Image: Conservation International (CI)

Pea-sized frog is the old world's smallest

The smallest frog known on the Asian, European, or African continents -- and one of the world's tiniest frogs -- was found by a group of scientists searching for "lost amphibians." This pea-sized micro-frog belongs to the species of microhylid, which, as the name suggests, is composed of miniature frogs under 15 millimeters. So why was it "lost"? And, excepting the "awww, cute!" factor, why is it important that this tiny frog has been found?

The micro-frog is a "lost" frog because specimens are known from museum collections that are over 100 years old. According to Dr. Das, one of the team behind this discovery, "Scientists presumably thought they were juveniles of other species, but it turns out they are adults of this newly discovered micro species."

The newly taxonomized species has been named Microhyla nepenthicola after the Nepenthes ampullaria, or pitcher plant, that it lives on. Scientists were lured to the frog's location by the micro-frog's call, but the small size of the tiny amphibians (adult males range from 10.6 to 12.8 mm) made them hard to find. Scientists made closer examinations by encouraging the frogs to jump onto sheets of white paper.

Symbiosis with amazing pitcher plants

Pitcher plants are often carnivorous and use their "pitchers" to collect essential nutrients, as exemplified by specimens such as giant, rat-eating pitcher plants and pitcher plant animal toilets.

But the micro-frog lives symbiotically with the stangely shaped plants, named for the globular protuberances which collect and hold water in the damp, shady forests where they grow. The micro-frogs deposit their eggs on the walls of the plant's pitcher, and the tadpoles grow and metamorphose in the still waters.

Amphibians constitute the most threatened members of the animal family; fully one-third of these species faces extinction. Amphibians are important for controlling insects that can spread disease or harm crops, as well as helping to maintain freshwater ecosystems. Yet they may prove to be our "canary in the coal mine."

In the words of Conservation International's Dr Robin Moore, organizer of the search for lost amphibian species: "Amphibians are quite sensitive to changes in their surroundings, so we hope the discovery of these miniature frogs will help us to understand what changes in the global environment are having an impact on these fascinating animals."

Search for lost amphibians

The micro-frog from Borneo is introduced to the world in the taxonomy journal Zootaxa by Drs. Indraneil Das (Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak) and Alexander Haas (Biozentrum Grindel und Zoologisches Museum of Hamburg). The expedition is supported by the Volkswagen Foundation and conducted under the auspices of Conservation International and IUCN's Amphibians Specialist Group, which is conducting a search for lost amphibians.

The search for lost amphibians covers 20 countries on five continents. The updated surveys will "help scientists to understand the recent amphibian extinction crisis."

The next big target for Dr. Das is the Sambas stream toad (Ansonia latidisca) in Indonesia and Malaysia. The toad was last seen in the 1950s. It is believed that increased sedimentation in streams after logging may have contributed to the decline of its population.

See more photos of this micro-frog and pitcher plants on TreeHugger.

More on Frogs:
Nine New Frog Species Discovered: Why You Should Care
More Than 200 New Frogs Discovered in Madagascar: Amphibian Species Doubled
Scientists Discover a Big-Nosed Frog in Indonesia

More on Pitcher Plants:
Giant Rat-Eating Plant Discovered in the Philippines
The Training of the Shrew: Pitcher Plant Evolves Into Toilet
Carnivorous Gadgets Eat Bugs and Mice for Charging Up (Video)

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Hawaii's Bio Beetles offer more than 35 mpg.
(Jim Motavalli photo)

Hawaii is green, or so its boosters tell you incessantly. Of course, you have to ignore the thick smoke from the sugarcane-field-burning operations and the runoff chemicals used to control roadside plants, mountains of tourism-generated waste, plus a huge complement of invasive species.

An encouraging sign is the 30-megawatt wind farm visible from most parts of Maui, providing 10% of the island's electricity. Unfortunately, most of the rest is from diesel oil.

But during a recent stay, I saw some evidence that the islands are starting to really go green, especially when it comes to transportation.

There's not much public transit in Hawaii (a light rail system is still stuck in the planning stage), but there is the Bio Beetle company, which rents a fleet of 20 biodiesel VWs and other cars in Maui. Also on Hawaii's second biggest island, the rapidly growing Maui EVs converts trucks and cars to batteries -- and has a backlog of orders.

The Korean EV company CT&T recently met with Governor Linda Lingle about opening a battery car assembly plant in Hawaii that could put 10,000 cars on the road annually, for local use and export. It's not clear where that plant would be located.

Since August 1, Hawaiian residents have been able to tap into a $4 million state-administered pot of stimulus funds for buying EVs ($4,500 maximum) or installing an EV charging station ($500). Bio Beetle is one of the applicants, hoping to add cars such as the Nissan Leaf to its fleet as soon as that car is available (expected to be at the end of this year).

In my week here, I visited David Noon at Maui EVs, took a ride in his Gem neighborhood vehicle, and saw a Ford Ranger XLT he was converting to run on 23 Optima marine batteries. Another is waiting for conversion, and there's a customer backlog that includes a Hummer H2, Mini and 1950s Studebaker.

Noon also operates Internet-based TV and radio businesses, but he thinks EV conversions are likely to be more lucrative.

David Noon of Maui EV works on converting a Ford Ranger XLT
into an electric car. (Jim Motavalli photo)

I stopped by Bio Beetle near Maui's main airport, and encountered President Shaun Stenshol alternately taking care of stray cats, running a recycling business (Maui's only curbside program) and renting out Jettas, Beetles, and other biodiesel cars.

He sources the 100% biodiesel locally -- Pacific Biodiesel is right down the road. Stenshol's plan is to expand to the other islands, particularly Oahu and the Big Island.

Maui is a funny place. Stenshol is a vegan, and he'll find plenty of places to eat around the island, where there's also a healthy local food movement. But for every green car there's more than one monster truck, which the locals roar around on off-road mountain paths. This despite some of the highest gasoline prices in the nation, $4 a gallon for premium.

The Honolulu Advertiser predicts that there will be 10,000 EVs on Hawaii's roads in five years, and 43,000 in 10 years. That's not a huge dent in the million cars with tailpipes on those roads now, but it's a start.

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More from The Daily Green:

• Six Innovative Solar Powered Vehicles
• Six Hot New Electric Cars Soon to Hit Showrooms
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• Eight Alternative Fuels That Could Replace Oil
• 15 Things You Should Repair Instead of Toss Out

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

(Photo: Getty Images)

It's impossible to avoid all the potential dangers in life. But some dangers lurking in the home are easily avoided if you're armed with the right info.

Below are six accidents-waiting-to-happen and what you can do to prevent them. What do you think is missing from this list? Share other hidden, but easily preventable dangers in the comments section.   

1. Mixing some cleaning products

Toxic gases can form when you use multiple cleaning products at the same time. Chloramine gas, which can be highly irritating to your lungs, forms when you mix ammonia with chlorine bleach. Mixing chlorine bleach with an acid-based product (like toilet bowl and oven cleaners, drain openers, or vinegar) can release chlorine gas, another lung-irritating fume.

Most household cleaners do not have ingredients listed on the label so it's hard to know exactly what's in a product. Chlorine bleach is often found in mildew stain removers and some bath and toilet cleaners. Glass, bathroom, and floor cleaners may contain ammonia. Try to choose cleaners that have their ingredients listed and avoid mixing cleaning products. Better yet, raid your pantry for cleaners or buy affordable nontoxic cleaners that really work.

2. Mold

Molds are fungi that can cause allergic reactions, wheezing, and other respiratory issues. They thrive in warm, damp, and humid environments.

It's difficult to find and get rid of mold so you'll want to prevent it from forming in the first place. Some ideas from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Keep humidity levels in your house between 40 to 60 percent. Use an air conditioner or dehumidifier when needed. Make sure your house is well ventilated.  

If you discover mold in your home, you should find and eliminate the source of moisture. You can clean mold up with commercial products, soap and water, or a mixture of 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water.

3. Mixing hot oil and water

We all know that oil and water don't mix, but when it comes to hot oil, this is particularly important to remember. If water comes into contact with hot oil, it can cause the oil to splatter and may burn whoever is cooking.

So make sure you thoroughly dry any ingredients, such as washed vegetables, that you plan to add to hot cooking oil and keep water away from the pan.   

4. Carbon monoxide

You can't see or smell this toxic gas so it can kill you before you even know it's in your home, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  It enters through leaking chimneys and furnaces, unvented space heaters, gas water heaters, stoves, and elsewhere. Common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.

You can find battery-operated carbon monoxide monitors at most home improvement stores. Consumer Reports recommends buying models that have digital displays and meet Underwriters Laboratories Standard 2034 (labeled on the packages).

Install detectors in the bedroom and other places where your family spends a lot of time and you can hear the alarm. Change the batteries regularly (such as when you change your clocks in the spring and fall for Daylight Savings), and replace monitors every five years (you can check the date on the back of the monitor).

Combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are also available. Smoke detectors need to be replaced every 10 years, but if you go for the combo, replace it after five years. Smoke detectors are typically installed on the ceiling, whereas carbon monoxide monitors get plugged into an outlet toward the bottom of a wall.

5. Mothballs

The strong odor mothballs emit comes from naphthalene and/or paradichlorobenzene -- toxic chemicals that are considered neurotoxins and are associated with health effects ranging from eye, nose, throat, and skin irritation to headaches, nausea, dizziness, and more. You can get exposed to these chemicals when inhaling, touching, or swallowing them (so keep away from kids and pets).

Some ideas for nontoxic moth prevention: Keep your clothing clean since the larvae, which actually do the chewing, are attracted to dirt and stains on fabric. Store sweaters in airtight containers when you're not using them for long periods of time. Wash clothes in hot water (and run through a hot dryer) or dry-clean garments to kill moths. Try putting cardboard pheromone traps in your closet to determine if you have a problem and to trap moths.  

6. Boiling water in microwave

Heating water in the microwave may cause it to superheat (reach a temperature beyond the natural boiling point of 100 degrees Celsius) and potentially explode. This doesn't happen very often, but it can occur if water is heated in a very clean cup or bowl, particularly if the container is glass.  

What can you do to prevent this from happening? Leave a non-metallic object in the cup or bowl when you microwave water, and be conservative about how long you heat the water up and which settings you use.

Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.

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Photo by Paolo Torchio

Veteran wildlife photographer Paolo Torchio made a bizarre discovery while visiting Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve: a mysterious "bearded" antelope. While one expert suggests the animal might only be suffering from hypertrichosis, a condition once known as werewolf syndrome, Torchio's experience is the only known encounter with such an animal.

Torchio has lived and worked in Kenya for the past two decades and is intimately familiar with the wildlife that occupies the 600-square-mile reserve. He initially thought the animal was a dog and "was wondering, what is this dog doing?" he said. "And when it came out from the grass, that was a surprise." But it seems hipster-y animals are making comeback this month, like this bearded monkey.

Photo by Paolo Torchio

The animal has all the markings of a Thomson's gazelle. "I would say it's a younger female, based on the body and the horn size," says Lanny Brown, a zookeeper at the Phoenix Zoo in Arizona, and the man in charge of maintaining Thomson's gazelle populations for all of North America. Except this "bearded" antelope is covered with a strange, thick coat of hair.

Thomson's gazelle photo by animalpicturesarchive.com

Torchio noted that the animal was not easily spooked by other gazelles and visa-versa. However, it was spooked by Torchio himself. After 15 minutes of photographing the bizarre creature, it up and ran away from him. Torchio spent the next five days trying to track it down without any luck. Gazelles are one of the fastest animals on earth, running at speeds up to 55 and 60 mph.

Experts are not quite sure what to make of the beast as Torchio's photos are the only known example of its existence.

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Source: ouramazingplanet.com

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• Incredible Blind Animals That Are Hardly Senseless
• What Are These Animals Doing in the Water?
• 10 Real Life Sea Monsters
• Strange Animals That Glow in the Dark

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