Neem(Azadirachta indica): Prehistory to contemporary medicinal uses to humankind

The divine tree neem(Azadirachta indica)is mainly cultivated in the Indian subcontinent.Neemhas been used extensively by humankind to treat various ailments before the availability ofwritten records which recorded the beginning of history.The world health organization estimatesthat 80%of the population living in the developing countries relies exclusively on traditionalmedicine for their primary health care.More than half of the world’s population still relies entirely on plants for medicines,and plants supply the active ingredients of most traditionalmedical products.The review shows the neem has been used by humankind to treat variousailments from prehistory to contemporary.

Archaeological Mineralogy and the Dawn of Gemmology:Prehistoric(7th-5th Millennium BC)Gem Minerals and Gold from the Balkans（South-East Europe）

The territory of the Balkan Peninsula in SE Europe is reviewed, from the point of gemmology, as the cradle of gem and decorative minerals and metals in European prehistory. During the local Neolithic period (end of 7 th -6 th millennium BC), as material for tools or for beads, nephrite (with the earliest known Balkan nephrite culture), jadeite-omphacite and quartz (different varieties) were introduced to make pendants and idols. Large quantities of copper and gold artifacts are known since the Chalcolithic period (5 th millennium BC)(unique for the region;the largest in number of gold artifacts is the Varna I Chalcolithic necropolis in Bulgaria). The gemmological materials in the Balkans are known for malachite, antigorite serpentinite, turquoise, rock crystal, carnelian, jasper, jet and obsidian. In the Varna I necropolis (mid 5 th millennium BC) are recorded the first known complex faceted carnelian beads with 32 facets, as well as some of the most important gemmological techniques and procedures such as faceting, tumbling, annealing, miniaturization and standardization. As pigments for pottery, cinnabar, graphite and gold were used in different prehistoric sites. The earliest salt production in the Balkans is known from sites in Romania and Bulgaria, and because of its trade, salt is positively linked to a population rich with prestigious goods. The introduced possible Chalcolithic weight unit “van”(2 carats) is supposed to be the earliest known in prehistoric times.

古今气候略论

自2009年入冬以来北半球经受了创记录的严寒侵袭,联合国IPCC报告的权威性受到质疑。地球气候变化趋向陷入纷争的境地。从地质学和考古学的视角,以更长的时间周期去认识和了解气候变化规律和成因机制,或许对将来气候的长期预报有所启示。地球在漫长的演化史中经历了以千万年计的＂地质气候旋回＂、千百年计的＂史前气候周期＂及近现代以百年计的＂世纪气候波动＂。不同级次的周期均为内在自然因素所制约,CO2含量在地球演化史中趋于波动下降过程,当代的CO2浓度和气温均处于地质史的低点。人类活动可能在百年尺度内存在对气候和生态环境的影响。自20世纪初开始至今近百年升温趋向中,令人关注的是在中国曾有1941年、1969年、2009~2010年之交极度低温的出现,＂低温节点＂时距约为30~40年,似与海洋存在数十年为变化周期之说相近。由此引发对人为因素导致持续增温的质疑。2009年入冬以来的严寒是否为近百年升温波动周期的终结抑或只是次级的突变因素所致,尚有待观察。但自然因素主导的周期波动规律不可逆转,不能被未经实证而被夸大了的＂人为因素＂所左右。