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Learn about a gem called an emerald.

Among the magnificent gems and jewels left behind by the great Islamic empires, emeralds stand out for their size and prominence. For the Mughals, Ottomans, and Safavids green was—as it remains for all Muslims—the color of Paradise, reserved for the Prophet Muhammad and his descendants. Tapping a wide range of sources, Kris Lane traces the complex web of global trading networks that funneled emeralds from backland South America to populous Asian capitals between the sixteenth and the eighteenth centuries. Lane reveals the bloody conquest wars and forced labor regimes that accompanied their production. It is a story of trade, but also of transformations—how members of profoundly different societies at opposite ends of the globe assigned value to a few thousand pounds of imperfectly shiny green rocks.

For the Mughals, Ottomans, and Safavids green was, as it remains for all Muslims, the color of Paradise, reserved for the Prophet Muhammad and his descendants. Tapping a wide range of sources, Kris Lane traces the complex web of global trading networks that funneled emeralds from backland South America to populous Asian capitals between the sixteenth and the eighteenth centuries. Lane reveals the bloody conquest wars and forced labor regimes that accompanied their production. It is a story of trade, but also of transformations, how members of profoundly different societies at opposite ends of the globe assigned value to a few thousand pounds of imperfectly shiny green rocks.

The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an invasive forest pest that is causing a rapid decline in ash (Fraxinus spp.). As EABs spread across North America to 35 U.S. states and 5 Canadian provinces, detection of the pest has proven difficult, especially at low population density sites. Panel traps have been commonly used in detection and monitoring of EAB populations. Over two sampling periods from 2016 through 2019, adult catches and detection rates were compared among four combinations of panel trap color, lure, and crown placement in southern Arkansas, northern Louisiana, and eastern Texas. The four combinations were as follows: (1) dark purple baited with (Z)-3-hexenol alone in the mid–upper crown; (2) light green with (Z)-3-hexenol plus (3Z)-lactone in the mid–upper crown; (3) dark purple with (Z)-3-hexenol in the lower crown; and (4) dark purple with (Z)-3-hexenol plus (3Z)-lactone in the lower crown. Mid–upper tree crown placement, ~13 m, of panel traps were more effective for EAB detection and adult capture, especially of males. The sex pheromone (3Z)-lactone deterred females but attracted males, while (Z)-3-hexenol attracted females. The green panel trap with both lures and mid–upper crown placement did not drastically increase male catches, contrary to previous studies at low EAB densities. The use of (3Z)-lactone on dark purple traps at low crown placements, such as those used in the National Survey Program, is not recommended for EAB detection due to its repellent effect on EAB females.

Hundreds of trophies and souvenirs fill the rooms of the Batcave, each with a story, and one such tale is how Batman outsmarted Catwoman and her pet jaguar and prevented the theft of a valuable emerald.

The invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) (EAB) has been devastating North American ash (Fraxinus spp.) resources for over 2 decades. In its native range, EAB attacks and kills primarily stressed ash trees. In North America, however, EAB also attacks healthy trees of every Fraxinus species encountered, most recently Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia Benth.). Successful EAB development has also been reported in European olive (Olea europaea L.). The recent detection of EAB in Oregon puts the future of these 2 hosts into question, as little is known about EAB's development in these species or how introduced biocontrol agents will respond. We conducted laboratory and field infestations of olive and ash in Delaware and Oregon to assess EAB development and associated parasitoid responses. We found no difference in the net population growth rate of EAB developing in Oregon ash versus green ash. However, these species supported significantly more population growth than olive, in which EAB net population growth rate was zero, with most larvae dying prematurely. Artificially infested olives were small, which may have negatively impacted phloem availability and larval survival. Future studies should be conducted investigating EAB development on larger olive material. Although no parasitism was observed in infested olive, as EAB larvae seldom reached life stages (third or fourth instars) susceptible to larval parasitism, late-instar larvae developing in Oregon ash were attacked by both Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang and Spathius galinae Belokobylskij and Strazanac, suggesting that biocontrol is a suitable option for this newly invaded region. Keywords: biocontrol, ecological fitting, host range expansion, invasive species, life table analysis, parasitoid

The first history of Seattle hip hop-and hip hop's role in Seattle historyFrom the first rap battles in Seattle's Central District to the Grammy stage, hip hop has shaped urban life and the music scene of the Pacific Northwest for more than four decades. In the early 1980s, Seattle's hip-hop artists developed a community-based culture of stylistic experimentation and multiethnic collaboration. Emerging at a distance from the hip-hop centers of New York City and Los Angeles, Seattle's most famous hip-hop figures, Sir Mix-A-Lot and Macklemore, found mainstream success twenty years apart by going directly against the grain of their respective eras. In addition, Seattle has produced a two-time world-champion breaking crew, globally renowned urban clothing designers, an international hip-hop magazine, and influential record producers. In Emerald Street, Daudi Abe chronicles the development of Seattle hip hop from its earliest days, drawing on interviews with artists and journalists to trace how the elements of hip hop-rapping, DJing, breaking, and graffiti-flourished in the Seattle scene. He shows how Seattle hip-hop culture goes beyond art and music, influencing politics, the relationships between communities of color and law enforcement, the changing media scene, and youth outreach and educational programs. The result is a rich narrative of a dynamic and influential force in Seattle music history and beyond.Emerald Street was made possible in part by a grant from 4Culture's Heritage Program.

Global blueberry production has been increasing annually. The cultivation area in Brazil has expanded with the introduction of new low-chill cultivars, particularly those from the Southern Highbush group. Assessing the nutritional status of plants from different cultivars is essential for successful cultivation. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of Southern Highbush blueberry cultivars (Biloxi and Emerald) under tropical climate conditions of Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil. The experiment was conducted in 2023 and 2024 at the Fruit Production Sector of the Biology Experimental Station (EEB) of the University of Brasília (UnB). The region's climate is classified as Aw, tropical savanna, with dry winters and rainy summers, according to the Koppen-Geiger classification. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, with 10 replications and 10 plants per experimental unit, totaling 200 plants. The treatments evaluated consisted of two cultivars: Emerald and Biloxi. Leaves were analyzed for nutrient contents: macronutrients included nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S), expressed in grams per kilogram (g kg-1); and micronutrient contents included boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn), expressed in milligrams per kilogram (mg kg-1). The cultivars had a significant (p < 0.01) effect on leaf macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S) and micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and B) contents in both years evaluated. The cultivar Emerald exhibited higher accumulation of N, P, Zn, and Cu, whereas the cultivar Biloxi showed greater accumulation of K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, and B in leaf tissues. Global blueberry production has been increasing annually. The cultivation area in Brazil has expanded with the introduction of new low-chill cultivars, particularly those from the Southern Highbush group. Assessing the nutritional status of plants from different cultivars is essential for successful cultivation. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of Southern Highbush blueberry cultivars (Biloxi and Emerald) under tropical climate conditions of Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil. The experiment was conducted in 2023 and 2024 at the Fruit Production Sector of the Biology Experimental Station (EEB) of the University of Brasília (UnB). The region's climate is classified as Aw, tropical savanna, with dry winters and rainy summers, according to the Koppen-Geiger classification. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, with 10 replications and 10 plants per experimental unit, totaling 200 plants. The treatments evaluated consisted of two cultivars: Emerald and Biloxi. Leaves were analyzed for nutrient contents: macronutrients included nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S), expressed in grams per kilogram (g kg-1); and micronutrient contents included boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn), expressed in milligrams per kilogram (mg kg-1). The cultivars had a significant (p < 0.01) effect on leaf macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S) and micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and B) contents in both years evaluated. The cultivar Emerald exhibited higher accumulation of N, P, Zn, and Cu, whereas the cultivar Biloxi showed greater accumulation of K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, and B in leaf tissues.