cicada rain

saw a Washington Post article about expecting the next brood of 17-year cicadas in early May. Imagine, the eggs for this batch was laid in 1987! This batch was labelled as Brood X (as in #10). So you can expect Washington DC area to be armpit deep in cicadas in May. The report also warned of "memorable" outdoor wedding ceremonies during that time. Bob Dylan even wrote a song about the cicadas (even though he called them locusts??) in 1987, the last emergence.

scientists, naturalists and even common folk knew when certain cicada species in the Northern Hemisphere emerge since they have cyclical regularities. some species have 7, 9, 11 or even 17 year cycles. We use to tell bio students in NUS during entomology classes that it can be judged almost to the day and u can set your deck chair in the garden to wait for cicadas to emerge

we in the tropics should be familiar with cicadas. you can hear the background buzz of cicadas when walking in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Cicadas are "True Bugs" or Order Hemiptera, meaning they have hypodermic syringe mouth parts used for sucking liquid food. not to be confused with the American reference to insects as "bugs". males produced the "buzz" with specialised organs along the sides of their bodies. Cicadas suck sap from trees. their juvenile stage, or nymphs, spend their time underground sucking on root sap.

Our army boys were amazed when they encounter huge cicadas while training in the jungles of Brunei. We can't even escape them when in Temburong Camp. Attracted by flourescent lights, they fly indoors and get hit by the spinning ceiling fans. Many NS boys had been ignominously hit by cicada ricochets. My men used to say that they must tell their folks back home how "siong" Brunei training was; even the "houseflies" were fist-sized!

Even in Singapore, we can get sudden emergence of cicadas. Prof Murphy was called out by NParks some time in the mid 90s to investigate a sudden appearance of cicadas in Labrador Park. NParks even provided a cherry picker crane to hoist Prof Murphy to the tree tops to check out the cicadas. There were so many of them on a few trees that the unusual phenomenon of "cicada rain" was seen. Since cicadas filter the dilute sap from xylem vessels, they need to pump out the excess water from their rear end. u can think of it as "cicada pee", not that accurate but close enuff... think of thousands of cicadas squirting out tiny water droplets. The effect was even more stunning on a hot day. the ground near the trees was wet and even the grass patch was muddy. Some of us also went down to Labrador Park to experience it ourselves. it was like walking through a fine drizzle, a bit like air-cond condensation...anointed by "cicada pee"...

traditional chinese medicine also make use of the empty shells of cicada nymphs after the adults have emerged. my mother still brew a soup that is suppose to be good for the eyes and de-toxing using water chestnuts, wolf-berries (good source of Vit. A) and cicada nymph cases.

A Duck's Quack Doesn't Echo and no-one knows why?

I came across this trivia/pseudo-scientific claim/urban legend a few times. heard it on Class 95 radio one morning as a soundbite. first saw on the ticker display in a NEL MRT station showing quotable quotes. this might sound plausible at first, but on deeper thought defies phsyics.

googled the reference, and out popped urban legend sites debunking this claim. Apparently, this claim had surfaced everywhere, even in the UK. Prompting the Accoustic department of Salford University in Manchester to actually put a duck in an echo or reverberant chamber to accurately measure the accoustics of a duck quack. Turns out out that a duck quack does indeed produces echoes.

so why did this myth came about? the researchers considered a few possibilities. That a duck quacks too quietly, so the reflecting echo is too quiet to hear. Maybe ducks don't hang around reflecting surfaces, like a mountain, buildings or concert hall for the sound to bounce back.

now I feel like calling Class 95 and NEL...

(Daisy the reverberant duck was not harmed in anyway and was retired to a farm after the experiment)

smaller jaw, bigger brain

A paper in the journal, Nature suggests a gene mutation that happened 2.4 million years ago, sparked a crucial leap in human evolution. the mutation resulted in weaker jaw muscles and smaller jaw. now that the skull was free from anchoring huge jaw muscle for chewing, the brain has the room to expand. this prompted ape-like hominids to evolve into the first human species.

Although the researchers themselves acknowledged that this mutation alone did not contributed to the appearance of the human species, it will be interesting to see if this could be one of the contributing factors in human evolution; climatic, ecological changes can also factor. the research direction now is to look at other possible gene mutations between humans and primates. Genetic clues can also tie in with fossil evidence.

dog food kills

The maker of Pedigree dog food finally admitted and apologised yesterday for poisoning pet dogs in South-east Asia with contaminated products and blamed toxins caused by mould at its Thai factory.

I tracked this story earlier this month when reports emerged in Taiwanese press that more than 100 dogs reportedly fell ill and about 30 others had died from kidney after eating Pedigree in Taiwan. Effem Foods dismissed the reports as rumors at that time and has offered to spend NT$1 million to find a scientific explanation for the dogs' illness and death.

Earlier this month, Effem recalled Pedigree dry dog food, Whiskas dry cat food and dog treat products manufactured at the Thai plant and sold in Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. At that time, they still claimed that it was a voluntary recall and that their products were safe.

The story was picked up in ST and about 10 dog owners called up ST about their dogs becoming sick after eating Pedigree. The AVA last week took samples of the dog food for testing after three dog owners complained that their pets had died after eating it.

It was only after an investigation conducted by a panel of specialists from the US, Europe and Asia, that the pet food manufacturer concluded that the toxins were produced by mould found in an auxiliary bulk storage system for rice and corn at the factory in Thailand.

I wonder how they can compensate all those dogs that died (give u more dog food?). just talked to one fellow dog owner tonight. her friend's beagle had died after eating Pedigree. if this was the US, the company will get sued until bankrupt!

luckily Sally had never ate Pedigree since she was a puppy. that was because it was widely known amongst pet owners that this brand is cheap but very salty. dogs love it because of the salt but it was not healthy for them.

new Bug on the way

Dr Nathan Wolfe, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reported in Lancet, that people in central Africa who hunt monkeys and apes for food and trade are being infected with animal viruses and researchers fear their transmission could spark a future epidemic similar to AIDS.

Scientists traced the transmission of simian foamy virus (SFV) in Cameroon, Central Africa. The scientists found antibodies for SFV in 1% of 1,099 people from nine rural villages in Cameroon that they had tested who had been exposed to non-human primate blood.

Like HIV, which causes AIDS, SFV is a retrovirus that can integrate its genetic material into the genome of its human host. New emerging viral diseases, like SARS, birdflu, Ebola and AIDS came from viruses than jumped the species barrier from animals into human beings.

But the poor people in Africa often have no choice but to rely on hunting primates as a source of protein and livelihood. Conservation issues like the preservation of highly endangered primate species aside, the world will have to deal with this potential global public health problem. the SARS epidemic last year was a good lesson. but as SARS fizzled out, people and governments are likely to become complacent so that when SARS or another new disease jumps into the global scene, we might have to re-learn all those painful lessions, bought with precious human lives, all over again.

thanks for the mammaries...

just read Andy Ho's article "Boob creams and pills are just a bust" in ST. he must been too "shian" with writing informative but straight-laced articles about bird flu and SARS. very amusing though, he went whole hog with the puns and wry observations.

he basically "bust" the myth of breast enhancement creams and gadgets like vacuum pumps. In theory, oestrogen loaded creams might work as long as it is applied. but since most creams have low dosage of oestrogen, u might as well be rubbing salsa. on the other hand, slapping on creams chock-full of oestrogen can predispose one to cancer.

I noticed that for a period, tabloids in S'pore like Streats, Today and TNP were flooded with ads for boob enhancement salons and various brands of magic wonder lotion. Every page u flipped, you will get two papayas or melons thrust in your face. there was no escape from the ads claiming au naturel products and "sure got results" guarantees. thankfully, the trend seems to have tapered off.

go Giggs!

who says Ryan Giggs is over the hill! look at his goal last night that led to the 3-0 victory over Spurs. he did it with a deft right heel flick. Giggs' jinking runs are breath-taking to watch as he side-steps all the tackles from opposing defenders. he has expanded his game over the years to provide support to his team mates from mid-field, like his pass to set up Ronaldo Cristiano's goal.

but with SCV screwing around with Singtel, I can't get cable in Punggol ^$@&%*@(

Magic Bullet

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian and his VP Annette Lu was shot while campaigning yesterday. Chen sustained a million-dollar wound. The bullet apparently hit the VP in her right knee, richocet upwards and created a glancing wound 11 by 2 cm wide across his stomach. The bullet was later found lodged between his jacket.

this bullet must be more "magical" than the famous "magic Bullet" that killed JFK. Conspiracy theories abound since Chen was shot on the eve of the presidential elections.

Tekong lock-down!

seems like not only wild boar, elephants and otters swim across from Johor! wild criminals are coming our way as well.

there is now a massive manhunt on Pulau Tekong for 3 armed robbers, suspected to be Indonesians. they are armed and dangerous and fled from Johor after committing 2 armed robberies. according to lastest TV news, 700 SAF soldiers, Gurkhas and police are searching for the 3 men who are armed with a pistol and pump action gun. the search is now being extended into the night.

I think all those recruits are cheering bcos all military training has been cancelled since morning and they are confined indoors. but for the fugitives, watch out for the wild boars that infest Tekong.

Since the Police Coast Guard had built the fence on the north coast of Pulau Ubin to stop illegals from landing, who knows, maybe Tekong might get its own fence now.

Tiger trouble?

nope, I'm not talking about the Tiger Airways name tussle. Apparently, two campers reported what they thought was a tiger's roar when they were camping in Hong Kong's Shing Mun Country Park. A wild tiger was roaming Hong Kong's nature area? sounds incredible? I think the poor tiger was running for its dear life from the hungry cantonese hordes in Guangdong. no more civet cats to makan...

HK's wildlife authorities had set up remote cameras since 2001 but only managed to snap mugshots of wild boars and a leopard cat. no tigers so far. but it might not be so unlikely for a tiger to cross over from Guangdong Province. The last credible sighting was by the Bishop of Hong Kong at Sha Tin in 1949. The last wild tiger was shot in HK in 1915; the stuffed specimen can be viewed in the police museum.

The same thing can happen in Singapore; a tiger from Malaysia can swim across the Johore Straits. It's like crossing a stream for them. In fact, there was a scare in Pulau Ubin in April 1997 when a Malay granny claimed she saw a tiger's striped flank in the Kampung Noordin mangroves. the New Paper had a field day but no signs of the tiger (dropping, fur or scratch marks) was found. Siva and I went over to Ubin to check out the tiger story and talked to the nenek. As we poked around the mangroves, I was more worried abt wild boars. What we found was only dog paw prints. In the end, we thought that the granny might have seen one of the stray dogs who had brindled (striped) fur.

the thought of a tiger swimming to Ubin was really enticing. Afterall, an elephant did swim across to Ubin in Feb 1991 and had a fun time before it was caught and "deported" like any other "illegal immigrants". When Alfred Russell Wallace landed in Singapore in 1854, there were lots of tigers around. When Wallace was collecting beetles in Bukit Timah forest (now Nature Reserve), I bet he was looking over his shoulder. Wallace wrote: "There are always a few tigers roaming about Singapore, and they kill on an average a Chinaman every day, principally those who work in the gambir plantations....it was rather nervous work hunting for insects among the fallen trunks and old sawpits, when one of these savage animals might be lurking close by, waiting an opportunity to spring upon us."

The closest I got to spotting a tiger was in Endau Rompin in 2001. While trekking in the national park, the local orang asli guides showed us a two day-old tiger paw print. It was the size of a dinner plate and was right in the middle of the trail, looking really fresh and clear. I can imagine that a tiger had strolled down that same trail; it sent shivers down my spine.

Another thing, contrary to popular belief the last wild tiger in Singapore was not shot under the billiards table in Raffles Hotel. the poor creature was killed at Choa Chu Kang in 1932.

how do you name a planet?

seems like the BBC heard my question. the International Astronomical Union has a naming board that approves the naming of newly discovered planets, stars, asteroids, comet and any other heavenly bodies.

New Planet in Solar System!

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hear ye, hear ye! apparently a new planet has been discovered in our celestial backyard, the solar system. Sedna will be the 10th planet beyong Pluto. this probably means another name for school kids to remember in science class and new textbooks next year. at the moment, this is not official yet. Sedna is still classified as an Unusal Solar Object. Dr. Michael Brown, associate professor of planetary astronomy, California Institute of Technology, will present his discovery of the most distant object ever detected orbiting the sun today on 15 March. I bet there's some cobweb-covered organisation that registers planets.

well, all I wanna ask is that was someone slacking off? while we were searching for other planets in distant star systems (I think they found about close to 100), we'r missing one of our own. duh??? even then, this discovery will be disputed by those who do not even consider Pluto as a proper planet. more arguments and fist-fights between astronomers of opposing camps

Wonder Dog in Taichung

I was in Taichung last weekend. I had a chance encounter with an amazing local Taichung dog at the bus station while waiting for my return coach to Taipei. The dog and its owner was waiting for their private coach (regular coach services don take dogs). The dog, a former stray, was in superb condition and very well-trained. The owner show us the tricks that the doggy can perform, from jumping thru hoops and weaving between the owner's legs. The smart dog could even retrieve the owner's handphone left on the ground! The proud owner told me that he has over 50 dogs, mostly strays. I wish that Sally had some of this dog's intelligence and trainability, being also a former Taiwanese stray dog...

Teresa Teng underground

Robina and I was in Taipei from 4-8 Mar. just came back last evening.

I was rushing to meet her and a bunch of friends at a karaoke near our hotel. I was taking a shortcut via the Underground Mall (like our City Link) through the MRT line. even though I was force-marching, I jammed my brakes when I heard this wonderful singing voice. At first, I thot it was a Teresa Teng CD but it was actually a blind girl busking along the MRT mall. If u closed your eyes, you could even imagine that Teresa Teng was resurrected and singing live! She was that good! a small crowd has gathered to listen to her and clapped when she finished her Teresa Teng cover. The Taiwanese reverred Teresa and expect a high standard from anyone covering her songs.

After the karaoke session, I dragged Robina and a few friends to listen to the blind girl (for a more positive demonstration in singing!) They also agreed that she was great. We donated a couple of bucks into the box.