Category Archives: biology

‘Treatment-free’ Beekeepers Give Varroa Mite Free Rein

Posted on April 10, 2017 by

Infestations rarer among professional beekeepers Hobby beekeeping is very common. A European Bee Health Report found that in many countries, the majority of beekeepers pursue the activity as a hobby. They give Germany as an example: 80% of beekeepers keep just 1–20 … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biology | Tagged , | 44 Comments

On the Nature of ‘Natural’

Posted on February 26, 2017 by

Is something good because it’s natural? The word natural is often used when we want to convey something good, and imply that the object of discussion is not, in some way, the product of a humans-only process. To note, this … Continue reading →

Posted in biology, chemistry, society | Tagged | 2 Comments

7.-12. Glyphosate in Wind, Rain; Down the Drain?

Posted on September 9, 2016 by

Series 17 Questions about Glyphosate questions 7.-11. I go through the evidence for whether glyphosate can be detected, and if so then in which quantities, in each of the following: air and rainwater, urine, breastmilk, wine, and wheat. I have also added … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biology, health | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

5.-6. Glyphosate, Other Pesticides, and The Precautionary Principle

Posted on September 8, 2016 by

In my series 17 Questions about Glyphosate, question 5. deals with questions I have encountered about how to prepare for and anticipate potential problems which we may have too little knowledge of to foresee at present. In other words, should … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biology, chemistry, health, medicine | Tagged , | 7 Comments

4. Does Glyphosate Harm Gut Bacteria?

Posted on September 8, 2016 by

In my series 17 Questions about Glyphosate, question 4. looks at glyphosate and its potential to affect our gut bacteria. This is one of the favourite returning points for many who find the newness of the field of microbiome research a … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biology, health | Tagged , | 7 Comments

17 Questions About Glyphosate

Posted on September 7, 2016 by

Many worry about pesticides for health or environmental reasons, and the most common target of general concern is undoubtedly glyphosate, the active ingredient in the famous weedkiller RoundUp. I find that the best thing to do when something worries me, is to find out more … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biology, chemistry, environment, health | Tagged | 16 Comments

Three Ways Science Could Improve the World through Rice

Posted on July 28, 2015 by

Little did I know that rice, that innocent bag of grains sitting in my pantry, is warming the planet, inadvertently contributing to millions of deaths of women and children worldwide, and slowly poisoning me with arsenic. But I don’t want to … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biology, climate, environment, health | Tagged , | 4 Comments