Rewiring?

It was interesting to read that surgeons in Australia have managed to restore a good degree of hand function in around half of their quadriplegic patients by moving surviving nerves in the arm so that they take on the functions of the nerves that formerly provided the connection to the spinal cord (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-48868670). This has enabled some of the patients to gain sufficient arm control as to regain a relatively independent life style and even to play sports. This is, of course, only possible in patients with a combination of features but it does appear to be transformative in those cases.

Dead Zone?

Motorway verges in the UK cover a considerable area of unbuilt and uncultivated land which is one of the reasons why they have become ecologically important habitats for some plants and animals in spite of the obvious dangers associated with their proximity). It has now been suggested that they might provide an answer to the shortage of space in graveyards and crematoria for disposing of human bodies (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jul/05/bury-bodies-along-uks-motorway-to-ease-burial-crisis-expert-suggests). This would presumably not involve the provision of grave markers as these would be a hazard for vehicles using the road. I wonder if people would be allowed to choose the location e.g. "the A48, near...…" but that might cause relatives to go to these sites. The bodies would add organic matter to the locations but this might well change the types of organisms that use the verges. 

Seeing the Changes 1334

More Bynea blooms with Bristly ox-tongue (Picris echioides); Common rock rose (Helianthemum nummularium) and Common fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica).

Seeing the Changes 1373

A few more flowers. Alien Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) in Loughor and masses of Meadowsweet (Filpendula ulmaria) around Fairwood.

Seeing the Changes 1372

In Bynea, Wild parsnip (Pastinacia sativa); Marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis) and Common sea lavender (Limonium vulgare) were all in flower. Ragonycha fulva beetles mated.

Rave On

Even as a grumpy old git, I have no desire to belittle people's attempts to adopt the right environmental strategies but my recent varied exposures to media seem to underline the fact that these people are battling against folk doing the opposite with potentially much greater impacts. It was initially encouraging to note on BBC's Countryfile that a trust is developing Heartwood forest by planting thousands of native saplings (https://newslanes.com/2019/07/01/countryfile-ellie-harrison-crushed-over-co-stars-drops-devastating-confession/) but this is more than countered by news that the Amazon rainforest is being bulldozed to create more agricultural land to accommodate methane-producing cattle (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-48827490?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c77jz3mdq2pt/amazon-rainforest&link_location=live-reporting-story ). A new temperate forest in the UK is a nice idea but a) it will take a lot of time to get established; b) it simply doesn't fix anything like the amount of carbon that the rainforest manages and c) the Amazon currently generates circa 20% of the oxygen liberated by plants by photosynthesis (so, it's a bit more central to our survival).
In a similar vein it was also initially heart-warming to note that some people are largely giving up air travel in an attempt to reduce the generation of 'greenhouse gases' (https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/may/22/could-you-give-up-flying-meet-the-no-plane-pioneers ). This is immediately countered by news that Heathrow airport is to get a third runway to increase its capacity for largely holiday flights (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7156001/Heathrows-14bn-plan-runway-cause-30-years-mayhem-campaigners-say.html ) and Cornwall has been ear-marked as a potential site for a UK spaceport to allow the Virgin Orbit company to blast people around the planet more quickly (90 minutes to Australia?)(https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/9407811/cornwall-europe-first-spaceport-tourist-space-flight/ ). Amazingly, the planners  (along with a number of traditional airlines) are jockeying to talk up the 'green' potentials of flights and claiming all sorts of potential imminent efficiency improvements.

Seeing the Changes 1371

Back in Crymlyn burrows, Common toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) was in flower. Got a better picture of a Dark green fritillary (Mesoacidalis aglaja) and noted a Comma (Polygonia c-album) tasting s***.