New species of snail lives only in a quarry owned by Lafarge cement

A new species of snail was discovered in a limestone quarry operated by cement giant Lafarge, in Malaysia, it is estimated that this is the only place where it exists. The species is tiny, rare and its survival depends solely on the Lafarge â€" probably for this reason, the name that was given to him takes account of the French giant-charopa lafargei.

This was the first time that a species "collects" the name of a company â€" and there's no reason for less. Without the help of Lafarge, the species has the days counted.

The new snail-new to us, it is clear â€" was discovered in Gunung Kanthan in northwestern Peninsular Malaysia. He suffers from a problem common to all species whose geographical area is reduced: a very high risk of extinction. To make matters worse there is this coincidence: the quarry where the charopa lafargei lives is owned by Lafarge â€" is a habitat where sometimes corporate profit weighs more than biodiversity.

This site, incidentally, is fertile for the development of new species. In a few months were discovered three new plants, a spider, a snail and a gecko. All are at risk of extinction and all depend on the quarry for his future.

In recent times, and as parts of the Virgin until now globe are overrun, new species are discovered at a very high speed. All of them are at risk of extinction, since their habitat is reduced.

The future of charopa lafargei is still uncertain, but the journalist Tony Juniper, the Guardian, has some suggestions: "First, [Lafarge] hires a team of biologists from top to make a thorough investigation of biodiversity on the ground. Later, this team will conduct a series of recommendations to the Administration, against the backdrop of the protection of species restricted to the area of the mine. All this must be public and shared by colleagues. And until everything is completed the mine cannot be expanded, "said Juniper.

The big question is: what will he do now Lafarge? Biodiversity ignores or delays the development of one of its crown jewels? Follow all about this story on the Green Savers.

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Decapitated snake 20 minutes bites and kills Chinese cook

When the Cook Chinese Peng Fan decapitated a serpent to prepare one of their specialties, snake soup cut, never thought the spell would turn against the magician and the snake still had a Word to say.

The "story" unbelievable snapped in the Chinese province of Guongdong and was told today by The New Zealand Herald: twenty minutes after the chef Peng Fan beheading the serpent â€" a naja siamensis â€", the head and bit the Cook jumped, hitting him fatally.

The phenomenon is strange but cannot be considered rare. "There's nothing special about this case," explained Treehugger herpetologist Wolfgang Wuster at the, University of life sciences in Bangor. "This may seem strange to us humans because, like other mammals, have a high metabolic rate and we need a constant supply of blood and oxygen to the brain. If it is stopped for mere seconds, we die, "he explained.

In the case of snakes and other reptiles, the scenario is different. "Snakes and reptiles have a much slower metabolic rate, including in the brain, and can stay alive and functional long after the blood supply being cut".

According to Wuster, the snakes can remain active for up to an hour after their head or other part of the body being cut. This period of time is related to the temperatures and the part of the body from which the head was hacked off.

"If the poisonous glands, nerves and muscles used pair bite and raise the poison has not been damaged, then the head of the snake can bite, as a reflex, and probably many other senses of the serpent also [remain assets]," concluded Lee Fitzgerald, A&M University herpetologist, in Texas.

Foto: Rob Bixby / Creative Commons

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Temporary tattoo transforms sweat into energy

If there are already little doubt that physical exercise is excellent for health, now he can contribute directly to sustainability. This is because a group of researchers at the University of California, San Diego, United States, created a technology that enables smartphone users to carry these devices through sweat.

To achieve this feat unlikely, the researchers created a temporary tattoo able to transform the sweat into energy. According to a presentation made in American Society of Chemistry (ACS), the device detects the lactate, natural component of sweat and the more intense the exercise, the greater the amount of lactate produced by the body. Thus, during an intense physical activity the body needs to generate more energy through glycolysis, a process that produces lactate.

To take advantage of this situation, the team at the University of California created a biobateria, a type of adhesive capable of measuring the amount of lactate in the sweat. In addition to detecting the organic compound, an enzyme that removes electrons from lactate and generates an electrical current.

In the tests, the researchers measured the amount of lactate in the sweat and the electric current produced while the volunteers exercised on exercise bikes with various intensities during 30 minutes.

According to the sustainable planet, the results were astounding. The volunteers who exercised less than once a week have produced more power than that made of one to three times a week. Who worked out more than three times a week, on the other hand, has produced the least amount of energy.

This happens because the more sedentary get tired faster, which causes glucose happen earlier in the body. Each volunteer has generated about 70 microwatts per square centimeter of skin, but the electrodes of biobateria generated about four microwatts â€" the value is not high, but if the technology is improved-and will be-, the shipment of smartphones, clocks and other devices will be a reality.

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Humans recycle at least 13,000 years

Recycling can seem like an invention of recent decades, but a recent discovery indicates that this process has existed for at least 13,000 years. A discovery in Molí del Salt, in Tarragona, in Spain, indicates that prehistoric humans reciclavam their possessions since the Upper Paleolithic.

The discovery, published in the Journal of Archaelogical Science, scientists have identified tools that were altered after they have been designed for a specific purpose, which indicates that these tools were recycled for another purpose after having served to perform initial function.

"To identify recycling is necessary to differentiate two sequential levels of handling a subject: the moment before it is changed and the time thereafter. The two are separated by an interval in which the object is subject to change, "explains Manuel Vaquero, researcher of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, cites the Inhabitat. "This is the first time a systematic study of this type has been made", adds the researcher.

Research indicates that although the specialized tools, such as the implements of hunting, have never been made from recycled materials, other objects of daily life were created for one purpose only and when this purpose was fulfilled were converted to suppress other needs.

This recycling capacity of humans in Paleolithic have been developed due to the need to preserve the existing resources and allow savings of time and energy, using tools that were already made. Researchers will further indicate that prehistoric humans "may have even moved large objects from the source location".

Scientists reveal that the identification of recycled objects was made possible through the examination of artifacts burned which show when an item was modified after its original function.

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Blossom Gate: the portico modeled on Chinese calligraphy

The design collective Penda created the Blossom Gate, an entrance portico with dramatic architecture to a flower garden in the Chinese city of Xiangyang. Inspired by the traditional Chinese calligraphy, the conceptual portico is formed by overlapping layers of dry bamboo and bent in the form of strokes.

Winner of a design competition in 2013, the Blossom Gate defies the traditional notion of portico as a Physics Division and reinvents the concept as something and link social junction.  Like many other works of the atelier, this portico celebrates the use of bamboo as a building material, using the internal frame and on the facade, referred to Inhabitat.

The Blossom Gate is located at the entrance of the greater Myrtle flower garden of the city of Xiangyang. Underneath the portico there are benches and stairs, creating a new social space. Seen as a major architectural landmark of the city, the architects have proposed a variety of recreational activities that Blossom Gate can accommodate markets such as weekend, film sessions and outdoor concert.

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Around the clock, the courier company in grande Porto bike

A little over a year ago, the portuense Renato Guedes decided to Exchange spreadsheets by bicycle pedals and created around the clock, a courier company that refers to two wheels to deliver orders through the streets of Porto.

Currently, the Clock has a team of four runners who perform daily deliveries, under any temperature or weather conditions, ensuring a fast service, sustainable, effective and low cost prices.

Before progressing to the creation of around the clock, Renato Guedes contacted and studied other companies similar to the Brazil, Holland, Denmark, England, Spain, Australia and United States. "This company appears to be an attempt to combine the best of both worlds. From an early age tried to figure out how to work this business and it looked as if developed in other countries, "indicates Renato Guedes,

The mentor of the Clock goes on to explain that the "ecological factor was one of the most important to move forward with the project, trying to bring people together so quickly, economically and environmentally". "In our country we are faced with a growing ecological awareness and we noticed that more and more companies are looking for green alternatives to which you want to associate with," he adds.

The pits of the bikes goes a little bit of everything. Since documents dossiers, product samples, medical exams and medicines and even food. Customers of Against private individuals, ranging from Clock that require last-minute deliveries, to companies that require deliveries on a daily basis. Orders are distributed by the municipalities of Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia and Gondomar.

In August, the love of cycling

"Love will bike" is the campaign that the Clock has released during the summer, the aim of which is to bring people together with simple gestures and memorable.

"We want to promote the happiness of the inhabitants of the major port through an unusual action. Everyone likes to be surprised, especially when it's for the best reasons. It's always nice to receive something you're not telling, "says Rento Guedes.

So, if you want to send a special gift to the better half just contact the around the clock, they want rain or shine, will ensure the delivery of your order.

The initiative runs until the end of the summer in five municipalities of Porto and offers a discount of 20% on delivery of items.

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20 paths and tracks taken from fairy tales

The highways and byways permeate our literature, art, cinema, music and language expressions. Even the photographers can't take my eyes-in this case the lenses â€" of them.

That's why â€" and also to showcase some of the most magnificent specimens of trees â€" that we have assembled a series of photographs of the most beautiful and magical paths and trails might in the world.

Rails between United States us or Ireland rhododendrons or among bamboos in Japan are some of the most beautiful roads built by the human being among nature.

See some of these beautiful trails and paths.

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