23/05/2008 by admin.

Dramatic evidence of the break-up of the Arctic ice-cap has emerged.  Scientists have found major new fractures during an assessment of the state of giant ice shelves in Canada’s far north. They found a network of cracks that stretched for more than 10 miles on Ward Hunt, the area’s largest shelf.  The scientists were astonished to see these new cracks, saying: “It means the ice shelf is disintegrating, the pieces are pinned together like a jigsaw but could float away. We’re seeing very dramatic changes; from the retreat of the glaciers, to the melting of the sea ice.  What’s happening to the ice shelves is part of that picture.” 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7417123.stm

After the record Arctic melting last year, all eyes are now on what happens to the sea ice this summer.

Perhaps this explains why Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’ has been put back on display in a Norwegian museum, having been largely restored after it was damaged during a heist in 2004.  The painting is not quite its former self, carrying a humidity stain in the bottom left-hand corner. The painting, of course, features within our story to represent nature’s torment at our destuctive hands. We see its restoration as a message of hope for the future.

Let’s celebrate with this version of Norwegian Wood, by The Beatles.  Look out for the man in the shadows!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG0xiweOaMw

Posted in Q79 Have you ever looked into the shadows?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »

06/05/2008 by admin.

As the number of casualties from the Burma cyclone continues to grow, it seems the destruction of the countries mangrove forests left coastal areas exposed to the devastating force of the storm.   The combination of more people living in coastal areas and the loss of mangroves had exacerbated the tragedy. A leading Asian politician, Surin Pitsuwan, said, “Encroachment into mangrove forests, which used to serve as a buffer between the rising tide, between big waves and storms and residential areas; all those lands have been destroyed.”

The UN has launched an appeal to raise funds to help the victims of the disaster.

On a much lighter note, a pair of rare pure albino ‘blackbirds’ have been caught on camera in Gosport, Hampshire. It’s another in a string of albino animals seen recently, which is curious given Lucy’s suggestion that we should celebrate diversity as illustrated by the spectrum of colour hidden within the colour white in Nature.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7385714.stm

A closely related condition to albinism is leucism - which involves reduced pigmentation in animals.

Posted in Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q31 Are you a charitable neighbour?, Q21 Have you ever hugged a tree?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you? | No Comments »

25/01/2008 by admin.

A young girl who has spontaneously switched blood types and taken on her donor’s immune system following a liver transplant, has been hailed by doctors as a ’one in six billion miracle.’ The girl, Demi, received a donor liver when she was nine.  Her blood group changed from O negative to O positive when she became ill while taking drugs to stop her rejecting the organ.   Her new liver’s blood stem cells then invaded her bone marrow to take over her entire immune system, meaning she no longer needs anti-rejection treatment. Medics have called it the ‘holy grail of transplant surgery’.

Posted in Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q52 Do you believe in miracles?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q34 Have you ever restored something? | No Comments »

07/12/2007 by admin.

In an ironic statement, the exterior of Tate Modern, a former Bankside power station, was lit up to illustrate the potential Thames river level in 2050. 

Strong gale force winds meant that London’s Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square came periously close to toppling over only hours after it was put up!

Under the watchful eyes of Admiral Nelson, the tree is a traditional gift from Norway - home of the yggdrasil legend.  It’s the 61st tree - as a thank you to Britain for its help during the 2nd World war.  We find this strange - another warning?

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q47 Do you know your history?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »

07/09/2007 by admin.

It once built the Great Wall, but China is now setting up a vast Wall of Hay to try to halt the spread of the desert. 

 In the Maowusu Desert workers are building barriers of hay in grid patterns, in an attempt to stabilise the sand dunes. More than 400million people are at risk from the relentless sperad of deserts, which already cover a quarter of China.  Scientists have blamed global warming for desertification in the country.   

A hamster was caught speeding in an exercise ball by a six year old in Buckinghamshire.  The young boy - out riding his bike - was astonished when the hamster whizzed past him. The boy caught up with the hamster  and tried to reunite it with its owner. His family put poster’s up around their home, but nobody has come forward to claim the hamster. They believe she may have come from the next village - which was 3 miles away.  They’ve decided to keep her and named her - yes you guessed it - Lucy!

Remember the giant lego man, well it seems the ‘building blocks’ of life may have been spotted for the first time.  Nine tiny extremely young and pristine galaxies have been observed, giving scientists an insight into how elements come together.  Is this a message for us not to mess with the foundations of our existence - that we meddle with the eco-system at our peril?

Art for Art’s sake! A study for the Institute of Education has shown that the value of an Art’s degree in terms of earning capacity is £zero! In fact, it seems arts graduates are no better off than if they had taken A-levels.   Well, what would Charles Lamb and many of the other members of the Blakesware Set make of the findings? We feel they would judge an arts education as invaluable!

Posted in Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q70 Do you like to look at the stars?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »