Carnivorous plants are amazing, resilient creatures that have adapted to some of the most inhospitable environments on the planet. Take, for example, the Nepenthes lowii plant found in the mountaintop cloud forests of Borneo. This hanging pitcher plant has a shape similar to a toilet bowl, and is uniquely adapted to capture nitrogen from the droppings of shrews, bats and rodents! Amazingly, these poop-eating plants can store more than twice as much high-quality nitrogen than those that consume insects. Read full article here
Culture
The Priest in the Arena
The phrase “man in the arena” has been popularized in recent years, but a lesser known, more dangerous archetype is the “priest in the arena”. This figure is responsible for a process called theocratic capture, where an institution surrenders to a cult demanding unaccountable authority, fueled by claims to privileged knowledge. These cults often target powerful institutions and attempt to monopolize conversations with scaremongering tactics and hostile treatment of allies. It is important to identify and stop theocratic capture before it can gain control. Read full article here
Merv
May 29, 2023
