Free Republic

Hold the tofu. New research suggests that vegans may be more likely to suffer from nutritional deficiencies than their meat-eating Worse still, scientists found that even vegans who hit their daily protein goals with plant-based sources often fall short on two essential amino acids, putting their health at risk. In the US, an estimated 1% to 5% of the population follows a vegan diet, which eliminates all animal products, including meat, dairy and eggs. Over the years, researchers have found that following a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, as well...

Researchers found that certain herbs and plants commonly used in Mediterranean diets can help protect against cardiovascular diseases. (alicja neumiler/Shutterstock) ******************************************************************** In a nutshell * Six Mediterranean plants—garlic, hawthorn, saffron, olive, rosemary, and grape—contain powerful compounds that work together to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol, and protect blood vessels. Their multitargeted effects mimic some drug mechanisms but with fewer side effects when consumed as part of a healthy diet. * The real strength of the Mediterranean diet may lie in how these foods interact. Pairings like olive oil with leafy greens or garlic with fatty fish could boost...

Federal authorities won't explain why three men who participated in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, have mysteriously disappeared from the FBI's Capitol Violence Most Wanted list. One unidentified man wore an earpiece during the riot and was filmed carrying what appeared to be a concealed handgun on his left hip. The man was pictured on the FBI's most wanted list for over five months until he was removed without explanation on the same day the New York Times reported an FBI informant was at the Capitol on Jan. 6. A second unidentified man was filmed beating police officers...

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) plans to ban the use of plants within five feet of residential homes in what are designated as “fire-prone” areas — which could include much of the state of California, given the recent wildfires. ..... Snip..... The San Francisco Chronicle reported: Gov. Gavin Newsom is ordering the state to speed up its rulemaking for wildfire safety around homes in fire-prone areas that would ban most plants and combustible materials like mulch and wood fencing. The rules would require people to clear an area within 5 feet of homes — dubbed zone zero, or an ember...

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plans for the Empire State to go green are going south as local communities refuse to build massive battery plants that would store wind and solar energy. One upstate town where a top state official leading the state’s anti-fossil fuel push just voted to ban construction of the plants — and one New York City politician has already called to pause any new sites for the facilities. “We called for — and still support — a moratorium on these [Battery Energy Storage System] facilities almost two years ago,” said Vito Fossella, borough president of Staten Island, where...

From curious hedgehogs to beautiful butterflies, gardens across the UK are regularly frequented by animals. But scientists have issued an urgent warning to gardeners, amid an influx of secret stowaways. Researchers from the University of Cambridge say that invasive species including snakes and lizards are slipping unnoticed into Britain in shipments of cut flowers and potted plants. Continental European snakes, geckos and Italian wall lizards are among the animals making their way over in potted olive trees destined for gardens and green spaces, according to the study. Worryingly, these creatures can cause extensive damage to food crops and the native...

Endangered species like Brauntons Milkvetch should be saved with captive breeding programs.They should never be used as an excuse to stop fire mitigation, dams, reservoirs, power plants, housing, etc.From the New York Times: https://archive.ph/Fv8d4From the Los Angeles Times: https://archive.ph/zgpOj

A fungus causing powdery mildew in blueberries has spread from the U.S. to continents like Europe and Asia, threatening crops and increasing fungicide dependence. NC State researchers found that blueberry powdery mildew has spread globally in two strains, costing the industry up to $530 million annually. A new tool now helps farmers identify and manage the disease. A new study from North Carolina State University has traced the global spread of a fungus that causes powdery mildew in blueberry plants—a disease that lowers crop yields and increases reliance on fungicides. These findings could help blueberry growers better predict, monitor, and...

Shortly after the devastating eruption, some gophers went on a very confusing day trip. A member of the gopher recovery team getting to work. Image credit: Mike Allen/UCR When Mount St Helens erupted in 1980, the resulting lava, ash, and debris turned the landscape barren for miles around. It was clear the land would take a long time to recover from the eruption. But one team of scientists had an idea about how they could help speed up the process; sending a few gophers there on a day trip. Plant life struggled to return to the area around Mount St...

In 2007, Orlando residents were furious to discover that an FBI informant had organized a neo-Nazi rally through one of the city’s mostly black neighborhoods a year earlier. “To come into a predominantly black community, which could have resulted in great harm to the black community? I would hate to be part of a game,” Orlando City Councilwoman Daisy Lynum said at the time, calling for a “full-scale investigation” into the matter. However, an FBI agent testified that his informant participated in the event, but didn’t organize it. The city’s uproar passed without a public investigation, full-scale or otherwise—until now....

It's not hard to see how the sapphire tower gets its name. Image Credit: HannaTor/Shutterstock.com Sometimes in nature, there are events that we have to wait for. Some, like the upcoming American cicadapocaplypse might not be so popular – whereas, across the pond in Birmingham, UK, botanists are thrilled to reveal the blooming of their sapphire tower. The sapphire tower plant (Puya alpestri) from the Chilean Andes can take up to 10 years to flower. The plant is a member of the bromeliad family, distantly related to the pineapple. Normally found at high elevations of up to 2,200 meters (7,218...

The climate-change killjoys have gone to great lengths in recent years linking practically anything and everything as a contributor to climate change. Gas stoves? Check. Dishwashers? Check. Eating meat? Check. Sporting events? Check. Breathing? Check, too. Given this history, I must say I was not all that surprised when I read a recent article in the Washington Post claiming, “Indoor houseplants come with a cost to the planet.” According to article’s author, “greening indoor spaces can also come at an environmental cost. The trucks that transport plants spew carbon emissions, plastic pots and synthetic fertilizers are made from petroleum and...

After ratifying new contracts with automakers following its weeks-long strike, United Auto Workers (UAW) announced plans Wednesday to try to organize workers at more than a dozen factories not currently part of the union. The newest push for workplace improvement will organize more than 150,000 autoworkers across 13 different automakers: BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Lucid, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Rivian, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo, the union said in a release. The announcement comes just days after UAW ratified new contracts with “the Big Three” automakers, Ford, General Motors and Stallantis, after a successful six-week strike earned workers better pay and...

pollination, transfer of pollen grains from the stamens, the flower parts that produce them, to the ovule-bearing organs or to the ovules (seed precursors) themselves. In plants such as conifers and cycads, in which the ovules are exposed, the pollen is simply caught in a drop of fluid secreted by the ovule. In flowering plants, however, the ovules are contained within a hollow organ called the pistil, and the pollen is deposited on the pistil’s receptive surface, the stigma. There the pollen germinates and gives rise to a pollen tube, which grows down through the pistil toward one of the...

Switzerland’s nuclear power plant operators plan to keep the facilities operational for longer than initially planned, ... Switzerland has four nuclear reactors, which generate up to 40% of its electricity ... the energy crisis and concerns about the reliability of electricity supply in the country has prompted utilities to look to extend the lives of the reactors as long as the extension of the operations is found to be safe. Axpo Holding and Alpiq Holding have increased the planned lifespan for their nuclear power plants to 60 years from a previous target of 50 years, which means they could be...

I have two dogs and a cat share with an ex, but I cannot keep a plant alive. My planticide aside, houseplants are all the rage with millennials, but why do millennials love plants? The history of houseplants might surprise you. Apparently, millennials are tending to plants to satisfying their need to nurture. And, while it might be the latest millennial obsession, immigrant communities have long grown plants for reasons entirely different reasons.

Invasive highly flammable grasses in Hawaii have been key to fueling the deadliest wildfires in the US in more than 100 years, experts say. While factors such as extreme weather events from climate change and the state’s local power grid have been blamed for helping to cause the blaze, large plots of land in Hawaii have been overrun by volatile non-native fire-prone grasses that are fueling the deadly flames, according to experts. Land that was once occupied by irrigated pineapples and sugar cane was taken over by the grass species as those businesses began to decline, according to Elizabeth Pickett,...

— Tyson Foods Inc. is closing four chicken processing plants as it looks to lower costs. The company said Monday that the plants being closed are located in North Little Rock, Arkansas; Corydon, Indiana; Dexter, Missouri and Noel, Missouri. Tyson said that it will shift production to other facilities and halt operations at the four plants in the first two quarters of fiscal 2024. The company currently estimates having $300 million to $400 million in total charges, based on a preliminary analysis. Tyson launched a plan in fiscal 2022 where it targeted $1 billion in productivity savings by the end...

Bud Light sales have been slipping, and the impact extends beyond the beer brand. Global glass producer Ardagh Group recently announced that it's shutting down two glass bottling plants — one in North Carolina and one in Louisiana. WRAL-TV reported that the closure of these two plants would result in roughly 645 employees being laid off. According to an internal memo obtained by WRAL, the decision was "due to slow sales with Anheuser InBev," the multinational brewing company behind Bud Light. In April, Bud Light partnered with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who has 10.7 million followers on TikTok....

FLINT, Michigan (AP) — General Motors plans to invest more than $1 billion in two Flint, Michigan, manufacturing plants for the production of the next-generation internal combustion engine heavy-duty trucks. Gerald Johnson, executive vice president, Global Manufacturing and Sustainability, said Monday that the company will build internal combustion vehicles throughout this decade, in addition to making electric vehicles. GM has a goal of building only electric passenger vehicles in the United States by 2035.