Sunday, August 10, 2025
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Polaris of Enlightenment

Sunday, August 10, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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https://nordictimes.com/environment/italys-government-bans-lab-grown-meat/

Environment

Italy’s government bans lab-grown meat

Published 1 April 2023
– By Editorial Staff
The Italian food industry is not allowed to produce food or feed from vertebrate cell cultures.
1 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

On Tuesday, the Italian government approved a new draft law prohibiting Italian industry from producing food from lab-grown meat. Those who violate the law risk being fined up to €60 000.

The reason for the new law is to protect the Italian agricultural and food industry, as promised by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida believes that laboratory products threaten the traditional link between food and agriculture.

– We do not believe that laboratory products guarantee the quality, well-being and protection of our culture and tradition, says Lollobrigida.

The Italian government also recently opposed insect products and banned the use of insect flour in traditional products such as pizza and pasta.

The bill prohibits Italian industry from producing food or animal feed from “cell cultures or tissues derived from vertebrate animals”. Those who violate this law can be fined up to €60,000, have their factory shut down and lose public funding for up to three years. According to the newspaper Italia a Tavola, 84% of Italians are negative towards lab-grown food.

A Parliamentary vote will be held before the law is enacted.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Facts: Laboratory-grown meat

The production of lab-grown meat uses animal stem cells, which means that the final product is real meat (i.e. not vegan). In the past, cells from unborn calves were reportedly used, but it is unclear whether this method is still used and to what extent. Cells can also be taken from living animals. The cells are then 'grown' in nutrient solution in a bioreactor, which causes them to grow.

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https://nordictimes.com/environment/swedish-crayfish-threatened-with-extinction/

Environment

Swedish crayfish threatened with extinction

Biodiversity

Published today 7:53
– By Editorial Staff
From 30,000 population to under 600 – the noble crayfish is critically endangered.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Crayfish plague continues to devastate Sweden’s native noble crayfish. In just a few decades, populations have plummeted from around 30,000 to fewer than 600 – and the trend continues downward.

The biggest culprit is illegal releases of non-native signal crayfish, which are themselves heavily fished and can also be affected by the disease.

The signal crayfish, which spreads the disease, has increased dramatically and today exists in between 10,000 and 15,000 populations. In Värmland, a province in western Sweden, illegal releases have been documented in as many as 239 bodies of water between 2000 and 2024.

— Noble crayfish populations in Värmland and Dalsland were 430 in the early 2000s; today only 60 remain, says Lennart Edsman, crayfish expert and researcher at the Freshwater Laboratory at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), to Swedish news agency TT.

When August and crayfish season arrives, the question arises of which species the environmentally conscious consumer should choose for their crayfish party.

— You should eat noble crayfish if you can afford it. That gives them value that makes them worth protecting. And you should eat signal crayfish too, but absolutely not spread them, Edsman believes.

Imports worth hundreds of millions

Swedes eat far more crayfish than the country can produce. Between 70 and 80 percent of the crayfish on tables are imported. In 2023, imports amounted to a value of €40 million, while Swedish crayfish were sold for €27 million.

Previously, the largest portion of imports came from China, but today Spain, Turkey and also Egypt dominate the Swedish market.

Most Swedish-caught crayfish are signal crayfish, with a large share coming from lakes Vättern and Hjälmaren in central Sweden. Recently, however, many consumers have complained that the crayfish have become smaller.

— This is partly because fishing has been too intensive. There is great demand for crayfish in this country. Sweden is quite extreme when it comes to crayfish consumption, Edsman explains.

The signal crayfish originates from western North America, as does crayfish plague – a parasitic algae fungus. Although the species is more resistant than the noble crayfish, it is not immune to the disease.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

How the signal crayfish took over

The signal crayfish originally comes from western North America and was introduced to Sweden in the 1960s as a way to replace the noble crayfish, which had been severely affected by crayfish plague at the time. The idea was to preserve crayfish fishing and its economic benefits, since the signal crayfish is more resistant to the disease than the noble crayfish.

The problem is that the signal crayfish carries the very crayfish plague – a parasitic water mold – that is deadly to the noble crayfish. Although the invasive species itself can be affected, it is significantly more resilient, which means it functions as a disease carrier and accelerates the decline of the noble crayfish.

Since its introduction, the signal crayfish has spread rapidly and is now found in between 10,000 and 15,000 populations across Sweden. Many of these have resulted from illegal releases. The consequence is that the noble crayfish has declined from around 30,000 populations to fewer than 600 throughout the country.

https://nordictimes.com/environment/new-giant-insect-discovered-in-australia/

Environment

New giant insect discovered in Australia

Biodiversity

Published 5 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Acrophylla alta lives in a very limited area of high-altitude rainforest.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Researchers have discovered a new species of stick insect. The insect, which can grow to almost half a meter long, is said to potentially be Australia’s heaviest.

It was at high altitude in the Atherton Tablelands in northern Queensland, Australia, that the stick insect was found. Researchers at James Cook University helped identify the new species, which they call Acrophylla alta. The most remarkable thing about the insect is its length and especially its weight: It can grow 40 centimeters long and weigh about 44 grams, which is slightly less than the weight of a golf ball.

— There are longer stick insects out there [in the region], but they’re fairly light bodied, says Professor Angus Emmott in a press release. From what we know to date, this is Australia’s heaviest insect.

It was through the eggs that researchers were able to identify that it was a new species, since no species of stick insects have identical eggs.

— They’ve all got different surfaces and different textures and pitting, and they can be different shapes, he says.

It is not uncommon for new insect species to be discovered, but the reason this heavy insect has gone unnoticed is likely due to its habitat. These insects live in a limited area of high-altitude rainforest and live high up in the tree canopy. Emmott also believes it is precisely their living environment that has made them so large.

— It’s a cool, wet environment where they live, he says. Their body mass likely helps them survive the colder conditions, and that’s why they’ve developed into this large insect over millions of years.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/protect-yourself-from-horseflies-this-summer/

Environment

Protect yourself from horseflies this summer

Published 29 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Horsefly: Tiny body, big summer nuisance
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Bites from horseflies can both hurt and cause allergic reactions. Here’s what you can do to avoid being bitten.

In the Nordic countries, parts of the summer have offered warm and humid weather, which means a delight for the summer pest horsefly to thrive in. Summer is not yet over and neither is the risk of being bitten by a horsefly.

Horseflies, also called clegs, don’t bite by stinging like mosquitoes, but cut open the skin with their mouthparts, which makes the bites more painful. Only females suck blood, which they need to develop their eggs. Males, however, are harmless and feed on nectar and pollen, making them pollinators.

The summer pest often stays near water, in pastures or by stables and mainly during daytime when the sun is shining.

Treat bites

Bites can cause symptoms such as swelling, itching and even allergic reactions. Often it’s not a major danger, but more an irritating element after a day at the beach. However, if you want to be on the safe side, you can clean the bite. If you’re very bothered by the bite, you can relieve it by dabbing with an aloe vera product or applying a local anesthetic ointment. For severe reactions, it can also be good to take antihistamines.

Don’t look like a flower

To avoid being bitten by horseflies, it can be advantageous to neither smell like nor look like a flower, writes Land.se (a Swedish agricultural publication). That is, avoid both colorful clothes and perfume. If you see a horsefly swarm, it’s best to be still and quiet, so maybe it will pass by. Horseflies are also attracted to sweat, something that’s harder to avoid in the heat. Mosquito repellent can to some extent help against being bitten.

Food also attracts horseflies, so you can for example cover the food before eating if dinner is to be consumed outdoors.

Don’t panic

If you happen to end up in a swarm of horseflies, it’s best not to panic. Keep your mouth closed, otherwise there’s a risk of being bitten in the mouth, and it can also be good to close your eyes – but a tip is to take in the surroundings first so you don’t stumble into a tree.

Then you should move slowly away from the swarm, with your arms as still as possible.

Think about your clothes

Avoid loose-fitting clothes since the horsefly can accidentally get caught between the fabric and body, which of course risks bites. Going barefoot should also be avoided. Preferably you should have full-coverage clothing if you want to be more certain not to be bitten, which also means having something on your feet – barefoot in the grass is therefore not a good idea.

It’s better to dress light and matte, than dark and shiny. Especially black and blue are colors that horseflies are attracted to.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Fact: Horse flies

Horse flies are large, blood-sucking flies that belong to the family Tabanidae and are found throughout Sweden, particularly during warm summer months. The country has around 45 species distributed across several genera.

This summer pest is recognizable by its robust body structure, large eyes and patterned or spotted wings. Body length varies between 6 and 25 millimeters depending on species.

Among the most common species in Sweden are the deer fly (Chrysops relictus), which is silent and fast, the notch-horned cleg fly (Haematopota pluvialis), which thrives in the northern parts of the country, and the pale giant horse-fly (Tabanus bovinus), one of the largest and most aggressive.

https://nordictimes.com/environment/give-thirsty-bees-a-lifesaving-gift-water-in-the-summer-heat/

Environment

Give thirsty bees a lifesaving gift: Water in the summer heat

Published 28 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Bin needs water to cope with its daily and important work tasks.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Hot and dry days make water a precious resource – not just for us, but also for our important pollinators. Offering bees a safe water source in the garden can make a big difference for their survival and wellbeing.

Summer sun and dry weather don’t just make people long for cooling drinks – the important pollinators, bees and bumblebees, also need access to fresh water to survive and thrive.

Offering bumblebees and bees a reliable water source in the garden or on the balcony is a simple but meaningful way to support nature’s heroes.

Bees are incredible little workers that pollinate large portions of crops and wild plants. But during hot and dry periods, water can become a scarce resource for the small pollinators. That’s when they seek out gardens, parks and balconies in search of quenching their thirst.

So how can garden lovers or nature enthusiasts help? Land.se (a Swedish gardening website) lists five simple and natural ways to give bees and bumblebees access to water:

  • Set out a dish
    Place a shallow bowl with water in a protected location and fill it with small stones, bark pieces or corks that bees can land on. The little bath gives bees a safe landing spot so they can drink without risking drowning.
  • Moss
    Bees are instinctively programmed to look for still water, since running water poses a drowning risk. That’s exactly why they’re drawn to slightly dirtier and earthier water sources – wet moss can quickly become a real favorite to drink from.
  • Water tap
    If you have a tap on your rainwater barrel, it’s easily arranged. Place a plank at an angle under the tap and let the water drip slowly. This becomes an easily accessible place for bees to drink from.
  • Don’t forget to water
    Without water, flowers stop producing nectar for bees and bumblebees. If you have, for example, a strawberry patch full of flowers but no pollinators in sight, the reason might be that it’s too dry. Water – but avoid overdoing it since too much water makes the nectar watery and less appealing.
  • Open bar
    A container filled with stones and sticks quickly becomes a popular watering hole for thirsty bees. It also works fine to take a few handfuls of bark and sticks to float on the surface in a water barrel.

Helping bees with water is a small gesture with great significance for the ecosystem. Our bumblebees, honey bees and solitary bees contribute to the diversity that gives us fruits, vegetables and beautiful flower meadows.

By offering clean and safe water, we can give them a much-needed break – a thirst-quenching oasis – in the middle of the summer heat. So bring out a bowl, some stone pieces and let the garden’s bees feel welcome.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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