EDITORIAL DESIGN CONCEPT by Sylwia Klecha

HUMANCROP MAGAZINE

HUMANCROP

botan ic al

VOL 01 05/2017

scentifi c

existentia l

magazine

philo so ph i ca l

MANIFEST and approach HumanCrop Magazine proves us that our bodies are inextricably connected with nature in many respects. The magazine, strongly inspired by a book of Bill Laws - ’50 plants that changed the course of history’, reveals the historical facts, scientific research and philosophic reflections in a thought-provoking way. Earth order shows that human bodies constitute an element that is responsible for wasting the natural resources of our planet, from whom we are undoubtedly dependent. It inclines us towards stating that it is a conception of inexhaustible examples. HumanCrop Magazine contains botanical materials, i.e. illustrations from the late eighteenth century, as well as photos of magazine’s author, inspired by works of Karl Blossfeld – but in a contemporary way. Materials contained therein are supposed to present the similar interests in this subject over centuries. This publisher, now in a new and fresh approach based on the rules of the twentieth century design, is a compendium of botanical research and realisation of our ancestors.

Enjoy!

Sylwia Klecha

TABLE OF CONTENT PAGE 6

NATURAL WILD MEDICINE THAT CAN HEAL YOUR BODY PAGE 11

Genetically mocldified humans can CAN fight GENETICALLY MODIFIED HUMANS FIGHT HUMAN CHANGE climate change PAGE 15

WHO BOSS? Who IS is THE the boss? PAGE 19

THE REORIENTING SYSTEM OF THE HUMAN BRAIN PAGE 23

HOW ARE FIBONACCI NUMBERS EXPRESSED IN NATURE?

NATURAL WILD MEDICINE THAT CAN HEAL YOUR BODY Did you know that about 25 percent of the drugs pre-

medicine was the only medicine. Today, plants are

scribed worldwide are derived from plants? Of the 252

being used to treat a number of health concerns and

drugs in the World Health Organization’s essential

conditions, including allergies, arthritis, migraines,

medicine list, 11 percent are exclusively of plant origin.

fatigue, skin infections, wounds, burns, gastrointes-

In fact, about 200 years ago the first pharmacologi-

tinal issues and even cancer — proving that it’s true

cal compound, morphine, was produced from opium

that food is medicine. These herbs are less expensive

extracted from the seed pods of the poppy flower.

and they’re a safer means of treatment than conven-

Since then, scientists have been studying plants to cre-

tional medications, which is why so many people are

ate the pharmaceutical products we know today. But

choosing to go back to this traditional idea of medicine.

after years of overmedicating, facing resistant bacteria

Herbal medicines are naturally occurring, plant-de-

in the microbiome and treating the illness rather than

rived substances that are used to treat illnesses within

the root of the problem, people are beginning to pay

local or regional healing practices. These products are

more attention to natural, herbal medicine.

complex mixtures of organic chemicals that may come from any raw or processed part of a plant.

Millions of dollars have recently been invested in looking for promising medicinal herbs. These substantial research investments in traditional herbal medicine are still relatively modest when compared to the overall pharmaceutical industry, but it proves that researchers are beginning to steer away from conventional drug development and look toward more alternative and natural forms of treatment. Natural plant products have been used throughout human history for various purposes. In fact, written records of the use of herbal medicine date back more than 5,000 years, and for much of history, herbal

Seed plants are cultivated for their beauty and smells, as well as their importance in the development of medicines. Plants are also the foundation of human diets across the world . Many societies eat, almost exclusively, vegetarian fare and depend solely on seed plants for their nutritional needs. A few crops (rice, wheat, and potatoes) dominate the agricultural landscape. Many crops were developed during the agricultural revolution when human societies made the transition from nomadic hunterâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;gatherers to horticulture and agriculture. Cereals, rich in carbohydrates, provide the staple of many human diets. Animal husbandry also requires large amounts of crops. Staple crops are not the only food derived from seed plants. Fruits and vegetables provide nutrients, vitamins, and fiber. Sugar, to sweeten dishes, is produced from the monocot sugarcane and the eudicot sugar beet. Drinks are made from infusions of tea leaves, chamomile flowers, crushed coffee beans, 8

or powdered cocoa beans. Spices come from many different plant parts: saffron and cloves are stamens and buds, black Seed plants are cultivated for their beauty and smells, as well as their importance in the development of medicines.

amium album

GENETICALLY MODIFIED HUMANS CAN FIGHT HUMAN CHANGE

A personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engagement in relationships can be made of

Our lives move so fast that we hardy ever get time to

feathers that glance past true involvement, or made of

stand back far enough to see ourselves objectively. The

roots anchored to every moment. The most fundamen-

wide expanse of experience if filled with momentary

tal question of whether we can heal our psychological

and monumental decisions, periods of crisis, moments

and chronic diseases begins with identifying just how

of triumph, and pauses of calm certainty. At the same

much a person is actually engaged in with living life, as

time, we are chaffed with stressful disturbances and

opposed to begin too afraid, too angry, too jealous, or

healed with resolutions, and try to find time to regen-

too disoriented to maintain healthy relationships and

erate and review. A closer look at these individual com-

establish important skills and meaningful goals. We all

ponents of our personal life stories can help us gain

know that we can be in a roomful of people and not

better insight into the process of life that our experi-

experience anything when our personal issues are too

ences with many people compose and identify certain

loud o demand too much of our minds. The question

personal tendencies that eventually combine to form

is whether a person has the inner clarity to plug in and

our personal destinies.

take part in all the challenges of relationships. Consider how every good book and film has a cast of Every characterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role requires a stage to play it upon,

characters, a collection of personalities that come

people to live and work with, and a goal. Personal

together to form the story. Each charakter is chal-

convictions and beliefs from the foundation of what

lenged with new experiences, various disturbances,

we choose to do. the disturbances and crises we con-

and ultimately, the definition of goals. In real life, once

front during our lives eventually lead to a deepened

we start working towards our goals and acting out our

understanding of relationships. We shape our personal

intentions, we are confronted with many challenges of

experiences by the manifestation of our will, beliefs,

work, study, family life, community, and politics that

attitudes, personal charakter, and physical effort. Des-

are filled with various intricate lessons to learn. We are

tiny, then, is the result of what we believe our personal

also challenged by conflicts that demand insight and

behaviour, the people we interact with, and the general

increasing maturity to resolve. Ultimately, our lives

conditions in our lives.

lead to a climax, such as graduation, promotion, or the advancement into mid-life.

We are also challenged by conflicts that demand insight and increasing maturity to resolve. Ultimately, our lives lead to a climax, such as graduation, promotion, or the advancement into mid-life. We then set out with a new resolve, maybe as leaders, cooperators, or loafers, concluding our lives with either a happy or an unfortunate ending. The true success of our lives depends on the quality of our relationships, our attitudes, our use of time, and our ability to understand what motivates us in the first place. Healthy life is possibile for us all, but we must open our minds and hearts to the complexity of the self-discipline we need to honestly take care of our personal selves and all our relationships. In real life, the daily choices we make regarding what to do with our time, who to spend it with, and what we need to accomplish are just moments in time, yet they slowly but surely determine the destany of our efforts. Our destinies largely depend upon the way we perceive and express our selves. Behind every choice is a belief or preconceived idea of what we expect and want to happen. The role that a character plays is conducted according to those underlying beliefs any person has about his or her self, family, friends, and colleagues. These beliefs and preconceived ideas form the personal perspective on situations and influence the manner in which we act.

olanum

Lyc o p e r s i c o n M i ll .

Challenging evolution: how GMOs can influence genetic diversity?

WHO IS THE BOSS ?

It was just a matter of time before Eugenics met Cli-

U.N. are tracking this discussion and are alarmed. In

mate Change. Even if it sounds like science fiction and

a recent press release, the U.N. stated, 5 October

absurd speculation, the discussion is taking place now

2015—Warning that rapid advances in genetics make

in scientific circles.

“designer babies” an increasing possibility, a United Nations panel today called for a moratorium on “edit-

In fact, this is the ultimate application of science to the

ing” the human genome, pending wider public debate

human condition. For instance, designer babies might

lest changes in DNA be transmitted to future genera-

be genetically engineered to be smaller as adults: This

tions or foster eugenics.

would proportionally reduce their carbon footprint.Or genes might be inserted to improve night vision. That

While acknowledging the therapeutic value of genetic

would allow nighttime lighting requirements to be

interventions, the panel stressed that the process

reduced, thus saving boatloads of energy and reduc-

raises serious concerns, especially if the editing of the

ing carbon. Other ideas are increased body hair could

human genome should be applied to the germline,

keep you warm in the winter to save on heating oil and

thereby introducing hereditary modifications.

less intelligence so you wouldn’t be so tempted to be greedy and over-consume earth’s resources. Well of

“Gene therapy could be a watershed in the history of

course: Everyone knows that simple-minded people

medicine and genome editing is unquestionably one

don’t have strong materialistic aspirations.

of the most promising undertakings of science for the sake of all humankind,” the UN Educational, Scientific

Somebody might even get the idea to combine all

and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in anews

these traits at once to suggest the ideal human design

release on a report by its International Bioethics Com-

to fight climate change: short, hairy, simple-minded

mittee (IBC).

with cat-like eyes to see better at night than in the daytime. Can you imagine a world full of Ewoks? This stuff is so disturbing that even the United Nations—the global home of climate-change religion—is warning against it. Apparently, people at the

hierarchy

o r c h u s a rv e n s i s

THE REORIENTING SYSTEM OF THE HUMAN BRAIN Survival can depend on the ability to change a cur-

novel and unexpected stimuli is defined here as a reori-

rent course of action to respond to potentially advan-

enting response. Reorienting may occur between

tageous or threatening stimuli. This “reorienting”

two environmental stimuli, such as when we orient

response involves the coordinated action of a right

to the siren of an ambulance while reading a news-

hemisphere dominant ventral frontoparietal network

paper, or between an internally directed activity and

that interrupts and resets ongoing activity and a dor-

the environment, as when the same siren interrupts a

sal frontoparietal network specialized for selecting and

train of thought. While several autonomic and motor

linking stimuli and responses. At rest, each network is

responses can be triggered by novel sensory stimuli

distinct and internally correlated, but when attention is

through subcortical reflexes that are largely automatic

focused, the ventral network is suppressed to prevent

and unconscious, more recent work indicates that

reorienting to distracting events. These different pat-

this adaptive behavior involves a complex interaction

terns of recruitment may reflect inputs to the ventral

between cortical systems specialized for the selec-

attention network from the locus coeruleus/norepi-

tion of sensory information. A dorsal frontoparietal

nephrine system. While originally conceptualized as

(or dorsal attention) network enables the selection of

a system for redirecting attention from one object to

sensory stimuli based on internal goals or expectations

another, recent evidence suggests a more general role

(goal-driven attention) and links them to appropriate

in switching between networks, which may explain

motor responses. A ventral frontoparietal (or ventral

recent evidence of its involvement in functions such as

attention) network detects salient and behaviorally

social cognition.

relevant stimuli in the environment, especially when unattended (stimulus-driven attention). These sys-

To safely navigate the environment, survive, and

tems dynamically interact during normal perception to

reproduce, animals and people must rapidly select sen-

determine where and what we attend to.

sory information that is relevant to their goals (e.g., routes, food, mates). They must also quickly redirect their attention and change their course of action when faced with novel, potentially threatening, or rewarding stimuli. The complex set of adjustments in response to

ELEGEGO INDICUS FLAVUS

Human brains evolved to be more 20

responsive to environmental influences

University may have unearthed another piece of the

“We found that the anatomy of the chimpanzee brain is

puzzle. In a study published on Nov. 16, scientists dis-

more strongly controlled by genes than that of human

covered that human brains exhibit more plasticity,

brains, suggesting that the human brain is extensively

propensity to be modeled by the environment, than

shaped by its environment no matter its genetics,”

chimpanzee brains and that this may have accounted

said Aida Gómez-Robles, postdoctoral scientist at the

for part of human evolution.

GW Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobi-

ology and lead author on the paper.

This study, the first of its kind to examine the heritability of brain organization in chimpanzees compared to

“The human brain appears to be much more respon-

humans, provides a clue as to why humans are so capa-

sive to enviromental influences”, said dr. Gomez -

ble of adapting to various environments and cultures.

Robles. “It’s something that facilitates the constant

adaptation of the human brain and behavior to the

The research team studied 218 human brains and 206

changing environment, which includesour social and

chimpanzee brains to compare two things: brain size

cultural context.”

and organization as related to genetic similarity. The human brains were from twins (identical and fraternal) or siblings; the chimpanzee brains had a variety of kinship relationships, including mothers and offspring or half siblings. The study found that human and chimpanzee brain size were both greatly influenced by genetics. In contrast, the findings related to brain organization were different for chimpanzees and humans. In chimpanzees, brain organization is also highly heritable, but in humans this is not the case.

HOW THE FIBONACCI NUMBERS EXPRESSED IN NATURE

You won’t find Fibonacci numbers everywhere in the

produces a branch, resulting in two growth points. The

natural world -- many plants and animals express dif-

main trunk then produces another branch, resulting in

ferent number sequences. And just because a series

three growth points.

of numbers can be applied to an object, that doesn’t necessarily imply there’s any correlation between fig-

Then the trunk and the first branch produce two more

ures and reality. As with numerological superstitions

growth points, bringing the total to five. This pattern

such as famous people dying in sets of three, some-

continues, following the Fibonacci numbers. Addi-

times a coincidence is just a coincidence. But, Fibo-

tionally, if you count the number of petals on a flower,

nacci numbers appear in nature often enough to prove

you’ll often find the total to be one of the numbers in

that they reflect some naturally occurring patterns. You

the Fibonacci sequence. For example, lilies and irises

can commonly spot these by studying the manner in

have three petals, buttercups and wild roses have five,

which various plants grow. Here are a few examples:

delphiniums have eight petals and so on.

Seed heads, pinecones, fruits and vegetables: Look at the array of seeds in the center of a sunflower and

Take a good look at this Romanesco cauliflowerits spi-

you’ll notice what looks like spiral patterns curving

ral follows the Fibonacci sequence.

left and right. Amazingly, if you count these spirals,

Honeybees: A honeybee colony consists of a queen,

your total will be a Fibonacci number. Divide the spi-

a few drones and lots of workers. The female bees

rals into those pointed left and right and you’ll get two

(queens and workers) all have two parents, a drone and

consecutive Fibonacci numbers. You can decipher spi-

a queen. Drones, on the other hand, hatch from unfer-

ral patterns in pinecones, pineapples and cauliflower

tilized eggs. This means they have only one parent.

that also reflect the Fibonacci sequence in this manner.

Therefore, Fibonacci numbers express a drone’s family

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tree in that he has one parent, two grandparents, three

Flowers and branches: Some plants express the Fibo-

great-grandparents and so forth.

nacci sequence in their growth points, the places where tree branches form or split. One trunk grows until it

GOLDEN RATIO

elianthus annuus

The Fibonacci numbers are Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s numbering system. They appear everywhere in Nature, from the leaf arrangement in plants, to the pattern of the florets of a flower, the bracts of a pinecone, or the scales of a pineapple. The Fibonacci numbers are therefore applicable to the growth of every living thing, including a single cell, a grain of wheat, a hive of bees, and even all of mankind. Plants do not know about this sequence - they just grow in the most efficient ways. Many plants show the Fibonacci numbers in the arrangement of the leaves around the stem. Some pine cones and fir cones also show the numbers, as do daisies and sunflowers. Sunflowers can contain the number 89, or even 144. Many other plants, such as succulents, also show the numbers. Some coniferous trees show these numbers in the bumps on their trunks. And palm trees show the numbers in the rings on their trunks. Why do these arrangements occur? In the case of leaf arrangement, or phyllotaxis, some of the cases may be related to maximizing the space for each leaf, or the average amount of light falling on each one. Even a tiny advantage would come to dominate, over many generations. In the case of close-packed leaves in cabbages and succulents the correct arrangement may be crucial for availability of space.

25 In the seeming randomness of the natural world, we can find many instances of mathematical order involving the Fibonacci numbers themselves and the closely related â&#x20AC;&#x153;Goldenâ&#x20AC;? elements.

Sylwia Klecha HumanCrop Magazine Hochschule Rhein-Waal Editorial Design SoSe 2017