Month: May 2005
Pulse of the Planet Daily Audio
Medicinal Weeds- Origins
People have used medicinal plants for centuries, but how was this knowledge first learned?
May 30, 2005Dead Zone – Causes
Off the coast of Louisiana there’s about 6000 square miles of ocean that’s virtually devoid of life.
May 27, 2005Black Holes: X-Ray Emission
Black holes send off x-rays, and by translating the x-rays that we receive into pressure waves, we can recreate the sounds of a black hole.
May 26, 2005Black Holes: Detection
Scientists trying to solve the mystery of black holes are facing one big question. How do you even find a black hole to begin with?
May 25, 2005The Moon: Face
Who is that man on the moon? If you’re a scientist, that face isn’t much of a mystery — it’s a record of the moon’s history.
May 24, 2005The Moon: Earthquakes
The gravitational pull of the moon causes our tides to rise and fall, and scientists think that it may have an influence on earthquake activity as well.
May 23, 2005Ecuador: Cloud Forest
In times of drought, cloudforests, which support the same incredible diversity as rainforests, thrive almost entirely on thick blankets of fog.
May 20, 2005Medicinal Weeds-Examples
They’re poisonous if used improperly, but in the hands of an expert, they can save lives.
May 19, 2005Medicinal Weeds-Bioactive
Farmers and gardeners have been fighting weeds since time immemorial. Now it may time for the weeds to fight for us.
May 18, 2005Antibiotics in Ancient Bone: Tetracycline
Scientists have discovered traces of tetracycline in preserved human bones from Sudan that date back more than 2,000 years.
May 17, 2005Antibiotics in Ancient Bone: Beer
Take two beers and call me in the morning? Scientists now think that some ancient civilizations may have used bread and beer as a source of antibiotics.
May 16, 2005Antibiotics in Ancient Bones
Traces of tetracycline have been found in the bones of people who lived more than 2,000 years ago, and scientists think that their diet may have been the cause.
May 13, 2005Chamarita
In honor of Azorean Portuguese ancestors and a beloved queen, the festival of Chamarita is one of humble origin.
May 12, 2005Medicinal Weeds-Getting to Know Them
Highland Maya children can often identify as many as 100 plants. How many local plants are you familiar with?
May 11, 2005Medicinal Weeds-Overlooked Resource
Common pokeweed is being studied as a potential remedy for HIV.
May 10, 2005Shorebirds: Western Sandpipers & Humans
Development along the California coastline is having an impact on Western Sandpipers and other shorebirds.
May 9, 2005Shorebirds: Western Sandpipers Migration
Western Sandpipers are in a “frequent flyer” class of their own.
May 6, 2005Shorebirds: Montague Island
Once a year on Alaska’s Montague Island, whole populations of shorebirds feast on a plethora of herring eggs.
May 5, 2005Swifts in the Chimney
Twice a year thousands of Vaux’s Swifts use an elementary school’s furnace as a migratory stopover.
May 4, 2005Medicinal Weeds-Living Pharmacy
It’s the world largest pharmacy and it may be no further than your back yard.
May 3, 2005Medicinal Weeds- In Praise of
You’d be surprised to learn how many medicinal plants are considered to be “weeds”.
May 2, 2005Carpenter Bees: Sneaky
Some female carpenter bees engage in artifice and deception.