I must confess that I really can't remember when I first came to believe that Green Tree Ants, presented in the previous entry, farmed aphids concealed under frass. However, I am always willing to learn, so thank you Jennifer for the … [Read more...] about Mealybugs and Jumping Plant Lice
Green Tree Ants
Green tree ants Oecophylla smaragdina farm aphids for their honeydew. They are occasionally referred to as weaver ants because they form large leafy nests bound with silk. Through amazing co-operative strength, they form strings of hundreds of ants … [Read more...] about Green Tree Ants
Cyclone: Mangrove Loss Left Burma Exposed, but Gore Blames Global Warming
Destruction of mangrove forests in Burma left coastal areas exposed to the devastating force of the weekend's cyclone, a top politician suggests. ASEAN secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan said coastal developments had resulted in mangroves, which act … [Read more...] about Cyclone: Mangrove Loss Left Burma Exposed, but Gore Blames Global Warming
Measuring the Surface Air Temperature (Part 1)
The orthodoxy has been that as a consequence of greenhouse gas emissions global temperatures will continue to increase. But what is really meant by global temperatures? According to James Hansen from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies … [Read more...] about Measuring the Surface Air Temperature (Part 1)
Don’t Grind Grain for Ethanol – by Geoff Ward (Part 2)
The New South Wales Government is proposing to mandate that all standard unleaded petrol will contain 10% of ethanol. This ethanol will mostly be sourced from grain. The main reasons we must oppose this legislation are the humanitarian effects of … [Read more...] about Don’t Grind Grain for Ethanol – by Geoff Ward (Part 2)
Don’t Grind Grain for Ethanol – by Geoff Ward (Part 1)
Grain prices have suddenly doubled worldwide and are expected to remain at these levels. For the billions of people who spend a large percentage of their income on food, mostly the urban poor in developing countries, this is and will be a disaster. … [Read more...] about Don’t Grind Grain for Ethanol – by Geoff Ward (Part 1)
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD is a critical thinker with expertise in the scientific method.
