For more than 20 years one of 93 million people named Wang in China has been planting trees for the purpose of preventing the desert from encroaching on Yinchuan. The Great Wall of Trees is 42-km and 10-km wide. For his efforts, Wang was rewarded with some time off to participate as a torch bearer for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

It reminds me of a story of three union guys, Wang, Wang and Wang. Their job was to plant trees. One dug a hole, another put the tree into the hole and the third filled the hole. One day only two showed up. Wang dug a hole and Wang filled it up. Wang dug a hole and Wang filled it up. Another Wang standing by asked, “How come all you do is dig a hole and fill it up?”

The hole-digging Wang replied, “just because Wang is sick, it doesn’t mean the two of us get the day off.”

42 kilometers long. Ring a bell. That’s the length of the modern day marathon. Sounds to me like this place might be a good location for the Olympic Marathon, no?

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One of the world’s most polluted cities, Beijing, will have a “green lung” opening in it after the Olympics finish. The Olympic Forest Park will be a bit to the north of the Bird’s Nest, home to the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The park cost $1.12 billion!

1. Add 10 years to your life.

2. Listen to Chopin through hidden speakers.

3. Walk below the water surface.

4. Observe wetlands through glass corridors

5. Stand right next to lotus flowers.

6. See hedgehogs and squirrels.

7. 500,000 plants and 180 species

8. Pieces of Mt. Taishan (something about if you can’t go to the mountain, bring the mountain or something like that.)

9. Man-made lakes with purified water

10. Spend $1 million a year to maintain it.

Is it worth it having a ‘green lung’ in a big city like Beijing?

What’s in your city?

I have no idea how many flowers 100 million are. I mean, what kind of space can that cover?

Beijing will know.

From June 20th, Beijing will start decorating the streets with some 100 million flowers.

Out of a total of 2,000 types, 576 breeds of flowers were selected:

1. rose

2. pansy

3. morning glory (more…)

Scientists have found the (new) oldest tree in the world. It is a 16.4 feet tall spruce, found in Fulu Mountain in the Dalarna province of Sweden, that was carbon dated by Miami researchers to be 9,550 years old.

Under the crown they’ve also found four generations of spruce remains in the forms of cones and wood produced with the same genetic material, that date back 375, 5,660, 9,000 and 9,550 years.

Though spruce trees can create exact copies or clones of themselves multiplying with their root penetrating branches, so far scientists thought it wasn’t such a survivor.

Recent studies conducted in cooperation with the County Administrative Boards in Jämtland and Dalarna showed different and Leif Kullman, Professor of Physical Geography at Umea University, to declared “Our results have shown the complete opposite, that the spruce is one of the oldest known trees in the mountain range”.

The history behind this discovery, also revealed that the tree survived because of the generally cold and dry climate, few forest fires and very few humans. It also pointed out that the ice might have disappeared earlier than thought.

“My research indicates that spruces have spent winters in places west or southwest of Norway where the climate was not as harsh in order to later quickly spread northerly along the ice-free coastal strip. In some way they have also successfully found their way to the Swedish mountains,” Leif Kullman said.

Spruces are the species that can best give us insight about climate change.

Photo credits: Leif Kullman

For no special reason I asked myself today what is the largest flower in the world? Kids usually ask such questions so better be prepared …

image copyright mark.ringrose

So, back to the answer, the biggest flower in the world is Rafflesia arnoldii a very rare flower that can be found in the rainforests of Indonesia. It has the world’s largest bloom, that can grow up to 3 feet across and may weigh up to 15 pounds, has no visible leaves, roots or stem.

Rafflesia arnoldii is actually a parasite that attaches to a host plant for water and nutrients and while in bloom emits an odor similar to rotten meat. This is how it attracts insects that pollinate the plant.

The dramatic Rafflesia flowers are the largest single flowers in the world; the leathery petals can reach over 90 centimetres across. The Rafflesia plant is itself not visible until the reproduction stage when flowers first bud through the woody vine and then open into the magnificent spectacle that is world-renowned today.

The flowers can take up to 10 months to develop from the first visible bud to the open bloom, which may last no more than a few days. Species of Rafflesia are known from peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, southern Thailand, Borneo and southern Philippines.

In some pictures it looks beautiful but I’m sure it’s not the perfect gift your wife is waiting for.