https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ When passing through the small village in Paro town, on a sunny afternoon Bhutan appeared before my eyes after a day climbing Tiger Nest. When seeing the old peach tree in the house, all fatigue disappears. The children come home from school joking and talking in a peaceful space like a fairy tale. https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ In the morning, when on the way from Thimphu to the ancient capital of Punakha, see the whole Himalayan snow mountain glowing at dawn around the ancient pine forest on Dochula pass. https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ Fort in the ancient capital Punakha with majestic but close architecture. In most fortresses, half of the local area is occupied by administrative offices, the other half is Buddhist monasteries. https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ Tsechu festival is popular in all parts of Bhutan, mainly mask dance to ward off evil spirits and bring peace. https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ Himalayan Buddhism is the state religion of Bhutan. Buddhism creates its own identity for the culture, way of life and way of governing the country of Bhutan. They usually pray 3 times a day: in the morning before going to work or school, in the afternoon after finishing work and at night before going to bed. Unlike some Asian countries, their prayers are not for their own safety but for peace for sentient beings, humanity. https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ Traditional Bhutanese dress. The scene is like in a myth with ancient cherries, girls wearing traditional Kira costumes. Elegant boys in GHO suits. https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ Radi village in northeastern Bhutan is known as the golden carpet or granary, because of the winding terraced structure surrounding the village. https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ From Bumthang to Mongar, the scenery is temperate like Europe, with great ancient pine forests at an altitude of over 3,000m. The maple forest turns brilliant red and yellow mixed with the green of the pine needles, looming the snowy mountain peaks in the distance. https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ Drukgyel Village Fort, one of the oldest villages in Bhutan, the mountain behind is the border between Tibet (China) and Bhutan. The hilltop fortress was built in 1649. https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ Climbing the legendary Tiger Nest monastery for the first time on a 3,200-meter cliff with thin, oxygen-deficient air, many people tried to reach their destination because they believed that if they reached the place where Guru Rinpoche meditated. will bring them peace and happiness. https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/ The Khaling festival in eastern Bhutan celebrates the season. https://dulich.petrotimes.vn/

The Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Mannar in Sri Lanka have been the center of the international pearl trade for more than 4,000 years. Since ancient times, the region has produced some of the world’s finest natural pearls, supplying the courts of the ancient kings and queens of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and later the Greek empires. , Roman and Byzantine. Kuwait was also once one of the centers of this industry in the Persian Gulf, with a history of developing the pearl industry at least four millennia. Pearl fishing in Kuwait had its heyday before the 19th century. (Source: Pinterest) Before the discovery of oil in the 1930s and extraction after World War II, the main economic activity in Kuwait and the Persian Gulf was the extraction of pearl resources mainly on the Arab side of the Persian Gulf. The history of pearl farming in the Persian Gulf goes back more than four millennia. References to this industry were made by early writers such as the Greek historian Pliny and the Roman geographer Ptolemy of the 2nd century AD. Historically, people living around the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Mannar discovered and appreciated the beauty and value of natural pearls created from mussels, opening the pearl industry. Ups and downs with history Since then, Kuwait’s pearl industry has experienced many ups and downs of history. At one stage, pearls became the main export product of the Gulf state, alongside horses, dates, timber and spices. From the early seventeenth century until the 1930s, the country’s economy was largely dependent on pearl diving off the coast of the Arabian Gulf, home to the richest reserves in the world. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Kuwait had nearly 700 pearl diving boats with a workforce of about 15,000 people. The pearl diving season usually lasts for 4 months, from mid-May to mid-September. In the remaining 8 months, traders often use ships to trade and fish offshore. It is the basis for Kuwait’s thriving maritime and shipbuilding industry. Kuwaiti fishermen regularly call at ports in the Middle East, the East coast of Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka. Historical evidence shows that Kuwaiti pearl fishermen sailed as far as Mannar Bay, between the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka, especially during the fishing season of these pearl fishing grounds. Natural pearls of Kuwait are thought to be caused by a combination of soil environment, water salinity, climatic conditions and accidental conditions when a small foreign object or grain of sand enters. inside the clams, mussels and stay in it. Irritated by this foreign object, the mussel creates a layer of mother-of-pearl that surrounds the intrusive sand. This process repeats for many years and creates a wonderful gem. For three centuries, Kuwait’s economy based on the pearl industry, seafaring and commerce has thrived relative to the rest of the region. It created a prosperous merchant class, but did not provide a steady income for much of the population, mainly pearl divers and supplementary workers. But there are ups and downs. The large-scale production of cultured pearls in Japan in the 1930s, and the Great Depression shortly thereafter, caused the traditional pearl industry in Kuwait to gradually decline. Pearl divers and their families are entering an unprecedented period of economic hardship. Fortunately, a promising new revenue stream has emerged. In 1938, oil was discovered in Kuwait. After World War II ended and oil extraction and exports were boosted, most of Kuwait’s population gradually emerged from its economic decline, and began to enjoy the fruits of its wealth. Pearl divers have found alternative work in the burgeoning oil industry. The pearl industry in Kuwait is also gradually disappearing… Find the return date However, even though life is full, the Kuwaiti people have not forgotten their old identity. The Kuwait Tower, one of the iconic works of Kuwait, is inspired by pearls, expressing the pride of the people about the ancient occupation of their ancestors. More importantly, the Kuwaiti government has worked to revive the natural pearl industry. Every June, Kuwait holds a month-long pearl diving festival, to pay tribute to the industry’s ancestors, who dedicated their lives to the pearl industry that formed the foundation of Kuwait’s wealth in the past year. past. The festivals also help Kuwait’s younger generation to recognize and appreciate the ups and downs that their ancestors went through in order to protect and preserve this glorious but potentially dangerous industry. Thereby, the festival also helps preserve the pearl diving tradition that has become an integral part of Kuwaiti culture. A Kuwaiti girl waits for the return of pearl divers during the 2019 Kuwaiti pearl diving festival (Photo: Gazi/Xinhua) Pearl diving in Kuwait is called “ghaus” and those who participate in diving are called “ghawawis”. Divers use traditional equipment such as “Dieng” (neck-basket), “hager” (anchor) and “fotam” (nose clip). The end of the festival called “qafal” is celebrated with traditional singing and dancing performances. The Kuwaiti public responded enthusiastically and participated in the festival, expressing their desire to preserve national traditions and culture. The festival also attracts international tourists and friends: Many are excited to take part in the diving competition after initial training. The pride of the “Kuwait pearl” also helps remind the people of Kuwait about the once glorious pearl industry of the Gulf nation. The “Kuwait Pearl” has a special design, 19th century style with the brilliant shine and ivory characteristic of natural pearls from the Persian Gulf, once incorporated by the first owner as a faceplate. necklace. The “Kuwait Pearl” has an almost perfect teardrop shape, weighs 64.35 carats, (12.87 grams), and measures 41.28 x 19.05 mm in length and width, respectively. It is known as the 6th largest natural pearl and one of the 12 rarest pearls in the world. The ‘Pearl of Kuwait’ (Source: Smithsonian Institution) The pearl’s current owner is Bond Street, jeweler Symbolic & Chase, purchased on November 24, 2004 for £150,000 ($270,000) and named it “Kuwait Pearl” in recognition. and a true reflection of the pearl’s natural origin. The sale was made at Christie’s in London from an anonymous private family consignment for auction in 2004. The “Pearl of Kuwait” is now part of the Pearl exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

However, Siamese fish do not become such vivid “works of art” on their own. The color and shape of the fins of this fish are the product of a millennium of breeding. According to Yi-Kai Tea, a PhD student at the University of Sydney who studies the evolution and characteristics of fish species, “Literally, the development process of this fish is almost the same. with the domestication of dogs”. A new study, published in April in BioRxiv, finds that humans began domesticating Siamese fish at least 1,000 years ago through sequencing the species’ genome. During a millennium of careful breeding and crossbreeding, Siamese fish are now extremely diverse in appearance. However, this also means that wild, purebred individuals of this species must undergo major genetic changes. The authors of this study say that by sequencing and conducting genetic studies of the Siamese fish, they can gain a lot of information about how it was domesticated, bred, and genetically modified. The Siamese’s intricate coloration and “matchy” fins are the product of a millennium of carefully selected breeding. Yi-Kai Tea hailed it as “the first major study to help identify the genetic basis of beauty” in this fish. All 73 species of Siamese fish are native to Southeast Asia. But the most common species sold in aquarium stores and markets is the fighting fish. This strain is much more colorful than most other purebred varieties of the Siamese family. “The purebred Siamese will often look very different from the ornamental Siamese,” said Young Mi Kwon, a researcher at Columbia University and lead author of the study. “They have short fins, are somewhat duller in color and lack the prominent fin walking commonly seen in ornamental Siamese breeds.” While domesticated Siamese are usually very aggressive and do not live together, their domesticated individuals have a more peaceful disposition. “This may be because the Siamese aquarium lines were originally domesticated for fighting, like fighting cocks,” Kwon added. Siamese fish has a history of 1,000 years. In the late 19th century, breeders began to focus on creating varieties of ornamental fish, which later became extremely popular in the West. “This history has shaped the ornamental Siamese fish we see today, a truly magnificent fish with a fiery temperament,” commented Kwon. To determine the exact history of the formation of the ornamental Siamese fish we see today, Kwon and his colleagues collected DNA samples from purebred Siamese and house-raised Siamese fish, and then proceeded to analyze them. their genome sequences. “We were surprised by the evolution of the Siamese fish that lasted at least 1,000 years ago, which makes it one of the oldest known fish,” Kwon said. While previous studies have shown that Siamese fish were bred as early as the 13th century, recent discoveries have proven that they began to be bred long before that. The study also highlights why breeders are able to create dozens of different varieties of Siamese by color, from red, yellow and blue, to Siamese with large fins, small fins and even multiple colors per individual. Just imagine the new shape of a Siamese fish, it can completely be created and exist in reality. “Many traits, which breeders are selecting for, are regulated by very few genes that have a great deal of influence,” Kwon said. “This means that it won’t take a lot of cross-breeding to get them to have their own characteristics or traits that you want your fish to have.” The researchers also found that ornamental Siamese fish are genetically distinct from purebred Siamese fish. However, they were surprised to discover that the ornamental Siamese had crossed with purebred fish. This crossbreeding may have been the result of the Siamese being released into the wild, which could potentially undermine efforts to preserve the purebred of this fish. “The ornamental Siamese fish will most likely dominate the natural environment, if they are more suitable to the habitat than the purebred fish,” Kwon emphasized. Many purebred Siamese fish breeds are in danger of extinction and the main cause is habitat loss. By studying in more detail the evolutionary history of this fish, the researchers hope to improve our understanding of how other species are bred and genetically engineered. Although much remains to be learned such as how crossbreeding affects Siamese fish, genetic engineering has resulted in the creation of many splendid Siamese fish of stunning colors and shapes that were previously available. This may never have existed. Sapphire According to the New York Times

Ancient corona virus illustration, 25,000 years ago. The current COVID-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 3 million people and shows how vulnerable people are to the genetically modified corona virus. However, this threat seems to have occurred since the early days when humans had to fight these dangerous viruses. “There are always viruses that infect humans,” said senior study author David Enard, associate professor of ecology and evolution at the University of Arizona, USA. Viruses are actually one of the main drivers of natural selection in the human genome. That’s because genes that increase the chances of the pathogen’s survival are more likely to be passed on to new generations. ” Using modern tools, researchers can detect traces of these ancient pathogens by precisely identifying how they promote natural selection in today’s human DNA. Accordingly, this information can provide valuable insight to help predict future pandemics. Enard said: “Almost always is when things that happened in the past are more likely to happen in the future.” Using information available in public databases, Enard and his team analyzed the genomes of 2,504 people across 26 different human populations around the world. When corona viruses get inside human cells, they attack the cell’s machinery to replicate. This means that the viral success depends on its interaction with hundreds of different human proteins. Researchers magnified a set of 420 human proteins known to interact with the corona virus, 332 of which interact with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Most of these proteins help viruses multiply inside cells, but some help cells fight viruses. The genes that encode those proteins mutate continuously and randomly, but if the mutation gives the gene an advantage, such as a better resistance to the virus – then the gene has a chance to be passed on. next or selected higher. Indeed, the researchers found that, in people of East Asian descent, certain genes interacting with the corona virus were selected. In other words, over time certain variations show up more often than expected. This set of mutations may have helped the ancestors of the human population in this region become more ancient antiviral by altering the amount of protein produced by the cell. The genetic variations encoding 42 of the 420 proteins they analyzed began to increase in frequency about 25,000 years ago, the researchers found. The spread of beneficial variants continued until about 5,000 years ago. This suggests that the ancient virus continued to threaten these populations for a long time. Viruses cause pressure to adapt “Viruses exert some of the strongest selective pressures on humans to adapt, and corona viruses have probably been around since,” said Joel Wertheim, associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. long before man existed. However, it is difficult to say whether the virus that caused this evolution is the corona virus, but it seems to be a plausible theory. David Enard agrees that the ancient pathogen that harmed our ancestors may not have been the corona virus; instead, it is possible that another virus that has happened to interact with human cells in the same way that corona viruses do. Another group of researchers recently discovered that sarbecovirus, a family of the corona virus that includes SARS-CoV-2, first evolved 23,500 years ago, at the same time as variations in the genes that encode the proteins related to the corona virus have appeared for the first time in humans. Findings of the sarbecovirus virus were also published in bioRxiv on February 9 and have yet to be peer reviewed. While these findings are compelling, they do not change our understanding of which populations are more likely to survive SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although, there is no evidence that adaptation of this ancient gene protects modern humans from SARS-CoV-2. Enard and his team now hope to work with virologists to understand how this adaptation helped ancient humans survive exposure to this protozoan strain of the corona virus. The team also hopes that such ancient genomic studies could eventually be used as an “early warning system” for future pandemics. David Enard adds, although we clearly see the impact of this ancient virus on human ancestors, future generations will not be able to see traces of SARS-CoV-2 in the genome. our. Thanks to vaccination, there is no time for the virus to promote evolutionary adaptation.

“Anyi Millennium Ancient Villages” is composed of three natural villages of Luotian, Jingtai, and Shuinan, which are less than 300 meters apart. The three ancient villages are in full swing. The ancient alleys and houses are interconnected, and the scale is large. Wood carvings and stone carvings Simple and exquisite, most of them are still well-preserved. Being in it is like being in a folk art museum, known as one of the birthplaces of Gan merchant culture.

Luotian Village, known for its heavy cultural connotations, is one of the members of the Anyi Ancient Villages and the core scenic spot. Its village history can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty and has a history of more than 1,200 years. According to records, the ancestor of Luotian Village was Huang Kechang, a descendant of Emperor Zhu Rong. He moved to this place from Luotian, Qizhou, Hubei in the first year of Guangming in the late Tang Dynasty (880) in order to avoid war, hence the name “Luotian”.

As a blood village of Jiangxia Huang, the 2,000 local villagers are all Huang. For thousands of years, merchants from the ancient village have gathered, and the local folk rhyme says: “Little Anyi County, big Luotian Huang.” It shows Luo. Tian Huang’s family has a great reputation. Although today’s ancient villages are not as prosperous as they used to be, some old shops are still in operation, and the ancient ruts on the stone slab road are still clearly visible, giving people a feeling of reminiscing about the past and presenting the present.

It is worth mentioning that the entire village still retains a complete underground drainage system a thousand years ago. The water in the mountain reservoir runs through the entire village from the upper end of the village along the canal, and the streets are criss-crossed by ditches covered by slabs for drainage. The domestic sewage and rainwater of every household effectively and environmentally demonstrated the wisdom and wisdom of the ancients, and the ancient village also has the saying that “the embroidered shoes are not wet on rainy days”.

Luotian Village also has the reputation of “Longevity Village”. Among the dozens of ancient wells in the village, the Shoukang Well excavated in the Tang Dynasty is the first water well since the village was founded. The well is more than 12 meters deep, and the water quality is sweet and does not run dry all year round. It is still used by surrounding residents as a source of domestic water. It is said that the villagers who drink the water from this well live a long life, hence the name “Shoukang Well”.

It is worth mentioning that Luotian Village still implements China’s oldest household registration management system in Lijia. There are ten ancient villages, and each one has public facilities such as the incense hall and water well. “Liujia Incense Hall” is one of the ten incense halls in the village. The genealogy in the hall was prefaced by the famous writer and calligrapher Huang Tingjian in the Northern Song Dynasty. “.

Among the 44 ancient buildings in the Ming and Qing dynasties that exist in the ancient village, the “Shidafudi” built by the 27th Sun Huang Bingtong of the Huang family during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty is the largest and most exquisite ancient building complex in the ancient village of Anyi. According to legend, Huang Bingtong was awarded the fifth-rank official position by Emperor Qianlong because of his honesty and trustworthiness in business. “Doctor” refers to the official position above the fifth rank, so the Huangzhai was named “Shidaifudi”.

On the hillside behind the “World Doctor First” building complex, there is planted the largest and oldest thousand-year-old camphor tree in Nanchang. The tree has a diameter of 3 meters and a circumference of 10 meters. According to legend, it was planted by Huang Kechang, the ancestor of Luotian Village, in the first year when he came to Luotian. For more than a thousand years, this ancient camphor tree of Tang Dynasty has always been luxuriant, vigorous and sheltered. The village of Luotian is endless, safe and auspicious.