Science – Page 8 – Dr. How's Science Wows

The hippy "ape"

May 23, 2013February 13, 2017nao

My son just loves apes, all sizes, shapes and nature! I think he feels a kindred spirit with their curious, mischievous side and the ease and ability with which they swing and climb. As his mother, watching him grow over the last seven years, I can certainly vouch for these similarities between boy and beast!

However, that is where the analogy ends. There is a darker side to many apes such as chimpanzees and baboons; they are often know for their aggressive, bullying and violent nature! That is, until we look at the laid back left side of the Congo river, the exclusive habitat of the Bonobo ape (Pan paniscus). Although similar in size and shape to the chimpanzees of the right bank (Bonobos tend to have slightly leaner bodies, longer limbs and smaller skulls) these apes are defined by their “make love not war” attitude to life!

So, is this laisser-faire attitude really what is seen in bonobos in the wild?

The bonobos are know for their relaxed, non-aggressive nature, living in large sociable groups with a strong female dominance to their social hierarchic. There are a number of long term studies examining these animals in their natural habitat. Although there are exceptions to the rule, they do indeed seem to be a lot more peaceful than their cousins on the other side of the river
.

What makes the bonobos such placid creatures?

So why are the bonobos so much more placid? Some of the answers lie within their food choice and its supply within their habitat! Bonobos are similar to chimpanzees in that they eat fruit, leaves and a bit of animal protein; the big difference though is that they are also fond of local herby vegetation. This vegetation is a good source of protein and sugars and, even more importantly, it can be found all year round! The bonobos are not frequently challenged by the threat of food shortages and starvation. This allows them to forage in large, social groups, ensuring that each individual may have continuous social connection and back-up. The chimps on the other side of the river are not so fortunate! Their diet is more restricted and therefore more scarce! This immediately adds stress. The requirement to find food arises, along with the need to fight for it. These stresses are at the basic level of survival and inhibit the development of large and strong social bonds. It also explains the incidence of cannibalism among chimpanzees.

Empathy is another trait associated with bonobo interaction, thought to be developed from an early age. Comparative studies of the chimp and bonobo at a neuro-biological level have shown significant differences between the two apes and provide biological support for the suggestion of empathy among bonobo populations.

Are bonobos always chilled out?

Current studies are looking at stress levels in bonobo apes. By examining the levels of the stress hormone cortisol within urine samples taken from male bonobos it would appear that high ranking males do appear to get “stressed out” sometimes. The cause, not too surprisingly, appears to be the presence of a female. In a society known for its peaceful behaviour it must be very stressful trying to remain calm and cool when vying for the affection of a pretty “lady”.

What about their family tree?

Bonobos and chimpanzees are our closest living relatives. The question of which came first and to which we may be most closely linked is still open. There are suggestions that the bonobo has evolved as a “naturally domesticated” version of its more aggressive cousin. Where does that put homosapiens? We have evolved a softness and empathy in our communications and an emotionally developed social behaviour, and yet we have raged the largest wars and atrocities on earth;

Which ape do you think we most resemble?

Down to Earth

May 16, 2013July 22, 2014nao

This week the Canadian astronaut, Commander Chris Hadfield and his fellow astronauts (Tom Marshall (American) and Roman Romanenko (Russian) ) returned from the International Space Station (ISS). After spending more than five months in Space, their bodies have one more adjustment to make…. adjusting to gravity.

As there is no gravity in Space the information fed to the brain is modified and the brain adjusts accordingly. However, on return to Earth the brain has to modify its spatial reasoning and coordination once more and re evaluate everything with the inclusion of gravity! Apparently, it feels a bit like stepping off a playground roundabout, but the effects last a little longer!

Hadfield is reportedly finding walking difficult, moving his feet slowly and tending to bump into things. Corners and stairs pose a greater difficulty. It will be three weeks before Hadfield will be able to safely drive a car. His back and limbs are aching as they adjust to the mechanical stresses of gravity. It is not just walking and moving that pose a bit of difficulty, Hadfield even reported to having to modify how he talks, adjusting to the weight of his tongue and lips again.

Hadfield via Twitter: “Wired head, chest, arms and feet, learning how the body works when it has been weightless for half a year.” May 16, 2013. (Credit: Chris Hadfield)

Now safely back in Houston, Hadfield will undergo a series of tests to analyse and monitor the effects his Space stay has had on his body, and the progress his body makes during this adjustment period.

The prolonged exposure of the astronauts’ bodies to the weightless environmental (microgravity) on board the ISS will have had significant effects, most notably a weakening of their muscles and bones. Astronauts can loose about 1% bone mass per month while is Space. They will also have had a reduced heart rate, decreased production of red blood cells and a weakened immune system. The distribution of water within the body is also effected by such weightlessness. Another interesting modification to the body in microgravity is that it becomes taller – up to 3% taller.

Bone density and muscular health and composition are influenced by mechanical stress. In the absence of gravity there is little mechanical stress placed on the musculoskeletal system of the body and weakening and atrophy become an issue. In order to combat this the astronauts spend many hours each day training with specially adapted gym equipment. They also wear special body suits to maintain a more even distribution of fluid throughout the body.

The good news is that the effects on the body produced by the weightless environment tend to revert quickly. Gravity brings the astronauts’ bodies “back down to Earth!”

Pass the butter

May 14, 2013July 22, 2014nao

The other day I was standing in my kitchen when I heard a little snigger from behind me. You know someone is up to mischief before you even turn around…and they were! My little three year old had a block of butter in one hand and a spoon in the other and he was ready to dive right in….

……………………………”MAMMY, CAN I HAVE SOME BUTTER?!

I am probably about to unleash a tirade of abuse when I reveal my reaction to the request…I walked over, dug the spoon into the butter and presented it to my happy child. I then removed the butter – job done. In my mind a win-win situation. I believe there can be benefits to feeding a spoon of butter to a growing child now and then! My mother in law reared nine children and she wisely observed that each went through a stage in their younger years of literally craving butter. She believed they were following their instinct for necessary saturated fats, required for their rapidly developing brains and nervous system – and I am in her camp!

FIRST, A BIT OF HISTORY

Butter making in Ireland goes back thousands of years and was originally performed by women who herded and milked the cattle on higher pastures in the Summer. As time progressed milk production evolved techniques to enhance preservation, such as adding large quantities of salt and burying the butter in bogs (due to the turfs antiseptic properties).

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries Ireland was the dominant exporter of butter to Northern Europe and the Americas.

SOME BENEFITS OF BUTTER

I have always had the opinion that we should aim for the more natural source of a food, the least processed the better. Following this gut instinct I have always chosen butter over margarine or spreads. Before I get into the fat and cholesterol issues let’s look at what else can be found in our pound (or 454 g for all the metric people) of butter….

Butter contains the fat soluble vitamins A, E, K and D.

Vitamin A is required for healthy body growth and development, for maintenance of a healthy immune system and for good vision. It also acts as an antioxidant, but how much is really in butter? One teaspoon of butter will provide about 2 percent of your RDA (recommended daily allowance) of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E is another good antioxidant and also contributes to healthy skin, hair, nails. One teaspoon of butter contains approximately 0.7 percent RDA.

The primary role of Vitamin K in the body is to assist in the correct clotting of blood, without it we cannot seal and heal wounds. There is about 0.3 percent RDA of Vitamin K in a teaspoon of butter.

Vitamin D plays an important role in the absorption of calcium and phosphate within the body, thereby required for healthy bones.

While some of these levels of vitamins are low, they are fat soluble vitamins and are therefore more easily absorbed into our bodies due to presence of fat within the butter.

Butter contains the water soluble vitamins B and C

Low levels of B Vitamins and Vitamin C are found in butter.

Butter contains Minerals and trace elements

Butter contains Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Potassium and Iodine, all essential for healthy bodily function and immune system; Butter also contains trace elements such as selenium which is a natural antioxidant.

BUTTER VERSES MARGARINE

Most of the butter found on Irish tables is typically made from just one natural ingredient – cow’s milk. It is made from churning fresh or fermented milk or cream. The Vitamins and Minerals found in butter are naturally present (although these may sometimes be added during production). Butter usually contains salt.

Butter is high in saturated fats (often associated with cardiovascular disease).

Margarine is made from a number of ingredients, the base ingredient is typically a plant oil. These oils contain a lot more poly unsaturated fats than butter. However in order to make the product solid a small amount of saturated fats are introduced. The processing of margarine and the introduction of saturated fats requires high temperatures which create additional unwanted fats… called trans fats. Vitamins and Minerals are often added to the margarine during manufacture. Additional colouring is also added, otherwise the margarine would be grey!

SO WHAT ARE ALL THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FATS?

Saturated fats, Polyunsaturated fats, Trans fats…. what does it all mean. Basically saturated, polyunsaturated and trans fats are made of of the same things, put together in a slightly different way.

Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature and are found in animal derived products, such as butter, milk, cheese and meat. There are also some vegetable fats that are high in saturated fats, usually tropical oils such as coconut oil, palm oil and cocoa butter.

Polyunsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature and are found in larger qualities in vegetable and plant oils, some nuts and cold water fatty fish.

Trans fats are sometimes found naturally in trace amounts but the larger amount in our diets comes from processing of polyunsaturated fats. Partial hydrogenation of these fats results in the production of trans fats. Consumption of artificially produced Trans fats have been connected with an increased risk of hearth disease. Trans fats present naturally in ruminant animals may actually have health benefits and are not directly linked to the negative effects on health associated with their industrial counterparts.

CHOLESTEROL … LDL AND HDL, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

These days cholesterol is thought of as a dirty word, but it is not all bad. Cholesterol is an essential fat and plays an important role in maintaining a healthy body. Some cholesterol we get from our diet and some is made in our livers.

Cholesterol cannot move around the body on its own, it need to be transported through the bloodstream by carriers called lipoproteins. The lipoproteins we hear about most often are LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein).

LDL transports cholesterol around the body using the bloodstream as its highway. However, when we have too much cholesterol the LDL starts depositing it in the arteries and these can build up and form blockages. This is why high levels of LDL cholesterol is considered a BAD thing.

HDL on the other hand goes around mopping up excess cholesterol and transports it back to the liver. This is why HDL cholesterol is considerd the GOOD guy!

DISPELLING A FEW MYTHS

Saturated fats are essential for healthy development and function of the body. A diet with sufficient saturated fats allows for a healthy immune system, blood cells, nervous system and brain function.

Image source: chriskresser.com

The first food we make for our babies – breast milk – contains more than 50% saturated fats… this really emphasizes the importance of saturated fats in the development of babies and young children. Our brains are made up of about 60% fat; this fat content includes polyunsaturated fats such as the Omegas (3 and 6) but the largest portion is saturated fats. We need saturated fats in our diet in order to maintain a healthy immune system: without it we deplete the ability of our white blood cells to recognise and destroy invading antigens such as viruses and bateria. So our need for saturated fats extends far beyond our early development, saturated fats are a constant requirement throughout life (they can even reduce the signs of aging by maintaining a healthy elasticity to our skin).

Our lungs need a thin layer of a lubricant, called a lung surfactant, within the air spaces, in order to function correctly and stay healthy. This surfactant is made up of 100% saturated fats.

Despite the fact that saturated fats in the diet have been linked with an increased risk of heart disease there is much evidence to the contrary. Saturated fats in the diet can actually increase levels of good cholesterol (HDL) that is used to mop up excess cholesterol, as explained above. Also, saturated fats within the diet have been shown to reduce the levels of a substance called lipoprotein (a) which is linked to an icreased risk of heart disease.

More and more studies are being conducted to examine the effect of saturated fats on our health and investigate the correlation between saturated fats and risk of heart disease. These studies are now reporting a diet containing significant levels of saturated fats is not directly related to an increased risk to cardiac disease. Some reports suggest a diet rich in saturated fats reduced a risk of heart disease while other suggest the issue may lie more with the consumption of large amounts of carbohydrates along with the saturated fats.

photo credit: Aristocrats-hat via photopin cc

Recent studies conducted on a group of men in Australia examined the benefit of substituting saturated fats in the diet with unsaturated fats. All the men (458 men aged 30 – 59) in the study had suffered a recent coronary event. Results from these studies showed an increase in the risk of death from coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease in the group that substituted vegetable derived polyunsaturated fats for saturated fats in their diet.

MY FINAL WORD

You can tell from this blog that my fridge contains only butter (no margarine need apply); I should also point out that my family does not contain any dairy intolerant members! So butter it is…however I do acknowledge that butter can contain a lot of salt, that the fat content is very high and that, although made from one basic ingredient, the quality of that ingredient – cow’s milk – depends on the quality of the cow! How the cow is fed and treated naturally effects the butter produced. So, like anything else, we need to shop wisely, choose the food that meets our own standards as much as possible (be that reduced salt, organic etc) and keep to that age old recommendation…. EVERYTHING IN MODERATION!

Now, can someone please pass the butter…

Thought of the day – All in good taste!

May 2, 2013July 21, 2014nao

I read in a magazine at the weekend about a coffee taster who has insured his tongue for the pricey sum of €13 million! Given that there are more than 9,000 taste buds on the human tongue that works out at about €1,400 per tastebud!

My thought on reading the article was… why stop there? Our tongue is not the only place in our body where taste receptors are found! Taste receptors in the Pancreas are thought to moderate insulin production in response to levels of the sugar fructose. Taste receptors found in the lungs have been shown to respond to certain bitter tasting compounds and may, in the future, play a vital role in control and prevention of asthma! Taste receptors can also be found in the nasal cavity, the intestines and the stomach!

Then there is the fact our “taste” is influenced by other factors including smell, sight and texture! Our sense of smell greatly contributes to our taste… think about how little you can taste your food when your nose is stuffed up with a cold!

Our eyes play a large part in the whole process as well. We can even be tricked into perceiving different tastes in our food or drink if they appear visually altered. An example of this is tastes reported by people drinking white wine that was been coloured to appear as red. Even the colour and appearance of the plate or cup we eat or drink from can influence how we record taste.

Maybe the professional coffee taster should re-evaluate his insurance policy… perhaps €13 million is too conservative a figure? What do you think?

…just a thought!

All in a spin – why does the earth spin

May 1, 2013July 21, 2014nao

Phew, I really need to wake up alert these days… barely had a sip of tea in me this morning when I got bombarded with lots of questions; I was glad to see that the back of the box of Kelloggs multigrain shapes has lots of fun information about the Stars, Sun, Earth and Moon! (Well done Kelloggs!) …but this lead to the question…..

…… WHY DOES THE EARTH SPIN?

photo credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video via photopin cc

Inertia

The earth spins because of intertia…. the tendency of a body of mass to remain in it’s state of motion unless acted upon by another force. Bit of a mouth-full isn’t it? What it really means is that an object that is at rest (not moving) will stay that way unless another force or influence changes that…. a stone on the ground will stay in place unless we kick it with our foot! Likewise a moving object will stay moving unless a force acts on it to stop it! Moving objects on earth stop moving due to friction (think of stopping your bike when you pull the brakes!).

How was the Earth made?

So how does all this relate to the Earth? Well the Earth is formed from a pile of moving gas and dust created during the big bang! As these gases and particles collapsed under their own gravity they started to spin. These spinning dust clouds continues to collapse until they formed planets – such as the Earth. As the planets formed they kept spinning and, in the absence of a significant force to stop them, they continue to do so!

And that is why the Earth spins!

How fast does the Earth spin?

The Earth takes just under 24 hours to make one complete revolution – 23 hours 56 minutes and 0.4091 seconds to be exact. This is called the sidereal period (the length of time a body will make one complete orbit relative to the stars). So what is the speed of the Earth in kilometres per hour (kph)? It all depends of where you are standing! If you were standing at the North or South pole, for example, the Earth would be moving very slowly! If you were standing on the equator the speed of the earth will be moving at its fastest… that is to say, the circumference of the Earth is greatest at the equator and therefore must move faster to complete one revolution within a day! To better understand this try holding your finger on a point on a globe while you slowly spin the globe!

Now for the maths…. the circumference of the Earth at the equator is approximately 40,000 km. If we divide this by 24 (the approximate number of hours in a day) we get 1,667 kph (approx 1000 mph).

The Earth orbits the Sun at a speed of approximately 108,000 kph (67,000 mph).

Do all the planets spin?

Yes they do but not in the same direction or at the same speed. The inner planets of Solar System (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars) spin at a slower speed than the outer, larger planets ( Jupiter, Saturn,Uranus and Neptune). They all spin in a counter clockwise direction – as viewed from the top (or in a west to east direction), except for Venus and Uranus. The reason for this is thought to be the result of a significant collision during the formation of these planets .

What about stars?

Stars spin too. The Sun is a giant star at the centre of our solar system and it rotates on it’s axis, taking 25 days to make a complete revolution!

Image source: NASA

Further reading:

The planets (National Geographic)
Solar System Exploration (NASA)

IF YOU HAVE ANY SCIENCE OR NATURE QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE ANSWERED HERE JUST ASK, I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU…. I’LL JUST MAKE SURE I’VE HAD MY CUPPA FIRST ;0)

Thought of the day – " A questioning mind"

April 17, 2013July 5, 2014nao

From the moment I get up in the morning the questions start rolling…. the three year old is going through a “what happens if” phase with an alarmingly gruesome theme these days; “Mammy, what will happen if your eye ball falls out and you stand on it and squash it?” is just one of his recent gems! Before I have even had my morning cuppa I have attempted to answer a fair whack of questions. The process continues throughout the day… from the back of the car, while we do the shopping, during meals and all the way through to bedtime… he can literally fall asleep mid question!

But why the incessant bombardment of questions?…

"Mammy, what will happen if...?" — “Mammy, what will happen if…?”

There are over 100 billion cells in the brain of a newborn child. These cells need to start forming networks and connections with each other or else they will be “deleted” by the body in favour of more active cells . It is the child’s interaction with its surroundings and its social contact that greatly influence the amount of connections made within its brain.

The brain of a three year old is two times more active than that of an adult!

By the age of three the child is often actively developing its ability to think and question what is happening around it in every aspect of life! This is when the real deluge of questions come! This phase of heightened questioning supposedly lasts until the child is about ten years old. So I am blessed with three children in this busy questioning stage of life.

As exhausting as it may be, listening, answering and encouraging these questions is highly important to the development of the child’s brain…. it literally “Lights it up!” I think it is equally important to promote this questioning so that the child develops it as a habit they carry with them right through life! If you were to think of some of the scientific greats, who pops into mind…. Da Vinci, Darwin, Einstein, Newton maybe? Now would you say their work has left an impression on you because of their ability to learn or their sensation for questioning? Newton, at the age of 19 abandoned the norms of college learning and instead set himself a list of 15 questions that he explored for the rest of his life!

Questioning Minds - Einstein, Newton, Darwin and DaVinci.... notic any common feature? (hint - the hair) — Questioning Minds – Einstein, Newton, Darwin and DaVinci…. notic any common feature? (hint – the hair)

Interestingly, I find that my own ability to question life has been greatly enhanced since my children were born. I consider this a blessing and hope to continue learning how to question as they do. However, there are times, I must admit, when the answer to one of their questions is “just because!”… well I am only human!

…. just a thought!

"a can of worms"

April 11, 2013July 5, 2014nao

My daughter asked me the other day if you cut an earthworm in two will it grow back again? And will you have two worms? Suddenly the whole family is in on the act with talk of geckos tails and why we can’t grow back a limb. So to dispel a few myths and legends I thought I’d take a look for this weeks blog!

photo credit: schizoform via photopin cc

CAN YOU CUT A WORM IN HALF AND GET TWO WORMS?

The short answer is NO, so please don’t go trying! It is true that the anatomy of the earthworm is very different to our own and if part of a worm is cut off, one part may survive. The part that can survive is the “head” end. First let’s look at some of the unusual features of the inside of an earthworm.

ANATOMY OF AN EARTHWORM

Image credit: the weather report

The earthworm’s body is made up of segments called annuli. These segments are stuck together just like a series of rings all lined up; each segment contains little bristle like hairs called setae and these allow the earthworm to move. Earthworms are invertebrates meaning they don’t have any internal “boney” skeleton.

The earthworm does not have one heart as we do… it has FIVE! These hearts help pump the blood through the worm’s body. The worm needs oxygen just as we do but it has no lungs to fill with air, instead it has time pores on it’s skin which absorb oxygen from outside it’s body. In order for this to happen the worm needs to keep it’s body moist, which is why they often feel a bit slimy. Too much moisture though and the worms can drown; when it rains earthworms will move closer to the surface to prevent them from drowning!

Earthworms have a “head” and a “tail” but no eyes, ears or nose, so they can’t see, hear or smell as we can. However their skin is covered with sensors for light and movement so thy can react to too much light (sunshine) or movement (rain falling or soil being disturbed by digging predator).

SO WHAT HAPPENS IF WE CUT AN EARTHWORM IN TWO?

Firstly, cutting up earthworms or any other creature is a very cruel thing so please don’t do it! However if an earthworm’s body was to be cut into two parts its survival would depend on a number of factors:

Where in the body is the earthworm cut? The earthworm would have a better chance of surviving if it’s body is cut closer to it’s tail end. This end does not contain the vital organs. Research by Dr. Thomas H. Morgan (1901) found that the head end of the earthworm may survive if the head end contained at least 16 segments. It is possible that some of the tail end will even be regenerated. Some repair and regeneration is also possible at the head end, but usually only within a small number of segments.

Chance of infection: the earthworm can pick up a bacterial infection just as we can. If the earthworm can seal the cut or regenerate the segment before infection sets in it has a better chance of surviving.

The speed at which the earthworm heals: regenerating part of the body would require an awful lot of energy for the earthworm, the quicker it can heal the quicker it can get back to eating and refuel its body. If the earthworm does not have enough energy to complete the process it will die.

THE ROLE OF EARTHWORMS IN OUR GARDENS

The earthworm is often called “nature’s plough” as it digs through the soil , turning and rotating as it goes. Earthworms are herbivores, they feed on leaves, root and other decaying plant matter. The earthworm deposits this matter through out the soil through its faeces. An earthworm can eat up to one-third of its own body weight in a day!

The burrowing of earthworms helps the soil in two ways, it allows air and water into the soil through the channels it forms and it moves different layers and types of soil around, distributing nutrients and making the earth more fertile. Although earth worms often stay close to the surface of the soil they can burrow down as deep as two metres.

EXPERIMENT: Make your own wormery

A wormery (or worm farm) allows us observe the work that worms do within our soil.

Fill a large see-through container with alternative layers of soil and sand.
Put a layer of leaves and vegetation on the top.
Add enough water to keep the soil damp.
Collect some worms and add them to your wormery.
Cover the outside of your bowl with a large piece of card or paper to block out the light.
Put your wormery in a safe place and check on it every day – remember to keep adding some water to keep the soil moist.
You sould notice very quickly that the different layers of soil and sand are getting mixed together, the work of the industrious worms.
Remember to keep adding leaves and vegetation to the top layer and do let your worms safely back out into the garden once you have finished the experiment!

References:
Morgan, T. H., 1901. Regeneration. MacMillan, New York.
Chris Maynard, 2001. Backyard Science. Dorling Kindersley, US.

Further reading:

Earthworm facts and photos

Thought of the day – "What’s in a hug?"

April 10, 2013July 5, 2014nao

What is in a hug? More than you might think! We all know that a hug is a good way of expressing love, affection, jubilation, happiness, sympathy, comfort or friendship; hugs can cheer us up and strengthen relationships but the science behind a hug can go a lot deeper!

Hugs all round for health and happiness!

We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth

—Virginia Satir, family therapist

The positive bonds of a relationship can be greatly increased just by the physical proximity and contact bet ween the two people hugging. Studies have shown that couples that hug regularly are more inclined to stay together!

There are even reports that hugging yourself can reduce pain!

A good hug, as recommended, by social anthropologist Jean Smith, should last for 20 seconds or more. These hugs can increase oxytocin levels in our bodies making us happier and more relaxed. Increased oxytocin levels result in a lowering of blood pressure and other stress related symptoms. Oxytocin can also increase our social connections and is produced at many stages of bonding in life – such as at birth and during breast feeding. So we become happier, more content, healthier and more relaxed, all in 20 seconds – now that’s another miracle of nature, don’t you think?

…..just a thought!

Thought of the day… "when is a weed not a weed?"

April 9, 2013July 5, 2014nao

Some people see them as the scourge of their flower bed, others as a natural and wild source of food and medicine but what exactly is a weed and are they really just a plant growing in the wrong place?

There is no biological definition for a weed, the Concise Oxford English Dictionary’s definition is a wild plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants. I like dabbling in the occasional harvesting of the wild for the purpose of food, drinks and even mild medicine. Last week we gathered some young nettles and made a delicious pesto! I have to admit I got a great kick out of gathering something growing wild in the garden and changing it into something tasty and nutritious! Nettles can be used very much like spinach but contain higher levels of trace elements and minerals. They are good for detoxifying and cleansing the blood as well as reducing many ailments associated with inflammation.

Just on my doorstep (well almost) is the Corrib Lake, the second largest lake in Ireland. Unfortunately, certain parts of the lake are currently under invasion from a non-native species – the curly-leaved waterweed (Lagarosiphon major). This weed has become a real problem within the lake and has a negative impact on the population of brown trout for which the lake is renowned.I can’t deny I grumble about weeding, but overall I like plants that have a function other than just aesthetic pleasure and to me weeds often fall into this category. However, there is the flip side! Just as within the animal world, it is often not a good idea to introduce non-native species to a new environment!

So which side of the fence do you sit on when it comes to defining weeds, or are you like me, jumping back and forward depending on the weed that’s in it?

…. just a thought!

Thought for the day – imagination!

April 6, 2013July 5, 2014nao

This is one of my favourite quotes …

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”

― Albert Einstein

….it always makes me think of my daughter, she has the most amazing imagination I have ever come across; when she was very young she told me I was not her real mum and one day she would have to leave me and go back to her real family! Apparently she is a fairy princess and when the wicked witch attacked their kingdom her parents changed her into a baby in my tummy to keep her safe!

I see her imagination as a wonderful gift and feel humbled and nervous about the responsibility of keeping it nurtured and alive while she grows!

…just a thought!