For as long as 14,000 years, the First Nations people of the Heitsuk Nation have made their home along the Central Coast of the Canadian province of British Columbia. Among the territory's inlets, islands, rivers, and valleys lie a clay deposit on the north side of Kisameet Bay, near King Island. For as long as most can remember, the tribe has used the clay as medicine. Now science says microbes that live in that clay may have important antibacterial properties.
Significant strides have been in the race to find antibiotics to treat superbug infections — those caused by bacteria resistant to the antibiotics used to treat them. Now, an international team of scientists has discovered a new antibiotic produced by a microbe found in Italian soil.
Devastating and deadly, land mines are a persistent threat in many areas of the world. Funding to clear regions of land mines has been decreasing, but new research may offer a less dangerous method of locating hidden, underground explosives by using glowing bacteria.
Somewhere around 600–800 million people in the world are infected with whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), an infection they got from ingesting soil or water contaminated with feces of infected animals or people containing the parasite's eggs.
Foodies and big-time chefs like Thomas Keller go crazy for fleur de sel. This finishing salt appears in fancy eateries and cookbooks the world over, and in the early 2000s, it was not uncommon to see diners in a high-end restaurant sprinkle a pinch of fleur de sel on their plates from their own personal stash.
There are some ingredients I cook with so often I can never buy too many of them, and most of them are produce. Onions, garlic and fresh herbs are staples in a lot of dishes, and they may be inexpensive, but when you use them on a daily basis it can add up.
Everybody should have plants in their home. Not only do they give off oxygen, but they add a whole new level of decor and awesomeness to an otherwise drab room. So naturally, if you want to improve a room, just display a few plants.
To add flavor and moisture to your chicken, beer can chicken can allow you to cook a whole chicken on the grill. This tutorial outlines how you can do it to get moist, flavorful chicken. It also ensures that your meat cooks evenly. To begin, combine 1 teaspoon of sugar and salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1/2 a teaspoon of cayenne powder. Stir these ingredients together. Next, rinse your chick...
The biggest problem with plastic wrap is also its most useful trait: its incredibly clingy nature. Plastic wrap seems to stick to itself or you before you can get it over the plate, bowl, or food you're trying to preserve. And once you do manage to get it in the right position, it never sticks as well as you need it to. Fortunately, you can combat these inconveniences with two extremely helpful methods—a change in temperature or a bit of added moisture—as Jenny Stewart of CHOW explains in the...
We've all been there: you're staring at a fantastic-looking salad or sandwich full of your favorite ingredients. You take a bite, and you taste only one thing—raw onion. A glass of water, a toothbrush, and an hour later, and your breath still tastes like only one thing—raw onion.
Early in the morning, there's almost nothing worse than discovering your razor is dull midway through your pre-work routine. No matter how hard you try to preserve those precious blades, it can seem like they're dull every time you reach for the razor. With one, seconds-long step after each use, you can save your razor blades and make them last longer.
Pumpkin carving and decorating is a favorite October pastime. After you've carved an amazing design or face into a pumpkin or two, you want to show it off through your window or set it out on your porch for the neighbors to see.
You probably already know that cooking involves a ton of chemistry. Bread rises because of the reaction between the flour and leavener, and the delicious crust on your steak is formed by the Maillard reaction. Understanding the chemistry going on behind the scenes is one of the best ways to improve the quality of your food—it's much easier to fix a problem when you know what's causing it.
As a pale white boy growing up in Florida, you learn how to deal with sunburns. Most people will say to take cool showers to relieve the heat, but that only temporarily alleviates symptoms. The problem is that the sun has evaporated the moisture from the skin. The answer to relieve the stinging and pain is to re-moisturize the skin. I've done this countless times and it always works.
Rhododendrons must have lime-free soil and that can make them tricky for some of us that garden on neutral or limey soils. Planting in the garden is a waste of time and money. If you want, you can make a raised bed and fill that with acid soil but digging a hole in your garden and filling it with acid (ericaceous) compost only works for a while. The water from the surrounding soil will drain in and spread the lime and although you can acidify soil with sulphur chips you really are making life...
This video demonstrates how to plant garlic cloves with toilet paper rolls. Take some toilet paper rolls and cut them in half. Fill the halves with damp soil. Put one clove of garlic into each little half, leaving the new shoot poking out of the top. You can make potting soil with peat moss, black dirt and vermiculite. When it is time to plant the garlic, you should just put the whole carton into the ground. When you buy garlic for planting, look for the giant variety. When you are saving gar...
In this Home & Garden video tutorial you will learn how to build a landscape retaining wall in a weekend. This video is from www.allanblock.com. You can do it by using the Europa collection from Allanblock. Get the installation details and the location of the nearest dealer from the website. Tolls you need are a shovel, hand compactor, wheel barrow, measuring tape, level, hammer, rake, broom and gloves. This project will require the AB Barcelona, AB Palermo and AB Dover blocks. The first step...
In this video, Liz Grotyohann demonstrates how to make decorative bowls from recycled paper. The materials required for the purpose a bowl shaped mold, a blender, a basin of water, a tray, a paper making tool, a sponge, some cloth and any kind of household waste paper like paper bags or junk mail. Liz prefers to use compressed packaging material and lines the bowls with old maps. She wets the map and covers the bowl with it. Pieces of brown paper are put in a blender with water and blended to...
This video describes problems with fruit trees and how to deal with them. One problem is Chlorosis, identified by yellowing leaves with green veins between the sections of the leaf. This is caused by a micronutrient deficiency (usually iron) that results when the tree roots are unable to absorb all the nutrients from the soil. This problem can be temporarily treated with a foliar spray of iron. Another problem is pruning wounds with decay that results when trees are not pruned correctly. They...
John White discusses how to propagate houseplants. You will need a potting mix called a “soilless” mix, which contains only vermiculite, perlite and peat moss. In addition you will need a sharp knife, a pruner and a weeding hormone to help induce root growth on the cuttings.
In this video from nmsuaces we learn about choosing the right evergreen tree for your landscape. Upright Junipers are very good for the landscape. A topiary pruned juniper is something that the homeowner can maintain in the spiral form it is. An Austrian black pine is good for lower types of settings and low end soils. A Tanyosho pine can get to be about 10-12 feet and that would fit many landscapes. A Japanese black pine is a fast growing tree, and grows twisting an irregularly. Deodor Cedar...
Identify pinion needle scaleWe are going to look at this insect because eggs are being laid. Two year old needles are being cast off. This is a sign of infestation. There is also sparse, open foliage. This tends to be a chronic infestation. The insect is the pinion needle scale. You can see tiny, bean shaped bumps on the 2 year old needles. The insects move to last years new growth and feast on the sap of the needle all summer. You can see egg masses and web on the trunk of the tree. The inse...
Snails and slugs can really be a problem sometimes if you are a gardener. They feed on plants and can be considered pests, sometimes even getting inside your house. They are identified by their tell-tale slime trails. A bad infestation can be very hard to deal with. However, specialized cleaners or fertilizers can help your garden snail-free.
If you don't have room for a full-scale compost heap, you can always employ the services of some worms. In this handy vermiculture how-to, you'll learn how to build your very own wormery.
Beer isn't just for drinking anymore. There are many useful and surprising things that an ice-cold brewski can help you accomplish, from household chores to better-tasting food. It can even help you look and feel healthier.
The other day I was doing the math on roughly how many eggs I eat each year. I estimated about 500. That's a lot of eggs. And, subsequently, that's a lot of eggshells to throw in the trash.
Herbs, both fresh and dried, can be intimidating and mysterious to cooks. Just how much is too much? How do you prepare them?
For the novice cook, fungi can be weird because, well, they're fungi. However, if you've been afraid to get acquainted with mushrooms, you've been missing out. Vegetarians love mushrooms and with good reason.
When you come home from the grocery store, you probably put away every single fruit and vegetable in the bins and drawers in your refrigerator. Any fifth grader knows that fridges work to preserve food, thus everything should go in there, right? Nope!
If you're the designated cook, outdoor BBQs should be fun, not time consuming and tedious. But this is what often happens when you're trying to barbacue beef, pork, or chicken and need to make sure each gets its marinade, the right coal or wood chips, and gets cooked long enough.
It is important to use mulch in your garden if you wish to slow the evaporation of water and keep your soil moist longer. Mulch looks nice and is helpful to put around newly planted plants. four to six inches of mulch will allow you to water your plants less.
Want to learn how to perform the classic parlor trick of hanging a spoon on your nose? If so, this video can teach you how in a few short steps. First, it's a good idea to take a napkin or paper towel and wipe any oil from the outside of your nose. This helps to prevent the spoon from slipping. Next, you'll want to also wipe off the spoon itself, especially if it is dirty or has food on it. The last step is to hold the cupped section of the spoon up to your mouth and breathe some hot air onto...
Get all of the objects you use for your shave. Make sure your razor is sharp. Your daily shave should be a delight and not a chore. Start by washing your face with hot water. The hot water opens up your pours allowing your beard bristles so be pushed out. Message a pre-shave product into your face. This helps soften your beard. With a brush lather up your face paint brush style not in circular motions. The lather should be a nice thin even coat. This will help keep pores from closing. Shave y...
Do you often end up with slimy salad greens after just a day or two? Here's how to keep greens fresh and tasty for a week.
Learn how to reduce your risk of allergies. Transform your home into a sanctuary for your eyes, nose, and throat by reducing the risk of allergies.
Make sure your winter wardrobe survives the summer by putting it away properly. Learn how to store your winter clothes.
This instructional flooring video demonstrates how to prevent moisture damage on hardwood floors. Make sure your wood is delivered 48 hours in advance. Keep humidity levels at 30-50 percent.
Winter digging is the best way to improve your soil and get it ready for planting in spring. Double-digging is simple but can be hard work. In this gardening tutorial, Geoff Stebbings from Garden Answers explains how to do winter digging simply without getting too exhausted.
When you clean the carpet in your home or apartment, it seems like that dirt just comes right back the next day. It's never really clean. Well, that could be changed with a deeper clean. Deep-cleaning your carpet can offer benefits including getting rid of dust mites and allergens. Not to mention dirt.
In order to prepare Caciotta Fritter Pastries, you will need the following ingredients: aged caciotta, 3 eggs, 2 T Parmesan Reggiana, salt, course ground pepper, flour, butter, water, baking soda, and olive oil.
