How can this affect my life? Or anyone else's? It's great, that they found this tree, but I fail to see how ANYONE could give a damn about this.

The tree can possibly yield genetical information that can be used to enhance date trees in general. That could provide better crops and a more abundant food supply in various parts of the world, which in turn would make them less dependable on economic and material aid. Which could affect the life of Sir Degrader.
It is a new source of information. Information is our lifeblood.

It looks like any other plant! (To me at least :D )

Those two women are hotties. ;)

But for real. I think this is a great find. Maybe some star can come out with a new perfume line. [img]smile.gif[/img]

<font color="cyan">I disagree, although it's not in my field of interest, I do find it interesting. It's great news, who knows where this can lead. Maybe nowhere, but you never know.

Jurrasic Park may be possible yet!!! [img]tongue.gif[/img] </font>

Pretty interesting! Unbelievable that a seed that old could be planted and actually grow. I hope it continues to live! [img]smile.gif[/img]

<font color=skyblue>Yes, it is incredible that she was able to get it to germinate. I hope that this will result in bringing back that ancient fruit! They'll be as expensive as hell in my lifetime, but maybe they have some medicinal properties like ancient texts suggests. Afterall...this woman studies plants that have claims of medicinal benefits...and she has proved some of them scientifically, as she mentioned in the article.

Heck, just to taste one that supposed to have never again been available to us in this mordern world would be worth some $$$</font>

[ 06-14-2005, 11:45 AM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

Uses ranged from afrodsiac to contraceptive.

...


I think that says it all.

<font color=skyblue>I'll just finish your sentence where you stopped as the quote goes on in saying..."-- and as a cure for a wide range of diseases including cancer, malaria and toothache."

We can always hope that those guys back in the day had reason to believe that these things can do what they claimed. </font>

Larry, you realy need to grow up, or at least grow a sense of humor.

You might feel the need to moan about all the bad things in the world, but some of us choose to enjoy the good while we can.

in other words, stop pissing on the fire.

<font color="cyan">Lol, you can tell your English [img]graemlins/lol.gif[/img] </font>

All Larry did was quote part of the article. Don't go jumping down somebody's throat because they have a different opinion than yours.

Anyway, I guess this tree isn't extinct anymore! I hope good can come of this. A small part of me thinks that maybe this type of tree is extinct for a reason.

<font color="cyan">And you can tell your American [img]graemlins/lol.gif[/img]

Nah man, Larry didn't do anything wrong, so dain't worry about it!

But, in the end, it was only a joke.</font>

What gave it away the tag. ;)

<font color="cyan">And you can tell your American [img]graemlins/lol.gif[/img]

Nah man, Larry didn't do anything wrong, so dain't worry about it!

But, in the end, it was only a joke.</font> </font>[/QUOTE]And *I* can tell you're bad at grammar :D :D :D

At what point was he moaning “about all the bad things in the world”? [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img]

I was using part of the artical as humor, he was trying to spoil the effect.

so he killed your bad unfunny joke, what's the big frelling deal?

http://img225.echo.cx/img225/752/stopgrammartime8rl.gif (This one never gets old!)

[ 06-14-2005, 11:30 PM: Message edited by: krunchyfrogg ]

<font color="cyan">Lol @ Krunchy.

And I'll have you know that I am not bad at grammar. My A-level in English Literature & Language shows this.

Ah thankyou.

But, I must admit I get into the habit of typing as if I was on MSN, so you're becomes your and don't becomes daint.

It's a bad habit, but when I concentrate it comes out alright!</font>

<font color=skyblue>Well, since I am 29 and you are 22, that will end the worry about me growing up.

My wife loves me for my great sense of humor, so we have that one covered too.

Moaning about the bad in the world? I think my post was rather upbeat about the prospects...so I don't know where you're going there.

Pissing on the fire? It is my job to piss on flames and flamers here on Ironworks. :D

If I embarrassed you with my post, I apologize. (What?! Larry said he was sorry for something?!?!) It was not my intention to make you feel as dumb as the joke you tried to make. I just wanted to finish the quote so that people could understand how positive and cheery the news made me feel at the discovery.
[img]smile.gif[/img] See? I'm smiling!</font>

Your saying your more mature than me because your older?


You realy need to get you some learning.

Wow, someone call the Grammar Nazi.

As for "getting some learning" lets see, using "your" instead of "you're", "realy" instead of "really", and then the horrible grammar of saying "get you some learning" I really hope that was intentional or my faith in public education just got worse that it has ever been.

If you are going to criticize someone elses education and maturity level,
at least take the time to correct your own post.

[ 06-15-2005, 11:20 AM: Message edited by: Morgeruat ]

That's because you're no tree-hugging hippy like the rest of us. You know you want to! Give in to it! Join us!! [img]graemlins/hippysmile.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/1daisy.gif[/img]

[ 06-15-2005, 11:22 AM: Message edited by: Link ]

*pssst... I'm only in it for the weed* ;)

[img]tongue.gif[/img] j/k

Sheesh such bitterness on a topic of a Tree LOL. Reminds me of a ridiculous argument from years ago that started about Wolves. Gah I can't believe I just read "get you some learnin" [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

Wow, someone call the Grammar Nazi.

As for "getting some learning" lets see, using "your" instead of "you're", "realy" instead of "really", and then the horrible grammar of saying "get you some learning" I really hope that was intentional or my faith in public education just got worse that it has ever been.

If you are going to criticize someone elses education and maturity level,
at least take the time to correct your own post. </font>[/QUOTE]:D [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

Indeed LadyZ. I keep seeing this topic move to the top with a new fresh entry and faithfully look at it thinking "let it be someone with botanical insight giving us some useful information". But no, it's just another grammar stabbing. Fortunately I can always claim ignorance since English is not my first language.

Which means you probably speak it better than the natives :D :D It wasn't my first language either, but it is now my main language and I know I speak it better than 90% of people born in english territory :D

[ 06-15-2005, 12:54 PM: Message edited by: Vaskez ]

I don’t think he actually said he was more mature then you are. However, your posts and his make it extremely obvious which one of you is “more” mature then the other. [img]smile.gif[/img]


I didn’t read some of the last few post, so I apologize for mine. I agree it is way off subject and unnecessary.

[ 06-15-2005, 12:55 PM: Message edited by: Bumbus ]

Regardless, my friend, in thy useage of the English language I have found little proof of severe molestation of words, nouns and/or grammar. Be pleased with thineself, for it is likely that thy language control bests even some of the native speakers that inhabit these boards. I salute you!

[ 06-15-2005, 12:55 PM: Message edited by: Link ]

<font color=skyblue>Here's a worthy post. I actually did not know what a date palm tree looked like, and so found this website that has a picture of one of today's breed. I guess "Methuselah" will appear similar to this one.


http://www.dipbot.unict.it/Palms/descr02.html


Here is a pic with a guy hanging from the tree, which I just included for humor.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4086348.stm
</font>

[ 06-15-2005, 01:13 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

Let's just leave off the grammar and maturity topics for some other thread. If you don't like someone's opinion, discuss your disagreement with the opinion, don't toss names at them.


Ok, how about talking about extinct and ressurected species of trees/plants etc. I for one, think it's rather interesting that they found this specimen and may bring it back for study. Learning new things about date palms and or the properties of this particular one, maybe even get clues to how and why it died off in the first place, who knows? It's fascinating stuff!

right, so do we start the betting pool now? is the tree male or female? (if the tree is male then barring another miracle sprout it's merely delayed the end of the species)

I got 5 posts that say it's female.

ps you can't pull down the tree's underpants to find out either [img]tongue.gif[/img]

http://www.queenofwands.net/d/20020925.html
http://www.queenofwands.net/d/20040204.html

Hmmm...good point. Unless it's one of the types of plants that self-pollinates (and I have NO clue if that is so) I wonder if they will have to use some sort of "cloning" type techniques to revive the species...

LOL, I wonder if it could be both? Some plants have both female and male 'parts' on one plant and pollenate themselves (or bees/wind or other bugs do it for them). I don't know much about date palms, so I couldn't say! I'll vote for both or female. Uh, that's two votes, I guess! LOL!

LOL, I wonder if it could be both? Some plants have both female and male 'parts' on one plant and pollenate themselves (or bees/wind or other bugs do it for them). I don't know much about date palms, so I couldn't say! I'll vote for both or female. Uh, that's two votes, I guess! LOL! </font>[/QUOTE]Lol, fair enough. The original article mentioned that Date Palms are either one or the other, as well as having some other fairly fascinating info (and much longer than the BBC edit of the article Larry posted)

Most plants are hermaphrodites. That does not necesarily mean that they can produce offspring by themselves as many species have compatibility genes to prevent inbreeding.
In this case we have to hope that
1) The plant does not have compatibility genes or
2) More seedlings can be produced
The second option is clearly the optimum as it will give better genetical diversity and therefore more information for the scientists to work with.

As I understand it is not the same species as the regular date palm, but merely related to it. As a cultivated plant it does not thrive in nature (as an analogy imagine corn growing in the woods - big seeds that cannot be dispersed and a high demand for nutrients. It would be doomed outside the field) and I suspect it went extinct when war upon war in the area disrupted cultivation for a prolonged period. It seems to grow well in ecotypes similar to the Middle East - a climate I imagine is not optimal for normal date palms.

EDIT: Typo

EDIT: Apparently Date trees are dioecious. That is a big problem for the project. New stock can be produced from cutting, but that is not a workable solution in the long run as they will be clones of the original.

[ 06-15-2005, 02:17 PM: Message edited by: mad=dog ]