What has happened to the eel?
Kristi Källo and Mehis Rohtla look for reasons why eel, the highly valued fish species, is becoming extinct in Estonia as well as elsewhere in the world. The eel used to be quite abundant in Estonian waters, but the population has decreased dramatically since the 1980ies.
Estonian mineral resources include an interesting rock: graptolitic argillite or black shale
Sigrid Hade and Alvar Soesoo take a critical look at the graptolitic argillite (dictyonema argillite, dictyonema oil shale, dictyonema shale, or Tremadocian black shale) and estimate the dangers and exploitation issues related to this controversial mineral resource.
Remindings of lightening hits
Kalju Kask shares the experiences of his long life regarding thunderstorms and globe lightening and suggests it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Small predators are a threat to the flying squirrel and game fowl
Mati Sepp draws attention to the need to restrain the population of small predators. His suggestion is commented by Kaarel Roht and Uudo Timm.
Teodor Lippmaa’s little known botanical heritage
Ülle Reier reminds Teodor Lippmaa, one of our most famous botanists on his 125th birthday and points out the importance of herbazation, which is crucial at all times.
An Estonian location: The Vadilaste Hill
Juhani Püttsepp takes the reader to a hill by the Muraka bog, where some bushrangers were buried after the WW II.
Interesting Estonia: The Vällamägi Hill is the Estonian mightiest mountain
Katre Palo shares advice: when visiting Suur Munamägi, Estonia’s highest top, it’s worth to visit its neighbor - the Vällamägi Hill, which has the biggest relative height among our hilltops. Besides, there is a bog with Estonia’s record thick peat layer right next to the Vällamägi Hill.
Interview: The Arctic, climate changes and human psychology on extreme expeditions
Riho Marja has interviewed Timo Palo, the polar explorer, climate researcher and the holder of Guinness world record.
Nature experience from the world: The long-nosed monkeys and orangutans of Borneo
Hendrik Relve went to world’s third largest island and saw that even though the territory of rainforests is decreasing rapidly, there is still a lot of wild nature at Borneo.
Agriculture as a threat to New Zealand’s nature
Evelyn Uuemaa observes the case of agriculture in New Zealand, which is quite the opposite of Estonian case: in New Zealand, overgrazing poses great threats to the islands’ wonderful and diverse nature.
70 years from founding the Institute for Zoology and Botany (ZBI)
Urmas Tartes assesses the influence the past research center of science on nowadays natural sciences.
The beneficial “black cloudberry”
Triin Nõu writes about the wonderful qualities and ways of use of black currant.
Tiit Kändler’s essay: Who owns the truth?