The human monopoly on the use of fire: Its origins and conditions

The domestication of fire was a major breakthrough in the sociocultural development of humankind, puttingHomo at a tremendous advantage over other species. In this paper an attempt is. made to reconstruct the first stages of the domestication process, with special emphasis upon its socio-psychological aspects as a ‘civilizing process’. The problem is discussed, first, of what enabled hominid groups to acquire and maintain the learned capacity of handling fire, and, second, of how the control of fire became a species-monopoly shared by all human societies.     

The land ethic at the turn of the millennium

Aldo Leopold's land ethic has proved more complex and subtle than he envisioned. Nevertheless, Leopold launched what, facing a new millennium, has proved urgent on the global agenda: an environmental ethics concerned in theory and practice about appropriate respect for values carried by the natural world and human responsibilities for the sustaining of these values. A blending of anthropocentric and biocentric values continues to be vital. These duties toward nature involve analysis of ecosystem integrity and evolutionary dynamism at both scientific and philosophical levels; any responsible environmental policy must be based on plausible accounts of ecosystems and a sustainable biosphere. Humans and this planet have entwined destinies. We now envision an Earth ethic beyond the land ethic.     

沙漠精灵——西域沙虎

西域沙虎是壁虎科中较为少见的种类,也是蜥蜴目中较低等的类群,分布于沙漠绿洲的边缘地带。主要是以蝼蛄、蚊、鳞翅目幼虫、膜翅目和鞘翅目昆虫为食;国内仅分布在甘肃、内蒙古和新疆,国外分布于蒙古等国。其不但憨态可掬、惹人喜爱,也是著名的有益动物,应很好地加以保护利用。