Spotlight on Environmental Ethics

This Earth Day video on the Amazon offers a great opportunity to introduce you to *drumroll* environmental ethics. Let me take you to the other side…

Environmental Ethics

Environmental ethics is a discipline in philosophy. Philosophy now doesn’t that sound posh! In 1962, Rachel Carson published her epic book Silent Spring on the negative effects of pesticides on the environment. This book was part of a growing environmental awareness movement which led to the birth of the environmental movement in the 1970s. The discipline studies the relationship between humans and the environment and the moral questions that arise with it.

As you might have noticed, there are different ways for people to view and value nature. Culture, religion, education, upbringing, knowledge, and the environment we live in all help form our frames of reference. In some cases defining experiences can add to the mix. Let your mind wander to those family trips in the great outdoors… or that severe case of poison ivy you got afterwards. It can influence you either way.

There are many different views and nuances. For now, I will stick to two common ones: anthropocentrism and ecocentrism.

Anthropocentrism

How’s that for a Scrabble word! Anthropos means human in ancient Greek: this view is human-centered. Anthropocentrism believes that humans are separate from nature. Basically, we rule the world and decide what has value.

Classic anthropocentrism regards nature’s value as a resource-provider for humans. Like a huge supermarket, nature caters to our basic needs, like food, water, medicine, and clean air. The term ecosystem services refers to the benefits we obtain from the natural environment. Since the human population is growing rapidly, we will need a lot more of these resources and services in the future. Therefore, it kind of makes sense to take care of the environment for our own survival.

Other, less strong, forms of anthropocentrism believe that other organisms can have value in their own right, if we grant it to them. One of these views always gives priority to humans. For instance, helping people in poverty gain livelihoods would be a valid reason for deforestation.

Ecocentrism

Ecocentrism, on the other hand, is a nature-centered view. Humans are seen as a part of nature, equal to plants and other animals. In this picture, we are not that special. Oh, and old trees get picked over Disneyworld. Nature has value in its own right. A prime example of this viewpoint in practice is Ecuador adopting rights of nature in its constitution. The aim is to conserve the beauty and integrity of nature. Because, well, it is just great as it is.

The Amazon

So at last, a few words on the Amazon to illustrate these concepts. The Amazon is a vast and unique region that spans eight countries, covering about 40% of South America. It contains the world’s largest remaining tropical rainforest and the largest river basin on the planet.

Putting our anthropocentric goggles on, we can spot a plethora of ecosystem services:

The Amazon Rainforest is often called the lungs of the planet. It regulates the world’s atmosphere, making sure we have oxygen to breathe. Somehow, that sounds pretty important.
It is an inexhaustible pill cabinet. The majority of medicines we use today originate from nature. There probably are a lot more left to be discovered.
It is the ancestral home of more than 350 indigenous and ethnic groups. They rely on the forest for shelter, food, and fresh water.
Produce from the Amazon reaches consumers all over the world. Items like fruit, nuts, and leather are exported in large numbers.

From an ecocentric point of view there are some other arguments to champion the Amazon:

One in ten known species on Earth lives in the Amazon. It is a hotspot for biodiversity like no other on the planet. It contains literally millions of species, including the people that inhabit the forest and plains. It is estimated that most of them are not even described yet.
People from all over the world travel to the Amazon to enjoy its wild beauty.

Bear in mind that environmental ethics are not as polarized as this brief introduction might suggest. Arguments are often interconnected and complex; it is not necessary to adopt just one ethic for all cases and the entire planet. In addition, conflicts with human ethics are very plausible. The Yasuni ITT project is an interesting case to illustrate this. Its failing points out the importance of acting on ethics. It is indeed very important to keep discussing environmental ethics because of the impact they have on our environment and ultimately ourselves.

How about you?

I hope this article gets you thinking on your own perspective on nature.

What influenced your frame of reference?
What nature experience would make you go bonkers?
What do you think is the value of the Amazon?
How do you act on your ethics?

Have a nice chew on that!

Using Space Data to Make Critical Infrastructures Safe and Secure

Critical Infrastructures are systems crucial for running a country. If anything happens to one of these systems, there would be a hugely negative knock-on effect on the entire country.

This is, obviously, not good…

Of course, it’s a complete possibility, but instead of being prepared for the outcome, there are ways for us to monitor these systems and prevent any potential issues.

We can do this by using space data and satellite technology to remotely monitor the systems and build us a picture of what’s happening with them in real-time.

This guide will look at how we can start using space data to make critical infrastructures safe and secure:

Uses of Space Data

Through the use of remote satellite technology, there are a lot of different areas of the country we can monitor and add preventative measures towards. The space data will help us address issues before they get out of hand, and enhance already existing areas to make them better.

Renewable Energy Forecasting

Space data will aid us in efficient and sustainable renewable energy use. That felt like a lot of big words all at once.

What we mean by this is that we can measure how much energy will be generated when using renewable resources, allowing us to reduce fossil fuel usage as much as possible.

The way to do this is by understanding the weather conditions. Using satellites allows us to gain far more accurate weather readings, which in turn leads to far more accurate energy output predictions.

Understand now? Great!

Search and Rescue Emergency Services

As time goes on, our current emergency services system is improving, but there’s still only so much it can do.

When someone goes missing, especially in remote areas, drones can be deployed to help look for them.

Satellite data will be used for communication and to help the drones manoeuvre through more difficult terrain, utilising GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) to help map out these areas.

Rail and Road Conditions

Ever been driving through a fairly remote area, turn the corner and you’re suddenly faced with a fallen tree in the middle of the road?

It’s happened to the many of us.

Satellites will be able to monitor road conditions and notify local authorities regarding any issues, so it can be resolved swiftly before causing further issues.

Rail conditions can also be monitored. This is particularly important, as any issues to the rail network can cause a knock-on effect, meaning major disruptions to transport links across the country.

Satellite data will help in a similar way to monitoring road conditions, and can help prevent disruption and protect passengers from natural issues, such as landslides.

The space data will be useful to us for both road and rail conditions, and allow us to act before any issues become too serious.

Remote Care

Another very cool way of securing a critical infrastructure is through remote care.

Remote health checks and diagnosis can be done remotely through the use of satellites. Healthcare in general can save a lot of time and money as a result.

The aging population won’t need to step out of their homes to visit their doctors, and can instead be checked and monitored at home.

Not only is this less disruptive to the patients, but it also opens up bed spaces at the hospital, wherein more focus can be given to the patients’ wellbeing.

How it’s Currently Being Used

We’ve been talking for a while about how these new innovations will work in theory, but there are some businesses who are currently implementing similar satellite-based technology.

We’ve given some examples below:

Gridwatch

As the name implies, Gridwatch aims to monitor and maintain power infrastructures. They have a two-pronged approach to their business.

Offering insights to the people in charge of maintenance
Offering insights to the people in charge of network operations and energy dispatching

Satellites will continuously monitor pylons and warn the company of any anomalies. The use of satellite data has two big advantages in this area. First, the data received is highly accurate, and secondly, it avoids the need for on-site inspections.

The satellites will also pick up data on line transmission capacities, which is highly useful to the network operations and energy dispatching teams. Using this data, the team can reduce the risk of energy overload as well as the possibility of power line outages.

SaMoLoSa

This project monitors hazardous goods while in transport. The technology will monitor the parameters required by the key stakeholders and ensure everything is running smoothly.

The process will make sure that these goods are kept safe and aren’t lost in the process. The information it’ll provide to businesses will help optimize their logistics, as well as identify key areas for improvement.

TeleRetail

Imagine a world where you order something and a robot comes to deliver it to you.

That’s the world TeleRetail is looking to build. The company is developing an automated delivery service, where self-driving courier robots can fulfill the demand for urban and sub-urban logistics services.

Satellites will track assets, while GNSS satellite navigation and nanosatellite imagery technology will aid in the autonomous driving and on-board sensors.

Are You Looking to Do Your Part?

If you’re looking to do your part in aiding the safety and security of critical infrastructures, then ESA can help you with support and funding programs.

They can help you by offering zero-equity fully funded activities, technical and commercial guidance, and access to their vast network, as well as their brand power.

If you feel like your business is looking to push this sector in the right direction, you can apply to the ESA’s funding opportunities here.

Tracking the Great Egret

In the predawn darkness at Pine Island Sanctuary and Audubon Center in Corolla, NC, scientists are shaking off sleep and preparing for a morning of trapping and tagging. Their quarry is the egret, and there are an assortment of the elegant genus that call the North Carolina wetlands home for part of the year. Just how early is it? “It’s bird-thirty,” one of the team mumbles as he makes his way toward the coffee pot.

Until recently, the chore would only involve capturing a bird, placing a plastic or aluminum tag on one leg, and releasing it. After migration, the hope was that the animal might eventually be found, and scientists could record the information about the distance covered. Yet the question would remain: what happened between the banding and the recovery? There were still many holes in the scientific knowledge.

Egret Data: Trapping and Transmitting

Enter Dr. John Brzorad, ornithologist with Lenoir-Rhyne University. In addition to banding, Brzorad plans to place a small transmitter on Great Egrets that he traps. The transmitter will provide real-time information on exactly where the birds travel as they wend their way to breeding territory. This will help scientists learn about the route and where they rest (if at all) along the way. Such data could inform land management decisions in states where the birds travel. Even when they are not migrating, telemetry will enable scientists to determine how nesting egrets go through their day, how they forage for food, and what types of habitat make the best nesting grounds. (Learn more about telemetry from the Migratory Connectivity Project.)

The group will place decoys and a container of fish in a wetland, then pepper the surrounding area with the traps. Unlike other captures where the birds are caught in a “mist net” (think very thin and flexible volleyball nets that tangle the birds), Brzorad will use leg traps for this expedition. While the traps may look alarming, the jaws are actually made of hard rubber and use only enough tension to hold the bird in place until the team can grab it. That’s a far cry from past methods of “capture.”

From Fashionable Feathers to Egret Conservation

During the late 19th century, birds such as egrets were nearly wiped out in an international feather craze. The long plumes that egrets grow to impress potential mates were in high demand, and egrets and other species of birds were nearly driven to extinction in the pursuit of fashion. At one point, a pound of feathers was valued at more than double the price of a pound of gold. In the early 1900s, out of concern for the wholesale slaughter of the birds, the newly formed National Audubon Society chose the Great Egret as its first species targeted for preservation. Since that time, the Great Egret has made a comeback, and that success was memorialized when Audubon chose the bird as its symbol. It’s that bird, along with its cousins, that the team is hoping to tag today.

Success: Egrets in a Trap

After waiting and watching, the birds begin to take the bait, and one is trapped. The team moves quickly to keep the bird from injuring itself, and Dr. Brzorad covers the head with a towel. This calms the bird, and makes it less likely that someone will be impaled by an imposing beak. They manage to capture a number of species of egrets, including Snowy Egrets, Glossy Ibis, Tricolored Heron, and a Cattle Egret, as well as the Great Egret. Each bird will be sexed, weighed, and measurements taken of its bill and legs.

When it comes to the Great Egret, Brzorad bands the bird, but he also straps a GPS device to it. The tool is carefully chosen: the customary rule is that a tracking device should weigh no more than three to five percent of the bird’s total body weight. In this way, the bird can function perfectly, and neither the weight nor its attachment will inhibit its life.

In the case of this bird, the signal from the device is monitored in real time. At one point in its migration, it had moved all the way from North Carolina to Niagara Falls, and Brzorad was able to monitor the whole journey.

The Video: Watch Brzorad Tag Egrets

Fly with the Egret

If you’d like to track the migration of birds or a whole host of other animals around the world, check out the AnimalTracker App that has info stored on movebank.org. From the home page, click the tab marked “Help”, and then “Getting Started.” The instructions will allow you to register (for free) and choose from hundreds of projects that scientists have made available to the public. Not every project is viewable, but the curious will find an abundance of information that is helping conservation efforts around the globe.

The Tracking App: AnimalTracker

Recently we got the chance to interview Dr. Roland Kays about the new Animal Tracker App

Get AnimalTracker App

Related Videos and topics

Are polar bears really going extinct?

We have all heard about the extinction of the dinosaurs, and maybe you have even heard about the other four mass extinctions in Earth’s history, but did you know that due to the drastic loss of species worldwide, we are currently experiencing the sixth mass extinction? Now I know you might be thinking, “If these mass extinctions have happened before, then what is the big deal?” Well, the extinction rate that we are experiencing is much more rapid than that of any in the past, and much of the blame falls on humans. Here, Untamed Science explores the extinction threatening polar bears.

Our Impact

Whether people like to believe it or not, the natural world is currently experiencing drastic changes as our human populations continue to grow. Along with this rise in population comes an increase in our impact on natural habitats, either directly and/or indirectly. In another video from Untamed Science, Jonas looked at the protection of the panda bear (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), which is a species that has been heavily impacted by direct human influences, such as habitat loss. In this video, Rob discusses the status of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), which is a species that is currently at risk due to our indirect impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions, that have resulted in drastic global climate change and a frighteningly rapid loss of sea ice. The IUCN Red List has listed polar bears as vulnerable, largely due to their reliance on this ice, but are polar bears really going extinct, and is there any way for them to adapt to the change?

Do polar bears need ice?

Each year we lose more sea ice from the Arctic, but do polar bears really need it to survive? Yes, they do. Polar bears are extremely locally adapted to their environment, which means they are really successful in a very particular environment, and they will have a hard time adapting to a drastic change in their natural habitat, such as loss of sea ice. As much as it has been debated, there is plenty of evidence that polar bears do need ice in order to hunt the nice fat marine mammals that they need to survive. So, with the loss of sea ice, we can almost certainly expect a large decline in polar bear numbers and perhaps even their extinction.

What about adaptation?

The world has changed throughout geological time, and during this change organisms must adapt to their new environments, and many of them do. So, polar bears should be able to just adapt to the current change they are experiencing, right? Not so much.

First off, polar bears are extremely carnivorous, and it is difficult for them to get enough nutrients and high energy fats from anything other than the marine mammals they eat for most of the year. Secondly, the speed of ice loss in the arctic is likely too quick for polar bears to be able to adapt to. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the polar bear could make the changes necessary to survive without ice if it continues to melt at the current rate.

Pizzly and grolar bear hybrids, oh my!

Now what about interbreeding with grizzly bears to create an awesome new hybrid? This is a tricky one. Polar bears and brown bears are able to interbreed, but there have only been a few cases documented in the wild, and most of them can be traced back to a single female polar bear. In most cases, polar bears and grizzly bears do not get along, so they are considered behaviorally sexually isolated; they could reproduce but they are different enough that they often never will. So, interbreeding is possible, but is not a likely solution to saving the polar bears. Besides, then we would have a bunch of hybrids and no true polar bears, so technically polar bears would still go extinct.

What can we do?

If we do want to save the polar bear (which I know we do!), we need to begin to better mitigate our impacts on the changing climate by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Lobby your politicians for greenhouse gas reductions, be a part of the change yourself, go into (or even help to fund) green energy research, and let’s try to reduce our human footprint, so that future generations can live knowing that polar bears still roam the Great White North.

Want more Polar bear Facts?

Why should we protect pandas?

To answer the question “Why protect pandas?”, we will first introduce you to some biological terminology. It will help you to understand the issue of panda conservation. As a bonus, using these terms will make you look sharp at your next BBQ. You are welcome.

The Extinction Threat

Let’s get started with extinction. If you were born in the eighties, your mind probably wanders to Jurassic Park and zombies. But did you know that it is estimated that at least 10,000 species become extinct every year? After the last individual dies, a species is gone. Forever. You might have heard of Lonesome George. He left us in 2012 and was one of the rarest creatures in the world at the time; his passing marked the end of Pinta tortoises. However, extinction of species can be imminent long before there is only one individual left. Obviously, you need at least two. Preferably of a different sex. We hope you remembered that much from high school. In reality, we need a lot more.

A species is determined to become extinct when numbers get so low that a) the individuals are not able to reproduce, or b) inbreeding leads to a loss of biological fitness. No, not the gym kind of fitness. It means that their gene pool is losing quality because there is not enough variation in it. This is also the reason for breeding programs in zoos. Which brings us to conservation biology. A science that aims at preserving the different forms of life on our planet.

Hope in Conservation

The International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, publishes a Red List of Threatened Species. In this list, they evaluate the conservation status of plant and animal species and the threats they are facing. They have nine categories ranging from extinct to least concern. To determine these categories, they look at the population size; the speed at which the size is reducing; the number of mature individuals; and the geographic range. The species that are most likely to extinct are the ones that are threatened, vulnerable, or (critically) endangered.

The Common Denominator: Humans

So what is driving these species to extinction? It is perfectly normal for species to become extinct. There were some freak mass extinction crises, like asteroid strikes, volcano eruptions, and natural climate shifts (remember Ice Age?). Apart from that, some species just lose “the struggle for existence”, as Charles Darwin liked to phrase it in On the Orgin of Species. What is not normal though, is the most common factor in species’ decline nowadays. It is all of us.

Allow us to list some of the ways we drive plants and animals to extinction. We consume them; take away and fragment their habitat; hunt them; pollute them and their environment; spread diseases; and introduce invasive alien species. We figured you wanted to know more about that last one. To make matters worse, they are all threatened by climate change. Which humans are causing. Humans, yes that includes you, are the number one cause of species decline. Over the last 35 years, biological diversity (the number of different species) has declined by more than a quarter. Moreover, things are not looking up for the future.

So, one of the reasons to protect species is morality. We have a moral responsibility to preserve our planet, and the species that live on it. Instead of destroying it.

If this is too much of tree-hugging hippie shizzle for you, here is another reason: ecosystem services. Ecosystems–and the plants and animals that are part of them–provide humans with food, raw materials, fresh water, and medicinal resources. Without honeybees, for example, we will be out of fruit and veggies. And fast, too.

Pandas as Poster Boys

So how does all of this apply to pandas? They are lazy buggers and do not exactly reproduce at the speed of light. In fact, what is the use of a panda, besides being cute and getting rid of your excess bamboo? Bingo! Pandas are poster boys because they are cute. People are psychologically predetermined to like fluffy things with big eyes. That is why conservation organizations, such as WWF, use Pandas as a symbol. They draw people in, making it possible to educate them about extinction and conservation.

So no, you do not have to protect panda’s. However, it might be nice to think about where you stand in all of this. What could you do to help save species from extinction? Here are some options:

Think about the impact of what you buy and eat.
Help stop global warming.
Donate to conservation organizations and projects.
Don’t invest your money in corporations that harm biodiversity.
Become a member of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. Ugly species need help too.

And while you’re at it, spread the word. Or wear a panda suit to your next BBQ.

The 2017 Eclipse to Look Out For

A solar eclipse is one of nature’s breathtaking phenomenon. It is truly a spectacle, an astronomical grandeur no less. Witnessing one in person is easily an achievement in life by itself. The year 2017 had this event in our horizon on August 21. And while we can have more such solar eclipses this year, there have only been as few as magnificent as the 2017 one.

What are solar eclipses anyway?

A solar eclipse is an event wherein the moon happens to pass directly between the sun and the earth. Since the sun is our primary source of light, it casts a shadow of the moon over the earth in such an event. If you happen to be in the area where the shadow falls, you get to see a wondrous sight.

The moon gradually starts blocking the sun. It looks a bit like a pie getting eaten slowly, but surely. You can actually see a huge shadow approaching like a storm. When the moon completely blocks out the sun, a bright ring of light surrounds the darkened side of the moon. Reminds you of the Lord of The Rings.

When the moon starts to move along, an immensely bright spot appears on the side which starts clearing up. The entire effect looks like a brilliant diamond ring. The ‘diamond’ increases in intensity and size, until the ‘pie’ is slowly revealed.

The Aztecs used to perform a sacrifice to the ‘sun’ god in order to make it rain. It was supposed to save them from the droughts and revive their farms. You don’t have to do that, however.

Here is a little more about how it went down by Veritasium (who saw it much better than I did):

The 2017 Solar Eclipse: Why Was it Special?

Sure, we have plenty of solar eclipses around the world – so that made the solar eclipse last year so much more special? It had all the ingredients for any other solar eclipse, after all, right?

But this eclipse was special for the US. This is because the eclipse stretched entirely from one coast to another across the USA staggering number of people were able to watch this across an impressive 14 states in total.

Since this special event is a first of its kind since 1918, it was the most anticipated one in the world, People all over are expected to watch it exclusively, making it the most watched event in this year. Traffic jams were expected to flare up because it will last only for about 2 to 3 minutes.

2018 and Solar Eclipses

There aren’t many solar eclipses lined this year though we did witness one in February. However, there is one lunar Eclipse that you can look forward to, on June 27.

You can look out for some other special effects too. Like the sun’s corona which appears during totality, a brilliant star named Regulus, the planets Mars and Mercury near the sun and the amazing color of the sky all over the horizon!

Oh, and since you are waiting for the next one, do not forget to wear glasses when it does happen – you really don’t want to damage your eyes.

How Smart are Chickens?

Despite the fact that chicken is a major dietary ingredient for most Americans, few have had time interacting with them. In fact, there is a general society driven mentality that chickens are dumb. That probably makes things easier for us when they’re on our dinner menu. But, it doesn’t take long to realize that chickens are actually quite intelligent. I found that out myself while raising a set of chicks from newborns to full grown adults.

Here are a few things I’ve learned that put them on par with some mammalian species:

Delayed Gratification: Chickens actually have the ability to have some degree of self control. In studies where they tested delayed gratification, chickens could learn to refuse food if they knew they’d get more later if they did.
Memory: Humans can recognize thousands of different people. Studies have shown that chickens can recognize different individual chickens (studies say more than 100). They can also recognize different humans.
Object Permanence: This is an interesting concept. If you show someone an object, then take it away, we know that the object still exists, somewhere. We may look for it so as to find out where it is hidden. Chickens are able to do this. Baby humans aren’t able to do this until they’re a bit older.
Counting: It has been shown that chickens can do basic math as objects infront of them are moved to and fro.
Personality: If you’ve spent time with dogs, you know they all have strong personalities. They can form friendships and have a range of interests. Chickens are no different. They’ll change behavior depending on who is around them.
Empathetic: Some chickens have shown the ability to be protective of not only their own chicks, but those of others.
Manipulative: Chickens can be cunning and show some sort of machiavellian manipulation so as to get them what they want.

The simple answer is that yes, chickens are smart. They’re intelligent in ways that most people would never know. Here is a good example of chickens learning with operant conditioning (feeding them when they choose a particular colored dot).

Creating 360 Degree Images

Every week I put out a simple video about how to improve your photo and video skills. It just dawned on me that I should at least introduce everyone to one of the simplest things I do when I travel – creating 360 degree photos to share later. So, on this page, I’ll link in the full explanatory video as well as the 360 degree videos we made from it – see those at the bottom. Then, I’ll add links to the Momento360 pages that give full explanations about how to embed them on any website you have, be it wordpress, squarespace, wix, or any basic html.

Step 1: Download the Apps

On android phones like the google Pixel, there is nothing you need to do. Simply choose the spherical panorama option from the drop-down box in the photo app and start clicking away. If you’re using an apple device, then you can download google street view which allows you to take 360 degree photos.

Step 2: Take the Panoramas

This is a really simple process. The apps walk you through where to position the phone. Just try as much as possible to rotate around a fixed point. The more you can do that, the better your 360 photos will be.

Step 3: Download and Photoshop

When you finish the images they’ll import as a flat portrait – much like a flattened map of the world. It might look like this:

Notice that there are some small imperfections. The feet and the shadow can be fixed in Photoshop. The easiest way to do that is in the new Photoshop CC 2018 update whereby you can convert these flat images into spherical panoramas via this menu click:

Now, it’s just a matter of fixing like you would normally in photoshop. Not all tools are active in this mode, but you can heal or content-aware fill the areas as needed (per the video tutorial above).

Export and upload to a Sharing Platform

The next step is to choose 3D>Spherical Panorama>Export Panorama to flatten the image and allow it to be uploaded to your chosen destination. You can easily share it on FB or Twitter in this format. However, if you want to embed it on your website, I found Momento360.com to be a great platform. Since we have a wordpress site, there is a plugin written that allows these 360 images to resize with your phone or tablet. That’s a handy feature. For full details on how to embed a 360 image on your chosen website go here.

Here are some of the final embedded videos from this shoot.

School 360 via Google Pixel

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School 360 via snapshots from my DSLR (fully manual)

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Here are a few other places I’ve been that I thought were worthy of a 360 degree image.

Timna Valley – Israel

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This is the location that we found two tombs and helped with the excavation of 3 (possibly 4) bodies dating back to the time of King Solomon. I marked the location of our tomb digs on the 360 map. I also marked where I lost the drone. It’s up in those cliffs somewhere. Never found it.

Northern Lights – Abisko Station, Sweden

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This is the best place in Sweden to see the northern lights. We did a video on that here. This was the starting place and our resting place. We’d wander down into the flats to take photos at night.

Magnetic Island, Australia

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We spent a week on this tropical island paradise to film the bugs in people’s homes and do a few features about death adders!

Backyard Neat

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360 Images with the DRONE!

The process of making these is very similar. However, you first have to stitch the images in photoshop together using File>Automate>Photomerge>Spherical. I explain the whole thing in this video.

And here is the final image!

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Cortisone Shots

Being Skeptical: Is It Really Safe To Get Cortisone Shots Or Not?

This week we’re looking at Cortisone. Here are the basics.

Cortisone is a corticosteroid, and this class of drug is used to treat inflammation in the body. It is a chemical that is naturally produced by the body, according to Dr. Scott Saunders in an article he wrote for Home Cures That Work. He classifies it as a strong anti-inflammatory that can be beneficial in the treatment of symptoms due to anything from Arthritis to Lupus and Shock.

Dr. Jon Gelber, a Huffington Post contributor, tells us that the treatment has been available as an injection since 1897. It is still commonly used by orthopedic doctors for most acute inflammations and is considered as the first line of treatment in a hospital setting.

Because cortisone is widely used, it is relatively inexpensive. Cost Freak suggests that the cost of cortisone shots is around $25 to $100 per shot. The question is: is cortisone the silver bullet it would seem to be, especially considering its wide use? Can it be used for long-term purposes? Is it really safe to take cortisone shots or does the treatment pose health risks?

The Benefits

According to Dr. Hamid at Orthocarolina, cortisone shots can alleviate the pain and inflammation directly without too many side effects. Aside from that, it can also treat allergies, eczema, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, asthma, cancer, brain swelling, autoimmune diseases, to name a few.

Almost everybody can expect to be relieved of pain for, at least, a short period of time if cortisone is properly administered. However, Allred emphasized the treatment is not meant as a long-term fix. Gelber suggested that cortisone is not an intensively studied medication, and the indications for its uses need to be frequently re-evaluated.

On a more personal level, I have a hip injury from doing gymnastics for the better part of a decade. This injury has symptoms closely resembling those of arthritis. It can be debilitating and can limit me to bed rest for weeks, even months, at a time.

The pain is so stabbing that I frequently have the reaction of hysterical laughter when trying to stand, rather than grimacing in pain. I usually go to my orthopedic doctor for a cortisone shot to relieve the pain. I typically just need a single shot once every few years, but I don’t intend to depend on it all my life.

The Risks

The problems seem to arise when the matter of long-term usage comes into play. All three experts are critical when it comes to using cortisone shots four times a year. In fact, they don’t recommend the administration of the treatment more than once or twice per injury or trauma.

Saunders has brought out the biggest laundry list of the warnings when a long-term use is considered, and it includes joint infection, nerve damage, weight gain, swelling, severe depression, thinning skin, anxiety, confusion, very high blood pressure, chest pain, insomnia, sweating, and increase in blood sugar levels. That is because, once again, cortisone is a corticosteroid, so it has all of the same related risks as other medicines of the same type, even if it is just a simple injection.

Meanwhile, Allred asserts that cortisone is only a short-term treatment. If you depend on it so much, it can be counterproductive or even pose more risks to your health. He goes further to suggest other methods of relief before consulting a doctor regarding its use. Getting some rest, putting ice, using over-the-counter NSAIDs like ibuprofen should all be tried first.

Gelber, on the other hand, seems to be under the impression that cortisone is still not a fully understood treatment, which may be true, especially when it comes to its side effects and what causes them. However, he also says that alternative treatments such as a shot of PRP (Platelet-Rich-Plasma) or even that of stem cells are more effective but more expensive than cortisone shots. If you don’t have $1000 to shell out for a transfusion, the cortisone may still be your best shot, at the very least.

Conclusions

Body pains and aches can be much more debilitating than what many people may know. They can make a person unable to function in any normal capacity for long periods of time. Luckily, there are many methods to relieve body discomforts.

The very short-term treatment options include alternating between hot and cold therapy, NSAIDs like Aspirin, Naproxen or Ibuprofen. Cortisone treatments are frequently the best and most cost-effective for body aches or inflammations, but they can be dangerous if you use it many times.

52Things

Here are 52 things that you can try this year that should take your video and photo skills to the next level.

We’re constantly creating new ones via our revamped Science Filmmaking Tips channel, so stay tuned each week for new ones. Until then, here are plenty to get you started. Oh, and don’t forget that if you like this content, you can help us by supporting this outreach via Patreon. Thanks again:

New from our 2018 52Things series!

How to Make Stop Motion
Learn to Edit Faster with Keyboard Shortcuts
How to Photograph the Northern Lights
Take your Drone Flying to the Next Level
Create 360 Degree Photospheres or Panoramas
Create 360 Degree Panoramas with your Drone
Practice your Handheld Camera Techniques
Learn to Shoot Video by Yourself
How to do Motion Tracking
Drone Hyperlapse over 6 months
Do a Droneception Photograph
Bring theBring the Right Camera Gear – Adventure Bag Setup 2018
How to Create Your Own Lightroom Presets
Create Your Own Video LUTS
Create Light Leaks and BOKEH
Eat Surstromming
Create BOKEH overlays in Photoshop
How to do a Drone Hyperlapse
Stitch Multiple Photos together to simulate a Long exposure shot
Use After Effects Templates to Spice up Your Project
Do Smoke Grenade Photography
Take the Perfect Family Portrait
The Vertigo Effect with a Drone
Ultra High-Res MacroPhotography
Use a Gimbal
Shoot a DIY Video – Here’s how
Contemplate Film School
Create Fire Rain (Steel Wool Photography)
Photocomposition with Toys
Create Your Own Whoosh SFX
Get a Gopro for Gimbal-free video
Understand Wildlife Filmmaking Ethics
Know the Basics of Your Camera Lens
Take Better Photos with these 5 Tips
Shoot Solo with 6 More tips
Get Drone Shots without a Drone
Be Creative with LED lights
Learn the Steps to Make a Documentary
Part 1 – Answer “Why are you Making it”
Part 2 – Story Basics
Part 3 – Lighting Basics
Part 4 – Talking To Clients
Part 5 – Shooting Interviews
Part 6 – Choose an Editing Software
Part 7 – Editing Basics – (With Adobe Rush)
Create a 3-axis Moving Timelapse
Make a Timelapse Between Seasons
Make a Driving Timelapse
Shoot an Aerial Timelapse
Make a Tilt-Shift / Miniature World Time-lapse
Shoot better B-Roll

Video and Photo Tips from Previous Years!

Learn the Basics of your DSLR.
Learn how to make Sketch Animations
Make Better Videos for Instagram
Create the Jittery Text and Hand drawn look.
Learn what settings are ideal for your GoPro
Learn how to make grey pictures white!
Create Stunning Cave Photos.
Shoot Underwater with your GoPro
Buy a sweet Macro-Photography kit.
Make a Hyperlapse
Do a Day-to-Night Timelapse
Make 360 or VR video
Create a macro camera from your Gopro.
Make a VLOG
Get Music for your Videos
Shoot better interviews
Shoot better B-Roll
Get Free Stuff for your Films
Speed up your Editing in FCPX
Add Color to Black and White Images
Up your Photo-Game
Learn to Deal with Depression
How to Send a Weather Balloon with camera attached to Space
Tips to Get Stuff Done
Create a 3-axis Moving Timelapse
Make a Timelapse Between Seasons
Make a Driving Timelapse
Shoot an Aerial Timelapse
Make a Tilt-Shift / Miniature World Time-lapse
Plan a Project somewhere you’ve never been
Shoot a Wedding video for a friend.
Add Dinosaurs to Photos via Masking in Photoshop
Create Light Rays in Photoshop
Shoot Waterfall Pictures using Shutterspeed
Learn White Balance
Become an Adventure Filmmaker
Create Milky Way Photos in Lightroom
How to Mount a Lavalier Microphone
Use Magic Lantern to make an old DSLR into a HD video camera
Shoot a White Background Video
Use an Endoscope
Get rid of flickering with Fluorescent Lights
Do a Parallax Photo – 2D into moving video!
Create Steel Wool Photographs
Fake Epic Slow Motion!
Deflicker your Timelapses
3D Print a Drone Handle
Record Better Audio in an Airplane
Be a better Documentary Filmmaking Crew Member
5 Drone Moves you should know!
Shoot with a Steadycam
Make good videos with your phone

Remember, there are more via our revamped Science Filmmaking Tips Youtube channel! Follow along every other week! And, if you’re keen to help supporting us at Patreon we’d be eternally grateful.