The viability of all forms of life is highly dependent on the regularity of events such as the daily variations of light and the seasonal changes in climate. The regular variations in the physical phenomena are manifested in regular periodic events in biological life cycles such as the emergence of leaves and flowers, the developmental…
Paul Apostolidis, with roots from Lesvos, in his article in the New Lines Magazine describes how his recent ancestors arrived in America and draws parallels with the struggles of the so-called irregular immigrants and attitudes towards them. He also discusses the differences and how skin colour has facilitated the assimilation of Greek immigrants in contrast…
Abdullatif Azab of the Eastern Plants Company in Israel, has reviewed the literature concerning 10 edible wild plants found in the Eastern Mediterranean region that have potential activity against inflammation. The review is freely available as an open access publication. Abstract: In the first part of this series of review articles, we presented the anticancer…
Abdullatif Azab of the Eastern Plants Company in Israel, has reviewed the literature concerning 10 edible wild plants found in the Eastern Mediterranean region that have potential anticancer activity. The review is freely available as an open access publication. Abstract: Medicinal plants are the major source of natural products that are used for drug discovery…
The current effects of climate change are characterised by long periods of high temperatures and sudden, short periods of heavy rain but overall reduced annual rainfall. These effects are having a severe impact in all areas of agriculture. On Lesvos, as well as in other areas of the Mediterranean region, this impact is particularly evident…
A recent news item (in Greek) from a local online newsletter serving the village of Vrisa redirects to a post on alternative approaches to current practices in olive grove and vineyard cultivation. That post in turn refers to an EU funded project being carried out in Spain whose main objective is to halt biodiversity loss….
There are many graphical representations of global warming. These from the University of Reading are particularly striking. Each stripe represents the average temperature for a single year, relative to the average temperature over the period as a whole and the trend is clear. Blue stripes represent cooler-than-average years, while red indicates years that were hotter…
Lisa Briggs, from the British Museum, and Jens Jakobsson, an independent researcher in Sweden, have reviewed in detail the history and current knowledge regarding this intriguing plant. The review is freely available as an open access publication. Abstract: From luxury spice to medical cure-all, silphium was a product coveted throughout the ancient world and occupied…
The ancient city of Cyrene in what is now Libya was a prosperous Greek, and later Roman, center of culture and commerce. One of its most important exports was the medicinal plant known as silphium. Silphium was highly prized throughout the ancient world for its use as a perfume, in seasoning, in medicine and as…
The Mediterranean diet has been associated with many beneficial effects on health, mainly demonstrating a protective role against the development of cardiovascular pathologies, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and neurological diseases. The diet also generates a lower environmental impact compared to current Western diets. Mounting evidence shows that adherence to this or similar nutritional plans is…