Bios Urn - Be reborn as a Tree!!!

This wonderful innovation was put together with the minds of Martin Azua and Gerald Moline, unfortunately, their site is not is english, but nonetheless, I'm quite certain adaptations will take place in our red, white and blue neck. The product as is, is a biodegradable coconut shell, peat and cellulose, along with a tree seed of your choice, and, ahem, your remains.

Yes!!! Finally an afterlife I can get behind. Of course, being forever inquisitive my first thought was; but what exactly remains that a tree might be able to use? Followed by; is this legal? All the while quite convinced that I will be being planted as a tree no matter what.

In pursuit of my questions I discovered a number of things, cremation is a process of burning organic material, most of which dissipates, and the remaining chemicals include any metals we have amassed (lead, mercury, etc.) as well as phosphorus, carbon, and calcium (largely the remnants of bone only). This wonderful essay discusses the remnants far more knowledgeably than I. And Time also wrote an informative discussion on the topic as well.

I'm sold. Grow me up as a tree, let my yard be speckled with loved ones, let life be reborn instead of wasted in boxes-

Tardinrades, the original E.T. ?

Water bears, known formally as tardigrades, are speck-sized things, less than 1.5 millimeters long. The invertebrate creatures endured 10 days in space, and upon return to Earth, scientists found that even some of those exposed to solar radiation had made it through.

Intelligence Among Species, White Brain Matter, Glial Cells

What do you think about when pondering the intellectual capacity of brains in other species? An article in Scientific American discusses how the brain of a Sperm Whale is larger than the brain of a Human; it is nearly five times the size of ours. Does size reflect intellectual capacity? Or, is it the complexity of the brain's structure? If it's complexity, how might you go about making judgments; perhaps through tests that might reflect activity or firing of neurons? hmmm.

I have thought on this significantly prior to reading this article . and have independently come to the conclusion that different species have different types of intelligence. Whereas our intelligence has lead to advances in our social applications; like communication and expression and we have the biological ability of fine motor skills; I think that other species have abilities and strengths that we lack. I certainly witness intellectual capacity in my two cats that after some affiliation is obvious. It is apparent in other species as well; like Elephants, Big Cats, Bears and Monkeys. Dogs have a social intelligence factor as well, in my opinion, in their abilities to interact so successfully.

But, past the assumptions and on to the facts; there are different ratios to take into account in this thought process; absolute size (or weight) and brain size vs. body size ratios. "The lemming. (Kicrostonyx groenlandicus), for example, has a higher ratio than man." American Naturalist. And, "The brain of a sperm whale is about 60% larger in absolute mass than that of an elephant. Furthermore, the brains of toothed whales and dolphins are significantly larger than those of any nonhuman primates and are second only to human brains when measured with respect to body size." Plos one.

Macaque Monkey, killed for suburban convenience??

in this article about killing Macaque monkeys for infringing upon our domestic comforts, I saw another unfortunate example of the restriction of another life forms, for our self centered gain. (And the monkey was or is...) As a distant cousin (approximated at branching 25 million years ago - what was Lucy... 2.5 million and the Taung child around 7 million?) far closer in genetic relation, then the feline I coddle on a daily basis. The Macaque Monkey is noted as the most widespread strain of primate (other than ourselves, of course,) am I really reading of extermination or 'culling' for the purpose of such convenience. Ughh… Then of course, testing comes into mind; a subject I attempt to regularly exercise ignorance about – as it obviously infuriates my sensitivities (as a life form and all.) So, I read and read... and find this article about a famous infantile Macaque Monkey saved from testing named Britches. Something along the lines of testing for the progression of the lives of blind humans. Oh dear...

Atomic Structure of Water

Raindrops fall on the green leaves this afternoon and my thoughts wander to water. I have two small tomato plans, growing in the window, needing water and light alone to prosper. Little bristles of organic promises and wisps of petals to be grown to new leaves. It's scent, a musky and poignant one of fruitful promises. This life granted by drops of water, poured into dirt and absorbed through roots. Utterly fascinating, that such things happen from so little.

Here on Earth, we live on a planet covered by water. Over seventy percent of our world, is water. Over fifty percent of our bodies is water. Hydrogen, one of the only chemical elements not created in a star, has held a special spot for longevity among the cosmos and is a key component of water.

Glaciers…. what glaciers?

For an undisclosed reason, I thought it fitting to post on an environmental scientific issue today (how did I choose among the many degenerate conditions, you ask?) Well, I chose something fitting not only per the environment, but also reminiscent of this past weekends New England snow storm and the icicles I was cursing this morning while chipping away at the inch thick layer of concrete ~ I mean ice ~ on my windshield. It's also a lonely morning as the relationship front is about as stable as these icebergs... hence the source of this material. Crumbling, unsteady and volatile.

Visiting the Local 'Nature in a Box' Display

So, to enjoy the weather this past weekend, I went to my local ‘nature in a box’ display. It's close by, on an expanse of seventy two acres. Unfortunately, instead of a day of joy and wonder (as I distinctly remember it ;) this day brought me discomfort. The animals did not seem to be in enough natural space, or to be particularly comfortable in their habitats. Nor did they seem particularly well cared for. Granted, the expense of such care must be significant. But, a free, short lived life -- is better then a long confined one, don't you agree? I did still enjoy the rare ability to see such creatures up close. But, I do not think that the Zoo kept applicable space for such worthy living forms.

On a related note; I watched coverage of a small black panther trying to get into a residence last night on the news. The lady called the cops and the cops (did the only thing they know how to do, other than being prejudice and corrupt) shot the panther. Sigh… is it but with carelessness our species try’s?

In better news; the Humpback Whale is growing in numbers and almost ready to be taken off the endangered list. Hopefully, this will not be... off the list of endangered species, only to be added to a menu :(

KAS

Extinction, Madagascar and the intriguing Fossa

The Fossa, a unique type of species, is one of a number of subspecies that only exist in Madagascar.

Mako Sharks!

I found this fascinating article over on Not Exactly Rocket Science about mako sharks remaining primarily in sexual segregation throughout their lives; literally swimming separately, traveling in a horizontal highway of males in one lane and females in the other. Most interesting piece being, the aggression and risk in the mako sharks mating. The female's are often seriously injured and it is proposed in the article that the female's segregate for protection, only mingling when absolutely necessary.

Unexplained Tremors off Oregon Coast

Ah… how little we know... The ocean is the majority of our earth and life's origin as we know it, who wouldn't want to know more? I do love to learn of new and exciting changes of our earths tectonic plates; one of the most fascinating occurrences on our planet (or is it that I find it all fascinating?) Check out this article about unexplained tremors off the Oregon Coast. Of planets in general (what we know anyway); the differences between the terrestrial solidity and the gas accumulations that create these great masses, thrills me beyond belief!

I was reading some wonderful articles and watching You Tube video's this weekend (I forget to write, as I become too far engrossed in the reading and watching) about magnetic fields and magnetar planets comprised of condensed mass and their eventual contribution to the formation of black holes Check out this video about it. Black holes always lose me in the space/time bending analogy portion of it's complex physics - but, that's for another post. I believe I heard black holes as the result of the ultra-condensed mass that is a magnetar; described as; 'gravity finally winning over mass'. Wow!

The romantic Schistosoma mansoni ~ partners for life. (title linked)

Today was a most excellent day. I was fortunate enough to enjoy a lunch with with David; the same whom brought me through his lab a few weeks back. Well, this lunch was not any lunch as David has his dissertation defense this coming Friday and is doing some fascinating research on the Schistosoma mansoni parasite. Since this is his research, i'll not elaborate to much. But, I learned so much with him this afternoon, including how you make specimens 'glow' as I was utterly confused as to how this took place. I also learned that the biological affliction due to this parasite is not due to the matured individuals (or couples) it's due to the result of thier breeding. The 'eggs' congest the main artery that feeds broken down nutrients (from the intestine) to the liver. The congestion is what causes side effects and detriment to the human body. And lastly, that the romantic parasite, once matured, spoons it's mate for life (as is depicted in the picture to the left.)

This, I found to be the most interesting. Due to the fact that life, no matter how small, has individuality.

All in all, a fascinating day. What result might come from tomorrow, I wonder?

KAS

Earth Hour ~ Awareness 101

The world listens to the taunts of Environmental Health with the successful application of Earth Hour. I ask and I wonder what the energy savings actually accumulate to be for such a darkening. But, it is not the reduction in the Earths carbon footprint during that hour that is the purpose, it is the awareness of energy use and its implications on the world we live on.

This week, due to the wonderful generosity of a professor at Harvard, I've come to possess of physiology textbook. Somewhat ironically starting my quest learning about cells as that happens to be the third chapter. As cells has come into my awareness via interests not exactly scholastic, but more by intrigue with individuals, I am finding the learning particularly stimulating.

One thing that compounds that interest is the capacity of cells to manage, produce and utilize energy to go about their own function and activities that ultimately ensure my survival as a biological being. The entire body is alive, via energy, without which, we would not exist.

Energy is the reason we live, the reason anything can perceive. Energy is the reason we are. It's the use of non renewable energy of our earths sources that is not so natural. We do not have renewable sources of fuel on earth and must embark on external renewable sources if we are to keep this planet fertile and life supporting.

What will happen in the years to come. What will change. Will Russia and the US partake in the desecration of Antarctica's newly accessible sources of fuel. Will wars continue over the scarcity of these fuels. And, how much more human population will there be due to the compounding reproduction of our locust like species. What life will succeed through this transition, what life will not.

These are all questions about our near future. Humanities success as well as implications are the primary attributer to an outcome.. a result. We can hope, blind our eye, or oppress our awareness. But, that will not negate the reality of what will come, unless we do something drastic to change it.

This mission is not one a country can bring, nor a movement or common awareness. It is something that will have to be ingrained as a organic beings obligation to perform and decide based on the desire to survive.

KAS
Australia goes dark

China goes dark

Snowy New England Morning, Opposition & Reflection

G. sphaerica ~ A single celled, mobile, blast from the precambrian past

G. sphaerica

Single celled organism discovered as not only a rare specimen at 1.2 inches; but, also a cause of a particular trail fossil type from the Precambrian period that was thought to have been caused by multi-celled organisms.

This exciting discovery opens a door into the past that questions our understanding of these types of fossils (trails, movement fossils) and also brings to light the fact that the G. sphaerica could be the eldest single-celled organism, which is still prospering and alive today, to ever be discovered.

The issue lies in the misinterpretation that the 'trace fossils' dating to around 580 million years ago were presumed to have been left by multi-cellular organisms. This discovery proves that single celled organisms can also leave trails; leaving many a fossil open for reanalyzing.

KAS

Appalachian Trail, White Mountains