Research on abandoned chestnut orchards has shown that when left alone, chestnut trees are crowded out by other species. In wild forests, “Castanea reaches a maximum age of about 200 years, then it dies,” Krebs says. “But here in Ticino, where chestnuts have been cultivated, they can reach up to almost 1,000 years, because of their symbiosis with humans.” … Read more
“Juglans [walnut] has a different pattern,” says Krebs. The spread of pollen from these trees is less clearly associated with the rise and fall of the Roman empire, he and his colleagues found. Its distribution around Europe had already increased before the arrival of the Romans, perhaps pointing to the ancient Greeks and other pre-Roman communities … Read more
The ancient Romans left an indelible imprint on the world they enveloped into their empire. The straight, long-distance roads they built can still be followed beneath the asphalt of some modern highways. They spread aqueducts, sewers, public baths and the Latin language across much of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. But what’s perhaps less well known is the surprising way they … Read more
With so much tension and conflict around the world, it can be a relief when a Hollywood blockbuster distracts audiences with some escapism, some optimism, and some rollicking, good-natured fun. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is not that kind of blockbuster. The eighth instalment in Tom Cruise’s globe-trotting action-adventure franchise, The Final Reckoning is … Read more
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