#chlorophyll molecule

[biology-geology-beaches-india]

TSRNOSS. Page 125.

[eatclean-bewhole]

SAVE THIS ONE. 🌱

Chlorophyll is on the top of the list when it comes to disease-fighting micronutrients.

What is chlorophyll?

CHLOROPHYLL is the compound in plants that is responsible for their green color. It also helps plants absorb energy from the sun (photosynthesis).

Why is Chlorophyll so important?

When we metabolize this powerful micronutrient from green foods it helps to cleanse our blood by separating our red blood cells, making our blood more free-flowing much like water (alkaline) instead of sluggish (acidic). When our blood is more fluid it can flow easily. In addition, chlorophyll oxygenates our blood which alkalizes our blood, tissues, and body. This is the healthy, healing environment we want to strive for. This is especially important for those diagnosed with cancer.

More oxygen (less inflammation)

= Alkaline (less acidity)

= Healthy, healing environment

SOURCES: spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, arugula, broccoli, spirulina, parsley, alfalfa, green beans, kiwi, green grapes, nettle sprouts 🥬🥝🥦

References:

Molecules: doi.org/10.3390/molecules28145344

Amy Myers MD: amymyersmd.com

SnyderHealth.com: snyderhealth.com

Verywell Health: verywellhealth.com

[greenwaterskeeter]

Default color of deciduous leaf is actually YELLOW. (from ever-present carotinoids, the “makes carrot orange and banana yellow” molecule). This is MASKED for most of its life by green (chlorophyll), and revealed when leaf starts ramping down photosynthesis.

RED is the only pigment that’s actually MADE in the fall (anthocyanins, from sap sugars, the “makes cherry red”molecule), and unlike yellow or green, must be distributed throughout the leaf, leading to the veiny patterns of color on some reddening leaves!

A red (or yellow, but mostly red) leaf can: mimic poisonous plants and animals, discouraging things like over-winter aphid infestations; highlight the presence of fruits and insects, encouraging birds et al to eat them; protect a non/low-photosynthesizing leaf from light overload while the tree reabsorbs its nutrients, ETC.

The balance of these benefits differs from local ecosystem to local ecosystem, tree to tree, leaf to leaf!

In the end, leaf turns BROWN from increased production of TANNINS (“makes wine bitter” molecule).

——

Source: Let’s Learn Everything! podcast, ep 74: Autumn Leaves and Swearing (with extensive source notes)

[dougdimmadodo]

Fast Fauna Facts #25 - Pinnularia (Pinnularia spp.)

Family: Pinnularia Family (Pinnulariaceae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Unassessed

Found mainly in freshwater but also in marine environments and occasionally in damp terrestrial habitats, the members of the genus Pinnularia are diatoms - single celled organisms characterised by their protective silica-based glass-like cell walls known as frustules. Like plants diatoms sustain themselves entirely through photosynthesis and absorb sunlight via deposits of the green pigment chlorophyll in their cell bodies, and as the glass-like transparent structure of a diatom's frustule protects it from predators and adverse environmental conditions while still allowing sunlight to reach the cell's chlorophyll. Like plants diatoms also need certain inorganic molecules (mainly carbon and hydrogen to act as reactants during photosynthesis and nitrogen to produce proteins such as chlorophyll) to survive, and Pinnularia species these are taken in through tiny pores that run through the frustule.

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Image Source: Here

<-Previous (Snow Scorpionfly) l Next (Archimylacris) ->

[smmnh]

Stromatolites

3.5 billion years ago life first appeared along the water's edge as single-celled organisms called cyanobacteria (sī-an-nō-back-tir’-ē-ah). This is how the Archean Eon got it’s name, derived from the Greek word arkhē,  meaning “the beginning.” Cyanobacteria did not require oxygen for sustenance, but instead relied on carbon dioxide and a green pigment called chlorophyll (klor'-eh-fil) to survive. Cyanobacteria use chlorophyll to absorb and store the sun's energy within it’s molecules to power the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates for food. During this process, oxygen is released as a waste byproduct, a process called photosynthesis — derived from the Greek words photo (light) and synthesis (putting things together). 

When cyanobacteria first appeared, the Earth’s atmosphere was 1% oxygen, and 40% carbon dioxide. Over the next to billion-plus years cyanobacteria consumed so much carbon dioxide and released so much oxygen that the composition of the atmosphere was transformed. The ratio of carbon dioxide to oxygen inverted, with  21% oxygen and .03% carbon dioxide, an episode in earth’s history known as The Great Oxygenation Event, and made all future life possible. Without cyanobacteria life would not exist today as we know it.

Cyanobacteria left behind stony structures as evidence of their existence. As cyanobacteria grew they secreted a sticky mucus that shielded them from the sun's ultraviolet radiation, but at the same time trapping sediment that was suspended in waves washing over them. In order to access precious sunlight, the bacteria would mobilize upward through the trapped debris. At the same time, the process of photosynthesis depleted carbon dioxide in the surrounding water, making it less acidic, thus initiating the precipitation of calcium carbonate that cemented the accumulating sediments together. The process repeated again and again, turning layer upon layer into a stony structure called a Stromatolite (strō-mat’-l-īte). These structures were slow-forming and a 3 foot stromatolite might take up to 3,000 years to create!

You can see this specimen on display at the Southern Minnesota Museum of Natural History in Blue Earth, Minnesota! Click here for more information!

[kimberly40]

Fall Foliage Folklore:

Today we have the National Weather Service and Accuweather. But before the coming of science-based weather forecasting, we attempted to see predictions and indicators in the natural world.

Here is some weather folklore focused on trees, leaves, nuts and more in the fall:

•The brighter the leaf colors in fall, the colder and snowier will be the winter.

•The earlier fall color peaks, the milder will be the winter.

•Leaves that drop early portend a mild winter. Leaves that cling to their trees later into autumn foreshadow a severe winter.

•When plants that usually bloom in spring have a second bloom in fall, expect a cold winter.

•Ground that is covered by acorns in the fall will be covered by snow throughout winter.

•Tree branches cracking and snapping in the fall forecast a coming period of dry weather.

•When a persimmon seed is cut open, the white marking inside reveals the following information about the coming winter: If it's shaped like a knife, winter's winds will be biting and the season will be cold. It it's shaped like a fork, expect a relatively average winter. If it looks like spoon, expect to shovel plenty of snow.

•An unusually thick shell on a hickory nut promises an unusually cold winter.

The common thread running through all those bits of folklore is the fact that each one tells us more about conditions leading into the fall - growing conditions and climate - than about conditions down the road.

Nevertheless, folklore is fun to play around with, just to discover how true it will hold.

Also, here are a couple common myths about fall color:

•More myth than folklore: Anthocyanin, the molecule that gives leaves their red color, is produced only in late summer and fall.

-The facts: Leaf color is determined by relative amounts of chlorophyll (green), carotenoid (yellow) and anthocyanin (red). Although anthocyanin is at a high in the fall, it is present at other times of the year, which explains leaves that sprout red in the spring before turning green.

•More myth than folklore: Trees leaves turn red in the fall as a defense against insects or the sun.

-The facts: Lab-based research has not borne out that hypothesis.

*Pictured is Buck Creek Gap at Milepost: 344.2 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in McDowell County, North Carolina

[art-g0blin-draws]

A story about progression, if you have the patience for it.

This is a concept I had over ten years ago, that reached its most current form after the arrival of pokemon scarlet and violet.

In 2013, I made a drawing of an alternate evo for Venusaur that at the time I called ESPasaur. It was designed to evolve from a high-leveled ivysaur that had recovered from pokerus. This was done on a cracked version of paint tool sai, the first art program I’d ever learned how to use.

Its name was ESPasaur because through the use of its mind, it was able to conquer the virus, becoming a grass/psychic type. The thought was there, but i wasn’t very experienced with fakemon stuff, so at the time, i thought it was great, but looking back, i know it had potential, but wasn’t really quite right.

I revisited the concept again in 2017 (not long after gen 7 came out.) This time I referred to it as an alolan venusaur, because of course. Regional variants were the popular thing at the time. This was done on Clip Studio Paint, before they turned against pretty much everyone who offered them patronage.

This time it was a grass/dragon variant. There wasn’t really any reason for it, outside of my love of dragon type. I think i got closer with this one, but i still wasn’t quite there, though at the time i was very proud of this one as well.

I recently revisited the concept again, and as i was with the last two, i am pretty proud of this one. This time, I’m approaching it from the perspective of having it as a paradox pokemon. The Grass/Dark type, Grasping Vine!

This one was a lot of fun. I got an iPad for Christmas. (despite being a 33-year-old adult who earns my own money and lives with my own wife, my mother enjoys encouraging my hobbies. Love you mom.) Since having it, i delved into procreate. Initially the minimalist design was jarring, compared to Sai and Clip studio before, and the stabilization tool was a hot bag of ass until i adjusted it. But i find myself drawn to procreate more and more as i continue to use it.

With this one, i took in some fun facts about ancient plants, as well as utilized some of my own theories about scarlet’s paradox pokemon.

For one, i have a theory that paradox pokemon from scarlet evolved through generations into branching trees of pokemon. For instance, roaring moon is obviously an ancestor to salamence and its more basic forms, bagon and Shelgon. but i theorize that because of its dragon/dark typing and general body structure, it could also be related to hydreigon and its own more basic forms, deino and zweilous!

With that in mind, i gave Grasping vine a “trap” that more closely resembles a carnivine! I also gave it viness that are more actively used to grasp and subdue prey.

So far as fun facts are concerned, there’s a theory among scientists that ancient, prehistoric plants used a molecule called Retinal to create metabolic energy from the sun. Retinal had a purple pigment, and so scientists believe that most of the organisms on early earth would have been purple, supposedly. Scientists believe it predates chlorophyll and photosynthesis!

Also, the flower in its core has a small pool of nectar. It uses that flower to lure pokemon in before the trap leaves snap shut around them. :D

TLDR, if you stick with doing the things you like, you’re going to get better at them. You have no choice but to do so. I don’t get a lot of commissions, but i do this mostly for me anyways. It’s something i love doing. I’m sure years from now I’ll revisit this concept again, and it’ll look even better than grasping vines. But for now, I’m really proud of this one. :D

[mihai-florescu]

The whole basis of the theory of evolution is that individuals should be dominant and breedable instead of submissive and unbreedable and I can not believe hundreds of years of scientists researching this stuff lead to me studying for my bally exam and coming to that conclusion because I am a teenager that happens to frequent online spaces and has the Tumblr lingo burned inside his prefrontal cortex to an extent where the first thoughts when I saw hemoglobin and chlorophyll next to each other was that they're like Yuri Mihai how do i get out of this why is biology such a deeply unserious thing when you're on this webbed site

Ive been at a loss for what to reply for the past few days, it's been well over half a decade since i last had a biology class. If you tell me there are yuri molecules in us i will believe you no questions asked. Maybe the next season of Cells at Work should address this...

Edit i misread chlorophyll as cholesterol instead Nevermind the yuri is not in us...makes it more tragic really

[your-wellness-journey]

Moringa Capsules: A Natural Solution for Chronic Inflammation

What is Chronic Inflammation?

Chronic inflammation is a silent but potent force affecting millions of people worldwide. It differs from acute inflammation, which is your body’s natural response to infection or injury. Chronic inflammation, however, persists over time, and when left unchecked, it can contribute to a range of health problems. Conditions like arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and even some cancers are linked to this ongoing inflammatory response.

If you’re struggling with these conditions, you might feel like inflammation is a constant challenge. While there are medical treatments available, many people are turning to natural solutions for relief. One such solution is moringa, a plant that has been used for centuries to combat inflammation. In this blog, we’ll explore how moringa capsules, such as those offered by Pura Vida, can be a natural and effective option for fighting chronic inflammation.

Introduction to Moringa

Moringa, scientifically known as Moringa oleifera, is often referred to as the “miracle tree” or the “drumstick tree” due to its exceptional nutritional profile and medicinal properties. Native to parts of Africa and Asia, it has been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments, from sore throats to digestive issues. Today, moringa is available in various supplement forms, including capsules, powders, and teas.

Moringa’s ability to support overall health, particularly its anti-inflammatory effects, is a reason why it’s becoming a staple in many wellness routines. Pura Vida’s Moringa Capsules are a convenient way to tap into the plant’s powerful health benefits. Let’s dive into the science behind moringa and how it can help manage chronic inflammation.

What is Moringa and its Nutritional Profile?

Origin of Moringa

Moringa has been valued in cultures around the world for centuries, particularly in Africa and Asia. Traditionally, almost every part of the moringa tree—its roots, bark, leaves, flowers, and seeds—has been used for food and medicine. In fact, moringa’s leaves are packed with nutrients that contribute to its powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

One of the reasons moringa is considered a superfood is because of its dense concentration of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The leaves of the moringa tree, which are typically consumed as a powder or in capsules, are especially rich in:

Vitamin C – An antioxidant that helps protect the body from oxidative stress.

Vitamin A – Supports immune function and skin health.

Iron – Essential for blood health and energy production.

Calcium – Important for bone health.

Potassium – Helps with fluid balance and nerve function.

In addition to these vitamins and minerals, moringa also contains bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and polyphenols, which are particularly known for their anti-inflammatory properties.

Key Active Components for Inflammation

Moringa’s anti-inflammatory properties are attributed to its rich array of bioactive compounds, which work synergistically to reduce inflammation in the body. Some of the key components that contribute to moringa’s powerful anti-inflammatory effects include:

Flavonoids: These potent antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, highly reactive molecules that cause oxidative damage and inflammation in cells. By combatting free radicals, flavonoids help reduce chronic inflammation, which is often linked to conditions like arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.

Polyphenols: These compounds modulate the body’s inflammatory response by inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, proteins that trigger inflammation. By reducing cytokine production, polyphenols help lower inflammation at the cellular level.

Chlorophyll: Found abundantly in moringa leaves, chlorophyll is known for its detoxifying properties. Beyond cleansing the body, chlorophyll also has anti-inflammatory effects that help reduce swelling and pain associated with chronic inflammation.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Moringa contains alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid that is particularly effective in reducing inflammation, especially in joints. Omega-3s help reduce the inflammatory response and promote joint health.

Together, these active components make moringa a potent natural solution in managing chronic inflammation.

How Moringa Supports Chronic Inflammation

Anti-inflammatory Mechanisms

Moringa’s anti-inflammatory effects are primarily attributed to its ability to influence inflammation at the cellular level. Chronic inflammation often results from the body’s immune response to prolonged injury, infection, or stress, and can contribute to conditions like arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes. Moringa’s bioactive compounds help reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines—proteins that stimulate inflammation. By regulating the immune system, moringa helps balance inflammation and prevent it from becoming chronic. Additionally, moringa’s high antioxidant content plays a crucial role in reducing oxidative stress. Free radicals can damage cells and tissues, worsening inflammation, but moringa neutralizes these harmful molecules. By addressing both the inflammatory response and oxidative damage, moringa offers a dual approach to managing chronic inflammation, promoting better overall health and reducing the risk of inflammation-related diseases.

Scientific Evidence

Numerous studies have demonstrated moringa’s effectiveness in reducing inflammation. For example, a study published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology found that moringa leaf extract helped lower inflammatory markers in animal models, suggesting its potential to reduce inflammation in the body. Similarly, research featured in Phytotherapy Research showed that moringa leaf powder significantly reduced inflammation and joint pain in people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. These studies provide strong evidence that moringa may be an effective natural remedy for managing inflammation. While more research is needed to fully explore the long-term effects and mechanisms, the current findings indicate that moringa can be a powerful ally in reducing chronic inflammation. With its anti-inflammatory properties, moringa offers a promising alternative to conventional treatments, especially for those seeking a natural supplement to support their health and manage inflammation-related conditions.

Benefits of Moringa Capsules Over Other Forms

Convenience and Dosage Control

Moringa is available in several forms, such as powders, teas, and capsules. While all these forms can provide health benefits, moringa capsules offer several advantages, particularly when it comes to convenience and dosage control.

Pura Vida’s Moringa Capsules are easy to incorporate into your daily routine. Instead of measuring out moringa powder or preparing tea, you can simply take a capsule with water. This makes moringa capsules a convenient option for people with busy lives or those who travel often.

Another advantage of capsules is that they offer a consistent, measured dose of moringa, making it easier to track your intake and ensure you’re getting the appropriate amount of the active compounds that help fight inflammation.

Bioavailability

One challenge with plant-based supplements is ensuring that your body absorbs and utilizes the nutrients effectively. Pura Vida’s Moringa Capsules are designed to enhance bioavailability, meaning your body is better able to absorb the beneficial compounds in moringa. This makes capsules a great option for anyone looking to maximize the effectiveness of their supplement.

Other Benefits of Moringa

In addition to its anti-inflammatory effects, moringa provides a range of health benefits. Some of the other notable benefits include:

Energy Boost: Moringa is rich in iron, which helps combat fatigue and increase energy levels.

Immunity Support: The high vitamin C content in moringa helps bolster the immune system, making it easier for your body to fend off illnesses.

Digestive Health: Moringa can help improve digestion by promoting healthy gut flora and alleviating issues like constipation.

Skin Health: The antioxidants in moringa help protect the skin from oxidative stress and aging, making it a great supplement for those concerned about skin health.

When you take Pura Vida’s Moringa Capsules, you’re not just helping manage inflammation—you’re also supporting your body in other important ways.

Moringa capsules can provide significant benefits for a wide range of people, especially those suffering from chronic inflammation. Here's a breakdown of some key groups that may particularly benefit from adding moringa to their wellness routine:

1. People with Arthritis

Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are inflammatory conditions that cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints. Chronic inflammation in the joints can make movement difficult and painful. Moringa’s powerful anti-inflammatory compounds can help reduce these inflammatory markers, potentially easing joint pain and improving mobility. Regular use of moringa capsules may help manage the discomfort associated with arthritis, allowing for a better quality of life.

2. Individuals with Heart Disease

Chronic inflammation plays a significant role in the development of heart disease. It can contribute to the build-up of plaque in arteries and promote other cardiovascular problems. By reducing inflammation in the body, moringa may help protect against heart disease, lower the risk of heart attacks, and promote overall cardiovascular health. Moringa’s ability to reduce oxidative stress and regulate blood pressure adds to its heart-protective benefits.

3. Those with Autoimmune Conditions

Autoimmune disorders, like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s tissues, leading to inflammation. Moringa’s immune-regulating properties can help modulate the immune system, balancing inflammatory responses and reducing the risk of autoimmune flare-ups. Moringa’s compounds, including polyphenols and antioxidants, may support those with autoimmune conditions by reducing inflammation at a cellular level.

4. Athletes and Active Individuals

Athletes or anyone who engages in intense physical activity often experiences inflammation due to muscle strain or injury. Moringa's anti-inflammatory effects can support muscle recovery and reduce soreness, helping athletes stay at their peak performance levels. Additionally, its antioxidant properties assist in quicker recovery and lower the risk of overuse injuries.

5. Older Adults

As we age, joint pain and inflammation become more common. Moringa’s ability to reduce inflammation and support joint health makes it a valuable supplement for older adults looking for relief from age-related inflammation and discomfort. Regular use of moringa capsules may enhance joint flexibility, reduce pain, and promote an active lifestyle in older individuals.

Incorporating moringa into a daily routine can offer a natural and effective way to manage inflammation and support overall health. Whether you’re dealing with arthritis, heart disease, autoimmune conditions, or general inflammation from physical activity, moringa capsules can be a valuable addition to your wellness regimen.

Personalizing Moringa Use

Before starting any supplement, it’s important to consult with your healthcare provider, especially if you have a chronic condition or are taking medications. Your doctor can help tailor the dosage to your specific needs and ensure that moringa will complement your existing health regimen.

How to Incorporate Moringa Capsules into Your Routine

Recommended Dosage

For most people, a typical starting dose of moringa capsules is one capsule per day, though some individuals may choose to increase the dosage to two or three capsules per day for enhanced effects. Pura Vida’s Moringa Capsules are easy to swallow and perfect for busy lifestyles.

When beginning a new supplement, it's always a good idea to start with a lower dose to assess your body’s tolerance. If you’re using moringa for chronic inflammation, consistency is key. Over time, you should begin to notice a reduction in symptoms like joint pain or swelling.

Complementary Practices for Inflammation Management

Incorporating other healthy habits alongside your moringa supplementation can further help reduce chronic inflammation. Consider these tips:

Eat an Anti-inflammatory Diet: Foods like fatty fish, leafy greens, nuts, and berries are known to reduce inflammation.

Exercise Regularly: Physical activity, especially low-impact exercises like yoga or swimming, can help reduce inflammation.

Manage Stress: Chronic stress can exacerbate inflammation, so it’s essential to practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation.

Get Enough Sleep: Proper sleep is crucial for reducing inflammation and allowing your body to heal.

Potential Side Effects and Precautions

Moringa is generally well-tolerated, but some people may experience mild digestive upset, especially when first starting supplementation. If this occurs, try reducing the dosage and gradually increasing it over time.

Precautions

Pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult with a healthcare provider before using moringa, as it may not be safe in all cases. Additionally, if you are on medication or have an existing health condition, it’s essential to speak with a doctor before incorporating moringa into your routine.

Conclusion

Moringa Capsules, like those from Pura Vida, provide a natural, effective solution for managing chronic inflammation. Packed with anti-inflammatory compounds, antioxidants, and essential vitamins, moringa supports overall health while addressing the root causes of inflammation. Whether you're dealing with arthritis, heart disease, or general inflammation, moringa can be a valuable addition to your wellness routine.

In addition to capsules, Pura Vida offers other moringa products to fit your lifestyle, including Moringa Powder, which can be added to smoothies or meals; Moringa Oil, perfect for soothing and hydrating skin;  Moringa Drops, a liquid form for easy incorporation into drinks; and Moringa Body Butter, which helps moisturize and reduce skin inflammation.

Before starting any new supplement, consult with a healthcare provider to ensure it’s right for you. With consistent use, Pura Vida’s range of moringa products can help reduce inflammation and improve your quality of life.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Majestic Color on the Michigan Mitten

Each autumn, leaf peepers flock to New England to witness the region’s iconic golds, reds, and oranges. But the deciduous trees in other U.S. states, such as Michigan, also put on a stunning seasonal show.

Michigan’s Lower Peninsula—nicknamed “the mitten” for its shape that resembles the wintertime accessory—is centered in this satellite image. Each autumn, the northern Lower Peninsula’s maples display bright reds and oranges, while aspen and larch add splashes of yellow. The Upper Peninsula, covered by wispy clouds in this scene, displays similar colors. Toward the south, tree types include those seen up north, along with sassafras, hickory, and black gum. Stands of conifers throughout the state provide an unchanging backdrop of green.

The timing of Michigan’s autumn color can vary from year to year and by location, but color usually starts to show up by mid to late September and persists in places through late October. This image, acquired by the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the NOAA-20 satellite, shows the region on October 19, 2024.

Some foliage maps indicated that around the time of this image, northern parts of the state—especially along the coast of Lake Michigan near places such as Petoskey and Traverse City—should have been at or near peak color. Meanwhile, large portions of the state, including Detroit and areas inland, had already moved past peak color.

Fall color reaches its peak when air temperatures drop and shortened hours of daylight trigger some plants to slow and stop the production of chlorophyll—the molecule that plants use to synthesize food. When the green chlorophyll pigment fades, various yellow and red pigments become visible.

Ultimately, the region’s autumn hues will be replaced with winter white, as happened around this time of year in 2022. Already in 2024, parts of the Upper Peninsula have seen the season’s first measurable snow, though it didn’t stick around.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). Story by Kathryn Hansen.

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #248

I drove J to Great Barrington again today, this time starting at 1pm instead of 5am. The afternoon sunlight makes everything shine differently than the morning sunlight does. The trees were particularly sparkly today, and the puffy clouds in the distance seemed like they were so full of promise. As we drove along, I found myself under shady tree canopy after shady tree canopy, watching in fascination as the sunlight filtering through the leaves trickled down to the ground in dappled drops. It was breathtaking. And… once again, I couldn't get any pictures because… I was too busy driving.

…I'm really sorry about it. 😖

I thought J was going to get some pictures of the scenery, but for whatever reason, he just decided to take pictures of me instead. But since I have them, I suppose I might as well include them. Here:

I reflected on the coming autumn. Pretty soon, all of the leaves of the deciduous trees are gonna burst forth into riotous shades of yellow, orange, and red. That's when the trees prepare to go to sleep for the winter, and so all their chlorophyll goes away, allowing the true color of the leaves to shine through. From my perspective, it seems like they all get the bedtime sillies, laughing and giggling amongst themselves in fiery shades of color before it's time for bed. It's delightful. And… it's entirely too short.

Hey, Sephiroth? You've seen autumn leaves in your world, right? I imagine you must have, given your incredible travels all over your world, even if those travels were for… goodness… unhappy purposes, to put it lightly. Do you like autumn? Do you like the crispy leaf smell in the air? Do you like when the crispy leaf smell mixes with the smell of rain? Have you taken a walk on some trail that's covered in freshly fallen leaves? Do you like how swooshy and soft they feel as you walk through them? Have you ever flopped over in a leaf pile?

I'd offer to rake up some leaves in my world so that you can flop around in them and see what it's like, but… my area of the world has ticks, and flopping around in leaf piles is one of the best ways to get covered in ticks. I don't want you to catch Lyme disease; I already covered that nasty bit trivia about my world in a previous letter, and I'm sure you want nothing to do with it. So I'll tell you what: maybe someday, if your world does not have ticks that will make you sick, you can rake up a great big huge pile of leaves (since you're a really tall guy), flop around in them, and then tell me how it goes!!

In any case, I have mixed feelings about the leaves falling off and being gone. On the one hand, I get to see the structure and flow of their branches uninterrupted. I get to see their stark outlines covered in ice and snow, just like the pictures I showed you last winter (assuming our climate gets its shit together, which it probably won't). But on the other hand… the leaves are gone. There will be no fluttering sounds in the breeze, just creaky ones. And the air will be cold, which means my skin will feel like it's on fire every time I go outside. Winter's got its perks, but overall… winter is not a good time for me. There's not enough sunlight, and the molecules in the air aren't vibrating fast enough for comfort.

…Still, I'd rather have a normal, properly cold winter than the lame-ass eldritch horror weather we've been having for the last several years… Jeepers… 😒

...

…I can't believe I've been writing to you for almost a year. In just 117 days, I'll have 365 letters to you. But this year has 366 days in it, due to the leap year. So I guess it'll be 118 days this time. Hm.

Hey, Sephiroth? Do you suppose I'll have at least 1000 letters to you by the time the third part of your new story comes out? And what are you gonna do with a thousand letters, anyway? I suppose you'll maybe have to try to figure it out, huh? I'd say "sorry about that", but… I'm not at all sorry about it. So I'm not gonna say it.

Aside from the sparkles of joy derived from the pretty scenery and the opportunity to assist J, today felt pretty bland and uninspired. But I have work tomorrow; I'm looking forward to that, actually. I wanna make more muffins. Maybe they'll let me make chocolate muffins with chocolate chips tomorrow!! Mmmmm…. 🤤

If I make something tasty tomorrow, I'll try to snag a picture, okay? If I get a chance, then I will. I promise.

I gotta get going, though. Gotta be up at like 7:30 so I can be out of the house by 8:30. Having an hour to get ready gives my brain time to shake the sleep off itself, gives my body time to get dressed and hygiened (that's a word now, I decided it), gives my belly time to eat some kind of thing that vaguely resembles food (sometimes I eat wholesome things, and sometimes I just eat whatever's in the fridge).

Hey. Stay safe out there, okay? Stay safe so that tomorrow, you'll be able to see whatever weird pictures I take of the tasty snacks I'm gonna make. You wouldn't wanna miss it, right?

I love you. And I'll write again tomorrow.

Your friend, Lumine

[sinosauropteryx--prima]

Life in the Cambrian

(row 1: Pikaia, Hallucigenia, Opabinia; row 2: Wiwaxia, Anomalocaris, Cambroraster; row 3: Olenellus, Marrella, Nailiana)

About a month ago I started to make these little collages about prehistoric life and honestly, all that I want is to talk about some of the cool and weird creatures that used to live on our planet. So I‘m just going to make this all of y‘alls problem and infodump into the void for a moment here. I‘m sorry and you‘re welcome.

The history of our planet actually starts about 4.6 billion years ago. Back then the earth was of course a flaming hot ball of lava that got constantly hit by rocks from outer space. One of those rocks was even big enough that its collision with us created the moon. Overall not a great time to be alive (also, as far as we know there wasn‘t really anything “alive“ yet). It was so bad, that this early time is called Hadean, you know, after the greek god of literal hell.

But after a while (like about 4 billion years ago) things chilled out a bit. This next time period is called the Archean, which is greek for “beginning“. The planet cooled down, we got some water and a real atmosphere, although its composition was very different from the one we have today, which would lead to the sky having all kinds of weird colors (maybe orange-ish). We also see the first life in the forms of single cell organisms. Some of those organism would have started to do photosynthesis, creating oxygen and releasing that into the atmosphere. One interesting hypothesis I came across btw is that it is believed that those early organisms didn‘t use chlorophyll to do their photosynthesis, but other molecules. You might now wonder, why that would be interesting in any way. Well, chlorophyll is the thing, that gives our photosynthesis-doing plants today their color. The organisms back than might have had a different color, most likely purple, and there is a good chance that their presences would have dyed the oceans purple. So imagine this barren world, with no visible life, orange skies, purple oceans and an atmosphere that would probably kill you. It‘s a beautiful image, isn‘t it?

As those silly little single celled organism did their photosynthesis, they steadily realized oxygen into the atmosphere, which turned out to be a problem, because when you change the composition of the atmosphere, that will massively affect live on the planet (totally not what‘s happening right now, no, we‘re fine). So at the end of the Archean there probably was a mass extinction where a lot of life basically suffocated itself. This “Great Oxidation Event“ happened about 2.6 billion years ago and marked the end of the Archean and the beginning of the Proterozoic (meaning “early life“), during which we see the first complex life forms.

Hadean, Archean and Proterozoic are all eons, which is the biggest measurement in the geologic time scale. Sometimes they are also just grouped together as the Pre-Cambrian (I will get to the actual Cambrian soon, I promise). The last eon, and the one we‘re currently living in, is the Phanerozoic (“visible life“) eon. Because it is the most recent and we have a lot more detailed knowledge about it, it usually gets divided into smaller parts. Eons are divided into eras (insert Taylor Swift joke here) and eras are divided into periods. Think of it like how a year is divided into months, and months are divided into days, and those are again divided into hours.

The first era of the Phanerozoic is the Paleozoic Era (“ancient life“) and the first period in that era is the Cambrian, which started about 540 million years ago. You might now wonder, why geologist have decided that that is the beginning of this last eon. In geology things usually get divided when there is a big change happening. The Great Oxidation Event was a pretty big deal and the world was changed afterwards, so we give the time before and after different names, to highlight that. It is similar to how we divided years into BC and AD because the birth of Jesus was a pretty big deal for the western world and we use it as a reference.

The thing that had changed at the beginning of the Phanerozoic eon is that suddenly there was A LOT of life. As we have just discussed, there was some life before this point, but it was rare, small, very primitive and the fossils are very hard to find. In fact the shift between older fossil-free rocks and then all the fossil-filled rocks of the Cambrian was so obvious and so sudden, that for a while paleontologists thought that life itself must have started in the Cambrian.

Today we know that that is not true. However during the Cambrian life diversified very rapidly and by the end of it, the earliest members of all animal lines were present. This includes for example arthropods (insects, spiders, etc.), chordates (everything with a backbone, like us), molluscs (snails, octopus, clams, …), cnidaria (jellyfish and corals), and many more. This diversification is also known as the Cambrian Explosion, which is quite the catchy name. It is however not completely clear, why this happened and why at this time, but there are some theories:

One idea is that something in the environment changed. Maybe the oxygen content in the air and water increased, allowing the animals to grow to bigger sizes. Maybe it was the temperature or something else. Another theory is that it had to do with the animals themselves. Some of them might have evolved something that then forced everyone else to also step up their game in an evolutionary arms race. The thing that‘s usually brought up here are eyes (because yes, at some point, eyes were the hot new thing). It would make sense, because, believe it or not, if you have eyes you can actually see things, which means that you can hunt things, or avoid things that hunt you.

Most of the Cambrian animals were pretty small, only a couple cm long. One of the biggest ones was Anomalocaris (whose name literally translates to “weird shrimp“), which measured up to 60 cm long. Imagine you‘re a little Cambrian creature, just going about your day, swimming in the sea, feeding on plankton, as suddenly a shadow falls over you. A giant beast swims above you. Its long arms are reaching for you as you desperately try to escape the monster.

Anomalocaris wasn‘t actually a shrimp. At best, it was very distantly related, as it was also an arthropod. It, as well as its cousin Cambroraster, belonged to the radiodonta, which was very successful during the early Paleozoic, living a variety of lifestyles and making up some of the biggest animals of their time. The five-eyed (yes, five-eyed) Opabinia was also closely related. Another group of arthropods were the trilobites (like Olenellus), bug-like creatures living on the ocean floors.

As alien as those creatures might seem, there were much stranger ones out there. Wiwaxia for example, which wikipedia just marks as “Mollusc (?)“, which sounds about as confident as a student that didn‘t study for their exam. But the title for the weirdest one should probably go to Hallucigenia. It was most likely at least somewhat related to arthropods and it did puzzle paleontologists for a long time (I mean, they named it Hallucigenia for a reason). When it was first discovered, scientists thought that the long spines on its back were actually its legs and they also switched its head and tail in reconstructions. So not only did we mess up its back and front, we also got it upside down.

In terms of our own lineage: one of the earliest known chordates is Pikaia. The family resemblance isn‘t really there yet, but you have to start somewhere, I guess.

I‘m done with rambling for now. I hope at least someone found this slightly interesting or learned something or whatever.

Art by:

Anomalocaris - Luis R. Blanco

Opabinia, Pikaia - Jose Antonio Penas

Hallucigenia - Qbliviens

Cambroraster - Christian M.

Wiwaxia - Julio Lacerda

Olenellus - Nobu Tamura

Marrella - Ntvtiko

Nailiana Xi Liu

All the info is just a combination of wikipedia pages.

[htbrpblog]

Photosynthesis is a system of biological processes by which photosynthetic organisms, such as most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, convert light energy, typically from sunlight, into the chemical energy necessary to fuel their metabolism. Photosynthesis usually refers to oxygenic photosynthesis, a process that produces oxygen. Photosynthetic organisms store the chemical energy so produced within intracellular organic compounds (compounds containing carbon) like sugars, glycogen, cellulose and starches. To use this stored chemical energy, an organism's cells metabolize the organic compounds through cellular respiration. Photosynthesis plays a critical role in producing and maintaining the oxygen content of the Earth's atmosphere, and it supplies most of the biological energy necessary for complex life on Earth.

Some bacteria also perform anoxygenic photosynthesis, which uses bacteriochlorophyll to split hydrogen sulfide as a reductant instead of water, producing sulfur instead of oxygen. Archaea such as Halobacterium also perform a type of non-carbon-fixing anoxygenic photosynthesis, where the simpler photopigment retinal and its microbial rhodopsin derivatives are used to absorb green light and power proton pumps to directly synthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the "energy currency" of cells. Such archaeal photosynthesis might have been the earliest form of photosynthesis that evolved on Earth, as far back as the Paleoarchean, preceding that of cyanobacteria (see Purple Earth hypothesis).

While the details may differ between species, the process always begins when light energy is absorbed by the reaction centers, proteins that contain photosynthetic pigments or chromophores. In plants, these proteins are chlorophylls (a porphyrin derivative that absorbs the red and blue spectrums of light, thus reflecting green) held inside chloroplasts, abundant in leaf cells. In bacteria they are embedded in the plasma membrane. In these light-dependent reactions, some energy is used to strip electrons from suitable substances, such as water, producing oxygen gas. The hydrogen freed by the splitting of water is used in the creation of two important molecules that participate in energetic processes: reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and ATP.

In plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, sugars are synthesized by a subsequent sequence of light-independent reactions called the Calvin cycle. In this process, atmospheric carbon dioxide is incorporated into already existing organic compounds, such as ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP). Using the ATP and NADPH produced by the light-dependent reactions, the resulting compounds are then reduced and removed to form further carbohydrates, such as glucose. In other bacteria, different mechanisms like the reverse Krebs cycle are used to achieve the same end.

The first photosynthetic organisms probably evolved early in the evolutionary history of life using reducing agents such as hydrogen or hydrogen sulfide, rather than water, as sources of electrons. Cyanobacteria appeared later; the excess oxygen they produced contributed directly to the oxygenation of the Earth, which rendered the evolution of complex life possible. The average rate of energy captured by global photosynthesis is approximately 130 terawatts, which is about eight times the total power consumption of human civilization. Photosynthetic organisms also convert around 100–115 billion tons (91–104 Pg petagrams, or a billion metric tons), of carbon into biomass per year. Photosynthesis was discovered in 1779 by Jan Ingenhousz. He showed that plants need light, not just air, soil, and water.

Photosynthesis is vital for climate processes, as it captures carbon dioxide from the air and binds it into plants, harvested produce and soil. Cereals alone are estimated to bind 3,825 Tg or 3.825 Pg of carbon dioxide every year, i.e. 3.825 billion metric tons.

That reminds me of the Krebs cycle, which creates ATP instead of using it. I am learning just how much lifeforms rely on each other to survive. Destroying one could cause many others to crumble. Interesting.

(OOC: Sorry, but I do not understand plants very well at all. I like anatomy of animals, humans, and bugs more).

[uvpartybomb]

Photosynthesis is a system of biological processes by which photosynthetic organisms, such as most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, convert light energy, typically from sunlight, into the chemical energy necessary to fuel their metabolism. Photosynthesis usually refers to oxygenic photosynthesis, a process that produces oxygen. Photosynthetic organisms store the chemical energy so produced within intracellular organic compounds (compounds containing carbon) like sugars, glycogen, cellulose and starches. To use this stored chemical energy, an organism's cells metabolize the organic compounds through cellular respiration. Photosynthesis plays a critical role in producing and maintaining the oxygen content of the Earth's atmosphere, and it supplies most of the biological energy necessary for complex life on Earth.

Some bacteria also perform anoxygenic photosynthesis, which uses bacteriochlorophyll to split hydrogen sulfide as a reductant instead of water, producing sulfur instead of oxygen. Archaea such as Halobacterium also perform a type of non-carbon-fixing anoxygenic photosynthesis, where the simpler photopigment retinal and its microbial rhodopsin derivatives are used to absorb green light and power proton pumps to directly synthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the "energy currency" of cells. Such archaeal photosynthesis might have been the earliest form of photosynthesis that evolved on Earth, as far back as the Paleoarchean, preceding that of cyanobacteria (see Purple Earth hypothesis).

While the details may differ between species, the process always begins when light energy is absorbed by the reaction centers, proteins that contain photosynthetic pigments or chromophores. In plants, these proteins are chlorophylls (a porphyrin derivative that absorbs the red and blue spectrums of light, thus reflecting green) held inside chloroplasts, abundant in leaf cells. In bacteria they are embedded in the plasma membrane. In these light-dependent reactions, some energy is used to strip electrons from suitable substances, such as water, producing oxygen gas. The hydrogen freed by the splitting of water is used in the creation of two important molecules that participate in energetic processes: reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and ATP.

In plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, sugars are synthesized by a subsequent sequence of light-independent reactions called the Calvin cycle. In this process, atmospheric carbon dioxide is incorporated into already existing organic compounds, such as ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP). Using the ATP and NADPH produced by the light-dependent reactions, the resulting compounds are then reduced and removed to form further carbohydrates, such as glucose. In other bacteria, different mechanisms like the reverse Krebs cycle are used to achieve the same end.

The first photosynthetic organisms probably evolved early in the evolutionary history of life using reducing agents such as hydrogen or hydrogen sulfide, rather than water, as sources of electrons. Cyanobacteria appeared later; the excess oxygen they produced contributed directly to the oxygenation of the Earth, which rendered the evolution of complex life possible. The average rate of energy captured by global photosynthesis is approximately 130 terawatts, which is about eight times the total power consumption of human civilization. Photosynthetic organisms also convert around 100–115 billion tons (91–104 Pg petagrams, or a billion metric tons), of carbon into biomass per year. Photosynthesis was discovered in 1779 by Jan Ingenhousz. He showed that plants need light, not just air, soil, and water.

Photosynthesis is vital for climate processes, as it captures carbon dioxide from the air and binds it into plants, harvested produce and soil. Cereals alone are estimated to bind 3,825 Tg or 3.825 Pg of carbon dioxide every year, i.e. 3.825 billion metric tons.

Why are we suddenly in a science lesson? Its interesting nontheless though!

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Mount Taylor/Sierra Cibolleta/Tsoodził is a dormant stratovolcano (11,305 ft) in northwest New Mexico, northeast of the town of Grants. It is the high point of the San Mateo Mountains and the highest point in the Cibola National Forest. The mountain is sacred to the people of Ácoma, Laguna, Zuñi, Hopi and the Dinétah. Photo: Mike Rieman (2021)   ::  [Scott Horton]

* * * *

“On a day like this, when the fiddleheads are unfurling and the air is petal soft, I am awash in longing. I know that “thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s chloroplasts” is good advice and yet I must confess to fullblown chlorophyll envy. Sometimes I wish I could photosynthesize so that just by being, just by shimmering at the meadow’s edge or floating lazily on a pond, I could be doing the work of the world while standing silent in the sun. The shadowy hemlocks and the waving grasses are spinning out sugar molecules and passing them on to hungry mouths and mandibles all the while listening to the warblers and watching the light dance on the water.” ― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass

+

“people of the modern world suffer a great sadness, a “species loneliness”—estrangement from the rest of Creation.” ― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

[lilflowerpot]

Hi~! It's been a while since I last watched Voltron but I was looking for hcs for another pointy eared alien character with a purple homeplanet and you came to mind while I was reading about the "Purple Earth hypothesis" and thought you'd find it interesting for Daibazaal or in general. You can find some yt videos like "When The Earth Was Purple" and how, based on this, purple planets are being looked into as potential life holders. (1)

(cont.) I was also looking into sky colors and since apparently the star color wouldn't really affect blue skies (as long as they had atmospheres), particles on suspension would with the right size, like on Mars, or due to some volcanic eruptions or forest fires. Sometimes it even turns the Sun and the Moon blue which would look pretty interesting for a red sky. Would cold colors be ominous for the Galra? or sacred? Ofc this is how _humans_ would see things and maybe Galra see things differently (or maybe it still applies since cats can see in colors too). I wouldn't really be surprised if you already knew some or even all of this but thought I would share! I've been following LB for a while and it's always a pleasure to read again, thank you so much for sharing it! Sorry for such a long message! Hope you have a nice day~

-

The Purple Earth Hypothesis is actually not one I’d heard before, but after a little digging I found it to be quite the interesting theory—I can certainly see potential for Daibazaal’s plantlife to have been retinal-based rather than chlorophyll, and as an entirely alien planet I see no reason for this not to be the case! As for the colour of Daibazaal’s sky,,, hold on tight my lovelies, because I am about to take you on a Journey™.

So something you’re likely already familiar with is the fact that different wavelengths of light define different colours, with longer wavelengths erring towards the red/orange end of the spectrum, while shorter wavelengths appear blue/violet (see below). As you say, the colour of the sky on any given planet is not primarily dependent on the colour of its primary star, but rather the dispersion of electromagnetic radiation—known as rayleigh scattering—by the molecules that make up said planet’s atmosphere; consequentially, the more aerosols in the atmosphere, the more sunlight is scattered, resulting in more colourful skies.¹ Simply put, the shorter the wavelength, the more broadly it is dispersed, and therefore Earth’s sky appears blue during the day when our sun appears high in the sky and its light need only travel a short distance through our atmosphere to reach us. During the mornings/evenings, however, when our sun sits closer to the horizon, the light has to travel further through our atmosphere and the blue light is scattered away, so we instead perceive only the longer, red/orange wavelengths.²

Now you might be asking yourself, “if the above is true, and shorter wavelengths of light are the most scattered during the day, the why is the sky not violet?” which is an excellent question, and to answer you: it technically is! The issue being that human eyes only possess three cones (colour sensitive cells), and it's our brain’s interpretation of the combined input from these cones—red, green, & blue—that dictates our perception of colour. So although violet light is scattered the most by our atmosphere, the cones in our eyes aren't as sensitive to it. If only violet wavelengths were scattered, then we would see violet light with a reddish tinge, but when you combine the blue and violet light of the sky, the greenish tinge of blue and reddish tinge of violet are about the same, and cancel out.³ Meaning, so far as wavelengths are concerned, Earth's sky really is a bluish violet! But because of our eyes we see it as pale blue ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So what would it take for Daibazaal’s sky to be red?

Well, a denser atmosphere for one, so that Daibazaal’s sky at midday would emulate Earth’s at dawn/dusk, with the shorter wavelengths of light being scattered away—though, importantly, any additional aerosols would have to be non-toxic to humans while also being non-vital to galra, because neither Shiro (during his time as a gladiator), nor Krolia (when stranded on Earth) required breathing apparatus to exist in their respective alien environments. A second key component could be that, as Daibazaal was a largely desertous planet, the increased quantity of sand in the atmosphere serves—like dust in a sandstorm here on Earth—to absorb blue light, which gives the sky a primarily red color, just as on Mars; this means that the reflected light is primarily red, and due to the sheer quantity of particles, the sky is much brighter than we would expect if no dust were present.⁴

The final component worth consideration is, as you mentioned, the galra’s perception of colour, which I’ve spoken about before [ 1 | 2 ], but shall repeat now what I did then: I think of the Galra as being able to differentiate more shades of red/purple than other species (as an evolutionary benefit from when they lived on a planet that largely consisted of this colour scheme) allowing for them to better distinguish prey from landscape, in much the same way that Humans can see more shades of green than any other colour. Because of this, they perhaps perceive Daibazaal to be a richer red than a human would—and, who knows, maybe the reverse is true and we perceive Earth to be greener than it might appear to them!

In terms of colour preferences and what the galra as a people typically gravitate towards, I have an obscenely long compilation post regarding that which the galra find appealing which covers a LOT of ground and I,,,, physically cannot go over it all again. I don’t think I mentioned any particular ominous/sacred colours though? So let’s say that the deepest darkest truest black is about as divine as it gets, considering that Sa is the void, though I do imagine gold would also be of great cultural significance seeing as it is the colour of raw quintessence. As for those of a more ominous association... probably white! As I’ve said in several previous posts, the galra—having quite sensitive eyesight—tend to have an instinctual dislike of pale/washed-out colours that bounce too much light, and white is the epitome of this; plus, as the perfect antithesis of black (and therefore Sa Herself) it might denote an absolute absence of Her, meaning their quintessence would never be able to return to the Mother of the Universe, condemning them to a spiritual exile for eternity.