An international group of researchers released into wild artificially grown birds in the area of North Madagascar. Two dozen of Madagascan pochards should be a step towards recovery of the species believed to be extinct for 15 years. The pochard’s rescue can also be beneficial in protecting swamps of Madagascar.
Why is this species endangered?
The duck found a new home on a remote lake of Madagascar. Ph: WWT
Pochards were believed to be extinct for 15 years. But in 2006 a small flock of birds was found on one of the remote lakes of Madagascar. There were the last 25 Madagascan pochards on Earth. Their habitats were polluted, the remaining birds were found in a remote untouched swamp. Rob Shaw, the director of The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust company (WWT), explained on BBC News that these ducks tried to survive in the environment which was not suitable for them. Their shelter was too deep and cold for pochards’ vital activity. Rob Shaw underlined that other parts of Madagascar can be dangerous for these birds, because of accumulation of precipitation, pollution, thoughtless agricultural practices. This set of problems creates an unfavorable environment for Madagascan pochards.
How the species was saved
One of the key moments is raising in captivity. Ph: WWT
This painstaking work took more than a decade. An international team consisting of WWT, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, and The Peregrine Fund members saved the eggs of Madagascan pochards and raised the birds in captivity.
To protect the ducks, on Lake Sofia were installed floating enclosures. Then the team investigated Madagascar’s territory on order to find a perfect place for pochards. The team worked closely with local communities living around the lake and using its water, fish, and plants.
To protect the ducks, on Lake Sofia were installed floating enclosures. Ph: WWT
Nigel Jarrett from WWT explained: «It takes a village to raise a child, so the old African proverb goes – but in this case it has taken a village to raise a duck. We have been preparing for this moment for over a decade. Working with local communities to solve the issues which were driving this bird to extinction has been essential to giving the pochard a chance of survival.»
The team believes that the return of a bird being on verge of extinction will serve as an example of how communities can preserve wildlife even in areas with the poorest populations.
The infrequent orangutan albino was saved from inhabitants of one of villages in the Borneo Island last year.The other day, after successful rehabilitation, female was released back into the wild nature but the threat of animal’s liferemains.
Альбу выпускают на волю
The Kalimantan Central agency of preservation the natural recourses (BKSDA) and the Borneo Orangutan Survival Fund (BOSF) saved Alba at the beginning of 2017. She was captured by inhabitants of Tanggiranga, remote village in the Indonesian part of Borneo. Alba had a stress, dehydration and suffered from parasitic worms. The animal was taken to Nyaru Menteng orangutan rehabilitation centre.
Alba was planned to be released into the wild nature in a few month, but her recovery convalescence took more time than it was expected. As an albino, she is susceptible to many diseases, she has poor eyesight and hearing, oversensitiveness to the light and predisposition to skin cancer. Alba is the only known albino orangutan in a history of this species.
According to BOSF, Alba together with Kika, other rehabilitated orangutan female (not albino), were released to Borneo national park (BBBR). Originally, BOSF planned to surround a 5 hectares of the forest area and keep Alba under constant observation, but ultimately it was decided that orangutan should move freely in its natural habitat.
«Thanks to intensive care provided by our special veterinary team and tutors of Nyaru Menteng Orangutan rehabilitation centre, Alba recovered and showed excellent skills of ascension and socialising», — noted BOSF in the statement.
Транспортировка орангутанов происходила в специальных клетках
After hard 16-hour travel by land and the river, which Alba and Kika spent in the cages, BOSF team arrived into the BBBR National Park. BOSF published the video showed Alba and Kika’s travel.
Currently Alba actively moves in the forest area, usually at the hight of 115 feet (35 metres). Her fast adaptation to the forest life is not surprising, as she doesn’t have the «inferiority complex» and feel herself confident in comparison with the other orangutans, said veterinarian Agus Fatoni to the Associated Press.
Альба в естественной среде
Albuanadela has a tracking bracelet, and she will regularly be examined by the medical teamwithin the next six months. Environmentalists are concerned about her health, but they are even more concerned about potential poachers: Alba with her white wool and blue eyes is really vulnerable. The national park staff and nature conservation agencies organized the patrol in this area, however they recognize that opportunities for this purpose are limited.
«It’s really big adventure, but we hope that we will manage to implement this project successfully», — said BOSF executive director Dzhamartin Sikhit soon after Alba’sreleasing into the wild nature.
Until now, there were no giraffes from West Africa in the Gadabedji biosphere reserve in Niger. These animals still need protection. Illegal hunting, climate change and habitat loss all contributed to the decline in population size. According to the Nigerian publication, eight giraffes were moved to the reserve, this is the first such case for the West African subspecies.
Биосферный заповедник Гадабеджи (Нигер)
In accordance with the initiative of the Nigerian authorities, eight giraffes were caught approximately 60 km south-east of the city of Niamey. There, these animals share their habitat with local communities and compete with humans for natural resources. Often, giraffes come into conflict with people who manage their pastures. Because of this, some individuals go to restless areas on the border with Mali.
Жирафов перевозили в специальных контейнерах
The animals were placed in enclosures for three weeks to prepare for the upcoming journey in special trailers. Then they were transported to a new place of residence in the central part of Niger.
According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), over the past 30 years, the number of giraffes has declined throughout the African continent. The West African giraffe subspecies was once common in many countries, including Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal, but is now only preserved in Niger. In the nineties of the twentieth century, only 49 individuals remained in the wild, and in 2008 the subspecies was listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as endangered.
Западноафриканские жирафы – самый малочисленный подвид
The efforts of the Niger Government in collaboration with local and international partners have led to the revival of the West African giraffe. Since 2005, conservation efforts in Niger have also intensified thanks to the Giraffe Conservation Fund (GCF) and the Sahara Foundation for Nature Conservation.
Currently, the population size has increased to 600 individuals, and last month this subspecies was reduced by the IUCN to the category of “vulnerable”. Environmentalists believe that the relocation of eight giraffes is a key step in the development of Gadabedzhi as the leading reserve in Niger. They hope that this will help revive the population of the West African giraffe.
Everybody is used to listening to music, texting friends or colleagues, eating, doing some mechanical work all at once. As a rule, we feel more productive and proud of ourselves for that as well. However, it is not so simple.
There is a reason to believe that multitasking reduces our productivity by almost 40%. The thing is doing numerous tasks at the same time on regular basis can affect psychological, mental, and physical states. The human organism is simply not adapted to working in Julius Caesar mode.
During a research, conducted by Stanford University scientists, was established that multitasking can cause stress, lack of motivation, and mood swings. «Your brain may be in trouble,» is researchers’ message. The also proved the lack of concentration skills in people who do several things simultaneously. As a result, we get tiredness and apathy.
Moreover, scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) discovered that multitasking is directly related to memory operation. Constant stress and lack of focus make the human brain indiscriminately filter information and forget it pretty fast. Although it happens gradually, it is significant to start fighting against the problem before it’s too late. After a conversation, try recalling some details, numbers, or characteristics of people in a crowded room. In case of failure, don’t rush into countless memory training apps, but try to listen to your body and rationally evaluate how much you overloaded the nervous system.
By doing a lot of assignments at the same time, you significantly degrade the quality of work and increase the number of errors. The brain cannot work on all fronts equally perfect. Defocusing attention forces us to perform tasks on the principle of: «Good enough.» Do you really want to be a mediocre worker?
Obviously, modern life does not allow us to function without multitasking sometimes. Yet, it is important to fight against its overabundance. There are a couple of simple, but effective tips:
Do no more than two tasks at a time;
Use the rule of 20 minutes: do not switch the task if you have been doing it for less than 20 minutes;
Do not hesitate to ask friends and colleagues to wait if you are busy. Just point out the problem in time and rationalize your arguments;
Do not use social media during work – it adds an extra load on the brain. In case it is complicated for you, use blocking apps;
At one time it was believed that during yawning, a person provides the body with a large amount of oxygen and emits stagnant carbon dioxide in the lungs when the brain needs additional “recharging”. However, this version has long been recognized by scientists as implausible: even when breathing with pure oxygen, the desire to yawn does not disappear.
the mechanism of cooling the brain
American psychologists from the State University of New York in Albany believe that yawning acts like a fan in the computer: it cools our brain, and therefore improves its functioning. To test this version, in 2011, experts conducted a study that showed that in the cold season, people yawn less than in the warm, and the audience watching an uninteresting film with a cold compress on the forehead, yawn much less than those who miss without an ice bandage. In addition, sleep interruption causes a slight increase in brain temperature. That is why we need to make a tasty yawn immediately after awakening.
we yawn more often when we see a loved one
Italian scientists say that yawning is nothing but a sign of sympathy. They observed the inhabitants of Madagascar and Italy during one year and found out when and under what circumstances they yawned in response to yawns. As it turned out, it happened more often in the presence of a closed one or a relative, a little less often with colleagues. It was more difficult for strangers to force the interlocutor to yawn.
The name of this keyboard layout came from the first six letters of the top row. QWERTY-keyboard originates in the era of typewriters.
The creation history of the familiar layout is not clear enough
Christopher Sholes, an elaborator of the first typewriters, determined to distribute keys in the simple alphabetical order. However, with an increase of the typematic speed professionals began to encounter a number of problems. For instance, the levers of the letters situated close to each other scraped and sticked with the rapid pushing. By trial and error and constant layout modernization the legendary typewriter «Remington 1» was finally launched. Its keyboard became the prototype of all contemporary ones. The blind method of the typemate, which became popular after typing competitions, helped in promotion of this keyboard layout. Edgar McGurrin, the court secretary, won over another contestant. When the winner was asked about the reasons of his triumph, he said he had typed with ten fingers without looking at the keyboard. His rival typed with only eight fingers staring at the keys, and this method considerably decreased typematic speed. Nowadays, one and a half century later, there are some courses where you can learn the blind way of working on the keyboard.
Why we love QWERTY so much when we are able to switch to other layouts?
Nevertheless, today there are disputes about effectiveness of QWERTY-layout. There were some attempts to supplant familiar layout on more ergonomic one. In 1936 university professor August Dvorak noticed a great number of typos in the work of one of his students. At that time the thought had come to his mind – to invent an absolutely new type of latin keyboard based on more convenient position of vowel and consonant letters. After it in the beginning of the XXI century DVORAK-layout was elaborated by Shay Coleman and obtain the name Colemak. As some studies claimed, these layout types enable to work 2-3 times faster. However, QWERTY doesn’t give in to more contemporary rivals, although every user can switch between layouts with the help of several mouse clicks.
While using instruments intended to detection of earthquakes, Oxford scientists Bet Mortimer and Tarje Nissen-Meyer discovered that various kinds of elephants activities – walking, running, sniffing, grunting – сreate different seismic signals in the ground. According to the research published in Current biology magazine, in several cases these vibrations are distributing through the ground much longer than through the air enabling animals to feel each other even over long distances.
Study’s author Dr.Mortimer
Earlier studies demonstrated that elephants capture ground fluctuations by their body. For instance, elephants were noticed running away to the uplands in the moments preceding tsunami emergence. The elephant feeling a threat began to stomp in order to avert others. The study expands the understanding of how animals can communicate. Beside, it provides new possibilities for researchers and ecologists who would like to observe animals remotely. This method can be fruitful for the save the species. «This information can be used as a strategy of remote monitoring», – Dr.Mortimer said.
An African battalion struggling with poachers
Despite the international affords to prohibit trade of elephant bones tens of thousands of african elephants are proceeding to die because of their tusks every year.
In order to hold the study scientists established devices known as geophones near the place of living of Kenia wild elephants. Like seismographs geophones convert soil fluctuations into measurable electronic signals, yet they are better to use in field work. With the help of these instruments researchers will presumably be able to pursue and defend animals.
Elephants are able to recognize hooves and fluctuations of the herd over several kilometres distance
Due to the fact that elephants live in complicated and spatially divided communities, animals use long-range communication in order to survive. The ground vibrations can be used for warning each other of danger and for partners seeking during very short period of mating. Supposing that elephants not only bring on distinct vibrations in various activities but also are able to perceive these signals from huge distances, scientists are intending to learn how to use these signals.
Vibrations created by elephants can be found and recognized on almost four miles in optimal conditions. However, any noise impact, even automobile noise, sharply decreases the ability to find and recognize these vibrations.
We’re surrounded by product abundance with a host of numerous tastes: gingerbread, sundae, green tea and even baklava-flavored yogurts.It is not a secret that all of them contain flavor additives and flavouring. Who and where produces them?
IFF и Givoudan are huge companies which are responsible for producing flavor additives. They hire flavorists – specialists responding for flavouring elaboration for various food sectors. They also create smells for perfumes. One of their tasks is reviving goods «natural» smell which is being lost while producing and keeping in the warehouses and shops shelves.
Used flavourings and additives must not be harmful for the human organism, and the body of laws and orders is existing in this field: which explosives, components, chemical connections should be used, and this list is constantly being updated.
Flavorist arsenal of instruments is rather affluent: essences, various extracts, oils and other chemical explosives. Proper combination is able to provide a necessary taste. For instance, if mix lemon, banana, raspberry and ananas essences in particular proportions, one can give an initially tasteless product strawberry taste.
In order to become a flavourist it is necessary to have chemistry, biology and food technology education, be well-versed in organic chemistry. Every day a specialist deals with 4000 explosives. It is impossible to obtain necessary skills at university that is why it is required to master this craft intentionally while working. Many companies connected to flavorism teach their technologists by themselves. Consequently, employees receive high salaries.
Obviously, consumers are worried about flavouring safety, a great number of people are sure additives are harmful. Official Rosquality site ensures an interview with Olga Bagryantseva, a scientist of Federal research center of nutrition and biotechnology.
Doctor of Biological Science assures that it is worthless to worry about jeopardy: natural, artificial, identical flavourings pass numerous verifications. The body of flavour-aromatic explosives is existing, and their harmlessness is proved.
«Approximately thousand kilograms of food which a person is eating during one year contains only 500 grams of flavour-aromatic explosives. Even if flavourings were dangerous this amount would not be enough for doing our health harm».
However, various taste enhancers rapidly bring on adaptation and even addiction to get rid of which is very complicated. A human stops perceiving goods with natural, not enhanced taste, and begin to swallow up meals flavoured and supplemented with additives . This phenomenon can lead to health issues and at least to excessive weight.
Environmentalists are sounding the alarm: China is funding dozens of coal projects far beyond its borders. Coal is considered the most environmentally hazardous of fossil fuels, including because of the amount of carbon dioxide that it emits during combustion (about one and a half times more than natural gas). According to the latest research of the World Meteorological Organization in 2017, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reached its highest level in the last 5 million years. Last month, the UN climate expert group said that the use of coal in production should be stopped by 2050. This solution should bound the global temperature rise to a limit of 1.5 degrees.
Coal power station in China
China-supported coal projects are being implemented in South America, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Balkans. The contracts concluded between the participants of such projects are often not completely transparent, but groups of environmental companies, including the non-governmental organization Bankwatch, try to monitor the situation. Energy Group Coordinator Ioana Chiuta says that efforts to combat the dirty air of Chinese cities have led many energy companies to limit their investments in coal-fired power plants in China and instead have targeted their technology and capital to foreign markets.
Coal smoke must be cleaned, but this is not always done
Thermal power station Kostolac
In Serbia, one of the country’s main coal-fired power stations is being expanded with a loan from a Chinese bank. Works have been carried out since 2017 under the leadership of a large construction company in China. An hour east of the capital city of Belgrade, in the coal-rich valley of the Danube, construction takes place on a site known as Kostolac B3. The power plant is managed by the national Serbian electric power company EPS, which provides about 70% of the country’s electricity by burning coal, while the rest is electricity produced by hydroelectric power stations. It is expected that Chinese investment in the project will amount to 613 million US dollars. The installation of the new power unit will bring Serbia 350 MW of additional capacity. The project must be implemented in accordance with environmental standards.
Smog in Beijing
However, the Serbian Center for Environment and Sustainable Development (Cekor) questions the project’s compliance with all environmental standards. After a series of relevant inspections of the project, Cekor found it impossible to ensure that EU standards for environmental pollution are in force.
«I’m not a sports person», «I’m uncomfortable to do in front of other people», «a subscription to a fitness club is too expensive», – these and other excuses can be heard from those who can not bring themselves to get up from the couch.
The child in the gym. He is still small, but mentally already adjusts to the bar. Then it will!
If you can not decide on a trip to a fitness club, here is a short list of activities that can expand your understanding of the sport and find the perfect exercise:
Zumba is an energetic dance that does not require serious preparation and a well-developed plastics. This type of training is available in many modern fitness clubs. You do not have to learn the movements – you just come, look at the coach and repeat the movements under the incendiary music. You will be provided a good mood and a reset of extra pounds.
Postural exercises are aimed at improving posture. It takes place in a quiet mode. This is a real salvation for the back of office workers.
Classes «Fitball» will help to remember his childhood and plenty to play with a big ball. Few people can imagine how many useful exercises you can perform with it.
Air yoga or gymnastics will test the strength of those who have never made tricks in the air. It is not as difficult and scary as it seems at first glance. This type of activity is an effective way to understand how many opportunities are hidden in your body.
Yoga and Pilates is a solution for those who do not like intense loads, but want to stay in shape. In cozy studios such classes are often held under relaxing music and with dim lights.
Boxing and different types of martial arts have long gone beyond the sports sections. Many modern models and popular personalities prefer monotonous running to boxing. For example, a well-known blogger Maria Novosad often talks about her love to this sport.
In addition to these classes, you can visit the pool, do it yourself or with a personal trainer in the gym, go to a group training, improve strength or stretching, and even try yourself in ballet. Large cities provide endless opportunities for the choice of sports activities, one has only to listen to your body and realize what you need.
From the point of view of chemistry and biology it is simple to talk about physical activities. The brain during training produces endorphins and BDNF protein, which cause a feeling of euphoria and create a feeling of «reboot». Sport is one of the few ways to shake the body. Regular classes increase the number of red blood cells and the level of hemoglobin in the blood, strengthen the joints, improve metabolism and help the cardiovascular system, reducing the risk of stroke.
Fitness is useful at any age. Groups for the elderly are now organized everywhere, including free ones
Why haven’t you started training yet? After a short survey, we identified three of the most common excuses that are actually myths:
1. «I don’t have enough time. Come at 8 PM after work, eat, and nothing more to do. I’ll watch a little TV or surf the Internet and go to bed. Where to get time and energy for sports?»
The feeling of chronic fatigue occurs due to hypodynamia. While sitting all day in the office, you really begin to perceive the fitness club as another unpleasant duty. But the evening sports activity will not «finish» you, but on the contrary, will help to relieve the accumulated stress. In just an hour of active training, you can get rid of tension in the back, get a «cocktail of happiness» in the form of neurotropic hormones and prepare the body for sleep. Paradoxically, the sport does not weaken the nervous system, but calms it and helps to sleep more calmly. The most difficult thing is to force yourself to leave the house, then you will see the effect.
2. «Fitness club is expensive»
On average, one trip to a chiropractor for the treatment of back pain will cost you 3000 rubles. A year of unlimited training in a standard fitness club costs from 13,000 rubles, which will be a little more than 1,000 rubles per month. Running in the Park or at the school stadium costs 0 rubles, exactly the same as the lesson on video tutorials at home.
3. «I’m not comfortable training when everyone is looking at me».
Tenacity and desire to work over the body cause have surrounding respect, not condemnation. In fitness clubs, people do not make fun of each other, but work on themselves and help others if possible. It is difficult to imagine a more benevolent and tolerant atmosphere to your physical disadvantages (if you think they are).
