Guns, Germs, and Steel Book Review

This is a curious book indeed, written by Jared Diamond, this book looks into the history of the world. It tests the balance of all civilizations, pushing deeply into what causes the scale of chaos to tip. The author Jared dug his way through history and discovered a pattern which reoccurred over and over again. He pointed out this theory several times, each time connecting the fall of a civilization no matter how big or how small. He made many other connections with none civilized lands as well, pointing out the pattern in extinctions of wild life like the Dodo bird that was wiped out by domestic dogs and over hunting. He brilliantly explains everything throughout the book making sure to clarify things as not to confuse his audience. He does his best to avoid being biased about just one side of the story, but does not shy away form any details that are important for the book. There may be hints of bias argument within the book making Europeans to look like a villain but he tries his best to avoid this in the many pages of the book.
This book brings more light to societies like sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas (before they were discovered by the Europeans), Islands of Southeast Asia, Australia, New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands. Most history only becomes known to us through brief writings dating back to 3000 b.c. He continues to go through and explain the significance of his thesis which is very well put in his title. He points out the difference in advancement between societies that would clash, like the Spanish and the Mayan’s or the Aztec’s who were also conquered. The Spanish had guns and explosives, while the Mayan’s had only spears and arrows. The Spanish were too technologically advanced and quickly overwrought the Mayan’s. But slaughter of innocent lives through the purposefully harmful use of guns, wasn’t the only way that these kinds of societies were wiped out.
When the British and the Spanish came over to America, they not only brought over their keepsakes and lives, they brought over diseases which quickly killed thousands of local natives. The Spanish and British lived so close to animals that their bodies carried many kinds of sicknesses like influenza, measles, mumps, smallpox, and more. The Native Americans were so used to living in healthy expanse environments that when the Spanish and British came their virgin immune systems failed and thousands paid the price. This part of their immigration here is mostly unintentional because they didn’t realized what they were doing until it was too late for many. Those who survived became more cautious of the settlers thus expanding to more conflict.
This book gives great detail and cautionary to it’s audience, being cautious on any thing that mat be labeled as biased or unfair. The author Jarred Diamond digs down into the facts of the world, fighting long existing theories with his own. He searches for the truth behind every story, every settlement recorded that occurred in history. He strives to prove the pattern of history, the scale which with the smallest breath tips at fates hand.

Life in a Cubic Foot: Plant Analysis

(Due to this rose bush not blooming we will not be able to identify it until it does so. Basic information will still be posted.)
Most rose bushes (like the one above) are perennial, and bloom once or twice a month. If you want it to continue blooming, cut the flowers off before they are given a chance to pollinate and produce seeds to you can continuously get flowers. Flowers will vary in size based on species and nutrition. Most rose bushes have thorns growing on the stems and branches, though biological bred and certain species have little to none. Violet Carson is a great example of these. Though they don't have many enemies, aphids are a big pest with these flowers.



Sonchus oleraceus
Annual Sowthistle
These perennial wild flowers are often found to be a pest in gardens and get yanked out a lot. Due to their rather large root they must be dug up or carefully pulled out. Since they are just like any other plant they will grow back if you do not remove the entire root. These plants are meant to thrive on very terribly conditions, and have built a useful system for distributing seeds. You may recognise their puffy white tops since most people enjoy picking them and blowing the seeds, allowing them to be distributed. Aphids, as for most plants, it a common pest with this plant but they hardly do damage seeing as they are very strong plants.

Life in a Cubic Foot: Bug Analysis

Spodoptera praefica
Western Yellow Striped Army Worm
Native to the western regions of America.
The worms are a brown color, with a white-yellow/ yellow stripe running down both sides. They typically have a pinkish colored belly. The female can lay between 200 to 500 eggs on the underside of leaves. In the larva stage the worm can grown from 2.0 mm to 35 mm. They eat just about any plant in sight making them a serious threat to crops and agriculture. They then bury themselves into the ground and pupate until they are mature. The adults emerge fully grown with a wing span of 34 to 41 mm. They live for up to 17 days, spending the time reproducing more eggs restarting the whole cycle once again. The worms are vicious little eaters starting on the leaves nearest to them, managing to only skeletonize them. As they grow they disperse over the land consuming whole leaves, fruits, stalks, and plants. These worms can cause serious threat to a crop if not taken care of quickly.
Common enemies are Rogas laphygmae which is a type of wasp that eats the army worms, is a very fast acting and effective species that can quickly take care of these pests and are often bought for crops that are threatened.



Polydesmus Angustus
Flat-backed Millipede
Native to North Western Europe
Such as the name describes, these millipedes are flat with at least 20 sections and from 14 to 25 mm. The most common colors for this species is black or dark brown so that they may blend in with their surroundings. They commonly live under rock, logs, and thick flat piles of dead leaves. Their diet consists of rotting plants and vegetation. They are able to reproduce all throughout late spring to mid fall, creating bunches in the thousands. Though these species are non-native, they are not invasive or threatening to any ecosystem.



Sparganophilus (most likely)
Common Name: Earth Worm
These helpful little guys live in the ground but prefer moist damp soil, which keeps their skin healthy. If it dries out they will die. They love composting plants and vegetables as a big part of their daily diet, eating there body weight's worth. The worm above is not yet mature as his clitella has not formed yet. Clitella is the reproductive system on a worm.



Blapstinus Aciculus
Darkling Beetle
These guys may vary in color from a dark brown to a black or grey coloring. While they are very small they are a common snack to enemies like birds, lizards, and spiders. Their larva are known to most as meal worms, which one can find in just about any pet store. Like butterflies these insects make a cocoon in which they stay in until they have matured into their beetle form. They are able to lay between 400- 500 eggs in the 2 month life span (give or take)that they live.