What Makes Bamboo So Hard to Get Rid Of?

The roots of the bamboo are made up of rhizomes which are food-storing branches of the underground system of growth. The rhizome is surrounded by a husk-like protective organ called a sheath which attaches basally to each rhizome node. This makes the rhizome very tough and woody so it is hard to dig out. Rhizomes also run under the soil and grow rapidly so it is easy to get more bamboo than you had planned on.


Source: http://www.americanbamboo.org/FAQ.html#HowDoITransplantBamboo

Why Do They Put Those Wipes By the Shopping Carts?

The wipes began to make their appearance when the H1N1 flu was at pandemic levels and continue to be found in many supermarkets today. Researchers from the University of Arizona swabbed shopping cart handles in four states looking for bacterial contamination. Of the 85 carts examined, 72 percent turned out to have a marker for fecal bacteria.

The researchers took a closer look at the samples from 36 carts and discovered Escherichia coli, more commonly known as E. coli, on 50 percent of them — along with a host of other types of bacteria.

“That’s more than you find in a supermarket’s restroom,” said Charles Gerba, the lead researcher on the study and a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona. “That’s because they use disinfecting cleaners in the restrooms. Nobody routinely cleans and disinfects shopping carts.”

The study’s results may explain earlier research that found that kids who rode in shopping carts were more likely than others to develop infections caused by bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter, Gerba said.

Shopping cart handles aren’t the only thing you need to worry about when you go to the local supermarket, Gerba added. In other research, he’s found that reusable shopping bags that aren’t regularly washed turn into bacterial swamps. “It’s like wearing the same underwear every day,” Gerba said.

The best way to keep kids safe, Gerba said, is to swipe the shopping cart handle with a disinfecting wipe before you pop your kid into the basket.

Source:Linda Carroll at msnbc.com 3/1/2011

What's the name of the big plant that stinks?

Hmm...I think you are referring to the Corpse Lily (Amorphophallus titanum). It has a very large flower and smells like well, rotting flesh. The smell helps attract pollinators.

What are the main differences between a Neandertals and humans today?

Neandertals are a separate species from Homo sapiens, Neandertals were around during the Stone Age but are now extinct. Their bodies were shorter and stouter than those of modern people. Their inner-ear canals were smaller, too, which would have affected their balance.

The new study "provides a new line of evidence that Neandertals were not as adept at long-distance running as modern humans were” (Science News online, 2/22/11). But did have great strength in their arms and hands. Their brain size was thought to be equal to humans today.

How many carrots do you need to eat to turn orange?

It would take a lot of carrots to turn your skin yellow/orange. It appears that the carotene is best absorbed if the dark green and orange foods are cookied, pureed or mashed. This breaks open the membranes of the plant cells and makes the carotene more absorbable. Foods known to cause carotenemias include, green beans, supplements,
papaya, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce,squash, apples, peaches, prunes, tomatoes, yams, butter, eggyolks, milk, and yellow corn.

I found one case study of a 32 year old female who had yellow discoloration of her skin and she was eating a dozen oranges every day along with greens and sweet potatoes. After she modified her diet the skin reverted back to her normal color.

Source:Indian J Dermatol 54; Supplement, January-March 2009

Why do some states have more obese people that others?

Some of the regional differences in the obesity rate may relate to popular foods that are frequently eaten by people in different areas like corn dogs and frito pie here in Texas. But, activity also plays a part in the obesity rate. A recent study by the Center for Disease Control showed that obesity in different areas correlates with the activity level.

These states recorded the least physical activity: Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

States that reported the highest levels of physical activity were California, Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

Four of the five least-active counties in the USA are in Kentucky, report the researchers, and four of the five most active are in Colorado — including Boulder County, known for its outdoor sports culture and bike-friendly communities.

Source:USA Today 2/17/11

Are there some states with a higher rate of obesity than others?

There appears to be a higher percentage of obesity in the southern and midwestern United States. The biggest percentages of fat adults — those 21 and older — live in the South (28.4%) and Midwest (28.2%), compared with 24% in both the Northeast and the West.

Overall, non-Hispanic black women and Hispanics have the highest rates of obesity — 41.9% and 30.7%, respectively. Among states, Mississippi had the highest rate, 34%. Joining it in the over-30 crowd were Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Only Colorado and the District of Columbia had adult obesity rates lower than 20%. CDC official William Dietz attributed Colorado's relative thinness to its mountain altitudes — which require more exertion — and its "culture of physical activity." D.C. is "more of a mystery," he said. "It may have to do with the city's higher rates of breast feeding and consumption of fruits and vegetables."

Source: USA Today 8/3/10