Gleanings of the Week Ending September 20, 2014

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Comprehensive recommendations on care of women at menopause, beyond - From The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). The recommendations are available on the web here; it is well organized and in clear language. What a good reference!

What to Do in Shenandoah National Park Now: Take a Hike into the Landscape - Maybe we should take a day trip!  Shenandoah is the closest national park to where we live in Maryland.

Some great statistics - From Richard Watson…about some worldwide trends - presented as an infographic.

Fracking: Gas leaks from faulty wells linked to contamination in some groundwater - Highlighting the need to improve well integrity, the study showed that where contamination has occurred it was caused by poor casing and cementing in the wells.  Does that mean that the company responsible for the casing and cementing is liable for damages?

NASA Mars spacecraft ready for Sept. 21 orbit insertion - We were in Florida last fall for the MAVEN spacecraft launch…and now is about to enter into Martian orbit!

Top 25 Wild Bird Photographs of the Week #72 - I always enjoy the wild bird photograph posts from The Wild Bird Trust. In other bird-related news - there is new research just published: Bird Diversity Drops from Forests to Farms.

U.N. Predicts New Global Population Boom - The human population on Earth could hit 12 billon by 2100 (not taking into account the effects of climate change, food shortages, disease or conflict). Previously it had been widely assumed that the population would flatten around 2050.

How salt causes buildings to crumble - There are so many ways!

Tree rings used to determine history of geological features, arroyos - This blurb caught my eye because of a recent volunteer naturalist training about using tree rings for looking at climate change from 1400 to now. This is a detailed study of the arroyos in northern New Mexico using burial dates in tree rings of salt cedar and willow.

Jaime Lerner’s Urban Acupuncture - A thought provoking book review. What makes good urban life? 24 hour groceries and delicatessens? Open air markets? Music? What kind of parks, plazas, and square work best? The book is available from Amazon.

Gleanings of the Week Ending April 19, 2014

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

New city wall discovered at ancient Roman port - The Roman Architecture course I took via Coursera has increased my interest in anything new related to the topic. Evidently Ostia was on both sides of the Tiber rather than just the south side!

On Your Mark, Get Set, Grow: A Guide to Speedy Vegetables - I timely article. I am still in the mode of starting plants indoors to plant in the garden after the last danger of frost! The idea of micro greens appeals to me.

Spectacular Spring Photos of Cherry Blossoms in Japan - Cherry blossoms - a great bounty in the spring.

Scientists re-define what's healthy in newest analysis for human microbiome project - Evidently we still have a lot to learn about the microbiome. This study’s primary finding was how diverse the microbiome is....each person harbors a unique and varied collection of bacteria.

Watch 220 Years Of U.S. Population Expansion - There is an animated version….and then a map for each decade from 1790-2010

8 Photos worth the Wait - My favorite is the first one: the monarch butterfly chrysalis covered with water droplets

Researchers Say Mesa Verde National Park's Far View Reservoir wasn’t for Water - A ceremonial structure rather than a reservoir?

Food, Dieting, and the Power of Good Nutrition: The Meatless Monday Interview with Dr. Joel Fuhrman - An advocate for everyone to become savvier about nutrition

Future Technologies - An infographic from Richard Watson: Top 10 Innovations by 2050. What do you think?  One example: 40% likelihood of 150 year human lifespans.