Awakening the Heart of Dolphins The Secrets of Free Diving Dive in one breath, and you encounter yourself. This is the essence of why free diving is called underwater meditation. The year is 1957. Miami. A robust 30-year-old man with rich black hair and a thin mustache enters the aquarium. His name is Jacques Mayol, an editor for the French newspaper « La Floride Française » and a correspondent for Radio-Canada. He has been assigned to report on the first underwater surgery performed on a grouper living in one of the tanks. In his autobiography, « Homo Delphinus, » written 43 years later, Mayol reflects, « Unbeknownst to me, I was about to take a […]
Tomatoes never betray. In a world with approximately 7,000 varieties of tomatoes, only 2% of them are currently cultivated. Once, all seeds were a common heritage, shared by everyone. Today, we are returning to this model through initiatives like « Open Source Seed » and « Guerrilla Gardening. » Why not become a guerrilla gardener yourself? Rebuilding the Stream Currently, seven companies control 70% of the world’s seed market. Monsanto, in particular, has systematically dominated the seed market since the 1990s and holds patents for the majority of genetically modified plants. This not only entails economic control by corporations and the loss of biodiversity but also signifies the closure of seed cycles (effectively obtaining […]
Cashmere, a wool originating from the region of the same name in the Indian subcontinent during the 15th century, holds a significant presence. Sajjad Hussain / AFP According to a report released by the market research and consulting firm Grand View Research in 2019, the global cashmere market in the apparel sector, which reached $26.6 billion in 2018, is predicted to grow at an annual rate of approximately 3.96% from 2019 to 2025. The surge in demand is associated with the essential characteristics of Kashmir wool produced in the region spanning Pakistan, India, and China during the 15th century, characterized by « softness, » « fineness, » « resilience, » and « warmth. » This aligns with the […]
The popularity of the Moomins has reached unprecedented heights. Now, 75 years later, the origin of the Moomins reveals the reasons behind their enduring charm. On the anniversary of Tove Jansson’s debut, « The Moomins and the Great Flood, » born during wartime, we reflect on her works and ponder why they continue to be beloved. Even if you’re not familiar with Tove Jansson’s comics, adored worldwide, you surely know the Moomins. Like iconic characters such as Winnie the Pooh and Peanuts, you’ve likely seen these round, upright creatures with a mix of bear and horse features on book covers, cards, bed sheets, and television, radiating kindness with curious eyes. But if […]
La jungle, notre guérisseuse Thérapie botanique en Amérique centrale et du Sud D’abord, le botaniste a préparé une décoction de diverses plantes, puis il a rempli une bouteille avec un remède fabriqué à partir d’une plante connue sous le nom de « langue de serpent ». Ce traitement s’est avéré remarquablement efficace. En février de cette année, j’étais au Panama pour recueillir du matériel en vue d’un livre sur les peuples autochtones Naso, qui vivent dans les forêts tropicales de bois dur le long de la rivière Teribe, dans la région de Bocas del Toro. J’avais attrapé un étrange rhume. Dans l’humidité élevée, avec les stridulations nocturnes des criquets, je peinais à […]
In the heart of the rugged Himalayan landscapes, where the mountains stand as ancient sentinels, an unnamed wanderer found himself in the company of a creature as mystical as the peaks themselves—a wild yak. This is the tale of an encounter that transcended the ordinary, a communion with the untamed, and a conversation that unraveled the enigmatic mysteries of our Earth. Amidst the craggy terrain of Ladakh, where the air is thin, and time seems to echo through the valleys, our wanderer stumbled upon a lone yak, its shaggy coat blending seamlessly with the raw beauty of the surroundings. Wanderer: « Greetings, majestic one. What secrets do you guard in the […]
In the ethereal realm where Earth touches the sky, there lies a sentinel of solitude, a behemoth in the Himalayan tapestry – Stok Kangri. Venturing into the heart of this celestial kingdom, I embarked on an odyssey that transcended the physical conquest of altitude; it became a symphony, a harmonious dance with the very soul of the Himalayas. The journey commenced amidst the aromatic whispers of juniper, the vibrant prayer flags fluttering as spiritual sentinels, invoking blessings for the arduous ascent. The trail unveiled itself gradually, a labyrinth of jagged crags and icy precipices that demanded not just physical prowess but a surrender to the unseen forces orchestrating the theater […]
In the vast expanse of the ocean, there exists a whale with a mysterious presence. This whale is known as « 52, » not so much a name as a representation of the frequency of its vocalizations in hertz, a measured value. It is said that this whale has been singing for many years. Unfortunately, other whales, quite literally, do not resonate with his frequency. Perhaps they hear his voice, but his song is so distinct from theirs that they cannot comprehend it, never responding. Nevertheless, 52 persists in calling out. He continues to sing. Into the abyss of oblivion, a lone voice echoes across the sea. This melancholic, solitary existence, akin […]
Parallel Rainbow Birds sway their feathers with ultraviolet light, and lizards cling to rocks with infrared light. The world of colors for these creatures extends far beyond the spectrum available to humans. The cosmos brims with photons. Like plump and radiant cherries soaked in sweet liqueur, the universe emits radiation, casting particles of light in all directions. Within the universe, monstrous celestial bodies made of heavy elements release various types of radiation in every direction. Here, beneath the umbrella of the cosmos, I lie on a rigid road forgotten by the wheels of a car. The nearby Białowieża Forest breathes in the night, and the dome of warm July air […]
For centuries, the people of Changpa have gracefully tread the Himalayan plateau. Now, they confront the repercussions of climate change. The vanishing of culture is not a sudden applause into the abyss, akin to the extinction of species. It is a slow fading of a way of life, an endless struggle to maintain identity in a world that keeps revolving while condemning them in myths. Skarma Lakpa, dwelling in the vast lands of the Himalayas in Ladakh, India, is a man well acquainted with the battle for survival. He seeks to seize every opportunity to connect with the version of himself that lived many years ago. Lakpa belongs to the […]
