“Pyrosomes, genus Pyrosoma, are free-floating colonial tunicates that live usually in the upper layers of the open ocean in warm seas, although some may be found at greater depths. Pyrosomes are cylindrical- or conical-shaped colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of individuals, known as zooids. Colonies range in size from less than one centimeter to several metres in length.
Each zooid is only a few millimetres in size, but is embedded in a common gelatinous tunic that joins all of the individuals. Each zooid opens both to the inside and outside of the “tube”, drawing in ocean water from the outside to its internal filtering mesh called the branchial basket, extracting the microscopic plant cells on which it feeds, and then expelling the filtered water to the inside of the cylinder of the colony. The colony is bumpy on the outside, each bump representing a single zooid, but nearly smooth, though perforated with holes for each zooid, on the inside.
Pyrosomes are planktonic, which means their movements are largely controlled by currents, tides, and waves in the oceans. On a smaller scale, however, each colony can move itself slowly by the process of jet propulsion, created by the coordinated beating of cilia in the branchial baskets of all the zooids, which also create feeding currents.
Pyrosomes are brightly bioluminescent, flashing a pale blue-green light that can be seen for many tens of metres. The name Pyrosoma comes from the Greek (pyro = “fire”, soma = “body”). Pyrosomes are closely related to salps, and are sometimes called “fire salps”.
Sailors on the ocean are occasionally treated to calm seas containing many pyrosomes, all luminescing on a dark night.” (x)
So my Grandma apparently is running a plant hospital and rehabilitation center. She can get anything to grow abundantly, so in the past few decades people have literally started dropping off sick and dying plants to her and she would nurse them back to health and return them. She only charges a single clipping from each of the plants she nurses. 🌱🌿🍃I’m so proud of my Plant Doctor Grandma! 😌
This is amazing! Does she take notes of her work?
Yes she does. She has a whole journal that details care for certain diseases and plants. She takes it so seriously.
Does she share her notes at all? I want to get better at recognizing the frailties of plants in different conditions and if they are public at all I would love to read your grandmother’s work.
I will to her about getting her plant research published. She has the funniest notes in there too. Reminders about which plants belong to who, Recipes for natural bug-be-gone, and elaborate descriptions of blooms and even some pressed flowers in there. She’s so important in our community and she also grows sugar cane and vegetables she just gives away.
This is incredible.
She says she has over 250 potted “tenants” at her home right now. Between 30 to 40 belong to other people and she’s just nursing them. And countless “permanent residents” in the ground.
So literally “Bear Bear Bear”. The most bear a bear can be.
So bear. Much roar. Wow.
Also! The Arctic Circle is named for the bears, not the other way ‘round. It’s the Circle With Bears In, and the Antarctic is the Circle (and continent) Away From Bears.
Are you telling us that the poles of our world are Bear Continent and Anti-Bear Continent
Unlike seals, whales, and other such marine mammals, sea otters do not have blubber (a thick layer of subcutaneous fat) to keep themselves warm in cold ocean waters. Instead, sea otters are insulated by a remarkable coat of fur. At 150,000 strands of hair for each square centimeter of skin, the sea otter’s fur is the densest of any animal in the world, and keeps cold water from even touching the animal’s skin. The fur must be kept scrupulously clean in order to retain its insulating properties, and so sea otters spend a great deal of their time grooming and washing. Their skin is so loose that the otter can easily reach and groom every square inch of its body. The fur will also trap air bubbles between the outer “guard” layer and the undercoat, which not only helps keep the otter warm but will aid in buoyancy. In fact, a newborn sea otter’s fur will retain so much air that, after careful grooming by its mother, the baby literally cannot sink; it bobs in the water like a cork.
of Agriculture honeybee health survey released a report (August 2nd 2017) that proves honeybee colonies rose 3% compared to last year. Also the amount of bees that disappeared or died has gone down 27%. Bees, you’re doing amazing sweetie
Humans adapting themselves to nature rather than forcing other species to adapt to us. This is what we must do in the Anthropocene. Trees are the most important three dimensional structures of many ecosystems, and they are the central design features of most permaculture gardens. They provide many products and services to other species, from housing to food (acorns, insects, pollen), shade and shelter from the wind. We ought to respect their importance.
THIS IS WHAT LIFE SHOULD BE AM SO FUCKING ABOUT THIS
Steel Phoenix Studios 