Category: Animals & Nature

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This Robotic Planter Will Follow You Around to Remind You to Water It

If you’re a busy parent, there are some every day tasks you just can’t get out of – your kid has to be clothed (often more than once), fed, napped, watered, and you know… kept alive to the end of the day.

Which is perhaps why our plants’ well-being often falls by the wayside.

But no more, my friends, because you can purchase the HEXA plant to take care of your green friends for you.

Image Credit: HEXA

It’s a walkable planter that searches for sunlight on behalf of your plants (and seeks shade when the plant has had enough). So far, sounds like a wonderful, genius idea, right? Like maybe you’ll buy one and take advantage of all the air freshening and toxin-reducing goodness plants bring into your home?

Wait.

If you forget to water the plant, the HEXA basically throws a temper tantrum until you give it a drink. Like a foot-stomping toddler, though admittedly it’s probably not quite as hard to turn off (or assuage in any way).

Image Credit: HEXA

The idea came to founder Sun Tianqi after he glimpsed a dead sunflower and couldn’t stop thinking about how its life could have been saved.

“In 2014, I went to see a sunflower exhibition and found myself focused on a dead sunflower near a ground of blooms. The dead flower sat in a place that was always in a shadow. I had no idea how it ended up there or why it died – whether it was because of the lack of sunshine or water – but it was just there, and it was dead. I thought, if it could move a little bit, take a 30-feet walk out of the shadow to where the other sunflowers were, it would have lived healthily.”

And so the walking flowerpot was born and improved (if you call stomping its feet until it gets water an improvement). One can be yours for a mere $949.

Yeah. Well, happy plants don’t come cheap.

I have to say, I’m intrigued. But no way am I letting this thing boss me around until my kids are out of diapers

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Not Every Ladybug Is Lucky, and Here’s How You Tell the Difference

Ladybugs (or ladybirds, for you UK-types) actually include a number of species that fall under the species umbrella coccinellidae. They’re widely considered to be good luck symbols, to represent joys to equal your sorrows, and are sometimes associated with the Virgin Mary.

They’re one of a group of 6,000 or so small beetles that are similar in marking and color – lady beetles, really, not bugs at all – most of which are beneficial creatures that feed on agricultural pests. Everyone likes ladybugs, right?

Well, get ready to rethink your position. The North American ladybug (which is a good little beetle) is strikingly similar to the Asian ladybug, which was introduced by the USDA in order to combat the spread of aphids and has since spread through pretty much every state in the lower 48.

Image Credit: Pixabay

While the Asian ladybug does prey on aphids, it also has overtaken native species – and it’s not nearly as harmless to humans. They like to nest in the cracks and crevices of homes, they can stain walls and fabrics, and they are more aggressive than native varieties (they may even bite you).

They can also ruin the taste of wine if they infest a vineyard, which is no good at all!

You can keep them out of your house by making sure cracks around windows, doors, pipes, vents, etc. are all tightly fitted, and that rips in your screens are repaired. Once they’re inside you can vacuum them up or catch them on sticky tape – but don’t squish them. If you do, them the ensuing goo could stain your furniture.

Image Credit: Pixabay

If you’re wanting ladybugs for your garden, try to make sure the variety you want is what you receive. Which brings us to this: if they’re similar in markings and color, how can we tell the difference?

Well, the Asian variety can be more orange or yellow, instead of the deep red of the native North American ladybug, but the main distinctive feature is this: the Asian species has a marking toward its head that resembles a black M.

Image Credit: Catherine Song. © The Spruce, 2018

So, look closely, my friends, and don’t assume your luck is about to change if a ladybug lands on you – it could be about to bite.

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Smoking Psychedelic Toad “Milk” May Help Alleviate Your Depression

Wait, though – don’t get your toad-catching gear on just yet, because there’s more you ought to know before milking a toad and toking up.

That’s a sentence I never expected to type, but here we are.

The psychoactive secretion 5-MeO-DMT oozes from the glands of the Bufo alvarius – the Colorado river toad. The psychedelic tryptamine is related to the more famous compound DMT, which is found in a mind-altering brew called ayahuasca.

Image Credit: Wikipedia

When dried and smoked, the ooze generates an experience during which (supposedly) the ego is completely obliterated and mystical insights can be accessed – it’s been used at alternative healing retreats and by underground therapists to treat a range of emotional and psychological disorders, including depression.

Mainstream science wanted to know whether there was anything to the claims, so they gathered 42 study participants and gave them toad milk to smoke.

The results, published in Psychopharmacology, claim the participants average depression ratings were down 18% after one day, and that anxiety and stress were also reduced – by 39% and 27% respectively.

The follow-up analysis took place 4 weeks later, and found that depression ratings had dropped to 68%, anxiety to 56%, and stress to 48%.

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Scientists think that the effects could be caused by an increase in neurogenesis, since 5-MeO-DMT had previously been found to stimulate neuronal growth and development. Alternatively, it could help alleviate symptoms by binding to the brain’s sigma-1 receptors, which can reduce inflammation.

A Johns Hopkins study props up this one, as well – they found that 80% of people who use 5-MeO-DMT report a reduction in both depression and anxiety.

There’s a lot to consider moving forward – the exploitation of the toad population, for one – but the fact that the 5-MeO-DMT is easily copied in a lab should go a long way toward curbing any black market trading.

It sounds like this could be a healthy, effective alternative to using pharmaceuticals to treat mental health issues, so hopefully the research continues!

Plus…toad milk.

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8 Awesome Facts That’ll Make You Seem Like The Smartest Person in the Room

I think it’s pretty important to learn something new every day. It makes you a better-rounded person, and also makes you a much better partner in a conversation.

So, enjoy these 8 facts that’ll make you feel smarter right away!

1. Hmmmm

Photo Credit: did you know?

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2. Obese pharaohs

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3. Gay griffons

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4. I notice this all the time

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5. Just in case

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6. Oh, great!

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7. Xennial

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8. Panic in the streets

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Say it again, “I did not know that!”

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These Gorillas Actually Posed for Selfies with Anti-Poaching Rangers

The 600 rangers at the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo have a serious task: protecting the park’s animals from poachers. And it’s clear that some of the rangers have formed strong bonds with some of the park’s gorillas.

The rangers routinely take selfies with the beautiful animals and it’s obvious that there is a whole lot of mutual trust and admiration there.

This is frankly amazing.

WORDS TO LIVE BY- SAGESSE INTEMPORELLEFrom a Virunga National Park ranger, translated from the French:"When one is…

Posted by The Elite AntiPoaching Units And Combat Trackers. on Thursday, May 17, 2018

Here’s another up close and personal shot.

FAMILY PORTRAITPatrick Sadiki, Ndakasi & Matabishi. 🦍🦍😎

Posted by The Elite AntiPoaching Units And Combat Trackers. on Friday, August 10, 2018

This one, however, has to take the cake.

ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE…Photo: Ranger Mathieu Shamavu (c)NOTE: UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THIS PHOTO WILL BE REPORTED TO FACEBOOK

Posted by The Elite AntiPoaching Units And Combat Trackers. on Thursday, April 18, 2019

Looks like an album cover, doesn’t it?

A beautiful story. Be sure to follow their Facebook page. Keep up the great work, park rangers!

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You Can Now Buy Matching BFF Necklaces For You and Your Dog

WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE?

Ok, so I’ve only been a puppy parent for a few months now, but still, I need this in my life.

You’ve no doubt seen those necklaces that two human BFFs wear so they can always be thinking of their partner in crime. Well, now you can do the same thing with your dog! Because let’s be real, human friends are fine and everything, but our dogs are our real best friends, no doubt about it.

Photo Credit: Max Pixel

You can get these matching necklaces/dog collars from an Etsy vendor named SlashpileDesigns.

The human (that means you) gets an 18″ chain with a silver dog bone attached, and your doggo gets a cool collar pendant with the bone silhouette. Together forever, right?!?!

Photo Credit: Etsy

You can also get a heart design as well.

If you want to engrave your new set of jewelry, it’ll cost you an extra $25.

I think both you and Fido will be very happy with this purchase.

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Nabisco Sets Animal Crackers Free from Their Circus Cages

It’s a symbolic gesture, but an important one, nonetheless. After 116 years, the famous Barnum’s Animal Crackers have a brand new box design – and the details are important.

To refresh your memory, here’s what the old box looked like.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

Now here’s the new design for the packaging.

After 116 Years, Barnum's Animal Crackers are…

Posted by I LOVE DESIGN DGO on Sunday, April 21, 2019

That’s right, the animals have been “freed” – they are no longer in cages and behind bars. A push from folks at PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) helped to spark the change.

The new design shows the animals walking across the savannah with no bars, cages, or chains in sight. PETA’s people got in touch with the company back in 2016 and suggested it might be a good idea to show the animals in their natural environments.

Several companies make animal crackers, but Nabisco’s Barnum brand has been the most popular for decades. The brand was named after the legendary P.T. Barnum, and Nabisco started manufacturing the cookies in 1902. Obviously,  attitudes towards animals have changed since then.

Times have changed so much that in May 2017, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus closed business for good.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

In a statement, PETA said, “The new box for Barnum’s Animals perfectly reflects that our society no longer tolerates caging and chaining exotic animals for circus shows.”

Bravo! Any progress is good these days…

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Biology Class Tests the Fish in Their Sushi, with Unsettling Results

Fair warning: if you’re a seafood lover who regularly purchases fish from the store or goes out for sushi, proceed with caution. There are some scientific results below that are, at best, upsetting.

At worst? You might vomit in your mouth.

It all began when biology professor Dr. Jennifer McDonald was looking for a way to bring a little excitement to her senior molecular biology course. So she sent them to sushi restaurants and grocery stores and told them to bring samples of their fish back to the lab so they could extract the DNA and determine whether the DNA matched the label.

Image Credit: Twitter

They tested 13 samples and 9 had good enough DNA sequences to determine their species.

Of those 9? Only 2 were labeled correctly.

Yeah. And that’s not the worst part.

It’s been well documented over the past decade that fish mislabelling is prolific all over the global supply chain – it’s also illegal and results in fines (when detected). According to McDonald, about 50% of fish is believed to be labelled incorrectly (whether intentionally or not), with some species like red snapper and white tuna more likely to be mislabelled than others.

Not only is it unethical to sell people fish that is not the fish they’re expecting, it can also result in health issues (a common substitute for white tuna is escolar, which can cause gastrointestinal distress) and/or allergic reactions (shellfish is one of the more common – and more deadly – food allergies).

So Dr. McDonald wasn’t shocked at the findings.

At least, not until this happened.

Yeah.

Dr. McDonald doesn’t plan to stop eating fish or sushi, and she doesn’t think you should, either – just make sure to go to restaurants where you feel confident in their fish suppliers and ask questions when something doesn’t look, feel, or taste right.

Which might be easier said than done, although the fact that sushi is so delicious should help buck you up.

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Japan’s Wisteria Gardens Will Take Your Breath Away

Spring is in the air all around, and after a long and dreary winter, it’s truly a delight to see all of nature in bloom again. This time of year is truly a magical season, but it’s especially gorgeous in Japan.

There’s a natural tendency for most of us to think of cherry blossom when we picture springtime in Japan, but today we’re here to put the spotlight on something we think is JUST as magical (if not more) – wisteria vines.

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Wisteria plants grow long, flowering vines with flowers of various shades including white, yellow, pale blue, pink, and purple. Throughout Japan, there are several gorgeous wisteria gardens with man-made canopies for the plants to spread out on.

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One of the most popular wisteria gardens in Japan is the Kawachi Wisteria Garden, located in the northern end of Kyusu Island. This private garden is only open to the public during wisteria season (April-May) and the maple leaf season in the fall.

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The garden’s most prominent features are two 330-foot tunnels draped by 22 different varieties of wisteria plants.

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Ok, definitely adding this to my bucket list.

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The Loudest Sound Ever Heard in Human History

You probably think you know what an extremely loud noise sounds like. If you’ve ever walked by a jackhammer, for example, or stood a little too close to the speakers at a loud concert. But those sounds pale in comparison to what is officially known as the loudest sound ever heard.

It happened on August 27, 1883. On an island in Indonesia, a volcano erupted so violently that it literally tore the island apart. The noise was so loud that people heard it over 3,000 miles away — which would be like hearing a noise from Dublin, Ireland when you’re in Boston.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

It sounds impossible, and yet it very much happened. People heard the eruption on the island of Krakatoa in over 50 geographical locations across a full thirteenth of the Earth.

At 40 miles away, the sound shattered people’s eardrums. At 1,300 miles away, it sounded like “guns firing.” At 2,000 miles away, it sounded like “a series of loud reports, resembling those of artillery.” And at 3,000 miles away, it sounded like “the distant roar of heavy guns.” By the time the sound reached such a distant location, hours would have passed (the speed of sound is about 767 mph).

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

As you might guess, this was no average volcano eruption. It was devastating enough to wipe out 165 coastal villages and settlements and kill tens of thousands of people.

So, yeah, this is not a record we should aim to break anytime soon! Only truly cataclysmic events can create such loud noise, and it hasn’t happened since 1883.

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