Going back almost as far you can with higher plants, we now have a remarkable use of plant-derived exudates that represents the phytopalaentological equivalent of looking for a needle in haystack. But one which has – coincidentally and inadvertently – created a new fledgling branch of botany. This is the revelation that has the fossil [...]
Taking the whole evidence-gathering issue back many hundreds of years now to an age before cookery books (cookery, a TV-obsession in the UK…). Amongst their other interesting findings, Brendan Foley et al. (Journal of Archaeological Science) bust the widespread myth that Greek amphorae were just ancient wine carriers (or urn-like containers to transport olive oil). [...]
I don’t know what the rest of the world’s TV is like but the USA and the UK– and Denmark– seem obsessed with crime dramas, especially those that explore the role of forensics in catching wrong-doers. To that end there is an almost daily avalanche of CSI (Crime Scene Investigation)-themed programmes, most of which emphasise animal [...]
In biology, matters are rarely either good or bad; oftentimes they may be both at once (albeit usually for different organisms). Take for instance hydrogen cyanide, which is widely regarded to be rather bad since it is a potent poison that can kill most living things by ‘interfering’ (that’s a euphemism!) with respiration. However, it [...]
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to get more organised in 2012, here is advanced notice of two entries for your diary. First, the 18–19th of April (2012), the Inaugural Meeting of the UK Plant Science Federation ( sorry, RoW). Imaginatively entitled UK PlantSci 2012, this event takes place at the John Innes Centre in [...]
As we start another new year people often resolve to do things better than in the old one. And as we continue to face global cash-strapped and financially-straitened times, one resolution for an under-valued botanist might be to make a bit more money. Well, phytological money-making ideas are often few and far between, but allow [...]
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas in the Cuttings’ household without Brussels sprouts (which are traditionally eaten – usually reluctantly – on the 25th of December in the UK – but nobody I know knows why…). Sadly, I couldn’t find a festive sprout-related item. But I have one about the next best thing: broccoli. Why is broccoli [...]
Still wondering what to get the phytologist who has everything? Well, for botanists on the move (you know the ones, always jetting off to conferences and never having the time to look after their house plants…), this year’s absolutely fantabulosa ‘must have’ present is the ‘botanics on the move’ Plantomatic. The Plantomatic was showcased in [...]
In lieu of the traditional collection of items in a monthly issue of the Annals of Botany, Mr P. Cuttings presents the following selection for your delectation, delight, distraction, diversion, etc, during this festive/holiday time of Holivacfest, Seasontide, Snowbreakfest, Winterval, Solsticebreak, Festivefest [or whatever politically correct term we’re supposed to use for Christmas this year]. [...]
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – apparently, also known as the Washington Convention) is a treaty whose aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild. Enacted in 1975, it offers [...]