The Amazon rainforest is one of the harshest environments on the planet, home to thousands of species of plants and animals that thrive in this unique ecosystem. If a man were to find himself stranded in the Amazon without food or water, he would need to have a deep understanding of the environment, as well as the tools and skills necessary to survive. The first step in surviving in the Amazon is to understand the importance of shelter. The...
Asuka Nara monoliths The village of Asuka, located in Nara Prefecture, Japan is a very interesting land from a historical point of view. It has its origins in the period called Kofun jidai (250-552), which means "period of ancient mounds". This era of Japanese history is characterized by a certain type of funerary mounds built in many places at that time; more precisely, mounds of earth in the shape of a keyhole, surrounded by ditches. One of...
National Solar Observatory (NSO) in Sunspot, New Mexico, was shut down by FBI agents earlier this month (September 2018) due to security concerns, but the facility was reopened later on. Even so, many of us are wondering what are the reasons behind this action. At present, the solar observatory no longer represents a security issue, but conspiracy theorists are not relaxed on this particular topic. According to AURA (Association of Universities...
Bioengineering scientists working to produce the entire human gastrointestinal system in the laboratory reported that pluripotent stem cells were used to create a human esophagus. This is the first time scientists have been able to grow human pluripotent stem cell (PSC) esophageal tissue, cells that theoretically can form any type of body tissue. Published in the Cell Stem Cell diary, the study presents the latest innovatotion from researchers...
A new study led by scientists at Washington University in St. Louis Louis has shown that it is possible to modify plants in order for them to create their own fertilizer. This breakthrough could have a revolutionary effect on agriculture and could help billions of people. The study, led by Himadri Pakrasi and Maitrayee Bhattacharyya-Pakrasi, was recently published in the mBio magazine. The traditional method of creating fertilizer is costly and...
A new study brings unprecedented information about the coldest temperature in the world. Researchers at Colorado-Boulder University have found that in some Valleys located in the eastern plateau in Antarctica, the minimum temperatures are even lower than it was originally estimated. For this study, the specialists used only data provided by satellites in the period between 2004-2016. This is because the East Antarctic Plateau, located at an...
Richard Reames is a man that has all the time in the world. At least, that what I was first inclined to believe when I saw his tree shaped artworks. Somehow, he managed to bend a common piece of nature to beautiful and unexpected shapes. Richard managed to share his knowledge on arborsculpture in his 2005 "Arborsculpture: Solutions for a Small Planet" book. He believes that everyone can accomplish such tree shaping projects. It seems that...
According to a NASA report that was recently published, July 2017 was the hottest month in our recorded history. Record temperatures were measured in the whole world during July 2017, thus officially making it the warmest July since the first meteorological measurements were made. According to NASA's website, this year's July "was statistically tied with July 2016", but the phenomenon occurred even in the absence of El Nino, which played an...
One of the largest icebergs in the world has just broken out of the Antarctic ice cap. According to The Independent, the iceberg, which has been monitored for a long time by researchers, broke out of the Larsen C glacier, which is part of Antarctica. The giant iceberg has nearly 6,000 square kilometers. Now, Larsen C is 10% smaller, and the Antarctic landscape has changed radically. The slippery glacier is now floating in the Great Weddell....
Hjertefølgers is a Norwegian family that counts no less than six members. They have wholeheartedly embraced the environmentally friendly lifestyle by building a sustainable house made of adobe, wood and other sustainable materials. They have also adopted a vegan diet that's based on the permacultures that grow around the house. However, the conditions beyond the Arctic Circle are really harsh, dominated by long, cold winters and short summers....
Coober Pedy is a mining town located in southern Australia, in one of the most desolate and waterless places in the world. Here, nearly 3,500 people from 45 different countries live underground, at 8 to 22 feet deep below the surface of the earth. Yes, this is an underground city! The extremely high temperatures in the region have caused the population of this area to build a true underground city. Here, you can find everything from the library...
If you like to travel around the world in order to experience the natural wonders of our planet, I advise you to visit Iceland. Also known as the land of promise, it is packed of contrasts, which has always delighted its inhabitants and travelers alike. Located near the Arctic Circle, the island is known to offer the famous spectacle of the aurora borealis. Formerly associated with the dance of the animal spirits in the sky, this phenomenon is...
