Two arty things seen today.
The first was this graffiti on a brick wall on Boston Newbury’s Street. I was caught it from the right angle and thought the text and the tree were prefect juxtaposed:
The next is this thing made out of cardboard, it looks a bit like a kite and a totem pole done my Mr. Picasso:
It was in a tree near Boston’s MFA (Museum of Fine Arts).
Two great videos on YouTube about the Golden Frogs and 2 scientists attempts to save frogs affected by the chytrid fungus, a fungus that is affecting and killing and driving many of the worlds frogs to extinction.
Part One:
Part Two:
See my previous posting about the Panamanian Golden Frog:
http://timony.com/mickzblog/2008/02/02/waving-frog-waves-for-the-last-time/
Amazing article about the extent of pollution in the world’s oceans:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/oceans/la-me-ocean30jul30,0,6670018,full.story
The fireweed began each spring as tufts of hairy growth and spread across the seafloor fast enough to cover a football field in an hour.
When fishermen touched it, their skin broke out in searing welts. Their lips blistered and peeled. Their eyes burned and swelled shut. Water that splashed from their nets spread the inflammation to their legs and torsos.
Sad:
The Panamanian golden frog communicates with other frogs by semaphore in the form of gentle hand waves.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7219803.stm
What’s is amazing is that they took video of them in the wild before the last wild populations were destroyed by a fungi:
… after filming for the BBC One series Life In Cold Blood, the frogs had to be rescued from the wild, due to the threat of chytrid fungus.
More details on chytrid fungus and a possible cure:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7067613.stm
The blow that chytrid has dealt to the frog population is already immense.
The disease has probably accounted for one-third of all the losses in amphibian species to date, says Professor Rick Speare, an expert in amphibian diseases who works with the University of Otago’s frog research group.
Update:
Just found this video on YouTube that from the BBC documentary mentioned above:
