “tanuki”. They are also hunted and trapped for their fur… that new parka of yours with the fur-rimmed hood? Uh huh, likely Raccoon Dog. In the wild, these curious creatures hibernate during cold winters, and are the only Canids to do so.
Elephant Seal
(images via: Point Reyes Weekend, Ugly Animals and WonderClub)
If the name “Elephant Seal” already combines two different animal names, consider the dominant males: yes, Bull Elephant Seals. How’s that for a triple play on words? Elephant Seals are divided into northern and southern species with the southerners generally being larger in size… must be all that fried food.
(image via: Grant Dixon Photography)
Not all Elephant Seals are elephantine, specifically referring to the trunklike proboscis exclusive to males. Their floppy, fleshy noses assist the males in roaring but also serve a more important purpose: they help recover moisture from the seal’s breathing. During the mating season, high-ranking males rarely leave the beach to eat as they’re occupied in guarding their harems. They run a real risk of dehydration – to maintain all those brides, they’ve gotta pay through the nose.
Bearcat
(images via: TEAK, Gina Blogs All About It, My [Confined] Space and Birdorable)
The Bearcat is a smallish, forest-dwelling mammal which is neither bear nor cat tough it appears superficially cat-like. Perhaps everyone would be better off (and less confused) if we’d just settle on its native Southeast Asian name: the Binturong.
(image via: Zooborns)
Bearcats are closely related to civets and genets though they’re larger than members of both of those groups. If you’ve been wondering why American companies Stutz and Grumman would name their iconic products (cars and fighter planes, respectively) after an unremarkable Asiatic arboreal mammal, stop wondering: traditional use of the term “bearcat” references the much more fearsome Mountain Lion.
Mule Deer
(images via: FMCA, American West Tours, Inkity and Visual Paradox)
Mule Deer, one of the largest species of deer, are generally found west of the Missouri River while its White-tailed Deer cousins are dominant to the east. The species gets its name from its large, long, mule-like ears. Yeehaw… or should that be, “Hee Haw!”
(image via: South Dakota Birds)
Mule Deer have black-tipped tails and their antlers divide by forking… and I mean that in a good way. Mule Deer are rarely, if ever, found in Gary, Indiana, while Gary Mule Deer has probably played comedy clubs in that city a number of times. Coincidence? I think not!
Minke Whale
(images via: Treehugger, It’s Nature, ScienceBlogs and Clatko)
Mention “Minke Whale” to someone and they might imagine a 35ft long sea creature covered snout to fluke with a rich, luxurious pelt… a colossal “sea beaver”, as it were. Instigate such a rumor back in the 1850s and you’d send the world’s whaling/trapping nations into a collective fur-gasm – and it’s very likely Minke Whales would be extinct today.
(image via: Seattle PI)
Of course, Minke Whales have about as much fur as actual Minks have blubber. These smaller relatives of the mighty Blue Whale (which IS blue, or at least blue-ish) are one of the most populous whale species and are listed by the IUCN as being of “least concern”. By the way, “least concern” means “open season” in Japanese.
(image via: CRISP Graphic Design)
All of these animals – one might even say, all of THE animals – existed long before humans came along to name them. While the actual creatures are anything but chimaeric, it’s amusing to consider the reasoning of those who bestowed these somewhat schizoid names.
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A Nigerian Sultan Helps Gates Rethink His Polio Strategy
June 4, 2010 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
In 2000, the picture of polio around the world looked pretty good: just 1,000 cases were reported that year. Bill Gates saw this as an opportunity: a chance to invest a little bit of his money and not just control a disease, but eradicate it.
Last year, though, that rosy picture looked both bleak and expensive. As Bruce Aylward of the World Health Organization said, “There’s no way to sugar-coat the past 12 months.” During 2009, we saw a resurgence of polio in 20 countries — many of which had previously eradicated the disease.
The Gates/WHO strategy to fight polio was based on the success of the 1979 smallpox vaccine campaign. In this campaign, though Bangladesh was seen as a last stronghold of the disease, the virus was finally eliminated when a policy of forced vaccination was implemented (which many consider a human-rights abuse). The polio campaign used a similarly simple playbook: vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate. And for awhile, it seemed that strategy might work. Now, though, it’s failing. Like the case of smallpox, polio is still deeply entrenched in one place: Nigeria. The country made up half of the world’s polio cases last year, in part due to rumors that have circulated about how the vaccine induces sterility, and in part because of the risk of Vaccine-Associated Paralytic Poliomyelitis, which causes paralysis in about one in a million people who receive the oral polio vaccine.
That’s where the Sultan of Sokoto, ruler of 70 million Muslims living in northern Nigeria, comes in.
26 Captivating Landscape & Nature Photography Wallpapers
May 13, 2010 by admin · View Comments
[ By Angie in Geography & Travel, Nature & Ecosystems, Science & Research. ]
The beauty of nature helps inspire us to take care of our planet. If you don’t have the funds or time to travel, then here are 26 stunning landscape and nature photography wallpapers to give you lovely choices to gaze upon from your desktop.
Pamukkale
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
These terraced hot springs are in south-western Turkey. The site is named in Turkish as “Pamukkale,” meaning “cotton castle.” The remains of the ancient Hierapolis are situated on back of the thrilling white terraces. People have bathed in these hot pools for thousands of years. Many people believe these hot springs can cure disease and illness, so Pamukkale attracts tourists. The terraces suffered damage from tourists climbing all over them before Pamukkale was recognized as a World Heritage Site.
Shades of Purple
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
Nature is always stunning to behold. Some photographers take shots in infrared, ultraviolet, thermographic and full spectrum. The location is unknown, but the photographed wallpaper is entitled Evening Light.
Pink Bubble Gum Tree
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
Trees around a lake are gorgeous at anytime, but in springtime there is something magical in the air. This nature photograph is called Bubblegum Tree. It does look like pink bubblegum has overrun the trees.
Tufa Towers & Moonrise over Mono Lake, California
(image credit:Wallpaper HD,El Buskador,Desktop Nexus)
Mono Lake in California covers about 65 square miles. It is an ancient lake, over 1 million years old, and one of the oldest lakes in North America. These unusual rock formations were once submerged in Mono Lake. Tufa towers grow exclusively underwater. They can reach heights of over 30 feet. Tufa is visible around Mono Lake because the lake level dropped dramatically after water diversions which started in 1941. They make the view seem almost like a alien landscape. The lake itself offers something not found anywhere else on earth, an estimated 4-6 trillion brine shrimp inhabit the lake during warm summer months. Migratory shorebirds feast on these shrimp and alkali flies. Whether during the quieter winter months or for a summer moonrise, everyone should see the tufa towers and Mono Lake in person at least once in their life.
Cold White & Blue
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
Shades of cold white and blue tweak this natural scenery. Be it landscape photography or photoshopped, there is a serene and silent peace to this picture.
Iceland Landscape I Blue Lagoon HDR
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
The Blue Lagoon in Iceland is a geothermal spa. The volcanic rock formations are among the bathing and swimming areas where the water temperature remains about 104°F or 40°C. If you go to Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, you should know that there is a strict code of hygiene. All guests are required to shower without clothing in the communal shower area before and after bathing in the geothermal spa.
Winter Infrared
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
This photo is called Infrared World. The landscape garden is in Sheffield Park in East Sussex, England. It was originally created in the 18th century, passing through different owners and different tweaks to the land. It now has both exotic and native trees.
Moraine Lake, Canada
(image credits: Desktop Nexus, interfacelift)
There are as many ways to capture the shot as there are photographers practicing their craft. Both of these pictures are of Moraine Lake in Alberta, Canada. This lake in Banff National Park is glacially-fed. Moraine Lake is located within the Valley of Ten Peaks with an elevation of about 6,183 feet. Depending on the time of year, the lake appears different colors due to refraction of light off the rocks. In the summer when the lake is full, it appears very blue. The bottom image was taken before the glacier lake had peaked, but two days later that rock was underwater.
Sunrise Canadian Landscape
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
This sunrise landscape was taken somewhere within the vast land mass of Canada. Canada is the second largest country in the world, full of beautiful landscapes which vary from arid ranchlands to arctic ecosystems.
Silent Day at Mystic Tarn, Mount Rainier, Washington
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
The 14,411 feet tall Mount Rainier reflects in the glacier lake. To see this view for yourself, take a hike on Mystic Lake Trail. Round-trip is 15.8 miles with a elevation gain of 3,900 feet. Hiking time for this round-trip is about nine hours. Permits are required for backpackers turned campers. “In a effort to preserve the shoreline of Mystic Lake, the camp is located along the Wonderland Trail in a forested area .3 mile downhill from the east end of the lake.”
Hvítserkur at Hunafloi Bay, Iceland
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
The sea arch, Hvítserkur, and black sand above are located at Hunafloi Bay, Iceland. The sea arch is last remains of a volcano and local legend has it that Hvítserkur is a troll. Wildlife is abundant in the area around Hunafloi Bay, so if you visit the area in person you could see seals, whales, birds, and arctic foxes to name but a few.
Turtle Island in Ilan, Taiwan
(image credit:hires wallpapers1)
Turtle Island is another name for Guishan Island, but its shape is said to resemble a turtle. It is the largest island of Yilan County, the only one with residents, as well as the only active volcano in Taiwan. The number of tourists are controlled to help preserve the natural environment.
Summer Island Village
(image credit:r3novatio)
Summer Island Village is in the Maldives. 22 natural atolls, small islands and isolated reefs form a long and narrow country called The Maldive Islands. The spectacular place is located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldive Islands is the smallest Asian country as well as the lowest country on the planet at average 4 feet 11 inches above sea level.
Glacier Lake Tibet, China
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
This glacier Lake in Tibet, China, is in one of the highest elevated regions in the world. The area itself is sometimes called the “roof of the world.” There have been many disastrous floods in this area, mostly a result of mountainous floodwater which caused intensive erosion and destruction.
Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
Lithia Park is 93 acres of wooded canyonland along Ashland Creek and is the largest park in Ashland, Oregon. Twice in history, the area has been severely flood-damaged. After structural work to bridges, the park is now a well-cared-for centerpiece of the town.
Crater Lake – National Park Oregon
(image credits: Desktop Nexus,Desktop Nexus,Desktop Nexus)
All three photo wallpapers above are of the same location. On top, the breathtakingly clear blue water is Crater Lake, Oregon. It is the deepest crater lake in the world when comparing depths among world’s lakes whose basins are entirely above sea level. At it’s longest, it’s 5 by 6 miles across with a maximum depth of 1,949 feet. Throughout history, this lake has been called Blue Lake, Lake Majesty, and lastly Crater Lake. In the middle is Sunrise over Crater Lake, at Crater Lake National Park. Depending upon the angle, Wizard Island is visible within the lake.
Ilica, Turkey
(image credit:Desktop Nexus)
Does this look like a little piece of paradise? It should. Ilıca is a large resort area near Cesme, Turkey. This area is renowned for hot springs and spas, but this is the Ilıca Waterfall in Kure Mountains National Park.
Cook Islands & Aitutaki Lagoon at Sunrise
(image credits:Desktop Nexus,Desktop Nexus)
These delightful captures are of the Cook Islands. It is one of 15 islands in the heart of the South Pacific. Perfect choices, if you want to get away to the South Seas and visit an area basically unspoiled by tourism. Need another nudge? Suwarrow Atoll is part of the Cook Islands and rather famous for being a Treasure Island. Throughout the centuries, many chests of gold coins have been discovered at Suwarrow. Pictured on the bottom is sunrise at Aitutaki Lagoon. Aitutaki is another of the Cook Islands. Population is a whopping 2,000 people.
Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
(image credit:Interface Lift)
The lush green and mountainous landscape is in New Zealand. Lake Wanaka is the the fourth largest lake on New Zealand with a depth of about 980 feet. It is also the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park.
Rushing Water
(image credit:Interface Lift)
This Rushing Wave was shot at Ballintoy, Ireland, which is a small fishing town. Other than Ballintoy Harbour, the closest place that draws tourists is Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
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Underworld Exploration: Caving With Stephen Alvarez (PICS)
April 22, 2010 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Angie in Geography & Travel, Nature & Ecosystems, Science & Research. ]
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Cave systems are the last underground frontier to be explored; they hold secrets that took thousands of years to form and can be damaged by the slightest touch. Cave conservation is necessary to keep the underground playground unspoiled, to keep the cave ecosystem and bio-network from collapsing. Many cavers don’t reveal cave locations for fear that others will damage or destroy the ecosystem. Cave photographer Stephen Alvarez captures and shares those previously unseen moments and unique environments in the uncharted underworld of caves.
Caving with Stephen Alvarez
(image credit:topbot via Stephen Alvarez/National Geographic)
Imagine living for subterranean adventures where you are attached to a rope and slowly lowered 450 feet down into a dark underground world. This underworld has been in the making for a millennium, yet remains mostly untouched by man. Few people explore the vast and uncharted underground of caves, but National Geographic adventure photographer Stephen Alvarez is a caver by trade.
(image credit:topbot via Stephen Alvarez/National Geographic)
Hanging by a rope in the pitch-blackness, Alvarez coordinates other dangling cavers. At the same precise instant, all of them ignite magnesium flash powder. In that split second, while the cave is brightly lit, Alvarez captures the image with his camera.
(image credits:topbot via Stephen Alvarez/National Geographic)
On the upper right, a caver starts his 1,234-foot descent into Sótano de las Golondrinas in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The cave’s entrance is the second deepest in the world, but it offers a tiny bit of light into the otherwise dark pit.
Caving with Stephen Alvarez
(image credits:topbot via Stephen Alvarez/National Geographic)
Alvarez thrives on the underground danger that he and fellow cavers explore throughout the world. Since most people will not experience this same adventure, Alvarez shares the delicate ecosystems with us through his photo documentaries. Due to time restrictions, only the main tunnel beyond the cascade in Mageni was explored. On an island off Papua New Guinea, white-water rivers disappeared into a limestone cave that had numerous uncharted and unexplored side tunnels.
This is the Walls of Jericho in Tennessee. It is a 98-foot decent into a pit, Hytop Drop. Deep inside the earth, it has a large, bowl-shaped natural amphitheater which is nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the South.
(image credits:topbot via Stephen Alvarez/National Geographic)
This is deepest known cave pit in the continental United States. Fantastic Pit in Georgia’s Ellison’s Cave descends 586 feet straight down into the darkness below.
(image credits:topbot via Stephen Alvarez/National Geographic)
The limestone is both slick and razor sharp, surrounded by underground raging rapids. Unlike the bat in the bottom picture, most of the time, cavers can see only as far as their headlamps cut into the darkness. With Alvarez along and shooting images, they all work together to light it up and capture that blink of time.
(image credit:topbot via Stephen Alvarez/National Geographic)
This photo adventure shoot was of Majlis al Jinn Cave, Oman. It was to determine if Oman’s 50-story deep cavern could be safe for tourists.
(image credits:topbot via Stephen Alvarez/National Geographic)
A shaft of sunlight shines down into the pit. Caves maintain the same temperature all year, tending to feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter. On the bottom left is Iron Hoop Cave, a long, horizontal river cave in Alabama. On the right, razor-edged limestone pinnacles are sharp enough to kill a man in Borneo’s Tardis Cave.
To get this panoramic composite which is four images of Rumbling Room in Tennessee, the cavers had to descend a 68-foot shaft. The cavern is 350 feet high, so they communicated via hand-held transceivers for the precise second to illuminate Rumbling Falls Cave.
(image credit:topbot via Stephen Alvarez/National Geographic)
In Handprint Cave in Belize, ancient Mayans took pigment and blew it on the walls around their hands to create negative handprints. Alvarez has been all over the world. He started his photojournalist magazine career with Time Magazine to photograph Mammoth Cave. Then, for National Geographic, his worldwide adventures and photo shoots of exotic and uncharted underground locations catapulted him to fame.
(image credits:topbot via Stephen Alvarez/National Geographic)
Photojournalist Stephen Alvarez photographs much more than adventuring inside the dangerous yet delicate cave ecosystems. Alvarez produces global stories about culture, exploration, religion, and the aftermath of conflict. His images have won awards like Pictures of the Year International, Communication Arts, and have been exhibited at Visa Pour L’Image in Perpignan, France. He spends a great deal of time exploring the underground. When above ground, Alvarez lives with his family in Sewanee, Tennessee.
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Feed ‘Em: Animal Diet Secrets, Guilty Pleasures and Hunting Tricks
March 28, 2010 by admin · View Comments
[ By Chris in Animals & Habitats, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
(Images via: Meta Filter, Flickr, Born Free USA, Flickr, Flickr, Jim McKnight)
Ensuring a steady food source is key for survival in the animal kingdom, ultimately requiring some animals to get a little creative. Whether it’s songbirds making uncomfortable changes to their diets, sharks taking great risks for opportunistic feasts or baboons indulging themselves in unique situations, sometimes nothing is out of bounds when a potential meal is on the table.
The Songbird’s Winter Diet: Berries Rather Than Insects
(Images via: Red and the Peanut, Maggie’s Farm, Flickr, Wild Delaware)
With beaks that are specialized for munching on insects, songbirds such as sparrows, thrushes, and warblers may look strange when chewing berries, but this switch in their diets has a purpose. According to recent research, these songbirds prefer berries before winter migration not to fatten up because insects may be less available in the cold but rather to deal with the stress of moving to warmer destinations. Apparently, there are specific benefits in the songbird-berry relationship: the birds are provided with a nutritional source of food rich in antioxidants while the berry seeds are dispersed in bird waste, allowing them to grow again in nature.
Lilac Wine Makes South African Baboons Feel So Steady
(Images via: Solana Vineyards, World Zoo Today, Flickr, 123 RF)
What berries are to songbirds, wine grapes apparently are to baboons, at least in the plentiful vineyards of South Africa. Providing essential sugar and starches, the grapes have attracted many baboons this year, particularly with normal foraging areas destroyed by wildfires, with some of the baboons even appearing inebriated following consumption of fermented grapes. To vineyard owners, the steady influx of hungry baboons has become a bit problematic: a recent story detailed how anywhere from 1,100 to 1,300 pounds of a 12-ton harvest of wine grapes were destroyed by baboons in one region of South Africa while up to $34,800 of crop is wasted by baboons on an annual basis. To try to distract the baboons from reappearing, the owners have been using noisemakers, rubber snakes and even electrical fencing; however, the efforts have been mostly futile as the baboons have apparently become hooked on the grapes, often returning at 10 a.m. every day to get their fill.
Are Gorillas Straying from Their Vegetarian Beliefs?
(Images via: World News, All Ears, Game Reserve, Wilderness Classroom)
In a related story that ties in primates and animal waste, researchers have recently begun to question whether notorious plant-eating gorillas actually eat meat, in the form of their monkey cousins. Monkey and small antelope DNA was recently found in the feces of some wild African western lowland gorillas, suggesting that these believed vegetarians may occasionally stray from their diets. Of course, these findings may have much less significance, particularly if the gorillas feed on insects that harvest the dead bodies of other animals. At this point, the jury is still out on whether gorillas are pure vegetarians like pandas (which lack meat taste buds and prefer a bamboo-based diet) or prefer some meat every once and a while.
Big Piggies: No Depth Too Low for Hungry Sharks
(Images via: Dive Photo Guide, Bootleg, Great White Shark Diving, BBC)
What has been confirmed by various movies over the last 35 years is that sharks certainly love their fair share of meat (and we’re not just talking about human meat, despite recent shark attack figures). In a surprising new study, gill sharks and other meat-eaters – including lobsters, crabs and shrimps – were shown to take great risks deep in poorly-oxygenated waters to devour on pig carcasses placed there by scientists. Amazingly, these creatures were willing to enter described “dead zones” more than 900 feet below sea level – where oxygen is so low that they could suffocate if staying too long – all for the sake of a filling pig carcass. Apparently, there were some limits as one pig carcass was left untouched in waters that were even too deep for the gill sharks.
Sailfish: Very Fast and Shrewd Hunters
(Images via: Environmental Graffiti)
Generally regarded as the fastest fish in the oceans, sailfish are already not on an even playing field when it comes to hunting down smaller fish. And now it seems that sailfish are closing their ranks to ensure that they all feast on their prey. Researchers were recently surprised to discover sailfish teaming up to force smaller fish – which travel in schools for protection – closer to the surface. Leaving their prey with less wiggle room, the sailfish essentially caused the smaller fish to form into a giant circle, described by some as a bait ball. Using their long noses, the sailfish were then able to pluck individual fish out of the bait ball, literally ensuring an all-you-can-eat buffet for their teammates.
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US Passes Healthcare Reform
March 25, 2010 by admin · View Comments
The US House of Representatives has narrowly voted to pass a landmark healthcare reform bill at the heart of President Barack Obama’s agenda.
Under the legislation, health insurance will be extended to nearly all Americans, imposes new taxes on the wealthy and bars restrictive insurance practices such as refusing to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions.
They represent the biggest change in the US healthcare system since the creation in the 1960s of Medicare, the government-run scheme for Americans aged 65 or over.
President Barack Obama:
“It’s a victory for the American people.”
Damn straight.
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and senior staff, react in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, as the House passes the health care reform bill, March 21, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Source: BBC News
Beth
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