Tanners at the Chouara Tannery have been transforming animal hides into leather since the 11th century. The tanning process has gone unchanged since then, but it relies on heavy chemicals that threaten the health of workers. Some say they are not willing to take that risk. We traveled to the world’s oldest leather tannery in Fez, Morocco, to find out how this ancient craft is still standing.
All posts by She Seeks Serene
Preview: The Economist Magazine – July 2, 2022
Ukraine won the short war. Now comes the long war, and so far, Russia is winning. But it does not have to be fought on Vladimir Putin’s terms
Ukraine won the short war. Mobile and resourceful, its troops inflicted terrible losses and confounded Russian plans to take Kyiv. Now comes the long war. It will drain weapons, lives and money until one side loses the will to fight on. So far, this is a war that Russia is winning.
In recent days its forces have taken the eastern city of Severodonetsk. They are advancing on Lysychansk and may soon control all of Luhansk province. They also threaten Slovyansk, in the north of next-door Donetsk. Ukrainian leaders say they are outgunned and lack ammunition. Their government reckons as many as 200 of its troops are dying each day.
Read more: https://econ.trib.al/tGgFvii
Cover Preview: Nature Magazine – June 30, 2022
Order out of chaos
The cover shows an artistic representation of various cancer cells. The large-scale gains, losses and rearrangements of DNA seen in chromosomal instability are a typical feature of cancer — but there is no comprehensive framework to decode the causes of this genomic variability and their possible links to disease. In this week’s issue, Florian Markowetz, Geoff Macintyre and their colleagues present such a framework with a compendium of 17 signatures of chromosomal instability that can be used to predict how tumours might respond to drugs and that help to identify future therapeutic targets. The team created the compendium by examining 7,880 tumours representing 33 types of cancer. In a separate paper, Nischalan Pillay and colleagues examined 9,873 cancers to generate
360° Africa: Okavango Delta In Botswana (5K)
Glide through the waterways of Botswana’s Okavango Delta and come face to face with its wildlife in this immersive 360 experience. Through Okavango Eternal, work is underway to help protect the source waters of this one-of-a-kind region, and support tourism that benefits local communities.
The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. It’s known for its sprawling grassy plains, which flood seasonally, becoming a lush animal habitat. The Moremi Game Reserve occupies the east and central areas of the region. Here, dugout canoes are used to navigate past hippos, elephants and crocodiles. On dry land, wildlife includes lions, leopards, giraffes and rhinos.
Preview: New Scientist Magazine – July 2, 2022
How readily should we swallow the idea of diets that delay ageing?
The promise of a new diet that can add as much as a decade to your life is certainly tempting – and might well be proven to work – but for now should be swallowed with a pinch of salt
Summer Walks: Venice In Northeastern Italy (2022)
Venice, the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region, is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. It has no roads, just canals – including the Grand Canal thoroughfare – lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. The central square, Piazza San Marco, contains St. Mark’s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics, and the Campanile bell tower offering views of the city’s red roofs.
RECORDED On 23/JUNE/2022
Morning News: Philippines ‘Bongbong’ Marcos And Scotland Independence
It is a remarkable turnaround for a notorious family: the late dictator’s son just took the reins. But how will he govern? Scotland’s separatist party is again pushing for an independence referendum.
That will probably fail—and empower the very prime minister that many Scots love to hate. And, why pilots in Ukraine are using an outdated, inaccurate missile-delivery technique.
Front Page: Wall Street Journal – June 30, 2022
Xi Jinping Visits Hong Kong to Mark Anniversary, Cap Crushing of Dissent
The visit to commemorate 25 years since Britain returned the city to Beijing, marked a milestone in the Chinese leader’s pledge to deliver a strong and unified nation as he moves to extend his rule.16 min ago8 min read
Science: Enteric Viruses Spread Via Saliva, Jupiter’s Rocks, Megalodon Teeth
Enteric viruses, such as norovirus, cause a significant health burden around the world and are generally considered to only spread via the faecal-oral route.
However, new research in mice suggests that saliva may also be a route of transmission for these viruses, which the authors say could have important public health implications.
Research Article: Ghosh et al.
08:59 Research Highlights
How devouring space rocks helped Jupiter to get so big, and what analysing teeth has revealed about the diet of the extinct super-sized megalodon shark.
Research Highlight: The heavy diet that made Jupiter so big
Research Highlight: What did megalodon the mega-toothed shark eat? Anything it wanted
11:24 Making the tetraneutron
For decades there have been hints of the existence of tetraneutrons, strange systems composed of four neutrons, and now researchers may have created one in the lab. This breakthrough could tell us more about the strong nuclear force that holds matter together.
Research article: Duer et al.
News and Views: Collisions hint that four neutrons form a transient isolated entity
18:46 After Roe v. Wade
Last Friday the US supreme court struck down the constitutional right to abortion. In the wake of this ruling, Nature has been turning to research to ask what we can expect in the coming weeks and months.
News: After Roe v. Wade: US researchers warn of what’s to come
Editorial:
Views: Galerie d’Apollon In The Louvre Museum, Paris
King Louis XIV famously identified himself with the sun god Apollo and this splendid gallery was the first tangible representation of that image. To create this masterpiece of architectural decoration, he summoned the greatest painters, gilders and sculptors of the day, who later worked on the Hall of Mirrors at the Château de Versailles. Today, the Galerie d’Apollon is home to the royal collection of hardstone vessels and the French Crown Jewels.
The French Crown Jewels
The royal collection also includes the Crown Jewels. The so-called ‘Côte de Bretagne’ spinel, which once belonged to Anne de Bretagne, is the oldest of the gems to have survived a tumultuous history involving theft, dispersal and sale. Three historical diamonds – the Regent, the Sancy and the Hortensia – formerly adorned royal crowns or garments. The spectacular 19th-century jewellery sets in the collection include emerald and diamond pieces that once belonged to Empress Marie Louise.
The 60-meter-long Apollo Gallery contains 105 extraordinary pieces, the most famous being the Crown Jewels of France. “This generic term covers not just the jewels that belonged to the kings of France but all the regalia as well: the precious stones and glyptic pieces,” says Pierre Rainero, director of style and heritage with the jeweler Cartier, which has sponsored the renovation work.
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