by Ced Vig

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Polar bear, bald eagle on different course for survival

“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses blooming outside our window today.”

- Dale Carnegie

Eagles Soar, Bears Stagger

Things are never quiet on the endangered species list, with a current membership of 1,176 animals and 747 plants. As 2007 dawns, two iconic species - the polar bear and the bald eagle - are moving in opposite directions in the fight for survival.

Last month the U.S. proposed designating the polar bear as threatened, after starvation and drownings caused by melting sea ice helped cut the animal's global population to fewer than 25,000.

By contrast, this year could spell the bald eagle's release from an almost 40-year stay on the list. Elimination of the pesticide DDT and crackdowns on hunting and development have allowed the national bird to rebound from 417 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states in the early 1960s to more than 7,000 today, not to mention a population of 40,000 in Alaska. The government has a year to decide whether to grant the proposed polar bear listing, but if the case of the eagle is any indicator, there won't be much debate. - Jeffrey Kluger, Time Magazine

Tom Turkey's Tale of a Tail

Peacocks aren't the only birds who use their fancy tails to attract a mate. Each spring male turkeys try to befriend as many females as possible. Male turkeys, also called “Tom Turkeys” or “Gobblers” puff up their bodies and spread their tail feathers (just like a peacock).

They grunt, make a “gobble gobble sound” and strut about shaking their feathers. This fancy turkey trot helps the male attract females (also called “hens”) for mating.

The male Wild Turkey provides no parental care. When the eggs hatch, the chicks follow the female. She feeds them for a few days, but they quickly learn to feed themselves. Several hens and their broods may join up into bands of more than 30 birds. Winter groups have been seen to exceed 200.

Attempts to use game farm turkeys for reintroduction programs failed. In the 1940s wild birds were caught and transported to new areas, where they quickly became established and flourished. Such transplantations have been responsible for the spread of the Wild Turkey to 49 states.

Not So Daffy Daffodils

The fields of daffodils that bloom every spring in the Black Mountains of Wales are not only beautiful - they may help fight Alzheimer's disease, too. A compound, known as galantamine, that is extracted from daffodils and other plants is used in high-end prescription drugs to slow the development of dementia.

Scientists found that Welsh daffodils appear to be especially prolific producers of galantamine. Trevor Walker, a biochemist with the research firm Alzeim, in Powys, Wales, told the BBC that he hopes to produce a less costly generic version of the compound.

Weather Lore - No weather is ill if the wind is still

Did you ever wonder...

What if we got a ton of rain?

A mere 0.01 inch of rain over an acre of land equals 62,726 cubic inches, or 1.1 tons, of water. An inch of rain over the same area amounts to 113 tons.

How fast does rain fall?

A large raindrop falls at the speed of 30 kilometers per hour, or about 18.6 miles per hour.

What is a cloud?

Clouds form when water vapor rises, cools, and condenses. Earth's surface features plenty of water and our air is full of water vapor, which rises when it gets warmed by the sun, when cold air moves in and pushes the warm air upward, and when winds blow up against mountains, forcing wind and water vapor upward.

How much does a cloud weigh?

A typical cumulus cloud, the puffy cotton-ball type that you see on sunny summer afternoons, may be a half-mile across and a half-mile deep. A cloud that size could weigh 500 tons because of all the water droplets in it.

How do clouds stay afloat?

Clouds are held up by wind. A cloud is formed by rising air; as water rises and cools, it condenses into tiny droplets (or ice crystals). The same updrafts, or air currents, that create clouds also keep the tiny water droplets suspended in the air across a large area. The droplets may eventually merge together until they are heavy enough to form rain. Raindrops, then, can be thought of as pieces of cloud falling on you!

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