Watching the World
Forest Fires in Mexico
A wave of forest fires that by the middle of April had destroyed some 300,000 acres [140,000 ha] in Mexico has been described as “an ecological disaster.” According to Julia Carabias Lillo, a secretary of the federal government of Mexico, some 6,800 fires had by that time raged in Mexico in what was called the most critical season of fires in the last 57 years. Although temperatures were above average and rainfall was scarce, most of the fires were “the result of human actions—the product of ignorance, of irresponsibility, and even of criminal conduct,” reports the newspaper El Universal. Octavio Escobar López, regional director of the Natural Resources Committee, said: “It will take about ten years to recover all the flora and fauna we have lost in a little over three days.”
Exercise and Longevity
“Taking brisk half-hour walks just six times a month appeared to cut the risk of [premature] death by 44 percent,” reports The New York Times about a recent study on longevity. Researchers in Finland tracked nearly 8,000 sets of twins for an average of 19 years and found that even occasional exercisers were “30 percent less likely to die than their sedentary twins.” The study is significant in that genetic factors were taken into account in determining the effectiveness of exercise. Steve Farrell, an aerobics researcher not involved in the study, said: “Even if you have bad genes, this study strongly suggests that increasing physical activity can help you live longer.”
Feathered Felons?
Police in South Africa have uncovered a diamond-smuggling operation involving the use of birds. Police say that employees at a state-owned diamond mine slip homing pigeons into lunch boxes or baggy clothes to smuggle them into the mine. There they load the birds with diamonds and then release them into the air, reports the Los Angeles Times. The homing pigeons can travel for miles with the gems. Over the past several years, four birds have been intercepted with contraband diamonds. In one instance, a homing pigeon was found with six carats of uncut diamonds strapped beneath its wings. Thus far, about 70 people have been arrested for using this method. The paper said that company officials estimate that nearly 1 in 3 diamonds mined from the ancient riverbed is stolen by dishonest employees.
Genetic Engineering
Over the past decade, scientists have made numerous discoveries regarding the genes that supposedly control complex traits and disorders in humans. Some scientists have predicted that this will one day enable mankind to manipulate genes and eliminate unwanted characteristics. For example, The New York Times reports that Lee Silver, a biologist at Princeton University, claims that our descendants will be smarter and more athletic and will live for hundreds of years. However, John Horgan, author of The End of Science, says: “Researchers hope they will be able to customize human personalities through genetic engineering. But so far not a single one of these claims linking genes to complex traits has been corroborated by follow-up studies.” Thus, Horgan adds: “By drawing attention to science’s failures as well as its legitimate achievements, perhaps scientists and journalists alike will present a less distorted, more honest picture of science’s real prospects.”
Farm Products Less Nutritious?
Are fruits and vegetables less nutritious today as a result of soil depletion? According to soil scientists, the answer is no. The University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter says: “Vitamins in plants are created by the plants themselves.” Thus, if the soil lacks necessary minerals, plants won’t grow properly. The plant may fail to flower, or it may simply droop and die. To prevent this from happening, farmers use fertilizer to put minerals back into the soil. The Wellness Letter says: “If the fruits and vegetables you buy look healthy, you can be certain they contain the nutrients they should.”
Houses Built Without Kitchens
It is estimated that in Australia half of all meals are now eaten outside the home. This trend has had such an impact that some apartments in Sydney are being built without kitchens, reports The Courier-Mail. Additionally, because Australians spend an average of only 20 minutes preparing meals, many Australian supermarkets have had to reexamine the type of food they offer. The manager of a large supermarket chain in Sydney claims that Australia is following a pattern set in the United States, where most meals are eaten outside the home.
Crime and Racism
A recent rise in crime in Greece has been blamed by some on the influx of refugees and immigrants from Eastern Europe and the Balkans, most notably Albania. Richardos Someritis, a columnist for the newspaper To Vima, says that concern over this increase in crime has caused a kind of “xenophobic and very often racist frenzy” against foreigners in that country. Nevertheless, it has been shown that foreigners are not involved in delinquent acts any more than Greeks are. For example, surveys show that “96 out of 100 crimes are perpetrated by [Greeks],” reports the newspaper. “The causes of criminal activity are economic and social,” claims Someritis, “not ‘racial.’” He also blames the media “for systematically cultivating xenophobia and racism” with its slanted coverage of crime in Greece.
Big Chip Was Watching
Runners competing in this year’s Boston Marathon carried a little extra baggage throughout the entire 26-mile, 385-yard race [42,195 m]—a microchip. According to InformationWeek magazine, to monitor their progress, all registered runners had an electronic chip attached to their clothing. The chips were programmed to be “read by radio frequency receivers that were set up every five kilometers [three miles].” The runners’ times were then sent to race headquarters, where they were posted on the Internet. Not only could marathon fans follow their favorite runners but any runner who attempted to cheat by not running the entire course was thwarted by this new technology.
Rare Deer Rediscovered in China
“The Tibetan red deer, thought to be extinct for more than 50 years, has been rediscovered in Shannan Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region,” reports China Today. For years the number of red deer, which stand about four feet high [1.2 m] and weigh about 200 pounds [110 k], had been greatly depleted by hunters who sought their valuable antlers. War and environmental changes have also taken their toll. It is estimated that fewer than 200 of these beautiful deer remain, and they are listed as an endangered species.
Mind Games
Contestants in the first U.S. National Memory Championship recently tested their skills by playing five mind games. The tests included memorizing 100 faces of ordinary people, memorizing a 50-line poem (including punctuation marks), recalling 125 English nouns (in order), memorizing a list of random numbers, and recalling a deck of 52 playing cards (shuffled and placed facedown). One contestant, Wallace Bustello, impressed his fellow participants by memorizing 109 consecutive numbers that were chosen at random. The overall winner, however, was 26-year-old Tatiana Cooley. According to the New York Daily News, she and her father, who programs satellites for an aerospace company, used to compete in memory tests at home. “I usually won,” says Tatiana.
Festival at the Ganges River
Millions of Hindus immersed themselves in the Ganges River in April as the Kumbh Mela, or pitcher festival, reached its climax. The Kumbh Mela is a three-month-long Hindu festival that celebrates the gift of immortality. The festival is held every three years and rotates between the four Indian cities where, according to legend, the nectar of immortality fell to the earth when gods and demons fought over its possession in heaven. In the past, stampedes to bathe in India’s sacred waters have resulted in many being killed.