Discussion topic for your family evenings

[Chickadee]

Baby Jesus, King Balthazar, exotism, perfumes, ecology, boating, all in one!

here

Myrrh finds a new role in fending off ship barnacles

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They are already developing slug repellents made from the resin of myrrh, now they are looking at making paints for ships to keep off barnacles.

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"In medieval times Arab ship builders would seal their boats with myrrh which appeared to prevent wood-boring molluscs from making holes in the wooden hull.

"Even in Victorian times the resin formed part of a recipe used by the Navy to paint and preserve wooden decks.

"The plant uses these to seal or plug any wounds made in the bark. Many of the natural chemicals in the resin will repel insect pests and attract others to eat the pests in a subtle chemical warfare. Some of the chemicals defend the tree from bacterial and fungal attack and modern chemical analysis shows the mixture to contain antibiotic and antifungal compounds many of which are new to science.

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"Research work has shown the resin and some of its extracted chemicals can be used in an anti-fouling paint to protect ships and marine installations and international collaboration is producing significant new formulations.

"These formulations prevent the settlement and growth of barnacles, limpets and other molluscs and hopefully may eventually replace the current toxic products that are based on organo-tin.

Copper, myrrh, what's next ? Gold, diamonds ? Isn't boating expensive enough or what ?

[safewalrus]

So tha's why old "Juliet Charlie" became a fisherman! had to use those presents somehow!

[Chickadee]

Originally Posted by safewalrus

So tha's why old "Juliet Charlie" became a fisherman! had to use those presents somehow!

Maybe you are on to something here... and it seems the man was quite successful, lots were caught in his nets !

But there's a new gospel today, and we need more articles like that, so we can all believe in a good-smelling and Sustainable™ Brave New World.

[safewalrus]

All for that thought! Especially the pleasant smell! Most veggies smell of methane (it's what they eat!) So will there be research done into this we ask? Doubt it this could be useful? But we live in Hope (well actually I live in Cornwall but Hope is just around the corner)!

[Bergalia]

Originally Posted by safewalrus

But we live in Hope (well actually I live in Cornwall but Hope is just around the corner)!

I thought Hope was in Wales. Seem to remember as a youth getting dreadfully drunk and forgetting to change trains at Crewe, and waking to find myself in North Wales (one has to be dreadfully drunk to go anywhere near Wales of course) and by instinct heading towards the sea but by nightfall finding myself in the village of Hope. A village so stunningly awful that its only tilt at levity was to boast (in a Welsh accent) "We live in Hope - but die in Cygwerlly" (site of the local graveyard).
Dai bach, die...

[safewalrus]

So that's why I'm the way I am - I was brought up in North Wales! Were the men are men and the sheep are worried

[Bergalia]

Originally Posted by safewalrus

So that's why I'm the way I am - I was brought up in North Wales! Were the men are men and the sheep are worried

Brain's Beer, Walrus, had us all worried. (A brief spell in Cardiff)

[safewalrus]

Luckily it was before I was old enough to discover the demon drink! Probably just as well - I could be a teetoller now (OK I'm going to wash my mouth out with soapy wat . . er beer!)

[Wellydeckhand]

I think the brain in biochemistry would have though grafting barnicle poison into chain molecules so that it deter the built up but not to the enviroment................ I think they developed socks that kill bacteria or passing by ants....... wonder why.....