There are metallic deposits scattered throughout our ocean floors — among hydrothermal vents, under the crust of seamounts, and scattered along sea plains in the form of rocks. As it happens, in our search for climate solutions, these metals have become more critical than ever to help us transition away from fossil fuels. We need them for everything like electric car batteries, copper wiring for electrification and wind turbines. Our land-based deposits have met our needs so far, but it’s unclear whether they will continue to, or whether we’ll want to keep destroying the environment to do so.
This video explains the history and the debate over mining metals in the deep sea and why one Canadian company, The Metals Company, is leading the rush there. There are huge environmental implications for digging up seafloor ecosystems as well as ethical ones: Metal-rich zones like the Clarion-Clipperton Zone lie in international waters that technically belong to everyone. A United Nations body located in Kingston, Jamaica, the International Seabed Authority, is faced with an urgent dilemma over how to regulate mining, whether the environmental harm is worth the benefits to solving our climate crisis, and how to fairly share the profits from this shared resource.
It’s too quiet. It’s too quiet!! The walls echo emptiness and absence, and it’s tearing my heart.
In April of 2010 I wanted a friend. I wanted one who would keep watch over my safety, driving off strangers and those who meant me harm. I wanted a friend who would stand tall and let none pass that meant me harm. And so, I went to a friend of a friend who found those who no one wanted with hope she could find me such a friend. As we spoke this maniacal blur of black and grey came ripping into the yard, eyes wide, teeth sharp and white, claws digging up tufts of grass as she made corners and then straight towards me with an unknown intention.
“Watch that one,” the lady said. “She came to me as one too wild to be homed.”
And then this wild child launched herself into my lap and laid her head on my chest, looking right through me with soft brown eyes full of mischief and hope. “Well, looks like you have been claimed,” the lady said.
“What’s her name,” I asked.
“Grace,” the lady said. “I found her just before she was to be put down at the pound. I told you she is said to be too wild.”
“Yeah, she looks vicious,” I laughed. Yet, claimed I was, a man no one wanted by a dog no one wanted, and both of us thought by some better off with a bullet. And so, Grace came home with me, this wild one that would protect my home and safety, just as I wanted. Just as I thought I needed.
As time went, she proved to me how wrong I was. Grace was not a guard dog. She didn’t stand boldly at the gate, the fear of strangers everywhere. In fact, one of the neighbors referred to her as a slut – taking love from anyone. I didn’t know if I was offended by that or not, but she was right.
As time passed Grace helped me deal with my anger, my desire for violence, my desires to just get in my car and drive away from it all. Grace taught me discipline and responsibility.
Most importantly, Grace taught me love and loyalty. I did not receive the guard dog I wanted that day, but was instead blessed with the best friend I deeply needed.
Last summer Grace began to limp. She was coming on 14 years old, so arthritis is expected. But, the arthritis medications didn’t help. Still, she lived a happy dog, and though she couldn’t do zoomies anymore, she loved to be with me outside or between my feet while I sat in my chair. There was nothing wrong with her tail, that’s for sure, and she was sure to tell anyone who could reach the box that she was ready for a bone no matter how bad her leg hurt. Two weeks ago I found out that she actually had cancer as her pain was getting worse and worse.
Still, my happy girl was glad to see me, quick to cuddle, quick to make me feel wanted, needed, loved.
On Thursday I overcame my selfishness and said goodbye to my sweet friend of 13.5 years. She laid her head in my hands one last time, a slight look of confusion on a face wet with my tears as the vet helped her move on. I held her to the end, my sweet friend, and experienced pain I just didn’t know a man could as I drove home. Alone.
Thank you, my sweet girl. You will forever be the better part of my heart.
The same-sex sexual activity recorded included courtship, mounting, genital contact, copulation (sexual intercourse) and pair bonding. Same-sex animals also raise young together.
The research revealed that same-sex sexual activity has been identified in more than 1,500 animal species, including spiders, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Overall, same-sex contact was reported in 261 mammalian species, representing approximately four per cent, belonging to 62 families and 12 orders.
Some penguins are gay, get over it. (Getty Images)
The scientists found that it was more common in mammals than other species, such as birds or insects, with more than 80 per cent of mammal groups experiencing same-sex behaviour in a number of long-term field studies.
The behaviour was recorded slightly more in males, with male-on-male activity observed in 199 species, while for the females it was seen in 163 species.
There were a variety of explanations for this, with some hypotheses suggesting that animals might engage in same-sex relationships as a “consequence of mistaken identity”, “limited availability of individuals of the opposite sex” or “indiscriminate sexual behaviour.”
Same-sex interactions in animals an ‘evolutionary conundrum’
The authors of the study wrote: “Same-sex sexual behaviour is any behaviour that is usually performed at some stage during reproduction with a member of the opposite sex, but which is instead aimed towards members of the same sex.
“Same-sex sexual behaviour as it is used here does not denote sexual orientation (ie an overall pattern of sexual attraction/arousal over time), sexual orientation identity (the sexual orientation that individuals perceive themselves to have), categories of sexual beings (homosexuals, heterosexuals, etc), nor sexual preference.”
The scientists overwhelmingly concluded that same-sex activity can play an “adaptive role” in “maintaining social relationships and mitigating conflict”, but noted that since the relationships do not “contribute directly to reproduction”, it is considered an “evolutionary conundrum”.
However, they warned that their findings should not be used to analyse the evolution of sexuality in humans.
The study’s authors also argued that since the relationship between animals and sexuality has only recently been investigated by ecologists, it is likely to be under-researched, and could benefit from further investigation.
As Many viewers will remember, I love learning and science. So this is one of my fav channels. Hugs.
Ladybugs may be the cutest insects around, but they don’t start off that way. Also called lady beetles or ladybirds, they pop out of their eggs as prickly mini-monsters with an insatiable hunger for aphids. Once they’ve bulked up, they transform, shedding their terrifying looks, but keeping their killer vibes.
I am posting this because of the comments. At the end of the comments you will see what I and Ali have been saying, if gender can not be discussed then teachers can not be addressed as Mr. or Mrs or Miss. Also how to explain what bathrooms kids are required to use without discussing gender? Then also if sexual orientation can not be discussed and same sex couples can not be mentioned, why doesn’t that also mean that opposite sex couples shouldn’t be mentioned? Hugs
Manatee County officials have removed “Christian, the Hugging Lion” by Justin Richardson, a 32-page children’s book about two men who raise a lion named Christian in a London apartment. When Christian becomes too big, the two men release the lion into the wild in Africa. When the men go to visit Christian in Africa, they find that he remembers them. The book is based on a true story.
The district cited The Parental Rights in Education Act as the reason for removing the book from district libraries. The Parental Rights in Education Act has a line prohibiting the discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in classrooms. While the two men, John and Ace, lived together in London and raised Christian the lion, it is never explicitly said in the book whether the two men were in a relationship.
The documentary is about 45 minutes long, if you’ve got time it’s really sweet.
(Edit: This is just a clip of the background to the story and the happy ending. The full documentary is on YouTube if you search “A Lion called Christian”.)
You know, the one profound thing that YouTube did for me very early on was to intro me to human-animal bonding that I never knew existed. It’s not just domesticated animals we’ve had bonds with. It’s a massive variety of animals!!
I hate to remind them that there is another book where the hero was parading around his home country with his 12 male companions, sleeping and eating together. Oh yes, Jesus and his 12 apostles. living and sleeping together for years. So, lets remove the bible too. And any books about monks living in a monastery together… men living together… have to go. And even books about priests in a rectory in a parish…. The sound of music… nuns living together in the convent. Or Downton Abbey… They had male servants sleeping in the servants quarters.
Here’s a rule of thumb… If you are banning books, you’re on the wrong side of history.
Didn’t he also at one time say that if he was going to run for President, he’d run as a Republican because Republicans are so stupid they’d believe anything you told them?
Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act prohibits the discussion of gender identity in classrooms? Great. Using their corkscrew logic, teachers must be addressed by their first names only, never by their honorific like “Mr.” or “Mrs.” or “Miss.” or, god forbid, “Ms.” And of course we must remove any book that contains an honorific, or dares to mention a husband and wife, or grandma and grandpa.
Yes, you can’t really explain to Steve why he can’t used the Girls bathroom, or Sally why she can’t use the boys bathroom, or question why Mark is wearing a skirt to school. All those require discussing gender identity.
And, as was mentioned, straight is a sexual orientation so any books with a married man and woman have to be removed too. Or any book that mention boy or girl or man or woman, because everyone has a gender identity (just like everyone has a preferred pronoun).
SCOTUS has ruled that the 2nd amendment is virtually unrestricted. If so, then the 1st amendment should be as well. Banned book authors should file a class action lawsuit and make the same arguments the NRA has made.
Anyone who has followed me for a while or seen what I posted on Ark’s blog knows I am terrified of spiders. Have been from my first memorizes. But I still like good documentaries, and this goes under know your enemy. I don’t have a category labeled “scary” but I am thinking I might need one. Hugs
Meet a family of hairy, scary eight-legged beasts of all shapes and sizes. This bizarre creature showcase is as fascinating as it is frightening, featuring spiders that walk on water, cartwheel across deserts, shoot hairs at predators, and delivery venom 15 times deadlier than a rattlesnake’s.
Horrifying. I was once working in the yard before I understood what fire ants were when we first moved to Florida. They swarmed my legs before they started to sting as a group. That is what they do, the first ant doesn’t sting, they wait until they have a bunch of them when dealing with large prey. By dogs that love gravy, that is painful. Ron’s mother had to be hospitalized because of a fire ant attach. They are nothing to take lightly. They can kill a fully grown cow because they swarm the prey / threat. Hugs
Witness one of natures ancient wonders – Fire Ants! It has been adapting, evolving for 150 million years 14 000 species they are nearly everywhere thriving. This is the story of solenopsis Invicta for 80 years it has been on a ceaseless march across the United States racking up six billion dollars every year in crop damage equipment repair and Pest Control conquering 340 million acres in 13 states and it’s still on the Move globally now scientists are cracking their ancient secrets to success and survival we knew that we could speculate all day but to fully understand the ants we decided to bring them into the lab and obtain visual data.
On Mock Paper Scissors, Tengrain posted a video that shows some humans still show the empathy and caring for other creatures that people should have for those we share the planet with. Humans like to pretend we are the superior animals of all other animals. Most humans do not act worthy of such a title. These people showed we humans can do some impressive things when we are willing to help those who need our help. Please go to the site and check it out. Hugs
Lots of people want to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and plastics have a huge impact on ocean environments. But marine wildlife are already adapting to our plastic waste, which means cleaning it up isn’t as simple as just… cleaning it up.
Yet, claimed I was, a man no one wanted by a dog no one wanted, and both of us thought by some better off with a bullet. And so, Grace came home with me, this wild one that would protect my home and safety, just as I wanted. Just as I thought I needed.
There was nothing wrong with her tail, that’s for sure, and she was sure to tell anyone who could reach the box that she was ready for a bone no matter how bad her leg hurt. Two weeks ago I found out that she actually had cancer as her pain was getting worse and worse.
Scottie's Playtime 