Dinosaur-era tree set for first auction sale
Saplings from the Wollemi pine, an Australian tree that was eaten by dinosaurs and that has only recently been discovered, are to go on sale. The tree, which had only been known as a fossil, can live for 1,000 years and grow to at least 40 meters tall, so it is a major long-term investment.
Sacred Sri Lanka tree out of the woods in Taiwan
A sapling from the Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi, a tree believed to be descended from the tree under which the Buddha sat and attained enlightenment, was sent to Taiwan's Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Society by the Sri Lankan government. Customs rejected it last month for fear that it had parasites. It was sent to Hong Kong for specialist treatment, and has now been allowed into Taiwan.
Most Americans have allergies
54.3 percent of Americans has at least one allergy, particularly for dust mite, rye, ragweed, and cockroach, but also for Bermuda grass, cat, Russian thistle, white oak and mould. About 8.9 percent were allergic to peanuts.
Product Recall: Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Casale Sun-Dried Tomatoes 2003 crop, sold by Utica, N.Y.-based Atlantic International Products Inc. have been recalled because there is an unlisted ingredient, sulphites, capable of producing severe reactions in asthmatics.
Eating fruits and vegetables may cut arthritis risk
Some carotenoids commonly found in some fruits and vegetables and orange juice appear to help stave off arthritis. The carotenoids give the fruit and vegetables their red or yellow colouring.
Secondhand smoke costs nearly $10 bln in U.S.-study
The Society of Actuaries reports that the cost to the U.S. of second-hand smoking is nearly $10b p.a., about half from the cost of treatment of lung and heart ailments, and half from loss of productivity and costs due to disability.
Study: Car Exhaust Polluting Puget Sound
A study of the marine sediments at the bottom of Puget Sound shows that pollution due to heavy industry (toxic metals) is declining while pollution from vehicle exhausts (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) is increasing.
Vietnam to bug bears to stop wildlife smuggling
Vietnam is to microchip around 4,000 captive bears. They hope this will deter wildlife traders from catching more wild bears and selling them to bile farms or killing them foor food.
3 Researchers Rescued From Arctic Island
Three shipwrecked, unarmed Polish researchers were rescued by helicopter from a remote Arctic island as polar bears were closing in.
Mozambique village draws divers, counts cost
Mozambique's Ponta d'Ouro has warm waters, beautiful corals and unspoiled beaches, drawing in tourists, who bring work, albeit unskilled and poorly paid. The commercialisation is threatening the environment, however, and changing the nature of the village and bringing corruption.
Spanish surfers' paradise loses its wave
Conservation is never easy, balancing the requirements of different animals, groups of people, and economies. Then there is the debate about which condition to restore an area to, plus scientific uncertainty.
The tiny Basque village of Mundaka was invaded by surfers each year because of its world championship class surf, yet managed to remain relatively unspoilt. Now the wave has vanished, and there are differences of opinion as to why. Some say it was because the estuary was dredged more deeply than usual in 2003 for a newly built ship. Others say it is because there have been fewer big storms in the Atlantic Ocean in recent years. Others say it was because the dredged sand was used to restore a sand dune for the benefit of wildlife. The area is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The surfers say that the wave is natural and is part of what should be protected, and that rebuilding the dune was meddling with nature. The government has ordered an investigation, as the surfing was important to the local economy.
19 Soldiers Struck by Lightning in Ga.
19 soldiers at Fort Benning were struck by lightning and hospitalized, in spite of taking precautions.
BP Receives Urgent Safety Recommendation
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board has for the first time issued an urgent safety recommendation. The target is BP PLC, whom it wants to form an independent panel of experts to review safety. BP has five North American oil refineries, in California, Indiana, Ohio, Texas and Washington. This was triggered by recent accidents at the company's Texas City refinery.
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