Chlorpyrifos – Demon Pesticide or Demonized?

A pesticide has hit the news this week, although these issues are always rumbling away in the background long before they hit the mainstream media (which includes Facebook and Twitter, of course). Chlorpyrifos was the subject of a petition which activists had hoped would allow the substance to be banned Continue Reading

Wolfsbane – A plant that bites back. A cautionary tale.

The plant genus Aconitum is known by a number of common names, including ‘Wolfsbane’ and ‘Monkshood’. As is often the case with common names, they derive from superstitious or actual significance. I believe the name ‘Wolfsbane’ comes from it’s use as a poison against wolves, which for a long time Continue Reading