Chad Clark's Open Journal : 2007-07-17

1) Aspartame linked to cancer in a study using rats.

Aspartame is better known as nutrasweet and is found in food and beverages
such as diet soda pop.  

The study was conducted by the Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center of the
European Ramazzini Foundation.

The results include:

  The results of this mega-experiment indicate that APM is a multipotential
  carcinogenic agent, even at a daily dose of 20 mg/kg body weight, much
  less than the current acceptable daily intake.

The study involved 8 week old rats and lasted until natural death at which
point examinations of the bodies were performed.


2) Radiation affects bird species differently.

In April 1986 there was an explosion at the Chernobyl power plant in the
Ukraine.  There was radioactive contamination in the region.  For more
details see wikipedia.

From http://www.ukrainianweb.com/images/chernobyl/chernobyl_reactor.jpg


A recent study examined more than 1,500 birds near the site and found some
kinds of birds had a lower population and some kinds had more deformities
than others.

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2007/07/the_birds_of_chernobyl_better.php reads:

  The affected bird species had reduced levels of antioxidants. In short,
  antioxidants are molecules that protect the cells in of body from
  potential damage by "soaking up" free radicals, but unfortunately,
  antioxidants are limited.
  
  Free radicals, on the other hand, are not.
  
  Free radicals are a by-product of many natural metabolic processes and
  result from exercise, such as migration. Eggs also contain high levels of
  antioxidants that protect the developing embryo. Additionally, it is
  known that radiation triggers the production of free radicals, which are
  reactive compounds that irreversibly damage DNA.


3) Bring a camera with you and have it easy to get at.

I was in Banff this past weekend.  I saw a large bird nest on the top of a
bridge.  I think it was about a meter across.  I don't know what kind of
bird was in the nest but it looked larger than a Canadian football.

I did not have a camera so I did not get a picture.  To find the nest take
highway 1 (aka the Trans Canada) west of Banff about 25-30 km and turn
right onto highway 1A (aka Bow Valley Parkway).  The bridge is a less than
500 meters from the turn.

See a Google map of the bridge.