When the tropical house reopens on May 21, lucky visitors to Odense Zoo can catch a glimpse of the world’s largest snake (see the video below).
The green anaconda grows up to nine meters long and weighs up to 250 kilos – although Denmark’s latest snake acquaintance is a baby of only 4.5 meters and 70 kilos.
Snakes that eat jaguars!
In the wild, they lurk underwater and await their unfortunate prey – larger animals such as tapirs, capybaras and even jaguars – and often go up to 2 months between snacks.
Odense’s resident anaconda will enjoy a sumptuous lifestyle with two weeks of meals.
The University of Copenhagen is developing a new pesticide that is only aimed at beetles
Pesticide is great for nesting unwanted weeds, fungi and insects, but it also affects welcome visitors such as bees, butterflies and friendly garden microorganisms. Some evidence also suggests that pesticides affect the development of brains in children. So researchers at the University of Copenhagen have created an insecticide based on a hormone that is only targeted at beetles. It stimulates their kidneys so they urinate all fluid out of the body and kill them instantly. Fortunately, it does not affect children. “The discovery of new pesticides is important for conventional agriculture, but we must be careful before sending new substances into nature,” explained Kai Bester, professor of environmental chemistry. “There is still a long way to go before farmers can use this drug in their fields.”
A study identifies which alien oak trees can survive in warmer Denmark
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have studied over 100 oak trees from different countries and their ability to adapt to the Danish climate. It seems that oak trees from North America, Korea and Japan have a better chance of surviving here than trees from Southern Europe. “This is because the climate in Southern Europe is drier and warmer than in Denmark, whereas some areas in North America, Korea and Japan more match our colder winters and wet summers,” explained Anders Rรฆbild, professor at the Department of Geosciences and Nature Management. โTrees are good at adapting to new conditions, as they have proven throughout Earth’s history. But because climate change is going so fast, the trees cannot keep up. โKnowing the biological boundaries of trees, it is possible to move species from one country to another to help avoid a mass extinction, which would be catastrophic for biodiversity and lead to further climate irregularities.
38 new initiatives raise Danish medical research to world-class standards
The government is launching 38 initiatives to increase the development of, among other things, medicine, medical equipment and health and welfare solutions. “With the corona crisis, it has become even clearer how important it is to have a life science industry and a world-class healthcare system,” commented Minister of Business and Industry, Simon Kollerup. Magnus Heunicke, the Minister of Health, was also pleased with the transition: “I am convinced that the life science strategy will benefit industry, healthcare and patients.” The new initiatives were awarded DKK 70 million as part of the export package from December 2020.
โA dream come trueโ: The latest Arctic research vessel gets the green light
Construction is expected to begin on a new Danish marine vessel research vessel after a cash injection of DKK 50 million from the AP Mรธller Foundation. This is in addition to a government investment of 170 million and the Technical University of Denmark’s own investment of 100 million. The vessel will support research in oceanography, marine geology, fisheries and climate, while assisting the study of ocean circulation. It will be built to withstand Arctic conditions and powered by green propulsion technology. “Denmark, together with the other Arctic states, has a special responsibility to protect and ensure peaceful development in the Arctic region – for these marine surveys are crucial,” explained DTU Rector Anders Bjarklev. โWith the new ship, Denmark can continue its more than 100-year-long tradition of marine research. It is a long awaited dream come true. โ
New types of enzymes can improve biomass degradation
In another victory for DTU, environmental researchers from the Danish institution have discovered a new class of enzymes – captivating with the title ‘AA7 dehydrogenases’ – which shows ‘great potential’ in the degradation of biomass. Hype surrounds their ability to degrade cellulose – the most widespread residual product from biomass in wood and waste from agriculture. “The new AA7 enzymes are able to accelerate the degradation of the hardest components in biomass,” said Maher Abou Hachem, professor of biotechnology at DTU. Conversion of biomass to fuel and other raw materials plays a key role in the transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. The new enzyme could make it more economically attractive to invest in processes where biomass is converted into a resource.
Rockstar enzyme researcher moves to DTU
Bernard Henrissat, a pioneering enzyme researcher with a portfolio of over 520 original peer-reviewed publications, is moving his research to DTU, where he will contribute to the construction of a world-leading research center. The Novo Nordisk Foundation has provided DKK 8 million to support the establishment of a research group at DTU Bioengineer with a focus on enzyme discoveries. Why all the fuss about enzymes? We have used them for baking and brewing for millennia, but modern enzyme science allows us to understand the mechanisms of microorganisms and orchestrate bioprocesses at the most elementary level. Enzymes are used to develop everything from more effective drugs to healthier diets and a more sustainable climate.
Ribe, the ‘archeological gold mine’, reveals several Viking secrets
A study of Old Norse metalworking and craftsmanship, carried out in places with exceptionally well-preserved Viking workshops in the Danish region of Ribe, has found new information about old processes and techniques. “With metal crafts, you can follow the whole story based on the origin of the materials, how they are made, and in the case of Ribe, we can follow it over 150 years to learn how the craft changes,” explained researcher Sรธren M Sindbรฆk. โWe can see a big difference between the early 700s, when much of the metal is recycled – and the real Viking Age in the 800s, from which you have fresh and very precisely alloyed metal from Central Europe. That’s when they developed more control over the raw materials, “said Vana Orfanou, the paper’s lead author. “It helps us understand what happens culturally when the world begins to globalize in Viking times.”
Rewriting of the history of the sea
A study from the University of Southern Denmark has discovered that algae that support life by circulating carbon and nutrients in the ocean evolved 600 million years earlier than previously thought. Scientists discovered the ancient fossil remains of algae in 1.4 billion-year-old rocks from northern China. “This means that some marine ecosystems 1.4 billion years ago functioned in a way comparable to today’s,” said Don E Canfield, head of research at SDU. “With this discovery, we have rewritten the history of the ocean.”
Source: The Nordic Page