Comments on: Bee Karaoke, Green Blood, and why Global Warming is causing kittens!

By: The anti-BSer

The anti-BSer — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 05:28:05 +0000

Concerning that fungus, there was a fascinating article in Scientific American (I think) on fungi and those who study them. Mycologists have established that fungi and trees are actually symbiotes, exchanging nutrients that neither can extract from the environment on its own.

There’s a lesson here, which can be illustrated by understanding the futility of trying to exterminate an enormous fungal colony like this. The colony is ancient and resilient, and has survived countless climate cycle variations. Just as the overall ecosphere of the planet has weathered (forgive the pun) massive disturbances yet continues to roll along.

That 1815 volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora? How does that compare to the putative impact of human activity on the ecosphere?

First lesson of critical thinking: Examine the information behind any statement, such as the theory that global warming leads to more kittens. That’s as tenuous of a logic chain as any I can bring to mind…..

By: Laurence

Laurence — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 21:18:25 +0000

While the kitten theory is cute, this is probably more non-scientific propaganda. As an intelligent organization like yourselves should know, global warming causes the polar icecaps to melt, which in turn chills the water that courses through our oceans resulting in an overall DROP in ambient temperature in most temperate zones not a rise. There are no higher temps in areas that cats populate from this factor, and if there were, it wouldn’t be large enough to be measurable.

By: Connie

Connie — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 13:40:55 +0000

Oh that’s just GREAT! Now you’ve gone and given those idiots who write the schmaltzy horror flicks some new fodder. . . .underground fungus surfacing . . . .who’ll be swallowed next??

By: Ransom

Ransom — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 04:15:10 +0000

Hey, welcome to the blog! Great post.

By: InternJason

InternJason — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 02:17:26 +0000

Thanks for all your comments!
Ryan- nice work on the bees. Your project sounds very cool.
Jeremy & Ed- thanks for letting us know about the Pando. I checked it out and thought it was amazing. Nature can be so unbelievable sometimes.

By: Humaira

Humaira — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:32:40 +0000

Good response for a first post InternJason!

By: Ryan B

Ryan B — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:00:46 +0000

Fun read! And I learned something to :P I was particularly interested in the Bees! While I commend the work, and it’s importance in monitoring the health of our bees – it doesn’t seem to do much in the way of figuring out why CCD is actually happening. I guess being alerted to a problem or change in hive health is a great first step, but we still have a bit of research to get to before saving our bees!

I’m currently trying to raise money for research on our honeybees by selling tshirts. I Hope you’ll check it out!

Ryan
http://www.savetheblank.com

By: Kaitlyn Rowney

Kaitlyn Rowney — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:08:23 +0000

Who knew science could be so interesting? Now I wish I had paid more attention in science class.

By: Ed Hands

Ed Hands — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:31:28 +0000

Yes, the “Pando” in Utah.

Just google “pando tree wiki”

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 17:28:26 +0000

To be fair to the fungus, that’s really big, but “largest” may not be distinct enough. It certainly covers more area than any known organism, but as I understand it, there’s a stand of aspen trees somewhere in the US that would be larger, in terms of mass. It’s basically a whole forest consisting entirely of one entangled mass of roots. Each tree has the same DNA as the next!