Earth Day

Scientists from NASA and around the world have now discovered more than 1,800 planets beyond our solar system. But so far, we haven't found any that match the complexity of Earth. And it is this complexity that challenges Earth scientists as they seek to figure out how the whole planet works as a system. Earth has oceans, forests, deserts, ice sheets, rain, snow, an atmosphere. And we have life.

Earth Day is a name used for 2 similar global observances: While some people celebrate Earth Day around the time of the March Equinox, others observe the occasion on April 22 each year.
It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.

On which day events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection and aims to inspire awareness of and appreciation for earth's environment. 

The April 22 Earth Day is usually celebrated with outdoor performances, where individuals or groups perform acts of service to earth.
Typical ways of observing Earth Day include planting trees, picking up roadside trash, conducting various programs for recycling and conservation, using recyclable containers for snacks and lunches. 

Some people are encouraged to sign petitions to governments, calling for stronger or immediate action to stop global warming and to reverse environmental destruction.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"But the big decisions that lie ahead are not just for world leaders and policy-makers. Today, on Mother Earth Day, I ask each one of us to be mindful of the impacts our choices have on this planet, and what those impacts will mean for future generations. " ~ UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

ACTION:
It’s Earth Day. Let’s celebrate our home planet:
On this Earth Day, Show Love for Mother Earth, our Home Planet ...

READ More HERE

Source: Wikipédia, Nasa, Connecting To Love
Image Credit: Ocean Biology Processing Group at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

#NoPlaceLikeHome

LIFE: Universal Responsibility

"Today more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal Responsibility, not only Nation to Nation and human to human, but also human to all other forms of life"
                                                                            ~ The Dalai Lama

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VIDA: Responsabilidade Universal 

"Hoje, mais do que nunca, a vida deve ser caracterizada por um sentido de Responsabilidade Universal, não só  de Nação para Nação e humano para humano, mas também  de humano para todas as outras formas de vida"
                                                                            ~ The Dalai Lama

Subscibe HERE for more Quotes / Subscreva AQUI para mais Citações »»

Firefly

Lampyridae is a family of insects in the beetle order Coleoptera. 

They are winged beetles, and commonly called fireflies or lightning bugs for their conspicuouscrepuscular use of bioluminescence to attract mates or prey. 

These small animals were discussed not merely by the scientist but frequently appeared in literature, prose and poetry, and also played a prominent part in folklore and medicinal remedies.

There are about 2,000 firefly species. These insects live in a variety of warm environments, as well as in more temperate regions, and are a familiar sight on summer evenings. 

Fireflies love moisture and often live in humid regions of Asia and the Americas. In drier areas, they are found around wet or damp areas that retain moisture.

Fireflies produce a "cold light", with no infrared or ultraviolet frequencies. This chemically produced light from the lower abdomen may be yellow, green, or pale red, with wavelengths from 510 to 670 nanometers.

Fireflies have dedicated light organs that are located under their abdomens. The insects take in oxygen and, inside special cells, combine it with a substance called luciferin to produce light with almost no heat.  To make light, the luciferin combines with oxygen to form an inactive molecule called oxyluciferin.

Firefly light is usually intermittent, and flashes in patterns that are unique to each species. Each blinking pattern is an optical signal that helps fireflies find potential mates. Scientists are not sure how the insects regulate this process to turn their lights on and off.

Firefly light may also serve as a defense mechanism that flashes a clear warning of the insect's unappetizing taste. The fact that even larvae are luminescent lends support to this theory.

Some areas once had so many fireflies that they profited from running firefly tours in marshes and forests—but since human traffic has increased, firefly populations have gone down. Logging, pollution and increased use of pesticides may also contribute to destroying firefly habitat and natural prey.

Fireflies are medically and scientifically useful.

The two chemicals found in a firefly's tail, luciferase and luciferin, light up in the presence of ATP. Every animal has ATP in its cells in amounts that are more or less constant—or should be. In diseased cells, the amount of ATP may be abnormal. If the chemicals from fireflies are injected into diseased cells, they can detect changes in cells that can be used to study many diseases, from cancer to muscular dystrophy.

But that's not all they're used for. Electronic detectors built with these chemicals have been fitted into spacecraft to detect life in outer space, as well as food spoilage and bacterial contamination on earth.

Font: http://en.wikipedia.org/ ; http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/ ; internet

Climate Change Conference

Climate Change Conference

Conferência sobre Mudanças Climáticas