24 Apr
Prehistoric mystery organism verified as giant fungus
Scientists at the University of Chicago and the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., have produced new evidence to finally resolve the mysterious identity of what they regard as one of the weirdest organisms that ever lived. Their chemical analysis indicates that the organism was a fungus, the scientists report in the recent issue of the journal of Geology, published by the Geological Society of America. Called Prototaxites (pronounced pro-toe-tax-eye-tees), the organism went extinct approximately 350 million years ago……..
North Carolina State scientists recently discovered a test that quickly predicts nitrogen levels in the humid soil conditions of the southeastern United States. These researchers report that the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test (ISNT) can assess the nitrogen levels in soil with more accuracy than current soil-based tests. This test will allow growers to cut back on the amount of nitrogen-based fertilizer added to soil, leading to economic and environmental benefits……..
A change of plans on the weekend yielded an opportunity to attend the 24th Annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival near the Mount Vernon / Burlington area of Washington. Fortune favoured me for once, and I toured while the flowers were at their peak. Tulipa ‘Ile de France’ was one of about four dozen cultivars of tulips that could be seen in the fields, bordered by hundreds of people. Though I didn’t photograph during my preferred times of the day (i.e., early morning and late evening), the weather was in my favour – cloudy with sunny breaks provided light that was suitable for midday ………
Andreas of Bogotá, Colombia, aka Quimbaya@Flickr, is the photographer of today’s images (original 1 | original 2 | BPotD Flickr Group Pool). Thank you once again, ………
NASA researchers believe they have found a way to predict the color of plants on planets in other solar systems. Green, yellow or even red-dominant plants may live on extra-solar planets, as per researchers whose two scientific papers appear in the recent issue of the journal, Astrobiology. The researchers studied light absorbed and reflected by organisms on Earth, and determined that if astronomers were to look at the light given off by planets circling distant stars, they might predict that some planets have mostly non-green plants……..
The marine wilderness of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve includes tidewater glaciers, snow-capped mountain ranges, ocean coastlines, deep fjords, and freshwater rivers and lakes. This diverse land and seascape hosts a mosaic of plant communities and a variety of marine and terrestrial wildlife and presents many opportunities for 
A review of the status of the Pima pineapple cactus reit requires a return on the federal endangered species list, as decided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ………
