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Disease Threatens 99% of the Banana Market (washingtonpost.com)
An anonymous reader writes: In the 1950s, Panama Disease wiped out the dominant type of banana that was imported worldwide. Banana-growers had to switch to a different strain, the Cavendish banana, at great expense. Now, a new study finds that a more virulent strain of the disease is directly threatening the Cavendish banana. Banana plants are dying from it throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia. It hasn't reached Latin America yet, which is good — that's where the vast majority of the world's bananas are produced. But the researchers say it's just a matter of time. "The latest strain is likely to put the risks of monoculture on display once more. And while scientists might find or breed a better one in the mean time, the reality is that this time around we don't have a formidable replacement that's resistant to the new strain of Panama Disease. Once it reaches Latin America, as it is expected to, it could be only a matter of decades before the most popular banana on the planet once again disappears."
It's been a hot start to summer so we are probably in for some bushfires unfortunately, I hope it's not too bad. Funnel web's and red backs are getting feisty, I was bitten by a whitetail once a tiny pimple looking bite with two holes. but oh my goodness, it activated the adrenalin and I was in serious full body pain for about three days. after that the pus literally poured out of the wound and I needed anti-biotics for weeks. My arm didn't necrotise, fortunately, but about a year after it had healed the bit location swelled for about 2 weeks and then died down again, very nasty.
Huntsmen - whilst harmless are so huge that you can't help freaking out, especially when you see them in the rearview mirror and can't work out if they are out or *in* the car and those fscking souther cross are just big with a big web and they just love putting those things where you walk gggaaaaaaahhh!, you can literally feel their weight when you splat them with a news paper.
I think a few people have had shark attacks. I found a blue ring octopus once, about the size of your hand, but mean looking and the blue rings glow as bright and deadly looking as anything I've seen saying 'don't fuck with me'. When I was body surfing, because I swim pretty deep to get a good wave, I got hit by a incoming bluebottle jellyfish swarm - The tentacles wrapped around my armpit (hitting the gland) over my chest, wrapped around the other arm from the bi-cep to the wrist to the back of my knees wrapping itself around my calf. It was sheer agony, which the life guard saw happen (fortunately) and they got me to the clubhouse and put me in a red hot shower (from nice cool surf). they had me down on a gurney for the next 3 hours with ice packs on me as I tried to hold myself from going into shock, I didn't have to go to hospital, but they wouldn't let me drive - so they took me home. The next week was nasty and it took two more years to extract all the stingers. roughly thirty other people got hit as well after me. not fun, lucky it wasn't a box or I'd be dead.
It's best to just keep your distance from crocs (unless you're hunting them - but they taste depending on what they eat - yummy if they've been eating fish - which is usually barramundi, not so nice if it was a rotton dead cow[I've heard a fresh cow makes them taste like steak flavoured fish]). It's been a bad start to drop bear mating season with some injuries recorded, sneaky fuckers. Red belly black and brown snakes are the reason why you keep the lawn mowed as they are very poisonous and whoever the genius who introduced that introduced pythons here (they aren't native) they are getting big enough to eat a roo - so to all those collectors of south american snakes that live here, thanks for that, it's not as if we don;t have enough things (hopfully they will eat cane toads brrrrrr).
Worst of all though, it's bogan season here and there are quite a few around, barefoot in the shopping centres, streets.
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
It's a wonder that there are any humans left in Australia.
You are welcome on my lawn.