Information for:

Explore

The Pet Trade The capture and sale of animals from tropical forests is thought to be the second biggest cause of species loss. We find out what is fuelling this trade and what can be done to limit the damage it causes.
Chocolate: a sweet cure? Could eating chocolate each day keep the doctor away? An ancient remedy known to the Aztecs, chocolate is known to reduce blood cholesterol and help prevent heart disease - and the darker the chocolate the better!	Mystery potions from the angel's trumpet Extracts from the angel's trumpet (Brugmansia) have long been used by South American shamans to induce visionary dreams. Western science has recently identified the alkaloid responsible for causing the hallucinations.		The giant millipede Lemurs in Madagascar and capuchin monkeys in Venezuela have been observed using powerful defensive secretions from giant millipedes to control insect pests and even send themselves on a drug-induced 'high'.
Poison jewels: the dart frogs Poison dart frogs - some of which produce toxins powerful enought to kill 150 adult humans - are used by tribal people to catch food.		Cash Crops Worldwide, the greatest loss of rainforests has been due to the clearing of land for agriculture. What can we all do about this?
PLANTS The world's greatest lily ANIMALS Dwarf crocodiles ECOSYSTEMS Ancient gardeners: leafcutter ants		HUMAN NEEDS Logging Safe sex starts with the wild yam ECONOMIES Cancer cured by the rosy periwinkle Bananas CULTURES Poisonous silence: the dumb cane Different potions, different places

Science & Development news from SciDev.Net

Cairo to host next world science journalists' conference
An African country is to host the World Conference of Science Journalists for the first time.
3 July 2009
Source: SciDev.Net
Open access may be behind developing country research boom
The leaders of open access schemes have claimed partial credit for the dramatic rise in developing world research output.
3 July 2009
Source: SciDev.Net
African science 'won't be a G8 priority'
African science is unlikely to be prioritised at next month's G8 meeting but the fault also rests with African nations, say critics.
2 July 2009
Source: Nature

Supplied by

Explore

The Pet Trade