Cherry Blossoms

It hasn’t been a great year for cherry blossoms in our area. We had a mostly warm February then some very cold days just as the cherry trees were beginning to bloom in Washington DC – where we usually go to view the large number of trees around the tidal basin.. The cherry tree in our yard is usually later that the trees The District…and it was not as damaged by the frosty days. Unfortunately – it is not situated well for whole tree pictures but I did get some pictures of the flowers themselves this week.

One of my sisters is in Salt Lake City, Utah this week and their trees are blooming right now too. She sent me some pictures that are more typical of the ones I take when we walk around downtown DC….just not this year.

Gleanings of the Week Ending January 21, 2017

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.

What’s Your Sleep Animal? Find out with this quiz. – A little self analysis…about how you sleep. I’m a lion!

What teeth reveal about the lives of modern humans – It turns out our teeth are not adapted very well for modern diets. And it not just cavities and plaque buildup. It also has to do with jaw growth.  Did you know that wisdom teeth (third molar) impaction became 10 times more common after the Industrial Revolution?

The Chemistry of Bodily Fluid Colors – An infographic summarizes how blood, bile, urine, and feces get their color.

Appendix may have important function – I thought the diagram of the appendix shapes of different animals was as interesting as the idea that the appendix may serve as a reservoir for beneficial gut bacteria.

It’s Time to Give Nature the Credit It Deserves – Nature as water infrastructure! Hopefully more areas of the US will include these strategies in their long-term water planning. Good for people, the economy, and the planet!

20 of the Most Stunning Photos Captured by Drones in 2016 – Eye candy that I couldn’t resist sharing.

The Most Precious of Gifts – About gold, frankincense, and myrrh…from the Manchester Museum

The Chemistry of Fireworks Pollution – Wow….there are a lot of bad things that are exploded into the air by fireworks. I’m glad there are efforts to make ‘greener’ fireworks. No one ones a celebration to lead to respiratory problems and exposure to toxic metals.

Designation of Bear Ears National Monument in San Juan County, UT – Some great pictures of one of our newest National Monuments.

Meet Your Newest Organ: The Mesentery – I’m taking a Coursera course on the anatomy of the abdomen and pelvis…and the mesentery is part of the discussion. I just finished a module about how it develops with the gut from an embryological perspective. It’s quite a complex membrane – and now maybe it will be researched as an organ.