Gleanings of the Week Ending October 11, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

What Makes Bruises Change Color Over Time? - What appears as a red or purplish skin contusion in the beginning, slowly transitions to green, yellow, and finally brown, before disappearing entirely. What are the mechanisms that produce this bouquet of bruise colors?

Scientists finally explain the real reason pregnant women get morning sickness - According to the National Institutes of Health, up to 80% of early-stage pregnant mothers experience some nausea, vomiting and aversions to certain foods and smells. A unique mix of inflammatory responses function to prevent the mother's body from rejecting the fetus, alongside adaptive behavioral mechanisms, like nausea, that encourage the mother to avoid foods that are potentially harmful, especially in the first and second trimesters when the fetus is most vulnerable.

This company is turning empty offices across America into farms - Area 2 Farms is a three-year-old company based in Arlington, Virginia, that’s taking the concept of indoor farming to unusual spaces. Its first farm, in Arlington, grows dozens of varieties of crops (including lettuce, spinach, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and mushrooms, as well as more niche items like amaranth microgreens and purple shamrock) in a low-slung brick building tucked between a dog day care and a car repair shop. The goal is to eventually build indoor farms within 10 miles of 90% of the U.S. population.

Bird Soaring Below a Total Solar Eclipse Wins 2025 Bird Photographer of the Year – Some beautiful…some thought provoking.

In Her Final Interview, Jane Goodall Issued Urgent Call to Protect the Planet - “We need to protect this planet and think about the future,” she told The Wall Street Journal. “Because if we don’t, that’s the end of our species. Humans are not exempt from extinction.”

Leaf Layer Safari: How to Spot Hidden Moth Cocoons in Your Backyard - This autumn, instead of raking, try exploring. Step carefully, look closely, and you may discover a miniature safari happening right under your feet.

Scientists Studied the Genes of a Woman Who Lived 117 Years - The findings point to a combination of genetic luck and lifestyle choices.

The Secret Apartment Atop the Eiffel Tower - Around 1,000 feet above Paris’ streets perches Gustave Eiffel’s apartment, complete with a bathroom, a kitchen, and wax sculptures of Eiffel, his daughter, and Thomas Edison. At the very top of the tower, Eiffel allotted himself a 1,075 square foot private office, and with it the best view in Paris. After all, he had footed three-quarters of the bill.

Winter Transforms the Mississippi River Delta - The Mississippi River’s watershed drains 41 percent of the United States (spanning all or part of 31 states) and reaches into two Canadian provinces. Its nutrient-rich waters support fertile agricultural lands along its shores and throughout the deltaic basin. The river also plays a role in the U.S. economy by providing transportation shipping routes. To maintain these functions, engineers have implemented channelization to help maintain navigable shipping lanes and, in recent decades, launched sediment diversion projects aimed at returning vital sediments to the wetlands.

How to future-proof your knees - After back pain, throbbing aches in the knees are the most cited musculoskeletal ailment in older adults. The post shows five quick, home-based exercises which will all help.

Gleanings of the Week Ending October 4, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Why Does the Immune System Struggle When the Weather Changes? - Warmer environments promote better immune responses because less energy is diverted to regulating the body’s temperature. At colder temperatures, more resources are shuttled toward homeostasis, leaving less fuel available for immune cells. The cold temperatures are anti-inflammatory. The immune response just doesn't work as well and, molecularly, the adhesive interactions don't really bind as well. Seasonal shifts also bring changes in humidity and wind, which can affect the skin and mucosal barriers, and in turn, the immune response. Drier conditions can lead to more pathogens or other irritants entering the body, driving inflammatory responses. In contrast, excessive humidity can reduce the evaporation of sweat, thus preventing the body from being able to cool itself. Cold temperatures drive people indoors, where pathogens spread more easily. Meanwhile, warm days draw individuals outside, where people can be exposed to pollutants and allergens, which can render immune responses less prepared to fight actual infections.

Toxic-Free Future 2024 Report Card – How does your grocery store rank?

Your kitchen is full of microplastics. Here's how to eat less of them – Now that I am aware of the microplastic issues…there seem to be a lot of articles on the topic. I liked this one because it pointed to some real research and there were actions one could take to reduce microplastic exposure.

What Are Microplastics Doing to Our Bodies? This Lab Is Racing to Find Out. – This article is from last April, but it provides some information about the type of research that is being conducted…trying to understand the impact of microplastics on our bodies.

Why Alaska’s salmon streams are suddenly bleeding orange - Warming Arctic permafrost is unlocking toxic metals, turning Alaska’s once-clear rivers into orange, acid-laced streams. The shift, eerily like mine pollution but entirely natural, threatens fish, ecosystems, and communities that depend on them—with no way to stop the process once it starts. (Climate change…the US denial of its existence does not stop it.)

Inouye Solar Telescope Captures Most Detailed Images Ever of Powerful Solar Flares - Scientists hope that this new imaging can lead to improvements in solar flare modeling and a better understanding of the magnetic field in the sun’s corona. But even the most casual viewer will find much to enjoy in these photos: deep-red ribbons arch and swirl across a fiery plain, with bright flares peppered throughout.

This EV Sales Chart Really Embarrasses The USA – The US has become the laggard of the world in EV sales. It does not bode well for the future of our country.

Three-Minute Take-Home Test May Identify Symptoms Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease Years Before a Traditional Diagnosis - In 2021, 57 million people across the planet were living with dementia. This class of memory-related diseases is the world’s seventh greatest killer, and Alzheimer’s disease is its most common form. In a study published this month in the journal Brain Communications, researchers say the experimental test, called the Fastball EEG, can detect Alzheimer’s significantly earlier than a traditional clinical diagnosis would. In the study, each participant put on a cap that monitored the brain’s electrical activity as they viewed a series of images on a tablet. Some of the images belonged to a set that participants were shown before the start of the test, while others were entirely new. The Fastball test is just three minutes long and passive, meaning all that is required of the patient is to watch the images—they don’t have to follow instructions or actively remember anything. The results of the at-home test are sent directly to a patient’s doctor. Hopefully - Fastball EEG can one day be used as a screening tool for patients over 55 years old, though more research is needed to identify the best time to take the test.

Harnessing the superpowers of the most resilient life form on Earth - While water bears often must cope with drying out, it's less clear why they would need to survive baking hot temperatures, being cooled to just above absolute zero, or radiation only found in outer space.

The Secrets Behind the Roman Colosseum’s Enduring Engineering - Measuring roughly 615 feet in length, 510 feet in width, and 157 feet in height, the Colosseum was the largest amphitheater anywhere in the Roman Empire. Its capacity rivals that of modern stadiums; it can seat as many as 90,000, on par with London’s Wembley Stadium. Ancient texts and archeological studies both indicate that the construction of the Colosseum, which lasted from 72 to 80 C.E., was a meticulously planned and highly coordinated affair. The Colosseum hosted not only gladiatorial games, but also animal hunts, mock naval battles, public execution of criminals, and theatrical performances. Inside, seating was divided by social class, with the emperor and senators seated in the front rows and the plebeians, or common people, farther back. Although the structure survived the test of time, the Colosseum we know today is but a shadow of its former self. During the Early Middle Ages, following the fall of the Western Empire, almost all its moveable interior furnishings, including statues, wooden scaffolding, and marble seats, were removed and sold—an unceremonious end to a monumental history.

Gleanings of the Week Ending September 27, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Flamingos reveal their secret to staying young - A decades-long study in France reveals that resident flamingos, which stay put, enjoy early-life advantages but pay later with accelerated aging, while migratory flamingos endure early hardships yet age more slowly. This surprising link between movement and longevity challenges old assumptions and offers new insights into the science of aging.

‘Montana Miracle:’ The State Actually Succeeding at Housing Reform - In 2023, Montana passed a series of state laws aimed at increasing housing construction that included allowing ADUs and legalizing multifamily housing in commercial zones. This year, the legislature doubled down, expanding on the 2023 law and eliminating parking requirements for most units in the state’s 10 largest cities. A new law also eases permitting for manufactured home parks to eliminate the need for a subdivision review when these parks are not subdivided into private lots. Another allows single-staircase buildings up to six stories, making it easier to build denser buildings on smaller lots.

Photographers Capture Underground Pools and Passages of Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico - So far, 150 miles of Lechuguilla Cave have been explored. With every new survey, the cave offers new insights as to how underground chambers like these are formed and the microbial beings found there. Its beauty earned the entire Carlsbad Cavern National Park the title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. But due to its complexity, entrance is limited, with the NPS restricting explorations to highly trained speleologists with pre-approved plans.

Plastic Free Water Filters: Can We Find Water Purifiers without Plastic? – My daughter and I are looking to upgrade our water filters. I hope the water filter technology improves with emphasis on reducing microplastics in water.

Inside Ukrainian Artist Dmitry Oleyn’s Sculptural Approach to Landscape Painting - Rather than use the traditional approach that embraces the flatness of the canvas, the artist instead builds his pigments so there is an element of bas-relief, leaving the surface rugged and with a marked sense of tactility from the artist’s hand. When they are displayed, the irregular surface casts shadows, which when viewed against the painted shadows, is especially intriguing; it also creates a degree of mutability, as depending on the time of day and where the paintings are hung, the lighting of the space dialogues with the work both physically and compositionally.

Photography In the National Parks: Mesa Verde Revisited – I’ve been to Mesa Verde once….back in the 1970s. This article reminded me that I want to go again.

Map Reveals Toxic Pollution Leaking from U.S. Drilling Sites - Scientists have shown that U.S. oil and gas drilling sites are not just leaking methane but also a host of toxic chemicals that pose an urgent threat to the health of those living nearby. A new interactive map details the impact of hundreds of major leaks. At nearly every oil and gas site, leaks also produced benzene, a known carcinogen, as well as other chemicals that have been shown to harm bone marrow, weaken the immune system, impair the nervous system, as well as cause headaches, dizziness, vomiting, and fatigue. Is the fossil fuel industry so arrogant that they don’t care that they are spewing poison (some of which could be used for fuels and other industrial purposes if captured) that negatively impact the health of people and other life?

World’s Tallest Douglas Fir Tree Damaged in Mysterious, Multi-Day Blaze, but It’s Alive After Firefighters Extinguish Flames – It burned from August 16 to August 21. The tree is estimated to be around 450 years old and has a diameter of 11.5 feet. It no longer holds the title of the tallest Douglas fir in the world. However, officials are hopeful the old tree will rebound from the damage wrought by the fire. It’s possible the fir will even grow a new crown.

Six tips from the Middle Ages on how to beat the summer heat – Save the ideas for next summer: work flexibly, wear the right hat, eat to lower body temperature, try wild swimming, use aftersun, or flee.

8 Hints to Reduce Your Food Footprint - You can make food decisions today that change your food footprint. Eight ways you can reduce your food footprint so it’s more environmentally food-friendly: limit ultra-processed foods, curb waste, eat a primarily plant based diet, buy local, compost your food scraps, avoid plastic food packaging (sometimes difficult to do), lose the gas stove, call out Big Ag for its polluting practices.

Gleanings of the Week Ending September 13, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Can Italy Protect Its Cultural Heritage from Naughty Tourists? - Each summer, as millions of tourists swarm into historic towns full of monuments and museums, a predictable kind of headline is sure to follow about badly behaved tourists putting cultural heritage at risk.

Bans on highly toxic pesticides could be a simple way to save lives from suicide - Pesticide poisoning is a common method of suicide in many low- to middle-income countries. Substituting highly toxic pesticides for less fatal ones can save lives. A cast study from Sri Lanka.

Federal Hurricane Forecasting Saves Lives & Money - A 5-day forecast in 2025 is roughly equivalent to a 2-day forecast in 2005, meaning lead times and path estimates have significantly improved, to the tune of 50% in the past 20 years. This helps save lives and has also led to an estimated 2 billion dollars in savings per storm. NOAA’s research arm, the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), houses not only the laboratories that help improve predictions, but much of the monitoring and observation infrastructure — like ocean buoys and gliders — that feed real time data into hurricane models, improving their accuracy and saving lives. The U.S. fully relies upon NOAA for our hurricane forecasts, including sea level rise and flooding. There is no other body ready or funded to pick up that work. The President’s budget proposed completely eliminating the research arm of NOAA.

Bison Benefits - A new study out this past week explains why bison are more beneficial for grasslands than traditional livestock, and the benefits increase as herd size does. A podcast from National Parks Traveler.

4 Reasons to Choose Plastic Free, All Natural Fibers Over Synthetic Fibers - Manufacturers give our fabrics trade names, so even when we look at the fiber content label inside our clothing, it isn’t clear that it is made from plastic. Buying clothing that is made from natural fibers is the fastest and safest way to save our planet.

An Explosive Beginning for Lake Bosumtwi - Bosumtwi’s exotic geology has drawn attention to the crater for economic reasons as well. When the asteroid struck, the shockwave fractured the crust around the crater, creating an extensive network of faults and cracks that allowed hot fluids to circulate. The event helped concentrate gold and other minerals from a gold-bearing rock layer called the Birimian Supergroup near the surface and primed the area around the crater to become a target of small-scale gold mining.

Common painkillers like Advil and Tylenol supercharge antibiotic resistance - Researchers discovered that these drugs not only fuel bacterial resistance on their own but make it far worse when combined with antibiotics. The findings are especially troubling for aged care settings, where residents commonly take multiple medications, creating perfect conditions for resistant bacteria to thrive.

See the Rare ‘Electric Blue’ Lobster Found Off the Coast of Massachusetts – A video showing a vibrantly colored shell that results from a genetic mutation affecting pigmentation.

New Jersey Cats Caught on Camera – Bobcats caught on camera traps…and other animals in the wilds of New Jersey.

Traveling Photographer Spends 17 Years (And Counting) Documenting Indigenous Cultures – Faces and clothes from around the world.

The surprising foods that lead to better sleep - It seems that a plant-rich diet is the most beneficial for sleep, for numerous reasons – and that eating at consistent times throughout the day – for those who can – may also help.

Gleanings of the Week Ending September 6, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Too much salt can hijack your brain – In a study using rats, researchers showed that a high-salt diet activated immune cells in a specific brain region, causing inflammation and a surge in the hormone vasopressin, which raises blood pressure. Researchers tracked these changes using cutting-edge brain imaging and lab techniques that only recently became available.

Two-Thirds of River Trash Is Plastic - Recent research conducted at the University of California–Santa Barbara found that rivers have far too much plastic in them. 1.95 million metric tons of plastic — the weight of 5.3 Empire State buildings — travels down rivers worldwide every year. It comes from littering, illegal dumping, leakage from landfills…and is mobilized across landscapes, through urban drainages, and into waterways by wind and rains. And it isn’t harmless. Microplastic in rivers accumulates in food sources, and direct exposure via inhalation and consumption of water leads to direct accumulation in our bodies. Macroplastic in rivers affects our infrastructure and communities by blocking drainages, exacerbating flood risk and damage, and negatively affecting tourism, fisheries, and shipping. And plastic also impacts the river ecosystem and biodiversity via wildlife entanglement, ingestion, and smothering, leakage of chemical additives, and transport of non-native species and pathogens. Plastic continues to break down into smaller and smaller pieces. As microplastic breaks down, it becomes nanoplastic…which might be the most dangerous to health of living things – including humans.

'I had no idea it would snowball this far': Why a Brazilian favela facing eviction decided to go green - Favelas – or Brazilian slums – are widespread informal settlements often situated on the periphery of major cities such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. They are home to low-income populations and can be built precariously on unstable land such as slopes and hills. They are often underserved in formal infrastructure – meaning they can be especially vulnerable to climate impacts and risks such as landslides – and commonly don't have access to public services such as sanitation. The post is about one favela that cleaned up trash/waste…built a garden.

These Lizards Have So Much Lead in Their Blood, They Should Be Dead. Instead, They’re Thriving – Brown anoles (non-native…native to Caribbean) around New Orleans since the 1990s. They are not physiologically impaired by the high levels of lead in their bodies.

Canadian Archaeologists Excavate Homestead of Black Rancher John Ware – He arrived in Canada in 1882…herding 3,000 head of cattle and settled near Millarville, Alberta.

In Scotland, Whale Strandings Have More Than Tripled - Over the past three decades, the number of whale strandings in Scotland has grown dramatically. Scientists say pollution and industrial noise may be driving the losses.

What Is High-Quality Prairie Anyway? - What are the criteria we should use for evaluating prairies?

Pic for Today – I saw more Jewelweed in Maryland than I do in Missouri….but always enjoy spotting it…I couldn’t resist adding this post to the gleanings this week.

113-Year-Old Bathhouse Being Restored at Hot Springs National Park – Glad the Maurice Bathhouse is going to be rehabilitated; it has been closed since 1974.

Scientists finally crack the secret to perfect chocolate flavor - Scientists have decoded the microbial and environmental factors behind cacao fermentation, the critical process that defines chocolate’s taste.

Plastics Crisis: Show-Me Less Plastic Workshop

The Show-me Less Plastic workshop that I attended was provided by a partnership of Missouri River Bird Observatory and Stream Teams United. It is specific to Missouri but part of a nationwide effort from Beyond Plastics. The parts of the workshop that were local to the Springfield, Missouri area were provided by James River Basin Partnership.

It was held in a Springfield library (the photo is of a sculpture in the library) with a Panera Bread that catered the plastic-free lunch.

There was an overview of why plastic pollution is a crisis (health of everything on the planet including us is at increasing risk)…but the audience was already onboard with that. We were also aware of the long-term message from the plastics industry that the convenience of single-use plastic is so fabulous that we simply need to be more successful at recycling to resolve any problems…but recycling hasn’t worked and it is unlikely to ever be sufficient. The industry is assuming that recycling will not work since they are projecting a huge demand for new single use plastic production to take the place of their revenue stream from fossil fuels trending down as more renewable energy becomes available. The problem is huge and may very well be a more imminent threat to lives that climate change.

The bulk of the workshop was focused on going beyond what an individual can do: community education and outreach, influencing business and policy makers….first steps.

I am writing this the day after the workshop. There will be a follow-up email from the workshop coordinators.  There are still some things I am working on as an individual to reduce my family’s risk (but it is not possible to eliminate exposure micro and nano plastics…and it will get harder as there are more plastics in the environment). I have a tentative list of actions, but I want to work with a local Beyond Plastics Affiliate to be with others that are taking similar actions.

I came away from the workshop with one of the ‘door prizes’ – a stainless-steel container (with a straw!)…different than my other water bottles. This one will work well in  the car!

Previous Plastic Crisis posts

Gleanings of the Week Ending August 30, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

How Do Plants Know It’s Getting Hot? - Over the past decade, scientists have identified a few temperature sensors that regulate plant growth, some of which also detect light. Many of the experiments to understand the function of these sensors were done in the dark, leaving daytime temperature sensing unexplored. Now, in a recent study researchers discovered a brand-new role for sugar in daytime temperature sensing. They showed that at high temperatures, sugar acts as a thermostat to override plant-growth brakes, thus enabling heat-responsive stem elongation. These findings could pave way for breeding climate-resilient crops in the face of global warming.

Volunteers Discover 115-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Tracks Revealed in the Wake of Devastating Texas Floods - Last month’s extreme floods in central Texas have uncovered 115-million-year-old dinosaur tracks in Travis County, which includes Austin. While the discovery is overshadowed by the deaths of more than 138 people at the hands of the very same natural disaster, it sheds further light on the state’s richly preserved paleontological history.

Horseshoe Crabs Break Free from Biomedical Testing - For 40 years, researchers relied on horseshoe crab blood to catch endotoxins in drugs. Now, synthetic alternatives and updated regulations can end the practice.

Cultivating for color: The hidden trade-offs between garden aesthetics and pollinator preferences - There are native plants with colorful and interesting flowers that bloom at different times, from early spring to late fall. These plants tend to produce reliable floral signals and offer the nectar and pollen needed to support pollinator nutrition and development.

Ancient Dental Plaque Unearths Prehistoric People’s Lifestyle - Tartar on ancient teeth is the oral microbiome fossilized over time. When researchers sequenced the genetic material isolated from ancient tartar, they found it teeming with bacterial DNA. The researchers identified several pathogenic bacteria and some antibiotic resistance genes, suggesting that the potential for antibiotic resistance was present in prehistoric times. Several bacteria such as those belonging to the genera Streptococcus and Actinomyces coexisted with humans through their evolution, offering insights into microbial health and disease through the ages.

An interstellar visitor and hairy caterpillars: The best science pictures of the week – From the BBC.

One small walking adjustment could delay knee surgery for years - A groundbreaking study has found that a simple change in walking style can ease osteoarthritis pain as effectively as medication—without the side effects. By adjusting foot angle, participants reduced knee stress, slowed cartilage damage, and maintained the change for over a year. The caveat: Before this intervention can be clinically deployed, the gait retraining process will need to be streamlined.  

A 2,000-Year-Old Sun Hat Worn by a Roman Soldier in Egypt Goes on View After a Century in Storage - A Roman soldier in ancient Egypt dealt with the excruciating power of the sun roughly 2,000 years ago: by donning a felt cap.

Amazon & Brimstone Advance Lower-Carbon Cement Collaboration - Brimstone developed a breakthrough process to co-produce multiple industrial materials, including portland cement, supplementary cementitious materials, and smelter grade alumina. The company was founded in 2019 to develop next-generation industrial processes optimized for economics, efficiency, and sustainability. The companies announced they signed a commercial agreement to secure a future supply of Brimstone’s materials in the coming years, pending successful completion of testing and commercialization to scale up requirements.

As Fire Season Ramps Up, Thousands of U.S. Firefighting Positions Are Vacant - ProPublica’s review of internal agency data found that more than 4,500 Forest Service firefighting jobs — over one-fourth of all the agency’s firefighting jobs — were vacant as of July 17. The Guardian also reported that vacancy rates were highest in the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain Regions, at 39 percent and 37 percent respectively. Even before all the layoffs and resignations this spring — the Forest Service sometimes struggled to get through busy fire seasons. Firefighters have been called in from Canada, Mexico, and Australia when resources are stretched too thin, and sometimes National Guard or military troops are deployed.

Plastics Crisis: Getting Focused

In early August, I saw an article that made the point that the World Cannot Recycle Its Way Out of Plastics Crisis. A few days later, I saw the notice for a community workshop about using less plastic and I registered. They sent out a list of documentaries and webinars to view prior to the workshop. I viewed almost all of them; they were all good and thought provoking but the tipping point for me was Dr. Megan Wolff’s webinar on plastics and health presented for Missouri River Bird Observatory in March 2025; I highly recommend viewing this in its entirety to everyone that is concerned about health of the planet and every living thing on it, including ourselves.

I have been concerned about single use plastics for the past few years. Stories reporting about how microplastics (and nanoplastics) being found in more and more parts of our bodies keep coming out …and how they are damaging to health. Most of the data has been correlations, but recent research it pointing to the details of how the small bits of plastic cause problems.  

A few days after watching the video, the news came out: Global plastic treaty talks end in failure as countries remain bitterly divided over how to tackle the crisis. There was an attempt to hold out some hope: Plastic pollution treaty talks adjourn, but countries want to ‘remain at the table’: UNEP chief. I wondered how many people even noticed the news. I did another search and found a bit more information: How a global plastic treaty could cut down pollution—if the world can agree on one. The articles name Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Iran and the large presence of people working for oil and gas firms and plastic manufacturers as the group that wants to ‘manage waste’ instead of capping production (and if production is not capped it is projected to climb dramatically). Based on a story from Reuters it appears that the United States, the world's number two plastics producer behind China, should have been listed with the three other countries blocking a deal. One positive development was that top plastics producer China publicly acknowledged the need to address the full-life cycle of plastics.

I am planning to do a series of posts on the Plastics Crisis as I learn more…as I search for a course of action that can make a difference. My next post will be after I attend the workshop.

Gleanings of the Week Ending August 23, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

The strange-but-true origin story of the humble potato - Scientists have known that potatoes are most closely related to two groups of plants — the tomatoes and a cluster of three species called Etuberosum. Certain genes suggested that potatoes were more closely related to tomatoes, while other genes gave the impression that potatoes and Etuberosum had the closer relationship. The interbreeding event occurred some 9 million years ago, which happened to be excellent timing for the potato. This is when the Andes were forming and lots of cold and dry high elevation habitat was appearing.

Pompeii’s Secret Second Life Revealed by Latest Archaeological Finds - Shortly after Pompeii was buried in up to 20 feet of ash and pumice, people returned, some to sift opportunistically through the ruble, and others to try and restart their lives as best they could. The redevelopment had Rome’s backing. By the 5th century, life in the ruined city grew even more strained following the structural damage dealt by resurgent seismic activity, including a second eruption of Vesuvius in 472 C.E. Within 150 years, Roman life at Pompeii appears to have ended. This time for good.

Why lung cancer is a 'hidden epidemic' in this part of the world - There are almost no nerve endings in the lungs, so in the early stages, the most common symptom of lung cancer is no symptom at all. And when symptoms do appear, they are often quite generic — chest pain, coughing up blood, and difficulty breathing. So, doctors in sub-Saharan Africa often misdiagnose lung cancer patients as having tuberculosis, given the high burden in the region. Patients would go through the whole treatment regimen for tuberculosis and not really be investigated for lung cancer. Those lost six to nine months of possible treatment can be deadly, since 55% of people with lung cancer die within a year.

Should we all be taking vitamin supplements? - Evidence is starting to grow that popping a daily multivitamin could be beneficial for health, particularly for older adults. "Mega-dosing", or taking quantities of vitamins higher than the recommended daily allowance, is not recommended.

The Amazon Rainforest Approaches a Point of No Return - Under increasing threats from rampant deforestation and climate change, portions of the Amazon now emit more carbon to the atmosphere than they absorb. The southern Amazon has become hotter and drier, with less soil moisture, lowered water tables, and a higher-than-normal rate of tree mortality. Scientists now believe the Amazon could reach its tipping point — when it loses its natural ability to regenerate and will become permanently degraded — as soon as 2050. The impacts will reverberate globally.

The Many Types of Fluids That Flow in Yellowstone - Yellowstone is no doubt one of the most dynamic places on Earth. The many types of fluids that flow between the mantle and the atmosphere generate explosive volcanic and geyser eruptions, create lava flows, bubbling mud pots, and very rare sulfur flows, and they span nearly the full range of possible material viscosities.

New, Implanted Device Could Offer a Long-Elusive, Drug-Free Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis - In late July, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved an implant that uses electrical signals to control inflammation by tapping into the vagus nerve—a pair of nerves that connect the brain with important internal organs. The move marks the first time an electrical therapy has been approved for the treatment of any autoimmune disease.

Midwestern butterfly count: Big data yields bad news and clues – A study of 4.3 million observations in the U.S. Midwest from 1992–2023 to characterize changes in butterfly biodiversity. The results: 59 of the 136 species declined in abundance over the study. Both common and rare butterflies are waning.

104 Grams of Protein For $1.50? - How much ribeye steak is needed to reach 104 grams of protein? It would be about 19 ounces of ribeye steak, which costs $12–20 per pound, and premium cuts can cost more. The ribeye would cost about $14 on the low end or a bit over $20 on the high for the non-premium cuts. The black-eyed peas are only $1.50.

Historic Artifacts from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Only Skyscraper Saved by Conservancy – The Price Tower has been in the news over the past few years…controversy and renovations promised never done. Some objects from the building were sold in a breach of the easement on the building…and now they have been purchased by the Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy to avoid their being dispersed; the plan is for them to be returned to the building after renovation. The post includes pictures!

Gleanings of the Week Ending August 9, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Scientists unveil bioplastic that degrades at room temperature, and outperforms petroplastics – Sounds great…but will the existing plastic (made from petroleum) industry let this innovation move forward?

The world is getting hotter – this is what it is doing to our brains - As heatwaves become more intense with climate change, scientists are racing to understand how extreme heat changes the way our brains work. A range of neurological conditions are made worse by rising heat and humidity, including epilepsy, stroke, encephalitis, multiple sclerosis, migraine, along with several others. Heat can also alter other ways our brain functions – making us more violent, grumpy and depressed. Hospital admissions and mortality rates among people with dementia also increase during heatwaves. Rising temperatures have also been linked to an increase in stroke incidents and mortality. And there is a lot we do not know.

Bizarre New Creatures Discovered 30,000 Feet Under the Sea - Entire communities of animals, rooted in organisms that can derive energy not from sunlight but from chemical reactions. Through a process called chemosynthesis, deep-sea microbes can turn compounds like methane and hydrogen sulfide into organic compounds, including sugars, forming the base of the food chain.

Hawaiian Petroglyphs Reemerge for the First Time in Years - The full panel of petroglyphs has been exposed again after seasonal ocean swells swept away covering sand. In all, the petroglyphs are spread across 115 feet of beach and consist of 26 figures and abstract shapes that archaeologists believe were created 500 or more years ago.

The US Commercial Rooftop Solar Market Is About to Explode, Federal Tax Credits or Not - If all goes according to plan, all 500+ projects will be completed during this year into 2026, proving yet again that solar is the fastest way to add more capacity to the nation’s grid. Generating electricity on commercial rooftops and distributing it into the grid is America’s most shovel-ready energy option.

The Power of the Emerald Edge - Whether a tropical forest or coastal temperate rainforest, all forests must contend with a unique set of stressors including changes in land use, invasive insects and disease, and extreme weather events. Rapid changes in climate compound these stressors. How do we prepare our forests for the future? Preserving old-growth forests is one of the most powerful steps we can take.

Elusive and Majestic Red-Crowned Cranes in Hokkaido – Beautiful photographs…of beautiful birds.

Germany’s Stunning Fairytale Castles Added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List - The royal castles of Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee have been added to the prestigious list, which includes more than 1,200 sites. Neuschwanstein Castle, located near the village of Schwangau in Bavaria, is one of Germany’s most popular tourist sites. Every year, roughly 1.4 million travelers visit the site.

Learning how to live with shrubbier grasslands (part 1 and part 2) - Our grasslands are getting “shrubbier” and it’s increasingly difficult to prevent that. Because the drivers for that change are mostly beyond our control, it seems obvious that we need to start thinking differently about grassland management.

3 Ways Ancient Egypt Left Its Mark on Modern Art – Empire furniture, art deco, and artists like Bridget Riley.

Gleanings of the Week Ending August 2, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Introduction of Agriculture Didn't Immediately Alter Japanese Diets - Agriculture, rice, and millet were introduced to the Japanese islands from the Korean Peninsula around 3,000 years ago. Researchers recently examined plant residues on Final Jomon and Yayoi-period pottery from sites in northern Kyushu. The surprising results indicated that local culinary traditions changed very little after the crops were introduced to the island, as fish and seafood remained the primary foods.

Athens Is Reviving a 2,000-Year-Old Roman Aqueduct to Deliver Water to the City Amid Prolonged Droughts - If the Hadrian’s Aqueduct revitalization proves successful, it could become a model for other major cities experiencing water shortages. There are plans to expand in the other boroughs of Athens that the Hadrian Aqueduct runs through. But also, we have started a collaboration with another five or six cities in Europe that combine cultural heritage with water heritage to make more green, sustainable and livable cities.

Photography In the National Parks: Early Summer at White Sands National Park – Some good tips for photography when there is a lot of ‘white’ around! I remember trying in June of 2013 when I visited the place.

Teen bats are spawning new viruses—here’s why scientists are paying close attention - Juvenile bats frequently host multiple coronaviruses simultaneously—offering a real-time window into how new strains might arise. These findings, while involving non-human-infecting viruses, provide a powerful model to forecast how dangerous variants could eventually spill over into humans, especially as environmental pressures bring bats closer to human habitats.

Lentils Have More Protein Than Hamburger? - or a portion size of 100 grams, dry lentils have 23.6 grams of protein, with only 1.92 grams of fat. In case you are wondering, 100 grams is about 3.5 ounces. The amount of protein in “beef, ground, 80% lean meat” is 17.5 grams for the same portion size as the lentils! I’m going to look at some lentil recipes….add them into our meal plans.

A monumental 3,800-year-old warrior kurgan discovered in Azerbaijan - The burial chamber—2 meters wide, 6 meters long, and 3 meters deep—was divided into three symbolic sections: one for the human remains and weaponry, another for ceramic vessels, and a third intentionally left empty, possibly reflecting ritual beliefs about the soul’s journey in the afterlife.

China Breaks Ground on Colossal Dam Project in Asia’s Grand Canyon - A massive dam project in the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in Tibet, the longest and deepest canyon in the world. Concerns are being raised about wildlife, electricity it produces being more expensive that comparable solar project, and the Chinese ability to withhold water or flood India in timed of conflict. The article did not discuss if there would be a risk for earthquakes as the weight of the water interacts with the geology of the canyon. Isn’t that area seismically active?

Arizona’s Declining Groundwater - For more than two decades, NASA satellites have peered beneath the surface and measured changes in the groundwater supplies of the Colorado River Basin. Based on these measurements, researchers report rapid and accelerating losses of groundwater in the basin’s underground aquifers between 2002 and 2024. About 68 percent of the losses occurred in the lower part of the basin, which lies mostly in Arizona. Irrigated agriculture consumes about 72 percent of Arizona’s available water supply; cities and industry account for 22 percent and 6 percent.

Mineral v chemical sunscreen: Which one should you be using? - UV exposure can lead to skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in countries including the US and the UK. If it spreads, the deadliest type, melanoma, has only a 35% five-year survival rate. The best sunscreen, experts say, is one you are happy to use!

Meet the Tuatara: New Zealand’s Bizarre Ancient Reptile - While the tuatara is related to snakes and lizards, the two reptilian groups diverged about 250 million years ago. That’s a long time in evolutionary terms. For context, humans are more closely related to kangaroos than tuatara are to lizards.

Gleanings of the Week Ending July 26, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Greenland Sled Dog DNA Reveals a Story of Human Migration and Ancestry of the Unique Breed - The ancestors of the Inuit arrived in Greenland earlier than previously thought—potentially even before the arrival of the Vikings.

A Bird’s Eye View: Drones Search for Grassland Birds in Colorado - Drones have been used to survey animals from afar for years; this project borrows from those learnings for the novel —and challenging—task of detecting small-bodied, ground-nesting birds (Bobolinks) amid thick, tall grass, without disturbing the species of interest.

Hungary's oldest library is fighting to save 100,000 books from a beetle infestation - Tens of thousands of centuries-old books are being pulled from the shelves of a medieval abbey in Hungary to save them from a beetle infestation that could wipe out centuries of history. I wondered how many of the books have been scanned.

'Wobbly-tooth puberty': How children's brains change at six-years-old – A stage in which a child is constructing their identity, and they're trying to figure out who they are in relation to other people. The transformation includes a greater capacity to reflect on their feelings and modify them when needed, along with an "advanced theory of mind" that allows them to think more sophisticatedly about others' behaviors and respond appropriately. They also begin master the basics of rational enquiry and logical deduction, so that they can take more responsibility for their actions

How a hidden brain circuit fuels fibromyalgia, migraines, and PTSD - Scientists at the Salk Institute have discovered a hidden brain circuit that gives pain its emotional punch—essentially transforming ordinary discomfort into lasting misery. This breakthrough sheds light on why some people suffer more intensely than others from conditions like fibromyalgia, migraines, and PTSD. By identifying the exact group of neurons that link physical pain to emotional suffering, the researchers may have found a new target for treating chronic pain—without relying on addictive medications.

Greenland’s Bejeweled Ice Sheet - In spring 2025, jewel-toned points of blue began to appear on the white surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet. As summer arrived, they grew larger and more numerous, taking on unique shapes and occasionally forming connections. The colorful seasonal phenomenon is due to meltwater from snow and ice, which pools atop the ice sheet in places each melt season. An image from the Operational Land Imager-2 on NASA’s Landsat9.

Easter Island Was Far Less Isolated Than Previously Believed, Study Reveals - Earlier genetic studies in the 2010s laid the ground for the most recent investigation, showing that Easter Island was reached at least two times by the 14th century. Further influence arrived from pre-European South Americans, an interaction evidenced by the presence of sweet potatoes and the Birdman concept. This post is about the idea that after language, plants, animals, and material culture arrived on Easter Island from the west, monumental ritual architecture began traveling in the opposite direction.

In a First, Solar Was Europe’s Biggest Source of Power Last Month - Solar was the largest source of electricity in the EU in June, supplying a record 22 percent of the bloc’s power. Solar amounted to more than 40 percent of generation in the Netherlands and 35 percent in Greece. Analysts say that the June surge in solar power helped Europe weather a brutal heat wave, which saw temperatures soar upwards of 110 degrees F (43 degrees C). Last month was the warmest June on record in Europe, and scientists say that climate change played a key role in the heat wave, pushing temperatures to dangerous extremes.

Inequality has risen from 1970 to Trump − that has 3 hidden costs that undermine democracy – A thought provoking post. The author described 3 ways that the increase in inequality undermines democracy: 1. Fraying social bonds and livelihoods, 2. Increasing corruption in politics, 3. Undermining belief in the common good.

Honeybees remove 80% of pollen—leaving native bees with nothing - Our modern agricultural industry is so reliant on honeybees that humans have introduced them worldwide, and in many cases, they have escaped human management and risen to prominence in natural ecosystems as non-native, feral populations. And, like any other non-native organism, feral honeybees may perturb native ecosystems when they become sufficiently abundant.

Gleanings of the Week Ending July 19, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Doctors say we’ve been misled about weight and health - Doctors' advice about healthy eating and physical activity is still relevant as it may result in better health. The main goal is to offer good care irrespective of weight, which means not caring less but rather discussing benefits, harms, and what is important to the patient.

Let’s Consider a Couple of Workable Solutions to the Plastic Crisis – The first is to reduce the reliance on plastic shopping bags. Research shows that plastic bags were much less frequently found in beach litter where communities had implemented plastic bag policies. The second is green roofs in cities. Green roofs were shown to be more than capable of intercepting microplastics — at the rate of 97.5% efficiency for trapping microplastics from atmospheric deposition…..and roof areas make up 40-50% of urban impermeable areas.

Melting Glaciers Will Lead to More Volcanic Eruptions – New research from the Chilean Patagonia. Glaciers tend to suppress the volume of eruptions from the volcanoes beneath them. But as glaciers retreat due to climate change, the findings suggest these volcanoes go on to erupt more frequently and more explosively. According to a 2020 study, 245 of the world’s active volcanoes are within three miles of ice. 

A Partnership for a Healthier Appalachian Forest - The story of the southern Appalachians – and many forests across the United States – is one of widespread logging between the early 1900s and 1940s. That was followed by the “Smokey Bear era” of fire suppression. Now active management is the strategy including thinning, herbicide application and controlled burns.

The Vienna cemetery where endangered species and biodiversity thrive – 2.4 sq km (0.9 sq miles). The cemetery is home to European hamsters, Europea green toad, Alpine longhorn beetle, European ground squirrel, and Eurasian hoopee….and many other species.

Photos: Before-and-after satellite images show extent of Texas flooding destruction – It’s hard to fathom the scope of the destruction...and how fast the water rose in the darkness.

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk - Florida seniors make up a growing portion of the state’s unhoused population as the housing crisis continues. Cost of housing is increasing with institutional investors buying up land and insurance costs skyrocketing.

Researchers Unearth 3,500-Year Old Peruvian City with an Illustrious History - Probably a market hub, and that once connected Pacific coast communities with those in the Andes and Amazon thriving around the same time as early Middle Eastern and Asian civilizations. The urban center is known as Peñico and was founded between 1,800 and 1,500 B.C., experts said. It is near the location where the Caral civilization, said to be the oldest in the Americas first appeared 5,000 years ago. Following eight years of research, the experts classified as many as 18 structures including ceremonial temples and residential housing complexes. Sculptural reliefs and works showing the pututu, a conch shell trumpet can also be seen on some of the walls. Researchers also found clay sculptures of human and animal figures, as well as necklaces created with beads and seashells.

Emily Sargent’s Long-Hidden Watercolors Debut at the Met – John Singer Sargent’s younger sister watercolor paintings. They were lost for decades, until some of her relatives found a forgotten trunk in storage containing hundreds of her paintings.

Blast From the Past: Arizona’s Meteor Crater - Meteor Crater (also called Barringer Meteor Crater) is located between Flagstaff and Winslow on the Colorado Plateau as seen by the Operation Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. I’ve seen it from the ground!

Gleanings of the Week Ending July 12, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

How Has U.S. Energy Use Changed Since 1776? – Historical perspective. Coal, petroleum and natural gas did not surpass renewables (i.e. wood) until 1885!

Is this the end for Easter Island's moai statues? – The moai are made from tuff, a volcanic rock largely composed of compressed ash. This type of stone is porous and unusually soft. The wind and rain do not treat it kindly. Weathering of the moai appears to have increased sharply during recent decades; drier weather followed by very heavy rains, more wildfires, rising sea level  and increased wave event have all contributed.

20 Incredible Nominees for the BigPicture Natural World People’s Choice Award – Some great photography.

In Yellowstone, Even Animals Sometimes Make Mistakes – A bison stumbled into Grand Prismatic Spring…and there was no happy ending.

London Inches Closer to Running Transit System Entirely on Renewable Power - London will source enough solar power to run its light railway and tram networks entirely on renewable energy. The deal brings Transport for London closer to its goal of running its entire transit system, including its sprawling underground railway network, on renewable energy by the end of this decade.

Time For Canada to Dump the Big Three & Go Electric with China – Something valid for Canada to consider…certainly more forward looking than subsidizing old technologies.

The end of tuberculosis that wasn’t - In the late 1980s, many thought the fight against tuberculosis (TB) had been won. A disease that had plagued humans for at least 9000 years was on the path to being eliminated. Three factors raised concerns about the resurgence of tuberculosis in the United States and rich countries in Europe in from mid-1980s and 1990s: HIV/AIDS epidemic, the rise in drug-resistant tuberculosis, and higher rates of TB in foreign-born populations.

The US’s asbestos U-turn: why the Environmental Protection Agency is reconsidering its ban - Each year, around 40,000 deaths in the US and about 5,000 in the UK are attributed to asbestos exposure. If the US ban is lifted, it’s possible that the number in the US could increase over the coming decades while those in the UK will continue to fall. While global consensus moves toward stricter regulation, the US now finds itself at a crossroads, between scientific evidence and pressure from industry.

Inside Egypt’s Enigmatic $1 Billion Grand Museum - During a press conference on June 14, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the official opening was postponed due to “current regional developments”—loosely referring to the then-escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

These Colorful Satellite Views Reveal Our Forests in Unprecedented Detail and Showcase the Potential of the New Biomass Mission - The European Space Agency’s satellite will measure trunks, branches and stems in forests to shed light on how much carbon is stored in trees across various continents. The example image of the Beni River in Bolivia shows a lot of oxbow lakes!

Gleanings of the Week Ending July 5, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

See the Face of a 10,500-Year-Old Woman, Reconstructed by Archaeologists and Artists – Based on well-preserved ancient DNA.

Rare, Mind-Bending M.C. Escher Works Are Up for Auction - Escher was a skilled artist who seamlessly bridged the worlds of art, mathematics, and science in the mid-20th century. Today, his influence remains as important as ever, with a fascinating body of work that continues to mesmerize and inspire minds across the world.

As Wind and Solar Grow, China Ships More Coal Overseas - Analysts say the era of “more renewables, more coal” in China is over, with solar and wind now set to displace coal, rather than supplement it. Even under conservative assumptions coal generation in China could soon peak and enter structural decline.

Work, wages and apprenticeships: sifting for clues about the lives of girls in ancient Egypt - Elephantine, a town at Egypt’s southern frontier near modern-day Aswan, provides a unique window into the urban life of some girls who worked in textile workshops during the ancient Egyptian Middle Kingdom, which dates approximately 2030–1650 BCE. Girls received payment for their labor. It also suggests a structured apprenticeship system where young girls (and boys) worked alongside experienced craftswomen. Historians must always look beyond elite contexts to incorporate diverse evidence types – administrative documents, archaeological remains, and artistic representations – to construct a more complete picture of ancient lives.

Earth’s Clouds on the Move - Clouds are common on Earth, but they are ephemeral and challenging to study. Remote sensing has helped scientists tremendously by enabling consistent, global tracking of the elusive features, even over inaccessible areas like the poles and open ocean. Two published studies: 1) Where storm clouds form has changed. The implications for the climate are significant: This has added a large amount of warming to the system. 2) The shift in storm clouds increased the amount of energy absorbed by the oceans by about 0.37 watts per square meter per decade—a substantial amount on a planetary scale. Big question: What has caused the reduction in reflective storm clouds and whether the trend will continue.

Sinkhole Exposes Remnants of Medieval English Hospital - Walls hidden just beneath the city streets that once belonged to the twelfth- or thirteenth-century St. Leonard’s Hospital. The institution was built just after the Norman conquest and replaced the earlier St. Peter’s Hospital, which was founded by the Anglo-Saxon King Aethelstan. It was a place for caring for the unwell, elderly, and the condemned, but also served as an orphanage, helped feed the poor, and provided meals for the prisoners in York Castle. The hospital was destroyed during the Reformation under the reign of Henry VIII.

Lightning Strikes the Arctic: What Will It Mean for the Far North - A warmer world is expected to bring more thunderstorms, especially at higher latitudes. Scientists are now reporting a dramatic surge in lightning in the Far North and are scrambling to parse how this could affect wildfires, the chemistry of the atmosphere, and Arctic ecosystems.

Scavenger Animals Are in Trouble, and That Could Spell Bad News for Human Health - Scavengers are in trouble—and their decline could be harmful to human health. Half of the 17 obligate scavenger species included in the study are considered “vulnerable” or “critically endangered” by the IUCN. When they are reduced in numbers or disappear, some smaller, occasional scavengers are proliferating. These creatures, such as rodents and feral dogs, tend to transmit diseases to humans.

How do sleep trackers work, and are they worth it? A sleep scientist breaks it down - Most modern sleep trackers do a decent job of estimating your total sleep each night. Some are more accurate for sleep staging, but this level of detail isn’t essential for improving the basics of your sleep. Focus on improving your healthy sleep strategies and pay attention to how you feel during the day.

Is an apple a day really good for your health? - Eating an apple a day is great– but only if that is part of a diet rich in various other plant-based foods, since that is a key driver of good health.

Gleanings of the Week Ending June 28, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Meet the Kangaroos That Live in Trees - Filling an evolutionary niche akin to monkeys, they’re keystone species in the rainforests of New Guinea and Australia.

Manet Cut This Painting in Half 150 Years Ago. Now, the Two Sides Are Back Together for a Rare Reunion - In 1874, Manet began to paint a scene of the Brasserie Reichshoffen on a large canvas. Unlike his paintings of military scenes or upper-class life of the 1860s, the new piece captured the dramas of everyday life. But Manet became dissatisfied with the composition of the large work and opted to cut the canvas in two. Over the next few years, he refined each half into more concise, if slightly less ambitious, depictions of the same café: At the Café and Corner of a Café-Concert. While both paintings are well regarded, Manet’s contemporaries struggled to understand his decision to separate them. But Manet’s conviction that the two should be kept apart remained strong. When the two paintings of the same café were exhibited at the Triennial Salon in Antwerp in 1879, they were shown in separate rooms.

Deconstructing Buildings: The Quest for New Life for Old Wood - A growing number of cities have launched initiatives to reuse the wood waste from construction and demolition that now ends up in landfills. The challenge, proponents say, is to deploy new techniques for disassembling old buildings and markets for repurposing the salvaged wood. Using reclaimed wood in buildings stores carbon and helps reduce emissions by avoiding the need to cut new trees. Going forward, some architects say, buildings should be designed for disassembly — meaning every structure is built not only to last but also for easy dismantling and repurposing when its time is up.

Why the appendix is much more important than we once thought - The appendix has been shown to be an important component of immune function, especially in early life. In addition, the appendix itself contains a very diverse and varied microbiota distinct from other parts of the gastrointestinal tract, suggesting a specialized role. Removal of the appendix has been associated with a reduction in gut bacterial diversity which can lead to intestinal dysbiosis and potentially increase susceptibility to various diseases. Appendectomy has also been linked to an increase in fungal diversity in the gut; the appendix may play a role in the balance between bacterial and fungal populations, potentially acting as a store of commensal gut microbiota that repopulate the colon after exposure to pathogens or antibiotic treatment. The appendix may play a further role in protecting the gastrointestinal system from invading pathogens.

How Extreme Heat Impacts Children - Infants and young children sweat less and are unable to regulate their core body temperature as well as adults. Playgrounds are not always built with materials designed to withstand heat and prevent burns. Older children such as high school athletes face increased risk of heatstroke and other illnesses during practices and games. 

Weather makers: How microbes living in the clouds affect our lives - Trillions of bacteria, fungi, viruses and single-celled organisms travel the globe high in the atmosphere. Current aerobiologists deploy sophisticated air-samplers on drones and use DNA-sequencing technology to identify airborne life by its genes. The aerobiome, researchers now recognize, is an enormous habitat filled only with visitors. By one estimate about a trillion trillion bacterial cells rise each year from the land and sea into the sky. By another estimate, 50 million tons of fungal spores become airborne in that same time. Untold numbers of viruses, lichen, algae and other microscopic life forms also rise into the air. It's common for them to travel for days before landing, in which time they can soar for hundreds or thousands of miles. The aerobiome is a force to be reckoned with – one that exerts a powerful influence on the chemistry of the atmosphere. It even alters the weather. It turns out that biological molecules and cell walls are exceptionally good at triggering rain. More sobering… In a 2023 survey of clouds, bacteria carrying 29 different kinds of resistance genes were found.  A single airborne bacterium may carry as many as nine resistance genes, each providing a different defense against drugs. Every cubic meter of cloud could hold up to 10,000 resistance genes. A typical cloud floating overhead may hold more than a trillion of them.

The New Normal Is Already a Loss: How Shifting Baselines Skew Our View of Nature - Think back on the bird song you woke up to this morning. You might have pulled out a few recognizable threads, perhaps the robin, the crow, the sparrow. Now imagine what morning might have sounded like to your grandparents. Major scientific studies indicate that it was likely a cacophony of song by comparison—many kinds of birds and more of them. The difference, the shift in normal, is gradual over time and the loss, without memory or data, is hard to define. With each generation, our perception of the natural world changes, and with it, our understanding of what accounts for abundance and loss of biodiversity. A term bandied about is the “new normal.” In ecology, it’s called the shifting baseline syndrome. 

Fungi to the Rescue: How Mushrooms Are Helping Clean Up Toxic Lands - Mycoremediation, the use of fungi to break down pollutants and absorb heavy metals from contaminated soil. Certain species can transform petrochemicals, pesticides, and heavy metals into harmless compounds or concentrate them for safer removal. This nature-based method offers an affordable, less disruptive alternative to traditional “dig and dump” remediation approaches.

A History of Some National Park Roads – The only roads mentioned in the article I haven’t experienced is Generals Highway in California and Going-to-the-Sun Road in Montana!

The Famous, Feathered Dinosaur Archaeopteryx Could Fly, Suggests New Study of a ‘Beautifully Preserved’ Fossil - A fossil collector discovered the Chicago Archaeopteryx sometime before 1990 in limestone deposits near Solnhofen, Germany, where all known Archaeopteryx fossils originate. As the Field Museum’s preparators worked on the pigeon-sized Chicago Archaeopteryx, they realized that the fossil included more soft tissues and delicate skeletal details than any other known Archaeopteryx specimen. From previous fossils, they already knew the dinosaur had asymmetric feathers, which are vital to creating thrust in modern, flying birds. But the hard slab of limestone around this specimen had also preserved a key layer of feathers called tertials that had never been documented before in Archaeopteryx.

Gleanings of the Week Ending June 21, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

From Dead Dirt to Healthy Soil in 7 Simple Steps – The articles from Leaf & Limb are always full of practical suggestions. I am doing all 7 of these steps in my yard!

A Large, Invasive Lizard Was Spotted in a California Park – An Argentine black and white tego. Another invasive...probably a pet that escaped or was released. Tegus have established populations in several parts of Florida, where they’ve been declared an invasive species. The lizards have also infiltrated southeast Georgia, and they have been spotted in Alabama, Texas, South Carolina and Louisiana.

Ultra-processed foods are everywhere — and they’re quietly raising health risks - The effects of UPFs can pile up over time, adding to the risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious health issues by raising blood pressure and blood sugar levels. While ultra-processed foods include obvious culprits like potato chips, candy and frozen pizza, there are also some that people may believe are good for them, such as packaged granola bars, sports drinks and fruit-filled yogurt.

The hunt for Marie Curie's radioactive fingerprints in Paris - Marie Curie worked with radioactive material with her bare hands. More than 100 years after her groundbreaking work, the lingering radioactive fingerprints she left behind are still measurable.

5 simple (and cheap) things to make your house use less energy - Climate solutions for reducing home energy use can be extremely simple — and sometimes even free.

When Rivers Take a Weird Turn – Two examples where water (river) flows in unexpected ways…with satellite images from Landsat 9 of the two areas.

6 feel-good exercises to alleviate sore, achy feet – Some of these were new-to-me. I’m trying them all!

Is it better to neglect your garden? – Maybe…except for stepping in strategically to keep invasives from taking over. My yard is a work in progress but the goal it to make changes that mean it will require less and less intervention over time.

Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Parks' Giant Sequoia Trees - Giant sequoia trees can live to be more than 3,000 years old! Large giant sequoias often owe their size to rapid growth rather than age, so an old giant sequoia will not necessarily be the largest specimen. While these giant trees are more resistant to threats, they are not immune. Climate change influences the growth and survival of sequoias, particularly in the form of droughts with unusually high temperatures known as “hotter droughts.”

5,000-Year-Old Bread Buried in Bronze Age House - The flatbread, which measures, five inches wide and one inch thick, is among the earliest known baked items ever discovered. Analysis determined that it was made from a coarsely ground flour made of emmer, a type of ancient wheat, and lentils. A modern bakery has already begun to reproduce and sell breads based on the ancient recipe.

Gleanings of the Week Ending June 14, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Millions of new solar system objects to be found and 'filmed in technicolor' -- studies predict – The era C. Rubin Observatory ‘first look’ event is June 23! It is located on Cerro Pachon ridge in northern Chile. I found myself wondering how the deep funding cuts in the US will impact the facility and the scientists involved.

How electric scooters are driving China's salt battery push - Even as the rest of the world tries to close its gap with China in the race to make cheap, safe and efficient lithium-ion batteries, Chinese companies have already taken a head-start towards mass producing sodium-ion batteries, an alternative that could help the industry reduce its dependence on key raw minerals. A bigger market for sodium-ion batteries may be energy storage stations, which absorb power produced at one time so it can be used later.

Dead End: Nine Highways Ready for Retirement - This year’s nominees include Austin’s Interstate 35, which exacerbated segregation in the urban core when it was built in 1962, replacing a once-vibrant boulevard that served as a community gathering space.

The Overlooked Biodiversity of Appalachian Caves – Many of these creatures would be on the list for Missouri caves as well!

A Bauhaus-Trained Artist Wove Tapestries in the Woods for Decades. Now, Her Legacy Comes into Focus – I enjoyed the art and the biography of the artist!

Unique Silla Kingdom Crown Was Decorated with Insect Wings – Found in South Korea in a 1,400-year-old grave…a gilt-bronze crown decorated with a series of heart-shaped indentations that had been delicately inlaid with the colorful wings of the jewel beetle, some of which remained in situ after almost a millennium and a half.

Tea, berries, dark chocolate and apples could lead to a longer life span - Increasing the diversity of flavonoids within your diet could help prevent the development of health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and neurological disease.

Experts Think the Hagia Sophia Is in Danger. They’ve Got a Plan to Protect It from Earthquakes - In light of recent earthquakes in Turkey, experts fear the 1,500-year-old mosque is structurally vulnerable, and the Turkish government has ordered a renovation. A team of government-appointed engineers, architects and art historians will begin by stripping a layer of lead that covers the main dome and looking for ways to strengthen the connections between it and the semi-domes. They’ll also look for ways to improve the main pillars and subterranean supports. Experts are also hoping that the work may reveal older murals from previous periods in the Hagia Sophia’s layered history.

Secrets of the Gobi Wall Revealed - Snaking for 200 miles across the inhospitable terrain of southern Mongolia, the so-called Gobi Wall is the least studied section of a system of medieval fortifications that once extended from China into Mongolia. The wall was primarily constructed from rammed earth, stone, and wood during the Xi Xia period (AD 1038-1227), a dynasty ruled by the Tungut tribes of western China and southern Mongolia. It was much more than a purely defensive mechanism built to repel invasions, but that it also served to regulate trade and manage frontier movements.

Why climbing the stairs can be good for your body and brain - Climbing stairs has been found to improve balance and reduce the risk of falling for older people and improve their lower body strength. Other studies also find that climbing a couple of flights of stairs can positively affect our cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, memory, and potentially creative thinking. As a "low impact" form of exercise, even short bursts of stair climbing can help improve cardiorespiratory fitness and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Gleanings of the Week Ending June 7, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Warming Linked to Rising Cancer Rates Among Women in the Middle East - As temperatures in the region rose, so did cancer rates in Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Syria, which are prone to extremely hot summers. Increasingly extreme heat is making air pollution worse, weakening our immune systems, and putting additional strain on hospitals. These and other factors could be driving up the risk of cancer.

90-Year-Old Korean Artist Kim Yun Shin Is Finally Going Global – Creative longevity!

Archaeologists Unearth Two Rare African Figurines in 1,500-Year-Old Christian Burials in Israel - The artifacts are carved from rare ebony wood that originated in India or Sri Lanka. Each figurine features a small hole through which a cord might have been threaded, allowing the owner to wear it around their neck.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing - In an early iteration of modular housing, kit homes were sold by companies like Sears and Montgomery Ward in the early and mid-20 century - complete with “all the materials that a kit home purchaser needed to build the home, including at least 10,000 pieces of precut lumber to suit the model of the home, drywall, asphalt roof shingles, carved staircases, and the nails, door knobs, drawer pulls, paint and varnish needed to do the job. Electrical, heating systems, and plumbing materials could also be purchased at extra cost.”

Scientific breakthrough brings CO2 'breathing' batteries closer to reality - Scientists have made a breakthrough in eco-friendly batteries that not only store more energy but could also help tackle greenhouse gas emissions. Lithium-CO2 'breathing' batteries release power while capturing carbon dioxide, offering a greener alternative that may one day outperform today's lithium-ion batteries.

Fitness fight: Native bees struggle against invasive honey bee - High densities of European honey bees could be harming Australian native bees' 'fitness' by reducing their reproductive success and altering key traits linked to survival. Has this happened in North America as well?

Ancient pollen reveals stories about Earth’s history, from the asteroid strike that killed the dinosaurs to the Mayan collapse – Missouri rocks: When an asteroid struck Earth some 66 million years ago, the one blamed for wiping out the dinosaurs, it is believed to have sent a tidal wave crashing onto North America. Marine fossils and rock fragments found in southeastern Missouri appear to have been deposited there by a massive wave generated by the asteroid hitting what is now Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Among the rocks and marine fossils, scientists have found fossilized pollen from the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleocene periods that reflects changes in the surrounding ecosystems. The pollen reveals how ecosystems were instantly disrupted at the time of the asteroid, before gradually rebounding over hundreds to thousands of years.

A New, Shape-Shifting ‘Flapjack’ Octopus Has Been Discovered in the Deep Sea Off the Coast of Australia - The tiny cephalopod grows only about 1.6 inches across, but it can survive more than half a mile beneath the ocean’s surface. During the 2022 expedition, the team used high-tech cameras, nets and sleds to collect samples and snap photographs deep below the ocean’s surface. Many of the specimens they found are thought to be new species.

Fast food, fast impact: How fatty meals rapidly weaken our gut defenses - Researchers discovered the gut protective protein, IL-22, was rapidly depleted in mice after just two days of eating high-fat foods.

Where To Go Caving in the National Park System – Mammoth Cave, Carlsbad Caverns, Wind Cave, Crystal Cave in Sequoia, Jewel Cave, Lehman Caves in Great Basin. I have been to all of them except Crystal Cave and Lehman Caves. Mammoth Cave would be the closest for me to see again.

Gleanings of the Week Ending May 31, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

10 Ways Vincent Van Gogh Continues to Make News, Even Today – An artist that has been ‘newsworthy’ for a very long time. This post about recent instances of ‘Van Gogh mania.’

Measles vaccines save millions of lives each year – Statistics about measles and the impact of the vaccine…history and how the choices we make will have impacts on the future trajectory of the disease.

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve – It became a national park in 2020. I’ve driven through it…stopped at a visitor center…but haven’t experienced it the way I have other national parks.

Forty Years of Change in Louisiana’s Wetlands – Images from Landsat 9 from 1985 and 2024 show that much of the wetland has transitioned to open water….reshaped by storms and sea level rise.

In healthy aging, carb quality counts - The researchers analyzed data from Nurses' Health Study questionnaires collected every four years between 1984 and 2016 to examine the midlife diets and eventual health outcomes of more than 47,000 women who were between the ages of 70 and 93 in 2016. The analysis showed intakes of total carbohydrates, high-quality carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and total dietary fiber in midlife were linked to 6 to 37% greater likelihood of healthy aging and several areas of positive mental and physical health.

Wildlife Photographer Captures Mid-Air Battle of Two Birds Fighting for Dinner – The battle over a vole between a Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl in British Columbia, Canada. Dramatic photos. Both birds are over Missouri Prairies in the winter too!

How the humble chestnut traced the rise and fall of the Roman Empire - According to researchers in Switzerland, the Romans had something of a penchant for sweet chestnut trees, spreading them across Europe. But it wasn't so much the delicate, earthy chestnuts they craved – instead, it was the fast-regrowing timber they prized most, as raw material for their empire's expansion. And this led to them exporting tree cultivation techniques such as coppicing too, which have helped the chestnut flourish across the continent.

China’s Mega Dam Project Poses Big Risks for Asia’s Grand Canyon - China’s plans to build a massive hydro project in Tibet have sparked fears about the environmental impacts on the world’s longest and deepest canyon. It has also alarmed neighboring India, which fears that China could hold back or even weaponize river water it depends on.

Step Into a Painstakingly Recreated 3D Model of the Parthenon, Now Restored to Its Ancient Glory - By combining archaeology and technology, a researcher has shed light on a longstanding architectural mystery: how the ancient Greeks experienced the inside of the Parthenon, the Athenian Acropolis’ largest temple, built and dedicated to the goddess Athena in the fifth century B.C.E.

How Tikal Became One of the Greatest Mayan Cities—and Then Vanished - Nowadays, the ruins of Tikal, an ancient Maya city in northern Guatemala, have been largely reclaimed by the jungle. Howler monkeys jump from pyramid to pyramid. Bats hide in the crevices of abandoned homes. Bullet ants and tarantulas crawl along the forest floor while coatis—racoon-like animals with long, upright tails—search for fallen fruit. Many of the city’s structures remain unexcavated to ensure their preservation. Tikal began life as a series of small, unassuming hamlets. Across centuries, it grew into one of the largest and mightiest cities in the loosely affiliated network of municipalities that made up the Maya civilization. At its peak, which approximately lasted from 600 to 900 C.E., Tikal comprised an area of roughly 50 square miles, 3,000 stone structures, and a population that may at one point have exceeded 60,000 people. While other Maya settlements like Chichen Itza remained inhabited well into the 12th century C.E., Tikal is thought to have collapsed around the year 900.