Tigers in Danger
Adherents of traditional Chinese medicine buying at poachers skins, teeth and bones of animals. Because of this, in some Asian tigers are threatened with extermination.
Black market in Cambodia: on the earth the killed tigers - in parts. Separately the head, bones, skins. This Asian "pharmacy under the open sky", and the buyers are - the adherents of traditional Chinese medicine. Virtually every part of the body of a tiger Chinese ascribe healing properties - and because of this pay huge money to poachers. In Chinese medicine, used in almost all parts of the body of a tiger, although there is no scientific evidence that the whiskers, paws or tail of a predator can help with disease.
But the illegal trade flourishes. In the China hunting for a tiger is forbidden, and speculators buy up the killed tigers in the countries of Asia.
International trade in tigers is officially banned since 1975, but business poachers, however, is thriving. If 100 years ago in Asia there were about 40 000 tigers, but now poaching and massive deforestation has led to that the population had fallen to 3500 - 5000 tigers. The Bali tiger, Caspian tiger, the Javan tiger - these types of tigers have disappeared from the face of the earth. Meanwhile, prices on the black market continues to grow.
The illegal trade is thriving not only in Cambodia. Police patrols are regularly confiscate illegal goods in India, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. For example, in July 2009, the Vietnamese environmental police found in the trunk of a car 11 kilograms of tiger bones and frozen carcass of a cub. And although environmental patrols in Vietnam and Thailand are working closely with conservation organizations, they still do not have enough funds to combat poachers.
In summer 2009, the World Wildlife Fund WWF presented the results of a study on the future of the tiger. It argues that many Asian countries not actively oppose poaching and illegal trade in animals.
Environmentalists warn: illegal hunting of tigers threaten the existence of absolutely all subspecies of these animals. The World Conservation Union IUCN plans in October this year to provide a global long-term program to save tigers.

Biofuels destroys the Gulf of Mexico
The decision of the USA to make in the future the basic rate on biological fuel means for the Gulf inevitable expansion of its oxygen-poor dead zone. This conclusion comes microbiologists from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. According to their findings, published in the journal «Environmental Science and Technology», even the use of cellulose as a feedstock for bioethanol production will not stop the process of reducing the oxygen content in the Gulf, despite the fact that nitrogen fertilizer at the same time requires much less than with biofuels from cornstarch.
Lowering the oxygen content created in recent decades, large areas of the Gulf of Mexico a vast dead zone, which for most higher organisms - fish, crabs, shrimp - leaves no chance of survival. The greatest size of the zone reaches the spring and summer, when the Mississippi and the second distributary of its delta - Atchafalaya River - bring in the bay water with high concentration of nutrients. These nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, are a part used in the midwestern U.S. chemical fertilizers, which are a result of the rains washed down from the soil surface and penetrated into the groundwater. In rivers they fall into the bay and promote intensive growth of algae, which are decomposed by means of bacteria, absorbing oxygen from the water in large quantities.
Several U.S. states have already launched programs to reduce nutrient discharges into the bay, which is likely to lead to a threefold reduction in the dead zone - from 15000 to 5000 square kilometers. However, in 2007 the U.S. Senate dealt a fatal blow to these plans, deciding on the production of 136 billion liters of ethanol annually until 2022. But biofuels produced, including, as a result of intensive use of fertilizers, particularly if the biofuel is used as the basis for corn starch. According to the plans of Americans, the number of corn-based ethanol is expected to reach 40 percent of the total production of biofuels, that is tripled. Other types of energy products should be manufactured from cellulose or other crops, cultivation of which less expensive in terms of energy and mineral fertilizers.
Recent studies show that the number falling from the mouths of rivers into the ocean nitrogen, promotes the widening of the algae will grow and the use of cellulose. Even if it will bring a 20-percent decrease compared to the mixture used today, switching to less demanding in terms of all types of fertilizers will not yield tangible results.
It shall come into force and other factors conducive to the growth of oxygen-poor areas, says Andreas Oshlis from the Institute of Marine Research, named after the Leibniz (Leibnitz-Institut für Meereswissenschaften) (IFM-GEOMAR)
Plays a role in this case, and carbon. The increase of CO2 in the atmosphere stimulates the growth of carbon sequestration in algae on the surface of the sea. Like people, excessively consume junk food, the algae on a carbon diet "get fat", and as a result of bacteria in the decomposition of phytoplankton consume more oxygen. Therefore, the dead zone will grow with the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere, even if the intensity of use of mineral fertilizers will remain at the same level "
A separate problem is the production of raw materials for biofuels, according to Oshlis, it is often of low economic efficiency of fertilizers, as well as their uncontrolled use. "Based on the profitability of farms, raw materials for biofuels are cultivated today in the scale monoculture, which requires an increasing amount of mineral fertilizers. Manufacture of food products has long been built on the principle of economical fertilizer, which is not observed in the case of biofuels, say experts of biogeochemical modeling.

From small to the great
Who said that the Chinese - low? It is in this country live in the highest woman and the highest man on Earth. According to the Guinness Book of Records, in 2005, the highest on the planet was found 55-year-old Xi Shun from the province of Inner Mongolia. His height is 236.1 cm - 2 millimeters more than the previous world record holder Tunisian Radwan Sharbiba. About four years ago, the Algerian news agency APS reported on Munir Furare whose growth was reportedly 244 cm but for whatever reasons, Munir was unable or unwilling to apply to the record books.

There is no saying, whether correctly it has arrived. American woman, Sandy Allen, for example, official registration of its record in its time it helped a lot. It was she, according to the Guinness Book, remains the highest woman in the world - 231 cm. Sandy was born in 1955 and began uncontrollably reach up from childhood. And terribly worried ... In 1974 she wrote a compiler of the book records: "Needless to say, I practically live outside society. Perhaps, thanks to your book, my life changed for the better. " And the next year, Federico Fellini, who was famous for his passion for the actors with extravagant appearance, suggested that the role of Sandy in the movie "Casanova". Soon began to build and personal life: Sandy met a man who could be her equal, being lower than its total to 2.5 cm is what it means fame.

Although referred Algerian Mounir Furar of lack of demand is unlikely to suffer. He entertained the people at fairs and other mass events. So perhaps, somewhere will find more and new record, now dwells in obscurity. As officially registered cases, the tallest man of all time and people recognized American Robert Pershing Uodlou, born in 1918. He grew up to 272 cm is possible that Robert Uodlou would grow further, if his life was tragically interrupted in 22 years from the absurd ankle injury.

Usually we cease to grow, reaching 25 years. Significant deviations from the norm are the result of the defeat of the endocrine glands - pituitary, thyroid or sex. It is in the secretion: gigantism is produced when too much growth hormone in dwarfism (dwarfism) - little. This is not a hereditary phenomenon, very high or very low, people can appear in any family, and among any people. In general, the highest people in the world - a Tutsi who live mostly in African countries, Rwanda and Burundi. The average height of adult males is 183 cm Tutsi Surprisingly, the smallest people on earth live in neighboring countries - in Zaire. This Pygmies mbutsi, among which there are groups where men dorastayut to an average of 132 cm and women - up to 124 cm.

The growth of these two people meet and scope of the human norm. People above 2 m are considered giants, below 130 cm (for women - 120 cm) dwarfs. The smallest adult world - Indian, Gul Mohammed, his height - 57 cm.

Queen for two nights
Victoria Regia - the greatest water-lily in the world. But to see its flowering it is not simple. The snow-white flower reveals only at night.
This amazing water lily more than a century and a half bears the name of the most famous Queen of England. Anything surprising. Victoria Regia – the queen of flora, the biggest in the world a water plant. Still it name «Victoria Amazonian» as to meet her it is possible on the warm rivers and lakes of pool of Amazon.
Average diameter of leaves of a royal water-lily – two metres. The edges bent up do their similar to huge dishes. The dense network of proveins with sharp thorns protects leaves, stalks and завязи colours from травоядных fishes (is also such). These green "vessels" excellently keep afloat. On the largest copies the adult person can easy stand or lie. Very big and very dense leaves of this water-lily maintain cargo to 50 kg. What to speak about babies. The ideal cradle - itself rocks on waves...
Flower at a huge water-lily the corresponding. Snow-white flowers of Victoria Regia reach thirty with superfluous centimetres in a diameter and exhale a luscious smell of pineapples and... toffys. One is a pity – they reveal all on two nights in a year. But it is enough of it, that there was a pollination.
As soon as the huge flower reveals, midges and bugs direct to it, involved with strong aroma and heat. This plant – the present live hot-water bottle. The temperature of air and water does not exceed 30 degrees, and in a water-lily it can rise to forty! Bugs creep there in search of food and heat – the flower is cooled, and petals are densely closed. Till the night. Insects appear locked up. However the lack of a freedom of movement is with interest compensated by a meal abundance.
All next day bugs regale on sugar and starch which contain in a flower. At last, with approach of twilight the sweet trap opens. Stuck round from feet to a head pollen, insects fly on the next water-lily. Also deliver pollen to its pestle.
And on an outcome of the second night the pollinated flower definitively is closed and plunges into water warmed up by the sun. There will be maturing. When the seed box will be opened, seeds will emerge on a surface. And the spread waters will carry them across all Amazonia, giving a life to new generation of these surprising plants.

... Today is changing the natural cycles. Thus, the caterpillars emerge from eggs with a delay, when the leaves that they eat, have not so juicy. And some fish species, on the contrary, spawn too early, before the will of plankton, which feed on the fry.
Shifting seasons: spring arriving in Europe for 6-8 days earlier than 35 years ago, and the autumn ends later. In China, the flowering period starts 2-4 days earlier in Japan, sakura bloom for 5 days earlier than half a century ago. The same thing happens with many other plants.
The changes affect all continents. Just a few years, beetles, proliferated on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, and destroyed all the spruce forests - and it is 1.6 million hectares. In Central and South America, spread pathogenic fungus led to the extinction of 70 species of frogs.
The last 30 years, the warm climate zones shift towards the corresponding polar regions at a speed of 40 km per year. According to researchers, the 1700 species of plants and animals are migrating toward the poles.
European winters have become milder and wetter, but the continent is increasingly experiencing a period of summer heat. In 2003, she hit 35 thousand people - from Rome to Helsinki. Climatologists believe that after 80 years every second summer in Europe will be abnormally hot. 1998 was the warmest since the beginning of meteorological observations in the world. From him not far behind 2005-th, 2002 th, 2003 th and 2004 th. At present, according to estimates by the World Health Organization, the annual number of deaths caused by climate change, to 150 thousand.
Most experts who study climate change believe that by 2100 the temperature on Earth will increase by 2-4,5 ° C. Oceans, albeit with some delay, also will be heated - and thus their volume, according to the laws of physics, will increase. Only it - for certain conditions - can lead to an increase in sea level by 43 cm And if you melt the polar ice caps in Greenland and Antarctica, the threat of flooding of the continents is real. Already, data from satellites show: the level of the Pacific Ocean increases annually by 1-2 mm.
Particularly worrying climatologists that the polar ice to melt armor can not gradually, but, under certain conditions - rapidly. This sudden thawing may be caused by a change in albedo - the reflectivity of the earth's surface. The fact that snow and ice almost completely reflect the sun's rays, while the land and oceans absorb a large part of them and heated. The smaller ice surface, the warmer to free him from the surfaces - and the faster the melting.
Thus the shrinkage of glaciers, continental and polar ice starts processes could exacerbate warming. In Greenland, temperatures rise enough for another 3 ° C, so the ice melted completely.

Superheated Planet
The climate is changing, it is obvious. Someone suffering from it, someone wins. Sometimes both - with a short break. One couple from Switzerland rented Alpine hotel on the hillside Ajger. As the glacier covering it thaws, the eastern edge of the mountains descend downward into the valley. Soon the hotel building has literally hung over a precipice... Then the couple rented another mountain refuge above the slope - and succeeded. Tourists go there droves - from this point of a view of the piece of rock the size of 2 million cubic meters. From time to time he settles down with a crash.
Alpine glaciers (almost all) retreating for several decades. During the summer, they lose more weight than they can build up in the winter. Ice is no longer constrains the slopes and rocks crumble. The Swiss Ministry of the Environment has made even has made a map showing the dangerous. Climatologists say that by the end of the XXI century 80% of Alpine glaciers disappear. Maybe in the Alps in general, there will be no ice.
The rapid melting of ice is observed in the higher and cold mountains - for example, in the Andes. In the Himalayas, south-west China area of glaciers in the last 30 years has decreased by 21%. Famous symbol of Africa - Mount Kilimanjaro, the height of almost 6000 meters - loses his snow.
Plants and animals change their familiar surroundings. Nobody is not particularly surprising that in the North Sea in the nets of the fishermen have increasingly come across the Mediterranean sea bream. In the Mediterranean, there were also new residents. Along the coast of Mallorca divers are at risk to encounter reef sharks, which usually resides in the Maldives and the coast of Australia. Now caught in the Mediterranean Sea and other "migrants from the south".
If the water got warmer, all this exoticism floating in the Mediterranean never would have seen. Over the past 10 years the temperature of surface waters of the Mediterranean has grown at 2-4 ° C. Besides its water becomes saltier because evaporates faster than replenished.
Changing and flora. Climatologists predict that the usual composition of European forests will change. Spruce and fir due to dryness and the temperature drop will feel bad on the plains, and their numbers will inevitably decline. And for the pines, oaks, or drought-resistant acacia conditions, by contrast, are favorable. Environmentalists believe that more than half of plant species in Central Europe will be threatened - especially suffer mountain flora.
"Dehydration" Europe is fraught with many consequences ...

Norwegian brand
These sinuous bays, cut into the land for tens and even hundreds of kilometers are everywhere - in Canada and in Chile, Russia and Scotland. However, to make their own national brand it was possible only to one country. Today the whole world calls it a miracle of nature only in Norwegian - fjords.
Since the aircraft are narrow and winding bays seem to be a network of blood vessels. They permeate the coast of Norway from the Norwegian Sea deep into dozens of kilometers. Geologists believe that the fjords have arisen when the tectonic plates changed the direction of motion to the opposite. That is why the fjord so deep - an average of 800 meters. During the Second World War, this feature allowed Germany to build on the shores of Norway, easy-submarine base. Today it is actively used by all major cruise lines. Along the coast of Norway cruising ships of all sizes: it is small luxury, at 300-400, before the courts, enclosing two or three thousand passengers - in the fjords easily enter even the largest cruise liners. Their owners have long made itineraries along the coasts of Norway, a separate area. Every major cruise company always has plans for the several summer routes.
Gateway to the kingdom of fjords in Norway, called the city of Bergen, the second largest in the country. Located in the west of Norway, on the North Sea coast, to 1299, he was the Norwegian capital. This determined his future fate: in the Middle Ages, he entered the merchant Hanseatic League and remains a major port until now. At some point, with the spacecraft, entering the harbor of Bergen, suddenly overlooking the old merchant of the city - Bruges, which is included in the book world cultural heritage by UNESCO. The same landscape half a century ago, who was born in Bergen, admiring the great Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.
Longest fjord in Norway - Sognefjord length of 204 kilometers. (For example, the Suez Canal is shorter by 43 kilometers.) Depth of the fjord and man-made navigable arteries compared pointless: 1300 meters at the Sognefjord and 20 meters from the largest of the channels created by people. One of the most promoted tourism brands of Norway - Geiranger-Fjord. There are walking along the trail trolls, admire waterfalls, white strands which are rolled with a dark-gray rocky ledges. Effectively completes the picture of a cloud of spray over the water.
In two hours' drive from Geiranger Fjord lies the town of Olesund, one of the most interesting in the kingdom of Norway. At the beginning of XX century it was an ordinary wooden fishing town, which many in Norway. He changed after the terrible fire in 1904, which completely destroyed. New Ålesund, who rebuilt on the ashes, had nothing in common with its predecessor: the city reigned in modernist style or "Art Nouveau", which in Scandinavia called "Jugendstil". Now look at the bizarre towers and bright facades gathers mass of tourists.
Region Nordford named in honor of the largest fjord in these parts. It covers an area roughly equal to two St. Petersburg - 3,5 thousand square kilometers. It is clearly seen as a changing landscape. A few hours from the Atlantic coast into the country - and the mountains become higher, and the fjord all already. Visiting card of the region is located here and Glacier National Park Briksdal, where fans of skiing and snowboarding can go from late May to mid-July.

Dolphins: Massacre in Taiji
Every year, Japanese fishermen kill tens of thousands of dolphins, and forcing them into the bay. This is happening in the Bay of taiji.
For many years the sight from animal lovers tears welling in his eyes: in the Bay of the Japanese coastal town Tayiji die in agony, hundreds of dolphins. Fishermen are driving them into a trap, blocking network access to the sea. Sitting in a boat, fishing spears, harpoons and knives hit the boiling water. And they always hit the target - so high density of writhing bodies of animals in shallow coastal waters. Dolphins are in a panic looking for way to escape. But no way.
Bay Tayiji become synonymous with the conflict of cultures. On one side are the fishermen. They justify the annual slaughter that is - an ancient ritual, and the fact that dolphins are supposedly taking away the catch, depriving the inhabitants of coastal livelihoods. They are opposed by environmentalists and animal welfare advocates, primarily from the West. They argue that this slaughter does not make sense, and the fishermen themselves to blame for the fact that in the Sea of Japan is becoming less and less fish. And the reason is happening - not in the tradition, and money.
And indeed: the bloody orgy - quite a profitable business for the killers of dolphins, and not only in taiji. Before the dawn begins massacre, envoys from zoos around the world have been driven into the trap of visiting the dolphins, to replenish their stock dolphinariums. Because the Dolphins do not breed in captivity, must constantly buy new animals. According to unconfirmed reports, each copy costs up to 200 000 dollars. Nowhere is there such a wide choice and more convenient conditions for the acquisition of dolphins, both in the fishing season in places such as Taiji. Once salesmen selects the best specimens for the remaining dolphins began hell.
Taiji - not the only place in Japan, which kill dolphins. Experts estimate that within six months of catching cetaceans off the coast of Japan destroyed more than 30 000 animals. Nobody knows exactly how many more die in the networks of Japanese trawlers: a year in total, probably three times more than in the bays. The Japanese government has not heeded the protests of animal protection. In taiji already accustomed to the demonstrators from the western countries: the fishermen do not let them to the place of slaughter, often under the threat of force.
What happens to the dead dolphins? Japan has long been talk about that dolphin meat contains mercury. This has already led to the collapse of the national market. And only in the coastal towns, many families stubbornly doesn't refuse dubious delicacies, not sparing him the money. However, most of the bloody "harvest" is sent to recycling: the Japanese make him food for dogs.

In the world held every year hundreds of marathons, and hardly their participants think of that who has thought up this kind of sports. The most severe form of athletics "invented" a hundred and ten years ago Michel Breal French scholar and connoisseur of ancient art. It was he who advised the founder of modern Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin to include in their program marathon. Greeks did not know of such kind of sports. (Short of legendary Fidippid who in 490 year BC has reached from the Marathon valley to Athenes and, having informed townspeople on a victory of Miltiada over Persians, and fell down dead.)
At the the first Olympic Games of 1896 in Greece in the footsteps of Fidippid have run modern marathons. A few months later these competitions were organized in the capital of France. In 1897 inhabitants of Boston have arranged running (it is still the oldest of the ongoing urban marathons).
Initially the distance was not precisely defined. Was it possible to restore the route Fidippid? Therefore the distance from start to finish ranged from 40 to 42 km. Only in 1921, the International Federation of athletes, fans began to consider it equal to 42 km 195 m.
Marathon, which takes place in New York, is relatively young: the first race was held in 1970. At the urging of Fred Lebow and the New York club of street runners start out 126 men and one woman who paid a fee of one dollar. To overcome posited distance, they had to run circles in Central Park. Up to 55 athletes reached the finish line and received prizes – an inexpensive watches.
Six years later, Lebou has decided not to become isolated in borders of park and to spend running on all to five areas of New York. At the start of 2090 then came man. And now the city cannot take all comers. (In 2005 the organizing committee filed a record 87 625 applications.) Now limit the number of participants 37 000 people. But age limits no, you need only undergo a medical examination. Lucky beggars are defined by a lot, it "certificate" – a breastplate reliably protected from fakes stands out.
Marathon takes place the first Sunday of November. The day before the start of his route is indicated by the blue line and along the route laid on Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Manhattan, are placed trays with complimentary drinks and food - but only for running. Measureless crowd starts from Verrazano Bridge on a shot from a cannon.
"Cheer" for their own or simply enjoy the atmosphere of a holiday falls of over 2 million viewers. At the marathon run 13 000 thousand volunteers, including emergency room physicians and psychologists. General organization of activities designed to trifles. (Intimate detail: in order to meet the needs of exhibitors and visitors, but it does not harm the ecology of the city, not far from the starting line at the Verrazano Bridge urinal is installed, which can be regarded as the longest in the world - almost 100 meters.)
Despite the loss of a working day, New York does not become poorer: charges of holding a marathon of over 100 million dollars. Thus the participants are not alien to the idea of charity. All the warm clothes, which they traditionally throw before the start, the organizers collect and then distribute to the poor. In addition, during the competition collecting donations, a contribution willingly many celebrities. And sometimes they themselves take part in the race, drawing attention to topical issues, which the regular marathon organizers.
Among the participants are not only amateurs but also professional runners, which attracted respectable prizes. Men and women are divided into four age categories; the top ten in each of them receive awards of different denominations. The main winner will receive 100 000 dollars.