Of Cars and Women

The attempts to prevent Saudi women from driving appear to get ever more desparate (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/29/us-saudi-driving-idUSBRE98S04B20130929). It used to be claimed that they couldn't have a driving licence as checking their photographic profile would involve removing the veil. Now, a cleric suggests there is 'medical' evidence (sources unrevealed and how would they know as there are no samples of women to compare?) that driving damages the ovaries, distorts the pelvis and can result in children with abnormalities! There is nothing on the dangers of driving to the testis (perhaps by over stimulating the organ?) or on the actual difference in risk for women between simply sitting in a car and driving it! This seems to be yet another attempt to distort 'science' to support the unsupportable.  

Poached Elephant

There is a particularly horrific report of poachers in Zimbabwe poisoning water-holes where African elephant go to drink (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/25/zimbabwe-poachers-kill-80-elephants-cyanide). It is claimed that up to 80 animals had died from an important herd of beasts and that several tusks were 'recovered' from investigated people's homes. Conservation is especially difficult when the workers have to deal with this kind of action. 

Second Time Around?

There is a recent report (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/26/beaver-bison-european-species-comeback) on 37 European species that have been helped by conservationists to come back from the brink of extinction. The European bison, European beaver and the Wolf are included as success stories. Less successful has been attempts to 'save' the Iberian lynx. One thing that strikes me, however, is that all the species refered to are vertebrate 'mega stars', so it would have been nice to see some less obvious (but perhaps more environmentally crucial) animals and plants in the list.

Birder's Bonus 134

Lots of Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) activity by Loughor Bridge!

Whether the Weather is Changing

It seems that everyone (from climate change scientists to people with an interest in selling more gas) have an opinion on climate change. We all experience the weather and 'know' what's happening to us. There is a new update on the latest science in this area (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/21/climate-change-ipcc-global-warming) but it seems that more and more of the general public are thinking the the scientists have got this thing wrong. Of course, you can't absolutely prove anything with science but you can determine probabilities. How many of us you argue against the protection offered by vaccinations (I know that small cohorts do) or that antibiotics can be useful in treating bacterial disease? There are areas where the general public trusts the collective view of scientists and others where they don't. Strangely enough, the latter examples often appear to involve situations where the contras have well-funded campaigns by vested interests.

Revealing the Spiders (From Mars)

The one decent thing about unforecasted drizzle is that it highlights the locations of all the Garden spider webs in the vicinity!

A Strange Confirmation?

I find it a bit strange but I suppose that being called 'an Eco freak' by UKIP ( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/20/ukip-shale-gas) must be seen as a sign that my reservations about tracking are not 'off the wall'.