Free Science Databases Have A Big Problem

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The primary way that researchers know anything about the distribution of species in the natural world is via the specimen collections housed in museums all around the world. As a result, tremendous effort is being put into uploading data on those collections into free and accessible databases. But researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on November 16 have uncovered a big problem: mistaken identities in those collections are incredibly common, at least among tropical plants.

Since the 1970s, the world’s plant collections have more than doubled, but more than 50 percent of tropical specimens, on average, are likely to be incorrectly named, the study suggests.

“Part of the reason for such rampant misidentification is the huge increase in the number of specimens which have been collected in the last 50 years,” says Robert Scotland of the University of Oxford. “The other reason is the lack of expertise in many tropical plant groups. This produces a situation where huge numbers of incoming specimens can overwhelm any efforts to identify them by the few people with the necessary skill.”

This discovery has serious implications for the use of specimen data coming out of those natural history collections. That might sound discouraging, but it’s a problem that can be tackled.

“We estimate it takes £500 ($750) to revise a species, which means for the cost of one world-class footballer–[such as Barcelona megastar] Lionel Messi–it would be possible to monograph the entire flora of tropical plants,” Scotland says.

He and his colleagues say that they are now doing their part by actively exploring new integrated approaches to taxonomy. They’ve brought their techniques together into something they call “foundation monographs,” getting their start with two plant groups.

The findings come as yet another timely reminder of how much there is to learn about biodiversity. “We know so little about the natural world, but we still have a chance to document it properly!” Scotland says.

This report, “Widespread mistaken identity in tropical plant collections,” was funded by the Systematics Association and Linnean Society, the BBSRC & NERC., and was published in Current Biology.

By Stuart Gillespie

Evidence Of Chinese Torture Presented To UN

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“They would pour boiling hot water on us” — Free Tibet submits torture evidence as China reviewed at UN Director meets Committee Against Torture

Campaign group Free Tibet and its research partner Tibet Watch provided oral evidence to the United Nations’ Committee Against Torture Monday, following up their written submission detailing the continued use of torture across Tibet. The groups’ report “Torture in Tibet” contains graphic testimonies from torture survivors, records deaths in custody as a result of torture and details how Tibetan prisoners continue to face degradation, abuse and mental and physical torture.

The submission and presentation form part of the Committee Against Torture’s (CAT) review of China’s compliance with the International Convention Against Torture which the PRC ratified in 1988. China was last reviewed by the committee in 2008, when it found torture across China and Tibet to be “widespread” and “routine” and expressed “great concern” about reported torture and state violence in Tibet.

“Torture in Tibet” (co-authored with Tibetan political prisoner association Gu Chu Sum) records the testimony of Gonpo Thinley, jailed following the 2008 Uprising in Tibet:

“They tortured us using electric batons, metallic water pipes and handcuffs. If our answers didn’t satisfy the interrogator, they would pour boiling hot water on us. They also tied both hands up on the ceiling and beat us on our feet with batons. We were hanging above the ground. Sometimes they also used electric batons in our mouth, which caused us to lose consciousness. During cold days or winter, we were put in cold water.”

A monk who wished to remain anonymous reported:

“They made us stand up in the sun for hours, even for the whole day following every interrogation, because we didn’t say anything. One of my friends was tied to the flagpole in the centre of the government campus for two days and two nights without food and water. They shoved me down over pieces of broken glass spread on the ground and beat me a lot with batons after I’d refused to confess. They said we were like animals because we said nothing in between beatings.”

In February, the three Tibet organisations submitted an initial joint report to CAT, providing case studies of tortured prisoners and those at risk of torture and detailing breaches of the Convention’s requirements. The committee subsequently raised these issues and cases with China as part of the preliminaries to the review. China’s delegation will be questioned by the committee on Tuesday and CAT’s final report will be issued early in 2016.

Free Tibet and Tibet Watch director Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren said:

“In their responses so far, China would have us believe that there is no torture in Tibet and our evidence is false. Today we will be urging the Committee Against Torture to press for answers on the questions China would rather avoid. If the Committee’s past performance is anything to go by then tomorrow we’ll see China squirm under international scrutiny and be asked to account for the Tibetans who have been convicted on the basis of confessions extracted by supposedly illegal torture and those who have left Chinese prisons either dead or permanently injured by years of torture and abuse.”

By Alistair Currie

Paris Attacked At Bataclan And Other Locations

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Coordinated attacks struck Paris Friday night, leaving over 150 dead from gunshots and explosions. After a hostage situation began at the Bataclan Theatre, French police and military laid siege, killing at least three terrorists. Others died by bombs strapped to their bodies.

French President Francois Hollande ordered a national state of emergency, including the closure of the countries borders (not yet fully implemented at time of this report). Paris offices, schools, museums, libraries, sports halls, swimming pools and markets will be closed, but airports, flights and trains will continue service.

Before the attacks began, it was just another Friday night in the European city.

Shooting erupted in at least four locations. Within minutes, dozens were confirmed dead, and a group of terrorists took hostages at the Bataclan Theatre. Police and military raided this group, neutralizing them. Several terrorists were killed at this location after killing 100 others. Eye-witnesses reported one attacker shouted “Allah Akbar” before opening fire, while another spoke of French military action in Syria before escaping through a fire exit. The attackers were not disguised in ski masks, reportedly.

Paris was left in confusion and turmoil as the first curfew was enacted since the German occupation last century.

1,500 additional French soldiers were mobilized in the city.

The death count currently sits at over 150, making it the largest attack in France since WWII. France was already on heightened security after the attack on Charlie Hebdo in January which killed 12 and injured 11.  Since that time, France has reported neutralizing at least five Islamist terrorist attacks, and it is widely reported that French citizens were expecting this attack.

Hollande traveled to the Bataclan within hours of the attacks, and an announcement was made that he would remain in France rather than attend the upcoming G20 meeting in Turkey.

“We wanted to be here, among all those who saw these atrocious things, to say that we will lead the fight and it will be merciless,” the French president told the nation from the location of the night’s deadliest scene.

Prepaid VISA cards require registration for online puchases

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I’ve mostly used prepaid Mastercards in the past. Today I tried to use a prepaid VISA card, and my transaction was declined. I talked to the recipient of the attempted transaction (a company) and they said to try the card, because it was declined.

I called VISA’s number on the back of their card. Foreign (Indian) reception service, and got through to the phone menu on the third call (first two said ‘Busy, call again later’). She was helpful and polite, though, and her English was understandable.

However, to use the prepaid VISA, she informed me, I had to register, either with her on the phone or online. What is required? Phone number, email and address. I said I’d just get a Mastercard, thanked her, and hung up.

POINT: VISA’s prepaids require you to register your phone number, email and address with them before you use them online. (I’m not sure if you also need to register to use them in a store. If anyone knows, comment it, please). Mastercards have not required this (in my experience).