apparently, thanks to intrepid scientists with nothing constructive to otherwise occupy their time, mankind has discovered an area of new guinea that is being described as a “garden of eden”.
by the way, i know that the period should go inside the quotes–“garden of eden.” i think that’s silly, and it’s my site. but i digress.
here’s the link to the story–it’s on the bbc news site.
great. another pristine area we can screw up.
from the article, here’s the list of new discoveries that were made. or, if you prefer, here’s the list of things that will soon be fucked up by mankind’s evil influence:
–a new species of honeyeater, the first new bird species discovered on the island of new guinea since 1939
–the formerly unknown breeding grounds of a “lost” bird of paradise – the six-wired bird of paradise (parotia berlepschi)
–first photographs of the golden-fronted bowerbird displaying at its bower
–a new large mammal for indonesia, the golden-mantled tree kangaroo (dendrolagus pulcherrimus)
–more than 20 new species of frogs, including a tiny microhylid frog less than 14mm long
–a series of previously undescribed plant species, including five new species of palms
–a remarkable white-flowered rhododendron with flower about 15cm across
–four new butterfly species
all found in a place so remote that local indigenous peoples had no idea it was there.
too bad it can’t stay that way. it seems to have been doing fine without us. here’s the most offensive quote, for me:
“mr beehler said some of the creatures the team came into contact with were remarkably unafraid of humans. two long-beaked echidnas, primitive egg-laying mammals, even allowed scientists to pick them up and bring them back to their camp to be studied, he added.”
wow. did these brilliant scientists ever think that maybe they shouldn’t come into physical contact with creatures in an environment that had never before had a human presence? god knows what bacteria, viruses, and whatnot we are introducing.
human arrogance makes me ill sometimes.
