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unialien · 4 years

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Concept of Myneria Creatures 2

The 2nd part of a catalog of creatures of Myneria! 🤩 Yay!! 🤗 I been waiting for this for years to add the 2nd part of it, crystal & cave creatures! 💎 This is so far it's getting better & better seen all the shines creatures sparkling in my eyes with my amazing tools. 🖌🖋 I am so in love of it! 💖 I think this might be the best than the first one I did on the first page of the Book of Bios II sketchbook! 💕📒 I hope you guys like my shiny creatures so much!! 🥰🐝🐌🐛🐍🐙

✅ Anyone is welcome to comment about it and If you guys got questions and opinions about, just ask. I'll be happy to answer your interesting questions. 😁

🔆 Oh, one more thing, if you want see details and info, you must zoom in. 🧐 You'll will see it better! 😉

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💠BIO

Myneria it's full of dangerous diversities within the deep of that continent of minerals. There's not much vegetations, only between much rocks, clean waters (toxicity of the waters of some regions) & even molten regions full of lava. However, this creatures that lived & evolved that time when the planet have splitted for 115 million years ago. This continent may have triggered minor eruptions, exploding mass productions of resources & life. The continent itself caused much more to be themselves of minerals beings, much more adaptables on extreme conditions. Many invertebrates about 37% of those species are born with rich calcified minerals that protects their organs that produce, even if one of them has the Reoniban, they can still be vulnerable to be broken. However, with their blending minerals that are born, they can camouflage themselves from the environment where they habitat. On this second part be showing some of the uncommon species that consider an important of resources for many engineering & biological purpose that can be crucial for the ecosystems of Myneria. This creatures has a value of how rare by their minerals & sizes can get, which they are listed by the MGC (Myneria Geology Center), legal tenders are followed by laws by the following species bio. Here's a 2nd catalog of species:

A. Thermgrub

ℹ Info

▫️ Location: Humreat Spring Hills, Corian

▫️ Rarity: ⭐⭐

This suspicious grub looking worm it's cover with intense superheated crystal spikes. Those crystals it's identified as a Thermartz, a family of quartz that only found on Myneria that may sustain on extreme heat site of Corian. This small worms are burrowers that only live on moist hot muds that are near springs, they feast on dead carcasses & bacterias that are on this site. However, this species are specialized within their crystal spikes that it's full hot toxins that are stored inside their body, if anyone try to pick up or provoke them, they'll launch or growth their spikes hardly that can burn the victim like a sting of jellyfish. Treatment for that it's possible, only concern are the spikes with contact in the skin it's crucially painful, to remove them, it must be place on cold water to disable the toxic spikes & gently remove them with a forceps. Add the best popular medicinal fruits mix from Aquineon locals to treat the wounds & this must be applied at least daily until it's heal up for at least a week. Since those worms are quite well life spawn on large numbers, this are used legally as bio engineering & fishery since are potent by their crystals they generate. There also a breeding program to control their numbers in order to ensure there not having a invasion of those creatures.

B. Reoniban Orbiosis Crab

ℹ Info

▫️ Location: Domfrores Caverns

▫️ Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This shiny hybrid looking crab are the rarest species due that only found in the deep of Myneria caverns that it's incredibly cold & hot environment. This precious crab it's covered like a huge abdomen crystal geode that's it's actually pure Reoniban, the entire abdomen has a symbiosis creature that it's likely a guardian of their heart, a amphibian like creature that it's named as a Orbiosis. Due that it's hard to tell what species to name it which they are sticked together of both creatures, the scientists of Repharon Research Center decided to named like that. This species it's capable to survive itselfs by storing much foods as possible it's scavenge on algae from the springs; as soon gathering enough, they return to their homes where it's so extreme the temperatures as they can stay for at least for 2-3 months away from the predators. However, this species are in list of declining that are in threat of loss due of kills of their precious abdomens geode; this consider to be extremely illegal to harvest this creatures for their value. The Myneria Conservation Program been monitoring the numbers & there trying as possible to recover this species since they are important for the ecosystem.

C. Centrusnakra

ℹ Info

▫️ Location: Myneria Canyons Caverns

▫️ Rarity: ⭐⭐

Worm like snake that lurks on the deep of Myneria Canyons Caverns. They are voracious predators about a size of 7.2 fts length, since they are opportunistic predators, they can blend well the surfaces of the canyons that it's made of the mixture of Blackstones & Reoniban. Their body it's so slimy that can stick well on walls & ceilings upside down, using their mouth, it can glue up the ceilings to go down slowly so it can reach to their prey. It has a huge eyeball like an orb made of pure mineral, however with unknown mixtures that it's hard to determine what kind of species of mineral is. That huge eyeball use as a visor to navigate well on temperature that comes across, it can see with both ways of 360 degrees all around, making an ultimate looking spy creature. Ignoring that their small eyes are pretty blind, but their eyebal can still see in infrared. Their tail has incredibly potent bioluminous bulb that use to confuse their prey like hypnosis, it's incredibly colorful that can see it so bright in the deep dark alley in a part of the canyon. As soon it attracts the light, once gets close about 8ft, I'll strikes & feast on their prey. One things that the orb could a key of evolution of how potent those creatures can survive incredibly intense. This eyeball orb might contain huge numbers of chemicals of DNA of why this creatures can really help the survival skills to do anything. This creatures has no concern of threat since they are pretty hidden from the others.

D. Diamtaltur

ℹ Info

▫️ Location: Domfrores Caverns

▫️ Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐

This invertebrate like turtle it's one of the most uncommon species that found deep of Domfrores & only found in the cold zone of this site. This creature it's covered an extremely sharp quartz that it's consider pure Reonibans with Diamonds. This consider a pretty rare geological mineral formation for this kind of species that have grown on their shell due of their DNA. There's a Sanctuary Breeding Program on the capital city where they breed those creatures for commercial uses to farm their crystals. Luckily this is legal to used them, because they a pool site of Reoniban where they can regrow back their crystals. This program also help maintain stabilize in number to prevent loss of them in case ran out, there in list of least concern, but there monitoring up any suspicious act of poaching those creatures to rip their crystals off for illegal use without license due that still considered vulnerable. This creatures are herbivores & filter eaters, they eat on mosses & algae from humid places that are in the floors & walls, even on nearby springs where full of nutritions have, including planktons. Be warned, those sharp crystals can be lethal if fall into, it may contain bacterias if the Reoniban not active. If so, the victim must get to medical attention immediately before the bleeding gets worse.

E. Levigeg

ℹ Info

▫️ Location: Myneria Canyons Caverns

▫️ Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐

This strange bug species it's very unique due that's it's capable to levitate using their magnetic organs orbs that allow to gently magnetize only on metallic minerals such as like the Reoniban, even on metallic objects. There like wasp, builders, they can create huge hives made of metals, the most largest hive was recorded for about 560ft in wide & 847ft tall. This creatures only found on this huge canyons in the deep caverns of Myneria, which it's the only best habitat for this species to harvest metals. Scientists been studying on their intelligence of being builders, which can be a revolution of new change of building homes & cities. There were use for quite about 2 centuries ago when they started a special program to learn & train this creatures & taught to build the first largest city of Myneria as the main capital. However since it's seems was terrific bad due of mass loss of those creatures, the team decided to send them freed; this species has listed a vulnerable due of uses for engineering & even for cruelty, as it's flagged as illegal if not licensed. This creatures became one of the most important for the ecosystem of all Myneria, which allows to stabilize geological formation in case of disaster.

F. Moldruddyce Squid

ℹ Info

▫️ Location: Salfyrian Coast

▫️ Rarity: ⭐⭐

An uncommon squid like species that habitat in temperate waters of Salfyrian Coast. This creature are one of the known species of Shedouelemium, are the only known creatures that has 2 tentacles within the abdomen body shell. This creatures are quite intelligent, they can communicate using bioluminous from their tentacles to speak each others. They can go on groups like packs to hunt their foods, as their diets are mostly in small fishes, crustaceans & even on primarily feast on absorbing energies crystals from beneath erupted waters. Their bodies composed electrolytes since they can be able to create electrical shock blast from their Reoniban horns to paralyze or scare up large predators, while they also use blast a single range to feast many foods as possible. Towards there not incredibly aggressives since they are capable to share their foods from the same family of their species. This creatures with their red to blue colors can determ the temperatures from their environments, they need to live a stable temperature for about 58°C in order during breeding season. Unfortunately for them are in the fishery list since they contain so much nutritions & proteins on the menu, however this are monitored since their population have exploded thanks to any sources of Reoniban have been spotted for a higher survival chances. This are still in legal for fishery, however for the warning are still in concern in under vulnerable.

🔻 Time Taken: 1/2 week

MADE ALL TRADITIONAL ON SKETCHBOOK. Edited on Procreate. Used on iPad 6th Edition.

All designs created by me. ©Unialien.

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timeclonemike · 6 years

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The Last Machine: The People

For background on the setting, click HERE.

For background on the Chimera Virus, click HERE.

Lost Eagle Country and its de facto capital of Postville are thriving because they are in a prime position to benefit from the skills and talents of all the surrounding communities. This alone has done much to overcome the knee-jerk isolationism that those communities adopted after the Chimera Virus started changing things, in an attempt to keep the virus out. It helps that these communities have all cultivated an immunity, and wild strains of the virus are less common than they once were. Still, old habits die hard, and when travelers left their isolated refuges to meet up and start trading, they brought more than a few customs along with their augmented DNA.

Humans: Superficially unchanged from The World That Was, the humans of Lost Eagle Country are still fundamentally different from their precursors on a genetic level. In many cases this expresses itself as a form of hair, iris, or skin pigmentation that would not occur naturally before the virus. Some communities that managed to get a quarantine established and maintain it have avoided even these changes, but by 2125 the vast majority have collapsed for one reason or another; resource exhaustion is the most common, followed by infighting, and finally by breach of Quarantine. Only one “Holdout” community of humans is known to exist in Lost Eagle Country, and they don’t much care for visitors. The rest of the humans either hail from the farming town of Millstone, or wandered in from some other place and decided to stick around.

Dwarves: Descended from humans that took refuge in underground shelters, Dwarves are proportionately smaller than humans of the same weight, by about a foot on average. Their bones and muscles are, by comparison, stronger and tougher compared to a human, although being slightly smaller does mean they do not have the same leverage, so this increased strength is more apparent in some situations than others. Dispute what rumors say, dwarven beards are not unisex, but they are considered symbols of authority and virility, at least in the more traditional freeholds. Outside of them, it’s not uncommon to see clean-shaven dwarves, or dwarves with fake beards, especially in the somewhat more cosmopolitan Postville where social circles are wider and the threat of censure or exile from the freeholds carries less weight. These freeholds can be found just about anywhere, but the largest Dwarven Freehold is deep under Mt. Glory (not its original name) which provides Lost Eagle Country with the largest single percentage of its raw mineral wealth.

Elves: Elves are taller than humans by about a foot on average, while maintaining the same weight; they have increased leverage but comparable strength, which is more useful in some situations than others. More obviously, their ears tend to be leaf-shaped, and they exhibit a few other traits that make them seem tree-like or plant-like such as photosynthesis; this is a result of elves being descended from humans who took refuge from the Chimera Virus by living close to nature and far away from other people. When the virus did reach them, it was through flora based vectors, rather than fauna. At the time, this was considered a vindication of the survivor’s attitudes about society as much as a viable survival strategy, and as a result the first generation of elves tended to be insufferably arrogant to the point of elitist. This lasted all of one generation before elven society underwent a schism, resulting in the Light Elves and the Dark Elves. Light Elves tend to retain the same attitudes of superior scorn towards literally every other living creature on the planet, and remain close to their original home in what they call the Forest Primeval, and what literally everyone else calls St. John’s Woods. The Dark Elves are much more social compared to the Light Elves, and are fairly easy to identify by the tattoos that they give themselves using a bio-luminescent bacteria. While this makes the “Dark” Elves stand out more, the resulting symbiosis with their photosynthesis means that they can be more active at night or in the dark than the Light Elves can.

Gnomes: Gnomes appear similar to humans, with webbed membranes between their fingers, increased lung capacity, and an ability to tolerate much higher salt levels in drinking water. This is due to the nautical nature of their original community. Before the Chimera Plague, there was a group of people who organized a contingency plan in the event of a completely different type of epidemic; a zombie apocalypse. The plan was, in the event of the living dead rising from the grave, they would all get together, head out to sea, and wait until the undead all returned to the dust of the earth. This plan might have actually worked to outlast the Chimera Plague as well, only the Zombie Survival Fleet lost one of their Farm Barges within a few days of putting to sea. This crippled their ability to survive away from land for an extended period of time, and they were forced to cobble together a hasty Plan B; making their way upriver back into the mainland and establishing themselves there. By the time they managed to find a suitable place to drop anchor, the Chimera Virus had already been making the rounds among the crew of the various ships. The Gnome town of Romero (named for... well, take a wild guess) is one of the major shipping routes in and out of Lost Eagle Country, and does as much for the local food supply through fishing and aquaculture as Millstone does through cereal grains and vegetables. Despite what rumors say, Gnomes do not have gills, but it is true gnome children are often taught to swim before they can walk on their own.

Dragons: Dragons, despite the name, are not massive winged reptiles. In size, shape, and general proportions, they resemble humans. The obvious differences are scale-covered skin and sometimes tails. Despite their reptilian appearance, Dragons are decidedly warm blooded and are not incapacitated by temperature extremes any more than anyone else in Lost Eagle Country. They make their home in the town of Elsie on the side of Mt. Humble, in the same mountain chain as Mt. Glory that the Dwarves live under, and while they do provide Lost Eagle Country with most of its lumber (considering the elves in St. John’s Woods tend to be very possessive) they are most known for the power of flight. That is to say, the Dragons were the first to rebuild the infrastructure for air travel and air freight, and their airships and ultralights are a common sight in the skies. The reason for this is as simple as a head start; the original settlers of Elsie were the crew and passengers of an experimental aircraft that was used to escape the chaos of the Chimera Plague, which made an emergency landing on Mt. Humble. The technical knowledge of aerodynamics and aeronautical engineering was passed down through the generations until the community was stable enough to harness it, which proved fortunate for Lost Eagle Country as a whole as the Invader’s army was first spotted from the air, and the Dragon’s air force continues to provide Postville with up to date intelligence while denying the Invader the element of surprise.

Beastkin: A somewhat pejorative term that was eventually appropriated by the people it was used to describe, mostly because it was the least worst of the available options. (And yes, “furry” was one of the options.) Beastkin are descended from those who were exposed to the full brunt of the Chimera Virus as it ran roughshod over the planet, rather than being quarantined from it in an isolated region. As a result, Beastkin come in a bewildering variety of shapes and sizes, which has had a number of social and biological consequences. First and foremost, Beastkin do not come from a culture of isolation and exclusion; their survival actually hinged on the opposite, establishing and maintaining connections with other survivors while The World That Was fell apart around them. Second, because the Chimera virus never burned itself out in the creation of a shared chimeric genotype, Beastkin have not been able to standardize anything they use around a specific common body type, in size or shape or ability to interact with. As a result, Beastkin settlements are unique among post-apocalyptic towns and cities for being accessible to those who may not have the same type or number of limbs and sense organs. Finally, being out in the world as it fell apart left the Beastkin in the best position to rebuild and also gave them first pick of places and materials to salvage. This allowed them to maintain a fairly advanced technical and scientific infrastructure by post-apocalyptic standards. Beastkin can be found all over Lost Eagle Country, but their “home” city of Arcadia lies beyond the Banshee Desert, and it is from there that Postville gets its most advanced medication, precision instruments, and books.

#The Last Machine #Summary #The People

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didanawisgi · 6 years

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The human body is an exquisite specimen of an intricate, functioning quantum mechanism that has evolved successful interfaces to decode and utilize quantum inputs from the environment. But what happens when the primary interface is challenged by a sudden change in quantum inputs?

Vitamin C is probably one of the most well-known nutrients. Abundantly found in fruits and most vegetables, vitamin C confer myriads of health benefits, the most famous being its antioxidant, free radical scavenging attributes. Today, I will take you on a unique journey to discover the real role ascorbic acid plays in our bodies at the quantum level.

Ascorbate is Ubiquitous in all Eukaryotes

Ascorbate, also referred to as L-ascorbic acid or vitamin C, is essential for all eukaryoticalgae, plants and animals, but not for prokaryotic bacteria. All photosynthetic plants synthesize ascorbate, while some animals, including primates, cannot synthesize ascorbate due to the loss of a terminal enzyme in the GULO pathway that is responsible for the conversion of ascorbate from glucose. [1]

In the beginning, all eukaryotes used the GULO (l-gulonolactone oxidase) pathway for ascorbate biosynthesis. As time passed, photosynthetic organisms whose biological activities are solely dependent upon light for the conversion of light energy into chemical energy, evolved a more efficient GLDH (l-galactonolactone dehydrogenase) pathway that uncoupled hydrogen peroxide generation during ascorbate biosynthesis. [2] Ascorbate auxotrophs, unable to synthesize ascorbic acid, must obtain this essential nutrient from their diet. Primates and guinea pigs get their ascorbate from land plants; bats’ sources are land plants, insects and blood; whereas marine animals like teleost fish and crustaceans obtain their ascorbate from zooplankton and phytoplanktons. [1]

There are many speculations as to why ascorbate auxotrophs lost the ability to synthesize ascorbate. Some believed the successful evolution of the GLDH pathway in photosynthetic plants provided ample and constant supply of ascorbate. Primates in the wild that are unable to synthesize ascorbates consume high amounts of ascorbate. For example, gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) consume 20-30 mg/kg/day, howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) consume 88 mg/kg/day, and spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) consume 106 mg/kg/day. At that amount, it is equivalent to 8.46 g for a human weighing 80 kg! [27]. Others believed that a reduction in the "cost" of production, which is the generation of the reactive oxygen species, H2O2, balanced out the lost of production capability. [3] I believe there is another reason why a required nutrient in humans is not synthesized by our bodies because the role of ascorbate extends far beyond its redox capacities. It is also the same reason why prokaryotes do not synthesize ascorbate. Light.

Prokaryotes are Light Emitters

All living organisms release biophotons. Humans, animals and plants emit ultra-weak biophotons at intensities between 10 to 100 photons/cm2 /sec wavelengths between 200 nm and 800 nm. Prokaryotic bacteria emit over 1000 photons/cm2 /sec. The intensity is dramatically increased during their growth phase. It is well known that bacteria use quorum sensing communication signals to regulate their physiological activities, including symbiosis, virulence, conjugation, motility, sporulation, and biofilm formation. [4] One of these communication signals used by quorum sensing microbes is electromagnetic radiation in the visible (400–750 nm) and near-infrared (750–2500 nm) regions. [5] So what happens when you add ascorbate to quorum sensing bacteria like Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae that uses light for cell to cell communication? Death is the result. [6] The ability of ascorbate to inhibit growth, sporulation and enterotoxin production is due to its anti-quorum sensing ability. [7] How does ascorbate disrupt quorum sensing?

Birefringence, Depolarization and Quantum Decoherence

Vitamin C, or ascorbate, is a birefringent molecule that is optically active.[7, 8] The word birefringence comes from the Latin ‘bi’ meaning ‘twice’, and ‘refringere’ meaning ‘to break up’. Birefringent and optically active materials are anisotropic, where the index of refraction varies with polarization direction. This quality is the exact opposite of isotropic materials like glass, liquids and amorphous mediums where direction of polarization does not matter. When a ray of light enters a birefringent material like calcium carbonate or ascorbate, it will be broken up into two rays going in different directions and velocities upon exit. That is why when you look through a birefringent crystal, you will see double. [9] After light passes through a birefringent medium, it will also be depolarized, meaning there is a reduction or even a complete loss of polarization. [10]

Can Light from the Sun be Depolarized?

We all know light from the sun is unpolarized. What exactly does the term ‘unpolarized’ mean?

The atoms on the surface of a heated surface generates light and these atoms act independently of one another. The electromagnetic waves emanating from the heated surface will each have its own polarization direction. The sum of these random orientations result in a wave whose direction of polarization changes rapidly and randomly. Such a wave is said to be unpolarized. Common sources of light, including the sun, incandescent, fluorescent lights, LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), and flames, all produce unpolarized light. However, these unpolarized light often become partially polarized due to multiple scatterings and reflections. When sunlight passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, it is scattered by air molecules, rendering the light that reaches the ground partially linearly polarized. The reason the sky looks blue is because the blue spectrum being at a higher frequency, is scattered more by air molecules. [11] So one can say that due to the scattering effects, all light that passes through a birefringent medium will be depolarized upon exit to a certain extent.

Photons & Quantum Decoherence

Photons carry information. How much information is carried depends on whether you believe in a holographic, fractal universe.

Quantum information is commonly encoded in the polarization of single photons. When light passes through birefringent mediums, the depolarization of the photons is equivalent to the decoherence of the quantum information they encode. Depolarization of such photons acts as quantum noise on the stored information. [12] Quantum decoherence has been proven to be equivalent to the classical depolarization experienced by light. [13] Decoherence is regarded as a loss of information into the environment, [14]and decoherence can also degrade or terminate entanglement. [15]

Is it becoming clearer to you why quorum sensing prokaryotic bacteria do not synthesize ascorbate? Ascorbate is birefringent. The light used by bacteria for cell to cell communication will be depolarized and rendered decoherent by ascorbate. That is how ascorbate disrupts quorum sensing in prokaryotic bacteria. [7] How important is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) depolarization in the human body? I believe EMR depolarization is critical for maintaining optimum health, especially when you consider the fact that 33% of all the protein in the human body is collagen, and collagen is also birefringent!

Birefringence & Depolarization are Tissue Health Indicators

As early as 1975, birefringence or the ability to depolarize light, was already used to differentiate the state of health of underlying tissues being examined. In general, healthy tissues are more birefringent, whereas diseased or necrotic tissues display little to no birefringence, depending on the nature and degree of damage. When tendons were stressed in forced training exercises, the birefringence and the resistance to tear were both decreased. As tendons became completely detached due to stress, birefringence was completely lost. [16] Tissue birefringence is dependent on collagen fiber organisation and orientation. In osteoarthritis, the loss of birefringence is linked with the early stages of cartilage degeneration. The greater degree of loss in birefringence, the greater the increase in cartilage degeneration. [37]

Today, information about tissue structure can be extracted from how light is depolarized as it passes through the tissue being examined. The pathology of a tissue is correlated to the decrease of birefringence in the tissue. For example, myocardial infarction results in a decrease in the birefringence signals generated in the area of infarction, due to disorganization of collagen fibers formed in scar tissues [17]. This decrease in birefringence in unhealthy, damaged tissues, and the subsequent reduction in depolarization of light, can also be detected as an increase in biophoton emissions. In plants, unhealthy or injured areas display higher biophoton emission than healthy, uninjured areas. [18] In humans, cancerous cells emitted higher intensity of photons than non-cancerous cells mostly in the ultraviolet and blue wavelengths (370 nm, 420 nm, 500 nm), whereas non-cancerous, healthy cells emitted more biophotons than cancer cells in the infrared range (620 nm, 950 nm). [19]

Collagen Birefringence and Infrared Light

Healthy non-cancerous cells emit more biophotons in the infrared frequencies, yet contrary to unhealthy, necrotic cells that displayed reduced birefringence, these healthy tissues still exhibit strong birefringence and large degrees of depolarization. Why do healthy cells emit infrared range biophotons and still remain birefringent? Because infrared light has been proven and demonstrated to induce birefringence [20], and higher birefringence is associated with healthy tissues. In the regeneration of third degree burns in the skin of mice, areas treated with 632.8 nm low intensity laser showed higher birefringence than non-treated control areas in the same subjects. [21] The degree of depolarization is also dependent upon frequency of wavelengths. Pig skin, similar to human skin, is strongly birefringent. The degree of depolarization is strongest at longer infrared wavelengths, and decreases as wavelength is shortened. When pig skin is damaged by gamma ray irradiation, the ability of the skin to depolarize light (tested at 450 nm to 675 nm) is further reduced. [22]

The triple helix structure of collagen makes it optically birefringent. This birefringence is ubiquitous in all biological tissues. [23] However, the ability to depolarize light is dependent upon various factors, the most important one being the depth or thickness of the tissue involved. [24]

Infrared wavelengths between 600 and 1500 nm can penetrate up to 5 mm on the human skin, which would be slightly below the dermis. Whereas light waves in the ultraviolet frequencies generally do not penetrate beyond the epidermis of, or under 1 mm in tissues. [22] The ability of collagen to depolarize light at shorter wavelengths is affected by how the collagen fibers are aligned and limited by the depth of the tissues probed. Due to this limitation, collagen on its own is not the ideal primary interface with quantum signals from our environment. But combined with ascorbate, or vitamin C, nature has created the perfect quantum interface for eukaryotes.

Collagen & Ascorbate, an Exquisite Entanglement

Collagen cannot be synthesized without ascorbate. Collagen requires ascorbate for hydroxylation, a process that allows the molecules to achieve the best configuration, rendering structural stability to the collagen fibers, making them stronger and less susceptible to damage. When human skin cultures are exposed to ascorbate, collagen synthesis is increased by eightfold with no increase in other proteins. In human skin, collagen accounts for up to 75% of the weight of the dermis which is below the epidermis where infrared frequencies can penetrate. [23] Even though the concentration of collagen is lower in the epidermis, this is the very layer of our skin where the highest concentration of ascorbate is found, and the epidermis is also where ultraviolet wavelengths can penetrate.

Normal skin contains high quantities of ascorbate, well above plasma levels and comparable to other body tissues. The concentration in the epidermis is between 2 to 5-fold higherthan that found in the dermis. Ascorbate is found to be depleted in aged or photodamaged skin, and skin that has been exposed to pollution or irradiation. [26] Is this depletion of ascorbate in the epidermis cause or effect? To answer that question, first we need to understand why there is so much ascorbate in the epidermis.

Ascorbate is a Quantum Workhorse

The sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter 2, or SVCT2 for ascorbate is found in every cell of the human body, even in mitochondria. [74] This transporter is one of the most evolutionarily conserved molecules and no species lacks this key protein. [28] The SVCT2 transporter will pick up and transport ascorbate even when the concentration available is extremely low (high affinity), in contrast to the SVCT1 ascorbate transporter, which is high capacity, but low affinity. [74] Together, these two transporters with different capacities and affinities ensure adequate ascorbate levels in all cells in the body. The knockout of the SVCT2 high affinity transporter in mice is lethal on day 1 of life, and when the SVCT1 transporter is deleted, half of the mice without the SVCT1 transporter do not survive to weaning. [36] Most of the time cells have only one form of the transporters. In the epidermis, both forms of the transporters are expressed. [26] Why does nature want to make sure there is more than adequate ascorbate in the epidermis?

Science has been relentlessly uncovering the endless roles undertaken by the epidermis in critical biological functions. It is well established that the skin is the largest organ of the body, with neural, endocrine and immune functions that regulate local and global homeostasis of the various systems involved. [29] Just recently (October 2018), circadian clocks stronger than those in the blood have been identified in the human epidermis. [30]

Ascorbate, the Primary Quantum Interface

Ascorbate is birefringent. It will depolarize light and render the incoming photons decoherent. You can think of ascorbate as the first interface where incoming photon signals are being decoded before secondary interfaces receive and act upon those quantum signals. How does quantum biology interpret the properties of ascorbate? So far, ascorbate has been associated with three quantum properties. It is able to absorb UV-B photons and suppress fluorescence (or fluorescence quenching) of radiation below roughly 310 nm. The absorption maximum of ascorbate is below 270 nm, with some studies showing a peak at 220 nm. Ascorbate is also able to lower excitation signals and transform short UV-B wavelengths between 280 nm to 320 nm into longer UV-A radiation in the 320 nm to 400 nm range. With fluorescence quenching ascorbate is able to substantially reduce emissions to the UV-A range of between 320 nm to 400 nm. These mechanisms effectively shift high-energy light waves into longer wavelengths emitting lower energies. [31] These quantum effects exert immeasurable influence on all aspects of essential biological functions, most of which begin in the epidermis of our skin.

Ascorbate and Vitamin D Synthesis

The epidermis is an active site for hormone synthesis, the most important and well known is that of Vitamin D. It is well established that upon exposure to UVB radiation, the sterol 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) is converted to pre-vitamin D3, which then is isomerized into vitamin D3. The biologically inert vitamin D3 then enters circulation and undergoes two successive hydroxylations in the liver and kidney to form the hormonally active metabolite calcitriol. [32]

The highest concentration of the sterol 7-DHC is found in the deepest two layers of the epidermis, the stratum spinosum and the stratum basale. These two layers also have the highest capacity for the conversion of 7-DHC into pre-vitamin D3. [33] The epidermis consists mostly of keratinocytes, and the bottom layer, stratum basale, is also where keratinocytes and melanocytes are formed. Ascorbate is highly concentrated in all layers of the epidermis. However, concentration of ascorbate has actually been found to increase with depth in the uppermost layer, the stratum corneum. [26] The stratum corneum is ABOVE the stratum spinosum and the stratum basale where 7-DHC is concentrated. So why is there such a high requirement for ascorbate in the epidermis that it expresses both forms of the SVCT transporters?

The sterol 7-DHC, precursor to vitamin D3, is extremely reactive to chain oxidationwhen exposed to exogenous radicals and oxygen. Oxysterols formed from the free radical chain oxidation of 7-DHC are cytotoxic. [33] Cholesterol and most oxysterols are excited by ultraviolet wavelengths below 200 nm. Ascorbate’s unique quantum ability to absorb UV-B and UV-C frequencies, and also to transform high energy short UV wavelengths into longer less energetic wavelengths is critical for metabolic processes in keratinocytes. [31] Why?

Keratinocytes Metabolize Calcitriol

Keratinocytes contain the entire metabolic pathway for the conversion of vitamin D3 to its active metabolite calcitriol, 1,25(OH)2D3, via the vitamin D-25 hydroxylase (CYP27A) and the 25OHD-1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1). These are the same genes found in the liver and kidney that are responsible for the hydroxylation of vitamin D3 and its conversion into the active form calcitriol. In fact, the expression of CYP27B1 is HIGHER in keratinocytes than in any other cell in the body, including the cells of the proximal renal tubule in the kidney. CYP27B1 expression is the highest in the stratum basale of the epidermis in vivo. [34] The conversion of the highly reactive 7-DHC to calcitriol in keratinocytes is only activated in the presence of ultraviolet radiation in the ranges of 285 nm to 315 nm. [35] It is therefore reasonable to assume that the presence of the ascorbate as quantum interface would ensure minimal reactive chain oxidation by 7-DHC during the conversion processes.

In addition to negative feedback loops in keratinocytes, ascorbate also controls the level of calcitriol that can enter into circulation when the production by the liver and kidney is intact. [34] Acorbate not only has the ability to modulate the differentiation of keratinocytes [26], it is able to control the level of calcitriol production in keratinocytes via its effects on melanin synthesis.

L-DOPA, Melanin & Ascorbate

Melanin are chromophores that inhibit the conversion of 7-DHC by competing for the absorption of UV-B photons. An increase in melanin in human skin will increase the time required for exposure to UV radiation in the formation of pre-vitamin D3. [32]

Melanin is produced by melanocytes in the stratum basale, the last layer of the epidermis. Melanin is synthesized from its precursor L-tyrosine, with the aid of enzymatic reactions by tyrosinase. [38] Human keratinocytes have been demonstrated to synthesize catecholamines from L-tyrosine, and the human epidermis actually has the capacity for TOTAL catecholamine biosynthesis. Scientists have identified in keratinocytes, all the key enzymes for catecholamine synthesis including tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate limiting enzyme in the conversion of tyrosine into L-DOPA which is the important precursor to neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. [39, 40] When L-DOPA is oxidized, melanin is formed. [41]

Ascorbate controls the formation of melanin by inhibiting the oxidation of L-DOPA. The presence of ascorbate can also increase the amount of L-DOPA synthesized by tyrosine in the presence or absence of UV-B irradiation. However, the amount of L-DOPA synthesized in the dark in the presence of ascorbate after exposure to ultraviolet is markedly higher than non-exposure to ultraviolet. Most importantly, ascorbate has the ability to reduce melanin. [42] The reduction of melanin is an area that is underexplored, but it has huge implications, considering fungi can use melanin to convert radiation into chemical energy.

Radiosynthesis & Ascorbate

Many eukaryotic fungal species produce melanin chromophores. These species have been found to be able to thrive in high-radiation environments, including the damaged nuclear reactor at Chernobyl. Melanin has the known capacity to absorb a wide spectrum of electromagnetic radiation and transduce these radiation into biologically useful energy. This phenomenon of radiation induced growth is called radiosynthesis. [43] The ability to transform radiation into electrical energy in fungi is substantially enhanced in the presence of ascorbate, or vitamin C. The oxidation of melanin as a result of irradiation produces electric current. The ability of ascorbate to reduce melanin through the transfer of electrons optimizes the redox capacity of melanin, resulting in enhanced electrical current synthesis. [44] Imagine a future world where humans have the capacity to turn electromagnetic radiation from natural and artificial sources into biologically useful energy by using our melanin biosynthetic pathways! But don’t get too excited over this prospect. Humans are ascorbate auxotrophs, meaning they are eukaryotes who have lost the ability to synthesize ascorbate. As such, our melanin biosynthetic pathways are different from that of fungi and far from perfect.

Melanoma, Melanin & Ascorbate

Melanoma is a dangerous form of skin cancer. The irradiation of melanin by ultraviolet rays has been shown to enhance free radical formation. Although melanin is protective at longer wavelengths, melanin enhances cell damage by radiation at shorter wavelengths. The induction of melanoma by ultraviolet A in the range between 320-400 nm requires the presence of melanin pigment, and is associated with oxidative DNA damage in melanocytes. On the other hand, no pigmentation is involved in the initiation of melanoma by ultraviolet B radiation in the range between 280-320 nm. This perhaps resolves the long standing conundrum why African albinos who have melanocytes but lack melanin, are highly susceptible to non-melanoma skin cancer, yet these same Africans are resistant to cutaneous malignant melanoma. [45] So how does the lack of ascorbate contribute to the melanoma-melanin equation? Why don’t we take a look at the difference between fish that can biosynthesize ascorbate and those that cannot.

Teleost are bony fish that have lost the ability to synthesize ascorbate. [46] Common examples of teleost are salmon, trout, cod, perch, herrings, catfish, carp, and minnows, to name a few. Teleosts produce melanin pigments and when exposed to high levels of ultraviolet radiation, these fish develop melanoma. The lesions on the skins of these fish with melanoma contained more melanin than in healthy cells. [47] Cartilaginous fish like hammerhead sharks, are able to biosynthesize ascorbate. [46] They too can ‘tan’ remarkably well under UV exposure. But unlike teleost fish, ascorbate producing sharks do not develop melanoma. “The juvenile shark's skin responded similarly to that observed in humans and other vertebrates in response to direct sunlight, turning from brown to black. Although a similar melanin response was seen in this study (i.e. increased melanin concentration), the sharks in this previous study showed no visible lesions or growths and were therefore not shown to contract melanomas or dermal carcinomas.” [47] The reduction of melanin by ascorbate in the skin of sharks could very well be the reason why sharks do not develop melanoma.

The epidermis is the first receptor of quantum signals from the environment. It makes perfect sense that ascorbate, the ultimate quantum interface, is found there in such high concentrations. The eye is the other important receptor for environmental quantum signals. How much birefringent ascorbate and collagen do you think can be found there?

Eye, Collagen and Ascorbate

The cornea has the highest concentration of ascorbate of all tissues in the body. As a primary quantum signal receptor for the body, the eye is where critical quantum entanglements are established. Quantum signals from light must be properly depolarized before they can be utilized by secondary biologic chromophore interfaces like melanopsin, melanin and hemoglobin. In humans, melanopsin is found in neurons in the retina, BEHIND the cornea. Before electromagnetic signals can reach chromophores and opsins like melanopsin, they are first depolarized by ascorbate and collagen in the cornea. The concentration of ascorbate in cornea is 14 times of that in the aqueous humor. The aqueous humor has 20 times the ascorbate in plasma. By this calculation, cornea would have about 300 times the amount of ascorbate when compared to plasma! The concentration of ascorbate in the corneal epithelium is perhaps the highest of any known and reported tissue in the human body. [48] It is interesting that of different animals examined, the highest concentration of ascorbate in the corneal epithelium are found in those diurnal species that encounter the highest environmental levels of ultraviolet radiation exposure. [48] And if this is not enough, don’t forget that collagen is also birefringent. The middle layer of the cornea is the stroma and accounts for nearly 90% of corneal thickness. The stroma is 71% collagen by dry weight, and contains three different types of collagen, [49] probably each with different birefringent qualities. How does the cornea get its ascorbate? Have you ever noticed that you may tear a lot when you are faced with strong sunlight? Tears also contain extremely high ascorbate, and it is believed that tears provide a continuous source of ascorbate for the corneal epithelium. [50]

It is without question that our high technology world is placing ever increasing demands on ascorbate availability. Humans can increase their ascorbate intake to keep up with demand, unlike plants and animals whose level of ascorbate biosynthesis may not keep pace with advances in technology.

Ascorbate in a 5G World

Human are unable to synthesize ascorbate. But our the ability to recycle certain amounts of ascorbate [51] combined with dietary intake allowed for optimal survival in environments that did not have excessive levels of artificial electromagnetic frequencies. Since the advent of technology, this ability to interface and depolarize ever-increasing electromagnetic frequencies began to decline exponentially in all eukaryotic plants and animals. For organisms that biosynthesize ascorbate, endogenous ascorbate production simply cannot keep up with the intensity of increasing radiation from man-made radio waves. For organisms that must obtain their ascorbate from diets, the decreased ascorbate levels in the food chain compounds the issue of deficiency.

A perfect example of this phenomena is the collapse of bee colonies as a result of increased electromagnetic frequencies. Increasing scientific evidence strongly support the theory of colony collapse disorder (CCD) among honey bees due to electromagnetic radiation from cell phones and cell towers. The massive amount of radiation produced by towers and mobile phones negatively affect honey bee behavior and biology. [52] Bee colonies are known to sustain a marked increase in loss rates during the winter as a result of decreased food sources that contain ascorbate. [53] Even though bees are able to biosynthesize ascorbate, the levels produced are obviously not enough to counter the effects of increased electromagnetic radiation that causes a significant reduction in endogenous antioxidants such as glutathione and catalase. The supplementation of ascorbate in diet of bees however, rescued colony loss rates during the winter by 33%, in parallel with increased antioxidant defense with elevated glutathione transferase and catalase activities. [54]

Birds on the other hand, appear to fare slightly better. Even though most birds do not synthesize ascorbate [46], breeding and migrating birds do not seem to be highly affected by electromagnetic radio waves.[55] Why? Feathers are made of keratin, and keratin is highly birefringent. [57] Feathers, therefore are able to depolarize electromagnetic radiation. The way birefringent feathers are arranged on the body of a bird is simply an exquisite display of nature at one of her better moments. [56]

How do plants protect themselves since they are exposed all the time to cosmic rays, irradiation from the sun and in the past half century, increased onslaught of electromagnetic frequencies in the form of artificial lights and Radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from a wide spectrum of radio waves? Plants, if you remember, have evolved a successful ascorbate biosynthetic pathway that does not generate reactive oxygen species. When exposed to varying levels of light intensities, plants usually respond by adjusting their ascorbate concentrations. [58] But the question remains, is the endogenous ascorbate production enough to counter the effects of EMR from cell towers? Trees grown in the direct vicinities of mobile phone base stations were found to show signs of damage that included stunted growth, brown leaves, irregular growth, dead branches, and color changes. Damage was usually the highest in locations with high radiation exposure and starts on the sides facing the source of radiofrequency radiation. Over time, the damage was extended to the entire plant. [59] A review of an extensive number of studies on the damaging effects of weak radio frequencies on plants showed mostly inhibition or reduced growth rates, whereas some studies actually did not find any negative response upon electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exposure. [60] How does EMR exposure reduce or inhibit growth in plants?

Ascorbate, Solar Energy Photoinhibition & Depolarization of Electromagnetic Radiation

Plants suffer reduced growth rates under photoinhibition when exposed to excessive solar irradiation. [61] Ascorbate provides photoinhibition protection to photosystem II in eukaryotic algae, plants, and prokaryotic cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria do not use light for quorum sensing, instead they use acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) as chemical signals in quorum sensing [62]. I propose the damage suffered by plants when exposed to EMR is a manifestation of reactions that are similar to solar irradiation induced photoinhibition. Both EMR and solar irradiation are electromagnetic frequencies, and both have been found to reduce photosynthetic capacities. Ascorbate attenuates photoinhibition by dissipating excess electrons and excitation energy via the water-water cycle in plants. [63] Ascorbate is now being viewed by science as indispensable for plant growth. [64] Ascorbate is birefringent. Birefringence causes depolarization. Electromagnetic radiation can be depolarized in the same way light is depolarized by birefringent mediums. When EMR undergoes depolarization, there is a redistribution of wave energy leading to a loss of the wave field energy. [65] Since radio waves can be depolarized, increased birefringence from ascorbate could very well protect plants that are affected by EMR exposure. Can ascorbate protect animals also?

Of Mice & Men, the Ascorbate Connection

In November 2018, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) released a report that demonstrated clear evidence that male rats exposed to high levels of radio frequency radiation (RFR) similar to that used in 2G and 3G cell phones developed cancerous heart tumors. The interesting part about this report is that although all rats received radiation across their entire bodies, female rats did NOT develop any tumor. In addition, longer lifespans were detected among MALE rats. [66] Are you intrigued? The explanation is really quite simple. It all has to do with how the birefringent, depolarizing ascorbate interfaces with the RFR on a quantum level in the male and female rats. In male rats, the level of ascorbate in heart muscle is low (5-10 mg per 100 g) when compared to the highest concentrations found in their adrenals (280-400 mg per 100g. If you will recall from the earlier section on birefringence and tissue health, lower birefringence equals less healthy tissues. In addition, the plasma content of ascorbate in male rats is an abysmal 1.6 mg per 100 g. At such low plasma ascorbate levels, very little ascorbate can be delivered to the epidermis to counter the high intensity radiation insults. [67] Female rats on the other hand, have extremely high levels of ascorbate in their plasma, ranging from 150 mg per 100 g to 165 mg per 100 g. [68] In comparison with ascorbate plasma level of male rats, that is a almost a 100-fold increase. With this level of circulating ascorbate in the plasma, the epidermis of the female rats should have more than adequate ascorbate to counter the effects of any amount of electromagnetic radiation. This is exactly what happened in the study. There was a complete absence of any tumor growth in the female rats treated with high intensity RFR. As for the inexplicable longevity observed in some male rats, the radiation exposure probably decreased ascorbate levels throughout the body. Decreased ascorbate is linked to the decrease in growth hormones [69 , 70], and a decrease in growth hormones has been linked to longevity [71].

The evidence for the birefringent ascorbate as the ultimate quantum interface certainly appears convincing. For those who may still be wondering, perhaps we should take a final look at how ascorbate relates to the one place where all quantum entanglements begin and end.

Mitochondria is an Ascorbate Hog

All eukaryotes have mitochondria. Mitochondria sustain life by providing energy. Being the final destination of all quantum interactions, it is no wonder ascorbate is found there in such high concentrations. However, judging by how mitochondria take in ascorbate, it is perhaps reasonable to assume that mitochondria are the first and last places where one would find ascorbate.

The study of mitochondria ascorbate uptake, regeneration and recycling is still an ongoing effort, with new ascorbate transporters, like the orphan transporter SVCT3, are being discovered. [72] The general consensus to date is that the high affinity SVCT2 transporter is used by mitochondria for uptake of ascorbate across all cells, tissues and species. More recently, mitochondria were demonstrated in the U937 cell to take up exponential amounts of ascorbate at the expense of cytosolic uptake. A fifteen minute exposure of 3 micromolar extracellular ascorbate concentration leads to an increase in ascorbate concentration in the cytosol to 45 micromolar. However, the mitochondria matrix concentration of ascorbate is 5000 micromolar. This means that during uptake the increase in the cytosolic concentration of ascorbate is disrupted by a more efficient mitochondrial uptake via the high affinity SVCT2 transporter. [73] On top of that, the requirement for transport across the SVCT2 transporter is set to a bare minimum in mitochondria. Unlike SVCT2s in plasma membrane which require 2 sodium ions per ascorbate molecule, sodium ion requirement is 100 fold less in mitochondria SVCT2 transporters. Ascorbate SVCT2 transporters in plasma membrane also require the presence of calcium and magnesium for transport of ascorbate. Mitochondria SVCT2 can take up ascorbate in the ABSENCE of calcium and magnesium. [74]

In plants, ascorbate is found to be synthesized by mitochondria between Complex III and Complex IV. [75] Mitochondria are where all quantum entanglements begin and end. Since ascorbate is the ultimate quantum interface, mitochondria will never be found without ascorbate in any living organism, plant nor animal.

The overwhelming evidence on ascorbate I have presented to you today is but a microscopic fraction of the portion of the iceberg that is visible to us currently. This iceberg is without doubt an important piece of the puzzle that will help us understand how we are entangled with our environment, natural or artificial. I cannot say whether ascorbate will be ‘the’ answer for survival and adaptation in the modern high tech world man has created. Having a better understanding of how the birefringent quantum properties of ascorbate can affect our adaptation is an excellent start though. Thank you for joining me on this important and exciting discovery. It would assist me greatly if you will take a moment to leave your impression or comments so I can plan my next article on ascorbate for you.

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#Vitamin C #quantum biology #quantum physics #quantum consciousness #vitamins #integrative medicine #mitochondria #ascorbic acid

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Seven Gigantic Influences Of Aquaponics Systems Diy

We schedule public tours an early saturday of each month at 10:00 am and a couple of:00 pm. Excursions last approximately 1.5 hours and consists of how aquaponics works, its advantages and benefits, and full walkthrough of ouroboros farms aquaponics facility. Western kentucky aquaponics has their greenhouse accomplished for his or her business aquaponics farm. Below aquaponics farming, produce can develop naturally without chemical fertilizers in a system that makes use of less water as a result of it's recycled. Most aquaponic farms that elevate tilapia maintain the water temperature between 72 - 74 levels fahrenheit, which is a compromise between Best Aquaponics System fish and plant requirements. The develop bed, which sits on high of the tank, must be barely larger than the length and width of the fish tank. Siphon the siphon will divide the water from the pump into each of the 4 grow beds.

The waste from the fish, feeds the vegetation. Installing an aquaponic garden in your home is a good way to make the most of all the calming options of crops and aquariums, and marry them into one lovely and elegant conversation piece that will brighten up any room. Programs range from $60 to $250 and are nice for demonstrating the fundamentals of aquaponics. In consulting, instructing, writing and publishing, they share experience, information and information accrued by way of many years of palms-on industrial Vertical Aquaponics System hydroponic production and research. Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture, the manufacturing of marine and freshwater aquatic crops and animals, and hydroponics, the science of growing plants in water or a media aside from soil. According to merriam-webster, aquaponics is "a system of rising vegetation within the water that has been used to domesticate aquatic organisms".

That's what aquaponics programs are actually. A symbiosis between hydroponics and aquaculture,” aquaponics is a perfect example of a self-enough, living machine that produces meals with out creating waste or air pollution. You'll build the next megacorporation using a modern farming Aquaponics Systems Diy while finding the perfect method to provide varied vegetables and fishes. I've rocks on prime and i tradition micro organism, which is what breaks down the fish waste and it turns it into plant nutrients. Micro organism are an integral element, as they're liable for the breakdown of fish waste into vitamins crops can soak up. Irrespective of how good your aquaponic system is, it will not perform to maximum capability if the environmental circumstances are outdoors the comfort zone for the fish and crops.

Farm:store is financed principally by a restaurant that serves the produce grown there and at church farm, the place mr. Henderson relies, within the hertfordshire village of ardeley, an hour's drive from dalston. The waste water is filtered to take away the solid waste supplies, and the place there are not any chemical Indoor Aquaponic System compounds present (including from the usage of any antibiotics for the fish), artificial fertilizers, and other poisonous pollutants added into the system, the filtered waste can be recycled onto lawns and other backyard areas as pure fertilizer. I'd join the aquaponics gardening group to see who's in your area and in addition possibly offering aquaponics classes in french.

As well as, the amount of effluent from the plants can be lowered with aeroponics, lowering the amount of water that needs to be treated before reuse. If you learn all of the free downloads on that page, you'll have gotten a high quality education in real-world Aquaponics For Sale higher than many of the so-known as commercial aquaponics courses” which can be out there. Carnivores are meat consuming fish and so they need at least 45% of the protein of their meals, with out which they turn out to be severely malnourished 15 herbivorous fish are these that may eat solely crops and omnivorous fish are people who eat every little thing, opportunistic fish; their feeding behavior relies on the food accessible in that exact habitat however not restricted to. The protein content for herb and omnivores are usually kept at 32% 7 the associated problem is to pick out one of the best fish sort in response to the sustainability of the financial sources and factors (fish feed (protein source), market and value stability, politic stability, enter value, mounted price and so on) and to keep up with the usual pointers of economic sustainability. The tank is filtered with a little bit sponge filter, which runs off the same air pump that i take advantage of to pump water up to the crops. Commercially, aquaponics solves a lot of issues standard or natural farming can not. Worm farming-the world's finest compost” - think of worms, think of fishing. Just comply with the tips mentioned above and you will have nice success in your try and develop natural food in your house.

Tags: Aquaponics Setup,Aquaponics Design,Aquaponics Indoor System,Aquaponics System Design

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yaorong · 3 years

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The development of vertical agriculture and the opportunity of LED grow lights

Vertical agriculture is a revolutionary and sustainable agricultural method that does not require so much space and water demand, and has no impact on the ecological environment.

Because vertical agriculture is still groping and developing, people have never stopped questioning it, but in the future, as the number of people increases and the area of arable land decreases, the development of vertical agriculture is inevitable. Agricultural production can no longer depend on the sky for food. The harsh global natural environment and climate will cause food shortages in the future. Only new technologies and new models of agriculture can satisfy all of this.

The following 13 innovative technologies and their applications represent the latest developments in the field of vertical agriculture:

1. Hydroponics

Hydroponics is a new method of plant cultivation, and it is also the most widely used method in vertical agriculture. This method does not require soil, but uses nutrient solution to cultivate, which is more convenient to cultivate and the plants are safer.

2. Aerosol cultivation

Aerosol cultivation technology is a new type of cultivation method. Aerosol cultivation is similar to hydroponics. The difference is that the nutrient solution is atomized and sprayed directly onto the roots of plants in the form of spray to provide the water and nutrients needed for plant growth. , And there is the ability to reduce water consumption.

3. Fish and vegetable symbiosis

The fish and vegetable symbiosis system is very similar to the hydroponic system, but one more is to integrate fish and plants together and use each other. The water purified by the plants is used for the fish ponds, and the waste generated by the fish can serve as the nutritional needs of the plants. .

4. Lokal-a self-sufficient small household vegetable system

Lokal technology is the combination of hydroponics and LED grow lights. Nutrient solution replaces soil and LED grow lights replace sunlight, so that plants can also be grown indoors without being restricted by environmental or geographical conditions.

5. AeroFarms-Intelligent Vertical Agriculture Innovation

AeroFarms technology combines the latest technologies such as LED grow light supplement light, aerosol cultivation technology and climate control to control and regulate various factors in line with the growth of plants, giving plants the best growth environment, but the investment cost may be higher. But now there are many successful cases abroad.

6. Plantscapers-buildings that provide food for residents

Plantscapers is a patented vertical agriculture technology that uses a rack-type transportation system to gradually move planting plants from the floor to the ceiling of the vertical greenhouse without artificial lighting. It can deal with various environments at any time without affecting the growth of plants.

7. VertiCrop-Urban Sustainable Agriculture Technology

This technology is based on hydroponics technology, which moves specially made suspension trays through a transportation system to provide plants with the best artificial light and natural light. Moreover, it is not affected by the environment, so that the growth of plants will not be affected and the yield will be greatly improved.

8. Modular Farm

The modular farm system is a major innovation of the Canadian company ModularFarms. Able to produce healthy and fresh plants in any climate and anywhere. The modular farm is a customized design based on the concept of urban farms, providing modules that can be used for various purposes. Users can customize the system and expand its functions according to agricultural needs.

9. Cubic Agriculture System

The cubic agricultural system works through the conveyor rotation method, automatic nutrient delivery system and LED grow light supplement light to create the best growth environment for green plants, and the water consumption is only 1/26 of that of traditional agriculture.

10. ZipGrow-vertical farming by modern farmers

The principle of ZipGrow is to use traditional hydroponics technology combined with a vertical gravity supply system to maximize the use of limited space and increase the benefit per unit area.

11. Bowery-the most technologically advanced commercial indoor farm in the world

BoweryOS, a technologically advanced agricultural system developed by the American indoor breeding company Bowery, can control the whole indoor growth process of crops without the use of pesticides, and the yield will be greatly improved compared with traditional planting methods, and more than 100 kinds of herbs and green leafy vegetables can be grown.

12. Skyfarm-wind vertical farm tower

British architectural firm Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners proposed a concept called Skyfarm during the 2014 World Architecture Festival. The intention is to build a hyperboloid tower, using different farming techniques, including fish-vegetable symbiosis and traditional soil planting methods, suitable for producing crops in high-density urban areas or places with less land supply.

13. Sky Greens-the world's first hydraulic vertical farm

The principle of Sky Greens is that the plants at the bottom absorb water, while the plants at the top get sunlight, and the whole process continues to cycle. Compared with traditional agricultural technology, it does not occupy land space and saves more water resources.

Vertical agriculture is increasingly becoming an accepted mode of production. These innovative technologies will become more and more popular and will completely change the face of agriculture in the future! The development of agricultural planting is inseparable from light, and the same is true for vertical agriculture, and most of them are indoor planting, so it is natural to need supplementary light. LED plant lights are now the most popular plant supplement light for indoor planting. The development of vertical agriculture will bring a wave of new markets and opportunities to LED grow lights.

Practical functions of LED grow lights:

1. Use LED grow lights to illuminate plants: extend the light time and reduce the growth cycle of plants;

2. LED grow lights can effectively prevent overgrowth of plants and grow more orderly;

3. LED grow lights can increase crop yields and economic benefits;

4. LED grow lights can effectively prevent the invasion of pests;

5. LED grow lights promote flowering and fruiting of melon and fruit plants and reduce the formation of deformed fruits;

6. LED grow lights can completely replace sunlight, and plants can thrive when planting plants in winter;

7. LED grow lights can effectively promote the formation of chlorophyll, anthocyanin and carotene required for plant photosynthesis;

8. LED grow lights can be used for space plant systems and space planting;

9. LED grow lights can be used in a wide range of environments, such as large-scale planting, multi-layer tissue culture, local lighting, home bonsai, etc.

LED grow light application advantages:

1. The LED grow light can be well used in tissue culture and can be used for close-range lighting, especially with LED plant light strips;

2. The wavelength of the LED grow light can be customized, which can replace 3-5 times the power of high-pressure sodium lamps, halogen lamps, and fluorescent lamps, saving power by 80%;

3. The LED grow light has a long life span, up to 50,000 hours;

4. LED grow lights can be freely matched with the ratio of lamp beads to meet the needs of different plants and different growth stages;

5. The use of led plant growth lights can control the growth rate of plants and predict the maturity time of the market;

6. LED grow light is a kind of energy-saving, environmentally friendly and efficient plant growth light.

7. The heat emitted by LED grow lights is much lower than that of traditional plant growth lights.

8. LED grow lights respond faster than traditional plant growth lights;

9. LED grow lights are stronger than traditional plant growth lights and have stronger impact resistance.

Features of LED grow lights:

1. Increase yield: The energy needed for plant growth comes from the photosynthesis of plants, and photosynthesis requires sunlight, and LED grow lights can supplement light to plants when the light is insufficient, and promote the accumulation of plant dry matter, thus achieving the purpose of increasing yield. .

2. Early market: LED grow lights can shorten the growth cycle of plants, promote the growth of plants, can make crops go on the market 7-15 days in advance, greatly increasing the economic income of users.

3. High luminous efficiency: 90% of the light emitted by LED grow lights can be absorbed by plants. Traditional plant lights such as high-pressure sodium lamps and metal halide lamps can only absorb 8-10% of the light during photosynthesis.

4. Low power consumption: LED grow lights consume very little power, so users do not have to worry about the cost of supplementary lights.

5. Long lifespan: LED grow lights have an extremely long lifespan, with an ultra-long lifespan of 50,000 hours to ensure long-term safe and efficient operation of the product.

6. Environmental protection: LED grow lights are safe, environmentally friendly and do not contain toxic mercury. Our LED grow lights use 10%-30% more energy than traditional lights. Consuming less energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions into our environment.

As more and more companies devote themselves to the field of plant lighting, they have the footprint of Yaorong Technology. The various LED grow lights produced by Yaorong Technology are highly recognized by users. On the road of future development, we will always insist on producing good products to help more plants grow more efficient and reliable.

#led grow lights #Vertical agriculture #devote #plant lighting #energy saving #greenhouses #opportunity #Hydroponics #grower #grow light #led #led cannabis grow light

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ugnecas · 3 years

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Try out and document a new cultural dish

Continuing my cooking into April, I wanted to continue with some theme. I was done with vegan food, but I wanted to try some more interesting foods. In our Lithuanian A class, we read a book written by Lithuanian Jew (Litvak) G. Kanovich I was inspired to explore this once vats and now quite small culture and their food tradition. So, I made what I believe to be a very important food in every culture – bread. Since I was exploring Jewish food I, of course, made challah bread. I then though that I shall explore other cultures and what kind of bread products they eat. Last week we had a short spring break and so I had plenty of time to spend in the kitchen. So, alongside challah bread I made, Mexican conchas, Italian focaccia and Native American, specifically Navajo, fry bread.

Starting with challah bread I used this (x). The process was not very hard, however, kneading a dough was very tiresome. The bread came out soft, slightly sweet and delicious. I think this is one the most familiar dishes I made in April, as I myself live in Lithuania and such braided, slightly sweet loafs are readily available in grocery stores. Perhaps, because Lithuania has a long history as the Northern Jerusalem, and thus Lithuanian people have always exchanged cultures and foods with the Jews. While deciding what Jewish dish to make I discovered that much of Lithuanian food has Jewish origins (maybe it is vice versa) and I have eaten many of them already. Kugel, for example is eaten at my house fairly regularly and I always help my mum to make it. I remember spending my childhood weekend at my grandma’s house and every Sunday after church my grandma and uncle would make us potato pancakes, or latkes as my Jewish peers would call them. Gefilte fish can always be found at more traditional gatherings. I think it shows a beautiful symbiosis between two cultures that sadly has been ruined beyond repair.

Mexican conchas recipe here: (x) while perhaps this recipe did not make me think about cultures and tragedies as much it was still a very fun one. I had attempted to make conchas 4 or 5 years ago and failed horribly because the yeast I used was dead. It almost happened this time too, however after many hours the yeast started working. I think this type of bread could be a great replacement for everyone’s favourite croissant as it too is slightly sweet and light.

Italian focaccia, recipe here (x). This is another popular recipe that I saw online and was too tempted not to try. It was not hard, but once again kneading it was tiring. I tried to decorate it with some food items to make it beautiful. When trying out a cultural recipe I try to look for it in the original language to check is it authentic or not. While I do not consider myself to be a snob and don’t care how authentic a food is, as long as it tastes good, in this case when your quest is to see how different cultures eat it is important to check for authenticity as one or two bad steps can ruin your whole experience. This is especially true with Italian food, as Italians tend to be snobby about their cuisine and complain that a foreigner made it wrong. I agree with this sentiment to an extent, because it can be annoying when a clueless person tries to pass some random dish as an authentic one. It can feel disrespectful. So, being respectful was always on my mind when I was cooking new foods this month, especially as many of the cultures I engaged with have experienced/ are experiencing oppression and or genocide.

Now lastly Navajo fry bread, recipe originally from (x), but I noticed it is removed now so a similar one can be found here (x). This one was one of the most unfamiliar to me. Firstly, I have never really heard of what Native Americans ate, what their traditional food was besides corn. Secondly, this food is particularly interesting as it was born out of hardship and oppression: “According to Navajo tradition, frybread was created in 1864 using the flour, sugar, salt and lard that was given to them by the United States government when the Navajo, who were living in Arizona, were forced to make the 300-mile journey known as the "Long Walk" and relocate to Bosque Redondo, New Mexico, onto land that could not easily support their traditional staples of vegetables and beans;”. The cooking was relatively easy, although frying in oil is always a bit of a challenge and I did burn my pinkie a little bit. I decided to make them into Navajo tacos for a savoury dinner. It turned out they were not as unfamiliar as I thought. Many nations, including Lithuanians, make thin, fry bread products, so I had eaten a familiar product that is native in my country, but it was sweet rather than savoury. In the future I hope to explore more native American foods as they are very unique and variable, as there as many nations in the USA and Canada.

All in all, I would say that food is very important in showing us the history and culture of a nation. I believe we should all try out more different and cultural foods, not only because of new flavour and curiosity, but to understand one another better.

#April #cooking #cultural cooking #creativity #cas

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tripsterguru · 5 years

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25 best resorts in Croatia

New Post has been published on https://tripsterguru.com/25-best-resorts-in-croatia/

25 best resorts in Croatia

More than 1,000 islands and nearly 6,000 kilometers of coastline characterize Croatia, located in the heart of Europe. Mountain ranges descending to the water’s edge, beaches washed by the crystal clear sea, national parks, healing thermal springs and rich cultural heritage make the sunny country on the Adriatic a favorite destination for travelers. Whether you dream of turquoise gentle waves, whether you want to explore famous sights, many of which are under the protection of UNESCO, or are looking forward to meeting with snow-capped mountain peaks – the best resorts in Croatia are able to fulfill the dreams of any tourist.

Dubrovnik

The unique city, as if woven from the rays of the sun and ancient stones, is the pearl of the Adriatic. Dubrovnik, whose history began 14 centuries ago, still retains the medieval charm of cobbled streets, magnificent palaces and churches. The view of the turquoise expanse of the sea, the fortified walls crowned with 16 towers, and the red roofs of old houses will always be remembered and makes you come back here again and again.

Greeks, Romans, Venetians … Many peoples left their mark in Dubrovnik reflected in famous sights. Nature boasts national parks, waterfalls, snow-capped mountain peaks and dense forests where bears, wolves and lynxes live. The coast attracts with crystal clear water, Blue Flag beaches and a variety of hotels: from five-star complexes to budget apartments.

Split

The unofficial capital of Croatia is located on a picturesque peninsula in the heart of Dalmatia. From the sea side, Split is adjacent to the islands of Brac, Solta and Dugi-Otok, the mainland is surrounded by green slopes of the mountain range. The city, whose origins date back to the III century, today attracts tourists with its bright turquoise sea, pebble and sand beaches, hotels of various comforts, cultural events and a rich nightlife.

The main attraction of the resort is the Palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, built in 305. It would be more correct to call the grandiose building a complex that encloses the entire historical center of the city. It includes fortress walls, ancient temples and ancient buildings. In addition to historical monuments, Split is famous for museums, theaters, summer scenes and art galleries.

Porec

The appearance of Porec is impressive – the city is located on an elongated cape overlooking the open sea. This small resort in northwestern Istria is proud of its two thousand year history and monuments of ancient architecture. Before the eyes of travelers, long-gone centuries come to life, reflected in the Ephrasian Basilica of the 4th century, the Roman Pentagonal Tower, which celebrated its 600th anniversary, and Marafor Square with columns preserved from pagan temples.

In summer, dance lovers flock here until morning – the largest night club in Croatia, Byblos attracts DJs from all over the world to Porec. Those who come to the resort for a relaxing holiday by the sea will also not be disappointed. For the cleanliness and excellent quality of water, most pebble beaches are awarded the Blue Flag. The best on the coast are Brulo, surrounded by vegetation, the ravishing Green Lagoon and the rocky Doni Shpadichi.

Umag

The westernmost point of the country – located in Istria Umag – offers travelers a successful symbiosis of beach holidays and an interesting excursion program. Back in the days of the Roman Empire, a port city existed in the harbor of the Adriatic Sea, which later belonged to Byzantium, Italy, Austria and Yugoslavia. As a result, the multinational population and historical monuments representing different eras. The proximity to Venice (50 miles) provides an opportunity to make a day trip to the canal city.

The 45 km long rocky coast of Umag cannot boast of comfortable beaches, the vast majority of which are covered with concrete platforms. However, this does not interfere with exploring the wonderful world of Neptune or dissecting the expanse of water on a shortboard. With the sunset, life at the resort continues. The promenade and the old city invite you to take a romantic walk, and discos offer you to immerse yourself in an atmosphere of fun and carefree.

Makarska

In the central part of the country, south of Split, Makarska is waiting for guests. Placed in the arms of majestic mountains and the emerald sea, the city captivates with an atmosphere of comfort and harmony. Those who decided to spend a vacation in this resort will be rewarded with the fragrant air of pine forests, developed infrastructure, familiarity with the historic buildings of the city center and the opportunity to visit the nearby islands.

The coast of the resort is divided into two parts by Cape St. Peter. The east side is used as a city port and marina. Fans of the sea and the sun have chosen the western bay. Along the coastline is a promenade full of shops, restaurants, nightclubs and bars. For children, there are playgrounds and an area with attractions. The promenade borders well-maintained beaches covered with small pebbles. The water here is warmer than in North Dalmatia, and the swimming season lasts until October.

Baska Voda

Surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and the impressive mountains of Baska Voda, it is located about 50 km south of Split and is part of the Makarska Riviera. The former fishing village, which was first mentioned in the XVIII century, has preserved archaeological sites of the time for posterity, at the same time turning into a popular resort, which includes tennis courts, diving centers, bars and discos.

White pebble beaches await bathers. The most popular and comfortable of them is the city of Nikolina, over which the Blue Flag flutters. In the evenings, life is concentrated here on the palm-fringed Riva embankment. Restaurants and taverns overlooking the sea offer to enjoy a glass of excellent wine and taste the local culinary delights: grilled fish, seafood and Burek meat pie.

Tucepi

The second famous resort of Makarska Riviera – Tucepi – is an ideal place for a family vacation. The Biokovo mountain range approaching the sea, covering the coast from strong winds, and lush pine forests form a mild climate, creating excellent conditions for a beach holiday from early June to late September. On a pebble-strewn 4-kilometer coast, few hotels are concentrated, but almost all of them have professional children’s animation.

Tucepi will also love active tourists – SKATINA Sports Center is equipped with tennis courts, a football field, badminton, handball and basketball courts. Bicycle, catamaran and diving equipment rental is available. Fans of nightlife will be bored here – the resort has no discos and noisy events.

Rovinj

Walking through the labyrinths of white-tiled streets of Rovinj, you can forget for a moment that you are in Croatia – the romantic old town looks like a fabulous Venice. The pearl of Italy is also reminded of houses descending to the very edge of the water, and the 62-meter bell tower of the Church of St. Euthymius, surprisingly similar to Campanila of St. Mark’s Cathedral. Around the sights, life is in full swing: souvenir shops are selling, fashionable restaurants and traditional taverns are inviting customers, the old Trevisol Street is teeming with tourists.

The coastline of the resort extends for 67 km. Here you can find areas with small pebbles, and picturesque secluded bays, perfect for families with children. The best beaches of Rovinj are the city of Monte, the small-pebbled gentle Lone and equipped with Kuvi sports fields.

Pula

The Istrian peninsula is one of the most popular holiday regions in Croatia, not only because of the famous beaches. Here is Pula – the oldest port city, combining historical monuments from the time of the Roman Empire, modern hotels, nightclubs, diving centers and picturesque sea bays. The coast here is mainly covered with concrete platforms or covered with pebbles. Therefore, going to the resort, do not forget to put special swimming shoes in a suitcase. If you come to the country with children, then choose hotels located near the sandy beach of Biyets.

Travelers value the city for the sixth largest Roman amphitheater, also known as Pula Arena. The grandiose building was erected in the 1st century BC. e. Over a centuries-old history, it has witnessed gladiatorial battles, and wars, and city fairs. Today, during the summer months, concerts and colorful shows are organized outside the 29.4-meter-high exterior walls.

Medulin

If you are looking for a place away from the hustle and bustle and want to spend your vacation exclusively on the beach, then welcome to Medulin, located on the southern tip of Istria, 10 km southeast of Pula. The resort is surrounded by dozens of small islands, chosen by lovers of sunbathing naked. There are all conditions for a carefree vacation. Great beaches, deserted bays and a turquoise calm sea await you.

The most popular beach is the 1.5-kilometer gentle Bjieca. For the delicate sand and the reliable protection granted by pine groves, it is especially appreciated by families with children. It will be boring here for active travelers. Medulin has diving centers, tennis courts, a golf club and a riding school. Evenings can be spent on the city promenade, which attracts bars and traditional taverns.

Opatija

The atmosphere of luxury and carefree life reigns in Opatija – a small town in the northern part of Istria. The modern resort combines a well-developed tourist infrastructure and historical charm. Originating 500 years ago, Opatija was a favorite vacation spot of the Venetian nobility and the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I. It was here that in 1886 the first elite yacht club appeared on the Adriatic. Due to the many attractions and the availability of luxury hotels today, the famous resort is called “Croatian Nice.”

The coastline of the city is divided into several well-equipped beaches, many of which are marked with the “Blue Flag”. Here you will find trampoline parks, playgrounds, sports areas, cafes and summer scenes. The promenade stretching for several kilometers is an ideal place where you can enjoy sea views and try the delicacies of national cuisine in numerous restaurants.

Cavtat

About 20 km south of Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful places in South Dalmatia. Due to its proximity to the airport (5 km), Cavtat is one of the most popular resorts in Croatia. Its history goes back over 2 thousand years. The city experienced many historical events that were reflected in unique architectural monuments representing the styles of Baroque, Renaissance, Gothic and Classicism. The most famous of them are the Church of St. Nicholas of the 15th century, the Princely Palace, a stone staircase leading to the hill and the mausoleum of the Racic family.

Cavtat cannot boast of having entertainment centers and night clubs. People come here for a relaxing holiday. The tiny resort is rich in picturesque parks, cozy harbors, suitable for fishing or scuba diving and, of course, magnificent beaches. At the disposal of tourists there is a well-equipped city Underground Gose, surrounded by pine trees, pebble Punta Rata and two-kilometer Vela Plaza.

Sibenik

The charming old center with cultural and historical sights, narrow streets, shops, cafes and a spectacular promenade make Sibenik a worthy place to relax on the Adriatic coast. For the first time, the resort of North Dalmatia was mentioned in documents of 1066, which gives the right to call it the oldest city in the country. Built as the residence of the king of Croatia, for centuries Šibenik belonged to Venice, Austria-Hungary, Yugoslavia.

During military conflicts in Turkey, it served as the pillar of Christian civilization, as evidenced by the fortress that has survived to this day. Those who come to Sibenik for the turquoise water area should pay attention to the small-pebble beach Banj, suitable for families with children, and one of the best sandy beaches in the country – the 4-km Solaris.

Lovran

Lovran is one of the first settlements in the north of Istria, already in the early Middle Ages serving as an important shipbuilding center. The city turned into an attractive resort at about the same time as Opatija, located 6 km away. Since the mid-19th century, tourism has been a major industry in the local economy. The mansions, formerly owned by Austro-Hungarian aristocrats, now offer guests of Croatia comfortable rooms with excellent service.

Lovran is attractive to travelers all year round. In summer, tourists expect clean beaches, framed by lush subtropical vegetation. With the onset of autumn, the time comes for theme festivals, and in the winter a sailing regatta and a traditional carnival will take place. An important direction of the resort is a wellness vacation. The Wellness Medical Spa Center complex offers thalassotherapy sessions, massages and therapeutic mud treatments.

Rab Island

Shrouded in legends, Rab, caressed by the sun for 2,499 hours a year, is located in the northern part of the country, in Kvarner Bay. You can get here by ferry leaving the port of Yablunytsya. New arrivals on the island it seems that it consists entirely of bare rocks. But it is worth getting to know this land better, as it opens its guests to dense vegetation, fertile fields and blue lagoons.

The island is small – an area of 93.6 km2 can be bypassed in one day. During this trip, you will get acquainted with the capital of the island – the city of Rab, famous for its medieval monasteries and churches, small villages, and, of course, a picturesque coastline. The island offers beaches for every taste, but the most popular is the sandy Rajska plaža, loved by both families with children and active tourists who are fond of water sports.

Brioni Island

The Brioni Archipelago, comprising 14 small islands, extends along the southwestern coast of Istria. These places are familiar to mankind since the Bronze Age. For centuries, the lands washed by the Adriatic Sea were owned by the Celts, Romans and Byzantines. The powerful of this world have always appreciated the mild climate and colorful landscapes. Brioni was the favorite resort of the Emperor of Germany, William II, and the party leader of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito, built here a summer residence immersed in luxury.

Modern Brioni is famous for its National Park. A visit here can be compared to an exciting journey through the jungle. Conveniently located in the wagons of a tourist train, you will get acquainted with the inhabitants of the reserve (elephants, antelopes, zebras, llamas), study the ancient exhibits of the archaeological museum and swim on a wild beach.

Island of Ciovo

A quiet oasis in the Adriatic Sea, remote from the noisy Split for 30 km, was chosen by families who came to rest in Croatia with children. Beaches with snow-white smooth pebbles washed by warm transparent waves are perfect for kids’ games. Locals advise coming to the resort from July to September – at this time you can safely step on the seabed without fear of prickly hedgehogs.

It’s a pleasure to spend free time from swimming and sunbathing while exploring local sights: the Monastery of the Holy Cross built in the 15th century and the monastery of St. Mary. If this does not seem enough, then go on an excursion to nearby Split, Dubrovnik or Zadar. Tired of masterpieces of architecture? Then you will find the underwater world of the Adriatic Sea, which will be studied by the trainers of a modern diving center.

Brac Island

Green hills and impregnable cliffs, cozy villages and the ruins of ancient buildings offers tourists Brac – the third largest island in the country. In Croatia, there is no better known beach than Zlatni Rat – similar to the giant tongue of the cape, covered with sand and tiny pebbles. All the possibilities for a varied vacation are created here – a paradise offers you to ride a jet ski, paraglide, explore the inhabitants of the sea day and master windsurfing.

If you are tired of relaxing on the beach, then visit the Blaz Monastery carved in the rock, the Annunciation Church, the mysterious Dragon Cave, the 16th century Kerinich Castle and the ruins of St. Vida Church, located at an altitude of 778 m above sea level. And you can pass the evening in one of the many restaurants. A dinner consisting of regional dishes is complemented by local wines, national music and the vibrant atmosphere of one of Croatia’s best resorts.

Island Krk

The largest island of the country, the images of which most often appear on advertising tourist photographs, offers its guests the opportunity for both beach and sightseeing vacations. On its territory are concentrated medieval cathedrals, ancient walls and mysterious caves decorated with stalactites. The coastline of the island of Krk is ideal for travelers with children – sand and pebbles will not hurt their feet, and a gentle slope is safe even for the smallest swimmers.

The treasure of the island is a national park blinding with its variety of landscapes, which is not inferior in beauty to the legendary Plitvice Lakes. On an area of 109 km2, covered with green hills, dangerous gorges and dense forests, about 850 representatives of the fauna live. Here you will find the ruins of the Roman Forum, as well as the Orthodox and Franciscan monasteries of the XIV century. A find for photographers will be waterfalls. The largest of them – Skradinsky beech – brings down its waters from a height of 46 m.

Hvar Island

According to Forbes magazine, Hvar, located in the southern Adriatic, is recognized as one of the ten most beautiful islands in the world. But this is not the only reason that annually attracts thousands of tourists to the island, in whose ranks Beyoncé and Tom Cruise were noticed. What attracts travelers to the picturesque coast, caressed by the sun for 2 720 hours a year? Ancient history that began in the III millennium BC. e., left contemporaries many architectural monuments. The nature of the island also charms.

The fields of the eastern part in June are colored purple and fill the surroundings with the heady aroma of lavender. Local beaches are also beautiful – the coastline washed by turquoise waves is suitable for lovers of a relaxing holiday (Dubovitsa beaches), divers (Amphora) and active youth (Hula Hula). In the evenings, Hvar attracts with its fish restaurants, chic clubs and bars. And the most romantic sunset can be seen in the picturesque fortress of the 15th century, from where a breathtaking panorama of the sunny island of Croatia opens.

Losinj Island

If you ask one of the 8,000 inhabitants of Lošinj what their island is famous for, then they will probably answer: “The pristine nature”. People come here to take a break from bustling cities, enjoy the beauty of pine forests, rocky bays, as well as gain physical and mental strength in health centers practicing aromatherapy. The local coast is rich in quiet bays, and a colony of dolphins lives in the water area, whose members can be greeted while walking on a yacht.

Planning along the streets of one of the cities of the island – Veli – you will feel the atmosphere of Italy. Ancient basilicas, Renaissance buildings and pastel-colored houses for a while turn the life of tourists into the coveted Dolce Vita. The second settlement of Mali is proud of a unique relic – an antique bronze statue of an athlete, raised from the seabed in 1996.

Kolocep Island

If you are tired of the ongoing noise of megacities and car exhaust, then pay attention to Kolocep – an island located 5 km from the popular Dubrovnik. On an area of 2.4 km2, 160 residents live, whose houses are located in two small villages. Cars do not drive here, local transport is represented by electric cars, bicycles and donkeys. Century pines, fragrant oleanders, crystal clear sea and coral reefs dominate on Kolochep.

The sights of the island are early Christian temples erected in the period from the 19th to the 11th centuries, the Blue Cave and the Botanical Garden. Tourists arriving at the resort are waiting for the only hotel – the three-star Villas Kolocep hotel located on a sandy beach. You can only get to it by boat leaving the port of Dubrovnik.

Korcula Island

The lush vegetation and centuries-old pine trees exuding a breathtaking aroma frame the picturesque coast of the island of Korcula, located in southern Croatia. The resort is known for the Kalos Rehabilitation Institute, which offers mud-based wellness treatments. No less famous is Lumbarda – a picturesque fishing village, in the vicinity of which sandy beaches rare for Croatia are located.

According to legend, the ancient city of Korcula was founded in the XI century by the warrior Antenor expelled from Troy.

The modern resort is rich in attractions that have come down to us since the Middle Ages. The tourists are always interested in the powerful fortress walls of the VIII century, the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Gothic Cathedral of St. Mark. The island is rightfully proud of its famous son – the traveler Marco Polo. Here a museum is dedicated to him, opened in the father’s house of the legendary Venetian merchant.

Mljet Island

An island in southern Croatia, whose coast is only 48 km long, is one of the most popular tourist destinations. On a small plot of land, you will find traces of ancient structures (the ruins of a Roman palace of the II century and a basilica built in the V century), and idyllic sandy beaches, and unsurpassed cuisine, and sunken ships, and a rich underwater world, attracting diving fans here.

The main attraction of the island is the National Park, hiding in its heart two huge salt lakes, narrow channels connected to the sea. On one of them you will find an island on which a 12th century Benedictine monastery crowned with a defensive tower rises. Today, a restaurant is open on the territory of the former monastery, serving its guests grilled meat and fish dishes.

Vrsar

The medieval Vrsar, washed by the waves of the Gulf of Liman, was created for leisurely relaxation and contemplation of natural beauties. The picturesque coastline, lovely bays and lush vegetation invariably captivate guests of the city. In the middle of the XVIII century the legendary heartthrob Giacomo Casanova fell in love with this place, whose house today is a famous attraction of the resort. In addition, in July there is a festival named after the great ladies man – a holiday dedicated to eroticism and love.

Vrsar’s beaches, covered with pebbles or concrete platforms, are equipped with the necessary equipment for a comfortable stay and playgrounds, making the hearts of young travelers beat faster. Coastal reefs and sunken ships attract divers here. On one of the 18 islands spreading off the coast of the archipelago, the largest European hotel complex, Koversada, is famous for its secluded nudist beach.

Resorts with sandy beaches

The Adriatic coast is recognized year after year as one of the cleanest in Europe. And contrary to prejudice that the local coast is covered only with concrete slabs and large pebbles, several resorts in the country are ready to offer their guests beaches covered with soft golden sand. The island of Brac is known to travelers not only as the most picturesque place in the country. In its southern part is the pearl of Croatia – strewn with sand and the smallest pebbles Zlatni Rat spit, resembling a 634-meter wedge that cuts through the azure waters. The coastal zone is unique – its shape changes depending on the direction and strength of the wind, so it seems that the beach is made of liquid gold.

Generous on the sandy coast and the island of Rab. The best beaches are stretched here near the village of Lopar. The most famous of them is Rajska plaža – a 1.5-kilometer strip, offering many picturesque bays and a gentle entrance to the sea. Sandy areas also hide among the usual pebble shores of Central and Southern Dalmatia. Those who like to go into the water without fear of being hurt by sharp stones will find it suitable for an active holiday in Bacvice in Split, surrounded by the pine forests of Uva in Dubrovnik and Punta Rata in the resort of Makarska.

What to choose for a holiday with children

The mild climate, a short flight, the gentle sea and the amusement parks that turn vacation into a real adventure make Croatia an ideal country for families with children. Parents traveling with babies should pay attention to the islands of Krk and Rab. Here are quiet bays and the best sandy beaches of Croatia. The resorts of Split, Sibenik, Makarska and Baska Voda are also suitable for families with children. These sections of the coast are equipped with playgrounds, and giant pine trees provide natural protection from the sun.

Families with teenage children will enjoy resorts combining beach vacations, an extensive excursion program and the opportunity for active games and sports. One of the best resorts for the younger generation is Dubrovnik with its picturesque coastline, ancient buildings, an old port and a spacious aquarium located within the walls of the fortress of St. John. If your child is interested in history, then visit the medieval Porec, where you can combine sea vacations with fascinating walks around the city, carefully preserving the architectural masterpieces erected during the Byzantine and Roman Empire.

Istria, located in the north of the country, will also be interested in teenagers, offering young explorers to visit the Dinosaur Park and find themselves in the amazing cave of Baredina. You can relax from the exciting walk through the world of prehistoric dinosaurs and explore the mysterious dungeon on the beaches of the resort of Medulin. Pine groves give a shadow that reliably protects from scorching sunlight, and a stretch of the beach stretched for several kilometers, strewn with fine pebbles and sand, invites you to soak up in sun loungers and go windsurfing or diving.

Ski resorts

Croatia, which many associate with the bright summer sun and warm sea, is ready to offer excellent conditions for winter holidays. A few kilometers from the Adriatic coast in December begins the season, which lovers are eagerly awaiting to storm the snow-capped mountain peaks. Ski resorts in the country are attractive for their low prices, professionally equipped pistes, picturesque landscapes and a friendly atmosphere.

Slame is the most famous place among slalomists in Croatia, located on the mountain of the same name with a height of 1,033 m. The 4 tracks laid here with a total length of 4,150 m are suitable for both those who take their first steps on the track and for professionals. The resort has hotels, cafes, equipment rental, chairlifts and ski tows. Belolasitsa is not only a popular resort, but also an Olympic center. For the attention of those who are familiar with skiing firsthand, 2 red (1 200 and 1 700 m) and black (1,540 m) tracks are offered. Children and beginners are not forgotten – short and gentle descents are prepared for them. Evenings in Belolasice can be spent at the restaurant or bar.

Platak, known in summer as a leisure park, is transformed in the winter into an actively developing ski resort. Here you can take advantage of seven tracks, one of which is illuminated at night. For lovers of racing from the side of the mountain on a sleigh there is a separate descent. The highlight of Plataka is the panorama of the Adriatic Sea, which opens from a height of 1,363 m.

Best time to travel

The tourist season lasts in the country all year round, so everyone chooses the best time for a vacation in Croatia based on their own interests and preferences. Lovers of swimming and golden tanning visit the Adriatic resorts from May to September. The hottest month is August. Air warms up to +33 ° C, and water – up to +25 ° C, however, the sea breeze characteristic of the entire coast makes it easy to tolerate even midday heat.

With the advent of autumn, tourist life in the resorts does not freeze. The absence of sweltering heat and a comfortable temperature (from +15 to +20 ° C) create excellent conditions for a therapeutic holiday in Croatia. The healing air of pine forests, the abundance of wellness centers, mud and thermal springs are located to it. In the heart of the country, not far from Zagreb, is the city of Ivanich Grad, famous for the naphthalan deposit – a thick liquid that has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and stimulating effects and is used to combat skin problems, diseases of the nervous system and musculoskeletal system.

From December to March, guests of Croatia are skiing fans. At an altitude of 1,000–1,700 m above sea level, the air temperature drops to -10 ° C. A stable cover is provided by artificial snow generators.

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newstfionline · 7 years

Text

This Tiny Country Feeds the World

By Frank Viviano, National Geographic magazine, September 2017 issue

In a potato field near the Netherlands’ border with Belgium, Dutch farmer Jacob van den Borne is seated in the cabin of an immense harvester before an instrument panel worthy of the starship Enterprise.

From his perch 10 feet above the ground, he’s monitoring two drones--a driverless tractor roaming the fields and a quadcopter in the air--that provide detailed readings on soil chemistry, water content, nutrients, and growth, measuring the progress of every plant down to the individual potato. Van den Borne’s production numbers testify to the power of this “precision farming,” as it’s known. The global average yield of potatoes per acre is about nine tons. Van den Borne’s fields reliably produce more than 20.

That copious output is made all the more remarkable by the other side of the balance sheet: inputs. Almost two decades ago, the Dutch made a national commitment to sustainable agriculture under the rallying cry “Twice as much food using half as many resources.” Since 2000, van den Borne and many of his fellow farmers have reduced dependence on water for key crops by as much as 90 percent. They’ve almost completely eliminated the use of chemical pesticides on plants in greenhouses, and since 2009 Dutch poultry and livestock producers have cut their use of antibiotics by as much as 60 percent.

One more reason to marvel: The Netherlands is a small, densely populated country, with more than 1,300 inhabitants per square mile. It’s bereft of almost every resource long thought to be necessary for large-scale agriculture. Yet it’s the globe’s number two exporter of food as measured by value, second only to the United States, which has 270 times its landmass. How on Earth have the Dutch done it?

Seen from the air, the Netherlands resembles no other major food producer--a fragmented patchwork of intensely cultivated fields, most of them tiny by agribusiness standards, punctuated by bustling cities and suburbs. In the country’s principal farming regions, there’s almost no potato patch, no greenhouse, no hog barn that’s out of sight of skyscrapers, manufacturing plants, or urban sprawl. More than half the nation’s land area is used for agriculture and horticulture.

Banks of what appear to be gargantuan mirrors stretch across the countryside, glinting when the sun shines and glowing with eerie interior light when night falls. They are Holland’s extraordinary greenhouse complexes, some of them covering 175 acres.

These climate-controlled farms enable a country located a scant thousand miles from the Arctic Circle to be a global leader in exports of a fair-weather fruit: the tomato. The Dutch are also the world’s top exporter of potatoes and onions and the second largest exporter of vegetables overall in terms of value. More than a third of all global trade in vegetable seeds originates in the Netherlands.

The brain trust behind these astounding numbers is centered at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), located 50 miles southeast of Amsterdam. Widely regarded as the world’s top agricultural research institution, WUR is the nodal point of Food Valley, an expansive cluster of agricultural technology start-ups and experimental farms. The name is a deliberate allusion to California’s Silicon Valley, with Wageningen emulating the role of Stanford University in its celebrated merger of academia and entrepreneurship.

Ernst van den Ende, managing director of WUR’s Plant Sciences Group, embodies Food Valley’s blended approach. A renowned scholar with the casual manner of a barista at a hip café, van den Ende is a world authority on plant pathology. But, he says, “I’m not simply a college dean. Half of me runs Plant Sciences, but the other half oversees nine separate business units involved in commercial contract research.” Only that mix, “the science-driven in tandem with the market-driven,” he maintains, “can meet the challenge that lies ahead.”

The challenge? Put in bluntly apocalyptic terms, he says, the planet must produce “more food in the next four decades than all farmers in history have harvested over the past 8,000 years.”

That’s because by 2050, the Earth will be home to as many as 10 billion people, up from today’s 7.5 billion. If massive increases in agricultural yield are not achieved, matched by massive decreases in the use of water and fossil fuels, a billion or more people may face starvation. Hunger could be the 21st century’s most urgent problem, and the visionaries working in Food Valley believe they have found innovative solutions. The wherewithal to stave off catastrophic famine is within reach, van den Ende insists. His optimism rests on feedback from more than a thousand WUR projects in more than 140 countries and on its formal pacts with governments and universities on six continents to share advances and implement them.

A conversation with van den Ende is a white-knuckle ride on a torrent of brainstorms, statistics, and predictions. African drought? “Water isn’t the fundamental problem. It’s poor soil,” he says. “The absence of nutrients can be offset by cultivating plants that act in symbiosis with certain bacteria to produce their own fertilizer.” The soaring cost of grain to feed animals? “Feed them grasshoppers instead,” he says. One hectare of land yields one metric ton of soy protein, a common livestock feed, a year. The same amount of land can produce 150 tons of insect protein.

The conversation rushes on to the use of LED lighting to permit 24-hour cultivation in precisely climate-controlled greenhouses. It then detours to a misconception that sustainable agriculture means minimal human intervention in nature.

“Look at the island of Bali!” he exclaims. For at least a thousand years, its farmers have raised ducks and fish within the same flooded paddies where rice is cultivated. It’s an entirely self-contained food system, irrigated by intricate canal systems along mountain terraces sculpted by human hands.

“There’s your model of sustainability,” van den Ende says.

At every turn in the Netherlands, the future of sustainable agriculture is taking shape--not in the boardrooms of big corporations but on thousands of modest family farms. You see it vividly in the terrestrial paradise of Ted Duijvestijn and his brothers Peter, Ronald, and Remco. Like the Balinese, the Duijvestijns have constructed a self-contained food system in which a near-perfect balance prevails between human ingenuity and nature’s potential.

At the Duijvestijns’ 36-acre greenhouse complex near the old city of Delft, visitors stroll among ranks of deep green tomato vines, 20 feet tall. Rooted not in soil but in fibers spun from basalt and chalk, the plants are heavy with tomatoes--15 varieties in all--to suit the taste of the most demanding palate. In 2015 an international jury of horticultural experts named the Duijvestijns the world’s most innovative tomato growers.

Since relocating and restructuring their 70-year-old farm in 2004, the Duijvestijns have declared resource independence on every front. The farm produces almost all of its own energy and fertilizer and even some of the packaging materials necessary for the crop’s distribution and sale. The growing environment is kept at optimal temperatures year-round by heat generated from geothermal aquifers that simmer under at least half of the Netherlands.

The only irrigation source is rainwater, says Ted, who manages the cultivation program. Each kilogram of tomatoes from his fiber-rooted plants requires less than four gallons of water, compared with 16 gallons for plants in open fields. Once each year the entire crop is regrown from seeds, and the old vines are processed to make packaging crates. The few pests that manage to enter the Duijvestijn greenhouses are greeted by a ravenous army of defenders such as the fierce Phytoseiulus persimilis, a predatory mite that shows no interest in tomatoes but gorges itself on hundreds of destructive spider mites.

A few days before I visited the Duijvestijns’ operation, Ted had attended a meeting of farmers and researchers at Wageningen. “This is how we come up with innovative ways to move ahead, to keep improving,” he told me. “People from all over Holland get together to discuss different perspectives and common goals. No one knows all the answers on their own.”

The search for answers to a life-or-death question gave rise to one of the Netherlands’ most innovative companies. Half a century ago, Jan Koppert was growing cucumbers on his land and using toxic chemical sprays to fend off pests. When a physician declared him allergic to pesticides, Koppert set out to learn all he could about the natural enemies of insects and arachnids.

Today Koppert Biological Systems is the global pacesetter in biological pest and disease control, with 1,330 employees and 26 international subsidiaries marketing its products in 96 countries. Koppert’s firm can provide you with cotton bags of ladybug larvae that mature into voracious consumers of aphids. Or how about a bottle containing 2,000 of those predatory mites that hunt down spider mites on plants and suck them dry? Or a box of 500 million nematodes that mount deadly assaults on fly larvae that prey on commercial mushrooms?

Koppert’s legions make love as well as war, in the guise of enthusiastic bumblebees. No form of artificial pollination matches the efficiency of bees buzzing from flower to flower, gathering nectar to nourish their queen and helping to fertilize the ovaries of plants along the way. Each Koppert hive accounts for daily visits to half a million flowers. Farmers using the bees typically report 20 to 30 percent increases in yields and fruit weight, for less than half the cost of artificial pollination.

Nowhere is the Netherlands’ agricultural technology more cutting-edge than in the embryonic organism in which most food is literally rooted: seeds. And nowhere are the controversies that surround the future of agriculture more heated. Chief among them is the development of genetically modified organisms to produce larger and more pest-resistant crops. To their critics, GMOs conjure up a Frankenstein scenario, fraught with uncertainty about the consequences of radical experimentation with living entities.

Dutch firms are among the world leaders in the seed business, with close to $1.7 billion worth of exports in 2016. Yet they market no GMO products. A new seed variety in Europe’s heavily regulated GMO arena can cost a hundred million dollars and require 12 to 14 years of research and development, according to KeyGene’s Arjen van Tunen. By contrast, the latest achievements in the venerable science of molecular breeding--which introduces no foreign genes--can deliver remarkable gains in five to 10 years, with development costs as low as $100,000 and seldom more than a million dollars. It is a direct descendant of methods employed by farmers in the Fertile Crescent 10,000 years ago.

The sales catalog of Rijk Zwaan, another Dutch breeder, offers high-yield seeds in more than 25 broad groups of vegetables, many that defend themselves naturally against major pests. Heleen Bos is responsible for the company’s organic accounts and international development projects. She might be expected to dwell on the fact that a single high-tech Rijk Zwaan greenhouse tomato seed, priced below $0.50, has been known to produce a mind-boggling 150 pounds of tomatoes. Instead she talks about the hundreds of millions of people, most of them women and children, who lack sufficient food.

Like many of the entrepreneurs at Food Valley firms, Bos has worked in the fields and cities of the world’s poorest nations. With lengthy postings to Mozambique, Nicaragua, and Bangladesh over the past 30 years, she knows that hunger and devastating famine are not abstract threats.

“Of course, we can’t immediately implement the kind of ultrahigh-tech agriculture over there that you see in the Netherlands,” she says. “But we are well into introducing medium-tech solutions that can make a huge difference.” She cites the proliferation of relatively inexpensive plastic greenhouses that have tripled some crop yields compared with those of open fields, where crops are more subject to pests and drought.

Since 2008 Rijk Zwaan has supported a breeding program in Tanzania at a 50-acre trial field in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. Its seeds are sent to Holland for quality control tests on germination rates, purity, and resistance to pests and diseases. Collaborative projects are under way in Kenya, Peru, and Guatemala. “We try to develop seeds for their specific conditions,” Bos says. But the starting point, she adds emphatically, cannot be the sort of top-down approach that has doomed many well-meaning foreign aid projects.

“We have constant, tremendously important conversations with the small growers themselves--on their needs, on the weather and soil conditions they face, on costs,” she says.

For some Dutch researchers, concern for people threatened by hunger stems in part from a national trauma: The Netherlands was the last Western country to suffer a serious famine, when 10,000 to 20,000 people died in German-occupied lands during the final year of World War II. Decades later, WUR’s Rudy Rabbinge, professor emeritus of sustainable development and food security, took up the cause when he helped devise extensive changes in the faculty, student body, and curriculum that transformed the institution into what he calls “a university for the world, and not simply for the Dutch.” Today a hefty share of the academic and research activities at WUR are focused on problems facing poor nations.

#Netherlands #Dutch agriculture #Dutch farms #Wageningen University & Research #sustainable farming

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