Marine Mammals and Pesticides

[ysabetwordsmith]

 Marine mammals lack a protein that protects terrestrial mammals from organophosphate pesticides.  (They may or may not have a different type of protection.)  I immediately wonder if this has anything to do with problems such as beaching and skin deformities.  Reports from previous studies point to a need to study how marine mammals respond during spikes of organophosphate runoff.

Comments

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Thanks, btw for improving my science knowledge; I run mostly on high school biology and bachelor anthropology. <<

You're welcome!

I took science classes into college, of which the most new material came from the meteorology class taught by a real live weatherman. Since then, I've continued exploring. I don't need the math to see how quantum physics connects with magic and spirituality, I just need verbal descriptions. And as much as the world has gone downhill in many ways, actually finding exoplanets is an awesome modern thing.

>> I think this points out that wetlands are not optional. Considering that humans are rather on a bender with chemicals livers need to be frequent and sturdy. (The cattail equivalent to Tony Stark's...) <<

Exactly. Louisiana obliterated as much of its wetlands as it could and is now washing away into the ocean. Florida did and is now slowly subsiding into saltwater. Those are extreme examples, but you get the idea.

If you want to get fancy with filtration, water gardeners and permaculturists have been making swamp filters for many years. The idea is to create a zigzag so the water flows through a lot of substrate and plant roots. In other words, it should look like the kind of meandering river that flows through a wild wetland.

Re: Thoughts

[peoriapeoriawhereart]

I've got some other sorts of science, like geology.

But as I say about concentrated feed operations, "Shit isn't supposed to be the problem, it's supposed to be the (composted) solution." to soil fertility. It however shouldn't be in solution in the aquifer. That's the problem. In the wells, in the lakes, on the beaches...

People don't like complicated. Complicated is the only way this all holds together.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

Shit also shouldn't be left in large open-air lagoons pullulating with vermin.

Honestly, if you wanted to create a pandemic, it would be hard to devise a better way than factory farms.

Re: Thoughts

[peoriapeoriawhereart]

Battlefield. But as far as short-sighted economical, yeah, it's very good at pandemic.

I'm not sure what the idea manure pile size is, but it's capable of drying down.

And, that's herbivore, swine ordure is not the same thing. That's nightsoil of another gut.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Battlefield. But as far as short-sighted economical, yeah, it's very good at pandemic. <<

Battlefields are good at spreading current germs. So are slums. But to make and spread new ones, you need large amounts of animals crammed together, interacting with humans somehow.

I'm sure future humans, if there are any, will look back on this with the same reaction we have to killing cats during the Black Plague: "What the fuck were you thinking?!"

>> I'm not sure what the idea manure pile size is, but it's capable of drying down.<<

A few cubic yards.

It's a lot easier to process solid waste if you separate it from liquid waste. Both are quite valuable. People just can't be bothered to do it.