The largest known Douglas-fir lives on Vancouver Island, is almost 1,000 years old and is 89 metres (291 feet) tall! The top of this tree is broken but it was believed to be 10 metres (33 feet) taller, which would have it 99 metres (320 feet) tall!
Apes practise self-healing
Apes practise self-healing Scientists studying great apes have discovered
lots of evidence of "zoopharmacognosy," or animal self-healing.
Chimpanzees regularly swallow whole leaves to get rid of stomach
parasites, and eat noxious plants to cue constipation. Orangutans
eat flowers to cure headaches and gorillas eat bark that contains
antibiotics to kill bacteria and other bugs. Although most of the
evidence of self-healing is anecdotal, it may lead to the discovery
of new medicines in the forests. Scientists also believe that the
apes' methods of self-healing may show us better ways to manage our
own diseases and parasites. Ape therapies are holistic and
'multi-pronged' and so would not lead to drug
resistance. DECEMBER 14, 2000
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