Tag: Nature

Originality isn’t just for the fashion industry. Following on from the success of indigenous tribes in Australia, a PhD student at Charles Darwin University recently teamed up with a music producer. He recorded the sounds of endangered bird species and together with the producer they produced a 24-minute album within three weeks. It features the chatter and calls of...

Cancer residue caused by treatment could be removed. Alzheimer’s disease, accounting for 60-70% of dementia cases, is caused by degenerative nerve cells in the brain. The body’s energy to remove them comes from mitochondria. If these become damaged, however, the whole cell dies. Making the clean-up process increasingly problematic as we age. Now, an international research team spearheaded by...

Nature has healing powers. A startup from London is providing all those who are committed to saving the planet while helping others with a digital opportunity. Its platform allows private citizens or companies to purchase trees online. Farmers in 12 different countries - including Haiti and Madagascar - are then paid to plant them. Different types of trees such...

Whales play an important role in climate change. Just like the ‘rainforests of the sea’: coral reefs. Globally these are home to around a third of underwater organisms. A not-for-profit organisation in Papua New Guinea, site of a number of endangered reefs, was recently recognised for its work by the UN’s environmental programme. Using GPS and underwater audio equipment,...

Laughing reduces stress. A walk in the forest, meanwhile, is good for our mood. A report by the British agency, Forest Research, confirms that spending 30 minutes a week among trees has a noticeable effect on our wellbeing. Immune systems are strengthened, and mental health improved (heard about this blood test?) Over 200 million euro have been saved in...

Often the most cultivable land is found in gardens. In south LA, front yards are already being used to grow vegetables. Now, a startup from Colorado is focusing on backyards. Together with a turf expert, it has developed 45 ecological products for lawn care, all based on natural ingredients such as algae, molasses and iron. The company is also...

There are over 3 billion trees in the world. That makes roughly 422 per person. An American not-for-profit organisation has taken it upon itself to ensure that everyone can enjoy the advantages trees bring to communities. They analyzed 150,000 neighbourhoods and 486 municipalities, correlating tree population with various social and demographic data, to give a ‘Tree Equity Score’. The...

Algae are versatile. They absorb CO2 and are great in the kitchen. Now a team of Paris-based researchers used information from algae to help reverse blindness. Their test person was a man whose ocular cells were no longer sensitive to light. Through close examination of glowing algae the team was able to find a specific protein which reacts to...