For the first time ever, a small colony of rare orchids has been discovered growing on the rooftop of an office building in the UK’s capital city, London.

Serapias parviflora is a rare small flower that is usually found in the Mediterranean basin, but the office building of Nomura International has nearly 15 plants growing on the 11th floor.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/rogue-planets-with-habitable-exomoons-may-have-alien-life-391167" hreflang="en">Rogue planets with habitable exomoons may have alien life</a>

The colony, which was earlier found at Rame Head in Cornwall in 1989, had disappeared around 2009 (nearly 20 years later). Experts thought the small-flowered tongue-orchid had become extinct in the UK.

Nomura's London office has a rooftop garden on the 11th floor where experts have been growing a variety of flowers and vegetables for the past 10 years, leading to a population of bees, insects, pollinators and rare birds.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/body-may-treat-fast-food-like-an-infection-study-390678" hreflang="en">Body may treat fast food like an infection: Study</a>

While it is still unclear how the plant grew in the rooftop garden, experts believe the seeds for this almost extinct plant can travel to distances through winds.

"The plants could have originated on the continent and been brought over the Channel on southerly winds which frequently bring Saharan dust deposits to the capital," Nomura's ecologist Mark Patterson said. "Once settled on the Nomura roof, the seeds would have formed a symbiosis with a mycorrhizal fungus enabling them to germinate and grow. Whilst possible, the odds are astronomical."

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Rare orchids found on our London office roof <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/garden?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#garden</a> gain interest from the <a href="https://twitter.com/BBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BBC</a>. This scarce find shows how the garden provides a haven for wildlife &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/biodiversity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#biodiversity</a> in a city landscape. 
 
Article by BBC: <a href="https://t.co/CawQa6pITt">https://t.co/CawQa6pITt</a> 
 
More on the roof garden: <a href="https://t.co/ObwbVr8Fnh">https://t.co/ObwbVr8Fnh</a> <a href="https://t.co/IlPnvEeetF">pic.twitter.com/IlPnvEeetF</a>
— Nomura (@Nomura) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nomura/status/1404800058315448324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Nomura also has a programme titled ‘Adopt a bee’ through which employees have weekly visits to the garden and can take part in honey harvesting workshops, filtering and bottling of honey etc.

"Most of the food that we eat, such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, and raw materials such as coffee beans and cacao beans, depend on plants being pollinated by insects, such as bees," a blog post from the company read.

For the first time ever, a small colony of rare orchids has been discovered growing on the rooftop of an office building in the UK’s capital city, London. Serapias parviflora is a rare small flower that is usually found in the Mediterranean basin, but the office building of Nomura International has nearly 15 plants growing on the 11th floor.

For the first time ever, a small colony of rare orchids has been discovered growing on the rooftop of an office building in the UK’s capital city, London. Serapias parviflora is a rare small flower that is usually found in the Mediterranean basin, but the office building of Nomura International has nearly 15 plants growing on the 11th floor. Also read | Rogue planets with habitable exomoons may have alien life The colony, which was earlier found at Rame Head in Cornwall in 1989, had disappeared around 2009 (nearly 20 years later). Experts thought the small-flowered tongue-orchid had become extinct in the UK. Nomura's London office has a rooftop garden on the 11th floor where experts have been growing a variety of flowers and vegetables for the past 10 years, leading to a population of bees, insects, pollinators and rare birds. Also read | Body may treat fast food like an infection: Study While it is still unclear how the plant grew in the rooftop garden, experts believe the seeds for this almost extinct plant can travel to distances through winds. "The plants could have originated on the continent and been brought over the Channel on southerly winds which frequently bring Saharan dust deposits to the capital," Nomura's ecologist Mark Patterson said. "Once settled on the Nomura roof, the seeds would have formed a symbiosis with a mycorrhizal fungus enabling them to germinate and grow. Whilst possible, the odds are astronomical." Rare orchids found on our London office roof #garden gain interest from the @BBC. This scarce find shows how the garden provides a haven for wildlife & #biodiversity in a city landscape. Article by BBC: https://t.co/CawQa6pITt More on the roof garden: https://t.co/ObwbVr8Fnh pic.twitter.com/IlPnvEeetF — Nomura (@Nomura) June 15, 2021 × Nomura also has a programme titled ‘Adopt a bee’ through which employees have weekly visits to the garden and can take part in honey harvesting workshops, filtering and bottling of honey etc. "Most of the food that we eat, such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, and raw materials such as coffee beans and cacao beans, depend on plants being pollinated by insects, such as bees," a blog post from the company read.

Almost extinct orchid found growing on London office's rooftop

If you thought climate change is a recent problem, then you might have to rethink your belief because an interesting study has recently revealed that climate change may have been the reason behind late emergence of plant-eating dinosaurs.

It is being believed that plant-eating dinosaurs probably arrived in the northern hemisphere millions of years after the meat-eating species.

This delay of millions of years in the emergence and the migration of dinosaurs was probably caused due to climate change, scientists believe.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/where-did-the-asteroid-which-wiped-out-dinosaurs-came-from-scientists-answer-363987" hreflang="en">Where did the asteroid which wiped out dinosaurs came from? Scientists answer</a>

A new way of calculating the dates of dinosaur fossils revealed that plant-eating dinosaurs, sauropodomorphs, were actually 215m years old and not 228m years old, as it was previously believed.

This has changed the previous belief and has revealed that there might not be any plant-eating dinosaur family in the northern hemisphere which was more than 215m years old.

On the other hand, examples of meat-eating dinosaurs have been found dating back to at least 220m years ago.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-an-accidental-discovery-of-life-in-antarctica-364133">WATCH|</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-an-accidental-discovery-of-life-in-antarctica-364133/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The study lead author Dennis Kent of Columbia University believes the plant-eating dinosaurs were latecomers in the northern hemisphere.

As per his team's research, during the Triassic era — which was nearly 230m years ago, carbon dioxide levels were 10 times higher than the present day. the atmosphere was hotter with no ice sheets at the poles and two bands of extreme deserts on both sides of the equator — north and south.

This dryness might have led to fewer plants for the sauropodomorphs, making it difficult for them to survive the journey. The meat-eaters, on the other hand, had enough insects to survive.

Later, when carbon dioxide levels dropped to half nearly 215m years ago, plants started growing in the deserts, which led to the emergence of sauropodomorphs in the area.

If you thought climate change is a recent problem, then you might have to rethink your belief because an interesting study has recently revealed that climate change may have been the reason behind late emergence of plant-eating dinosaurs.

If you thought climate change is a recent problem, then you might have to rethink your belief because an interesting study has recently revealed that climate change may have been the reason behind late emergence of plant-eating dinosaurs. It is being believed that plant-eating dinosaurs probably arrived in the northern hemisphere millions of years after the meat-eating species. This delay of millions of years in the emergence and the migration of dinosaurs was probably caused due to climate change, scientists believe. Also read| Where did the asteroid which wiped out dinosaurs came from? Scientists answer A new way of calculating the dates of dinosaur fossils revealed that plant-eating dinosaurs, sauropodomorphs, were actually 215m years old and not 228m years old, as it was previously believed. This has changed the previous belief and has revealed that there might not be any plant-eating dinosaur family in the northern hemisphere which was more than 215m years old. On the other hand, examples of meat-eating dinosaurs have been found dating back to at least 220m years ago. WATCH| The study lead author Dennis Kent of Columbia University believes the plant-eating dinosaurs were latecomers in the northern hemisphere. As per his team's research, during the Triassic era — which was nearly 230m years ago, carbon dioxide levels were 10 times higher than the present day. the atmosphere was hotter with no ice sheets at the poles and two bands of extreme deserts on both sides of the equator — north and south. This dryness might have led to fewer plants for the sauropodomorphs, making it difficult for them to survive the journey. The meat-eaters, on the other hand, had enough insects to survive. Later, when carbon dioxide levels dropped to half nearly 215m years ago, plants started growing in the deserts, which led to the emergence of sauropodomorphs in the area.

Migration of meat-eating dinosaurs was delayed by million years. Why?

No price is too high for those keen of mind and with an eye for detail. For lesser mortals like all of us, there is always an upper financial cap for our aspirations. We may have wanderlust and passion and whatnot while posing for our perfect Instagram pics. But when it comes to real world, even those raking in moolah plan their finances properly.

So given all this, when a guy shells out $5300 (Almost Rs 4 lakh) for a plant, we are bound to think that it has leaves of gold or something. But that's not the case here.

A man in New Zealand set a record when he shelled out this much money for a Rhaphidophora tetrasperma.

That is the scientific name for mini Monstera, a plant that this guy was digging.

Why&nbsp;the price tag?

The plant is rare and desirable by plant collectors all over the world.

New York Post quoted Trade Me to say that between end of May and the beginning of June, 33 thousand searches were recorded for mini Monstera online.

Monsteras are a pleasant sight yes. The leaves come in colours like yellow, pink, white and even purple.

“A plant will grow a leaf that looks a little bit different because those leaves don’t have chlorophyll,” Jesse Waldman, the director of marketing and e-commerce at Pistils Nursery in Oregon was quoted by Vice.

However, with all things costly, these plant too are delicate and to grow them in a normal household needs great efforts. Sometimes, the leaves lose their distinctive colour and return to being green. So special care needs to be taken.

Plant sellers in the US say that sale of plants has increased during the coronavirus pandemic.

No price is too high for those keen of mind and with an eye for detail. For lesser mortals like all of us, there is always an upper financial cap for our aspirations.

No price is too high for those keen of mind and with an eye for detail. For lesser mortals like all of us, there is always an upper financial cap for our aspirations. We may have wanderlust and passion and whatnot while posing for our perfect Instagram pics. But when it comes to real world, even those raking in moolah plan their finances properly. So given all this, when a guy shells out $5300 (Almost Rs 4 lakh) for a plant, we are bound to think that it has leaves of gold or something. But that's not the case here. A man in New Zealand set a record when he shelled out this much money for a Rhaphidophora tetrasperma. That is the scientific name for mini Monstera, a plant that this guy was digging. Why the price tag? The plant is rare and desirable by plant collectors all over the world. New York Post quoted Trade Me to say that between end of May and the beginning of June, 33 thousand searches were recorded for mini Monstera online. Monsteras are a pleasant sight yes. The leaves come in colours like yellow, pink, white and even purple. “A plant will grow a leaf that looks a little bit different because those leaves don’t have chlorophyll,” Jesse Waldman, the director of marketing and e-commerce at Pistils Nursery in Oregon was quoted by Vice. However, with all things costly, these plant too are delicate and to grow them in a normal household needs great efforts. Sometimes, the leaves lose their distinctive colour and return to being green. So special care needs to be taken. Plant sellers in the US say that sale of plants has increased during the coronavirus pandemic.

Will you spend $5300 to buy a plant? This guy did!

A northern Indian state will soon begin a multi-million dollar search in the Himalayas for a mythical plant believed to hold life-saving properties, a local minister said today. 
 
Uttarakhand will spend 250 million Rupees ($37 million) of state money hunting the herb Sanjeevani Booti, which is credited in the ancient Hindu text Ramayana with restoring life to the brother of a god. 
 
While many wild plants with medicinal properties grow in the Himalayas, there is scant evidence that the plant ever existed, with sages and modern researchers failing for centuries to find it. 
 
&quot;We have to try and it will never go to waste. If we are determined we will certainly find it,&quot; Surendra Singh Negi, the state&#39;s minister for alternative medicine, told AFP. 
 
The minister said the search will focus on the Dronagiri range of Himalayas near the Chinese border, one mountain of which is mentioned in the epic Ramayana as being the site where the magical herb grows. 
 
&quot;We have set an initial budget of 250 million Rupees ($37 million) for the project,&quot; Negi said. 
 
Scientists will start work in August, the minister said, adding that the central government has refused to fund the project. 
 
Ancient texts say the plant has life-restoring properties, grows in the high mountains of the Himalayas and glows in the dark. 
 
According to Ramayana, the monkey god Hanuman was tasked by the god Rama with fetching the herb after a healer said it would cure his dying brother Laxman. 
 
But Hanuman failed to identity the plant, instead uprooting the entire mountain and carrying it thousands of miles to treat the mortally injured prince during a war with demons in what is now Sri Lanka. 
 
India&#39;s 5,000-year-old medicine system Ayurveda uses herbs to cure ailments and has seen a revival under Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s government. 
 
(AFP)

The herb Sanjeevani Booti is credited in the ancient Hindu text Ramayana with restoring life, but there's scant evidence it exists

A northern Indian state will soon begin a multi-million dollar search in the Himalayas for a mythical plant believed to hold life-saving properties, a local minister said today. Uttarakhand will spend 250 million Rupees ($37 million) of state money hunting the herb Sanjeevani Booti, which is credited in the ancient Hindu text Ramayana with restoring life to the brother of a god. While many wild plants with medicinal properties grow in the Himalayas, there is scant evidence that the plant ever existed, with sages and modern researchers failing for centuries to find it. "We have to try and it will never go to waste. If we are determined we will certainly find it," Surendra Singh Negi, the state's minister for alternative medicine, told AFP. The minister said the search will focus on the Dronagiri range of Himalayas near the Chinese border, one mountain of which is mentioned in the epic Ramayana as being the site where the magical herb grows. "We have set an initial budget of 250 million Rupees ($37 million) for the project," Negi said. Scientists will start work in August, the minister said, adding that the central government has refused to fund the project. Ancient texts say the plant has life-restoring properties, grows in the high mountains of the Himalayas and glows in the dark. According to Ramayana, the monkey god Hanuman was tasked by the god Rama with fetching the herb after a healer said it would cure his dying brother Laxman. But Hanuman failed to identity the plant, instead uprooting the entire mountain and carrying it thousands of miles to treat the mortally injured prince during a war with demons in what is now Sri Lanka. India's 5,000-year-old medicine system Ayurveda uses herbs to cure ailments and has seen a revival under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. (AFP)

Indian state to spend $37 million hunting mythical 'life-saving' plant

Authorities will plant 18 million trees in Mexico City and its surrounding suburbs as part of efforts to combat air pollution, the government said Monday. 
 
Environment Minister Rafael Pacchiano dubbed it a &quot;historic reforestation&quot; to reinforce the &quot;green belt in the megalopolis&quot;. 
 
The greater Mexico City area was hit by the worst air pollution in more than a decade in March, prompting authorities to restrict traffic for the 5.4 million vehicles that circulate daily. 
 
Pacchiano said that the lack of wind and record high temperatures in March contributed to an increase in ozone levels. 
 
Other new measures announced by Pacchiano include replacing 1,000 taxis that are more than 10 years old with hybrid cars and stepping up a program to renew cargo and passenger transport vehicles.&nbsp;Anti-pollution rules will also be tightened in industry. 
 
The government imposed temporary car restrictions between April and June 30, forcing all vehicles to stay home at least once a week. Normally, older vehicles and those that fail emissions tests have traffic restrictions. 
 
Last month, the environment ministry unveiled new rules to prevent corruption at emission inspection centres that have allowed polluting cars to remain on the road. 
 
(AFP)

The city will also restrict traffic to combat air pollution, which is at its worst levels in a decade

Authorities will plant 18 million trees in Mexico City and its surrounding suburbs as part of efforts to combat air pollution, the government said Monday. Environment Minister Rafael Pacchiano dubbed it a "historic reforestation" to reinforce the "green belt in the megalopolis". The greater Mexico City area was hit by the worst air pollution in more than a decade in March, prompting authorities to restrict traffic for the 5.4 million vehicles that circulate daily. Pacchiano said that the lack of wind and record high temperatures in March contributed to an increase in ozone levels. Other new measures announced by Pacchiano include replacing 1,000 taxis that are more than 10 years old with hybrid cars and stepping up a program to renew cargo and passenger transport vehicles. Anti-pollution rules will also be tightened in industry. The government imposed temporary car restrictions between April and June 30, forcing all vehicles to stay home at least once a week. Normally, older vehicles and those that fail emissions tests have traffic restrictions. Last month, the environment ministry unveiled new rules to prevent corruption at emission inspection centres that have allowed polluting cars to remain on the road. (AFP)

Mexico City to plant 18 million trees in massive reforestation effort

After a break of 20 years,&nbsp;Afghanistan&#39;s first&nbsp;cementfactory is once more clanking noisily in the countryside near Kabul as crushed-up limestone rocks rattle along a battered conveyor belt to the newly restored kiln.

In an area desperately short of industry and jobs, workers hope the relaunch of the plant, built by Czech engineers in 1957 and shut by the Taliban in 1995, heralds the revival of an industry shattered by decades of war and destruction.

&quot;By selling our products and improving the factory&#39;s production, we can avoid having our young generation go abroad,&quot; said Amir Mohammad. &quot;If there are job possibilities, they can stay with their families and look after their children.&quot;

But the outdated state-owned plant 75 km (47 miles) outside Kabul also shows how far there is to go before that promise can be achieved and there are serious questions whether the plant has a viable future unless it is thoroughly modernised.

Jabal Saraj, which now employs 150 workers, is a small factory with daily capacity of 100 tonnes and equipment that is at least 40 years out of date, the U.S. Geological Survey said in a 2011 report.

&quot;We&#39;ve tried our best and got the factory running using its old machinery,&quot; said Abdul Wakil, one of a group of former workers who have returned to help get the plant working again. &quot;As long as we have electricity, it will work.&quot;

Talks with a private operator to develop a separate, larger plant at Jabal Saraj have run for months, but for now, the government has decided the old plant still serves a purpose, a spokesman for the country&#39;s mines and petroleum ministry said.

&quot;This old factory is useful and has a profitable production capacity,&quot; Mohyaddin Noori added. &quot;It provides job opportunities.&quot;

Afghanistan&#39;s only other major&nbsp;cement&nbsp;manufacturer, the Ghori&nbsp;cement&nbsp;plant, has daily capacity of more than 1,000 tonnes, but domestic industry is dwarfed by the millions of tonnes of imports from neighbours, including Pakistan and Iran.

That fierce competition makes it tough to find domestically produced&nbsp;cement&nbsp;in Kabul&#39;s main wholesale markets, even despite the fact that domestic&nbsp;cement&#39;s bulk and relatively low cost should penalize foreign&nbsp;cement, trucked in hundreds of miles.

&quot;We have only Pakistani&nbsp;cement,&quot; said trader Ershad Shinwari. &quot;Afghan-made&nbsp;cement&nbsp;is not coming to us.&quot;

Demand for building materials has fallen sharply since international forces left in 2014 but the market has not collapsed and director Mohammadi hopes for domestic growth.

&quot;There is huge demand for&nbsp;cement&nbsp;in&nbsp;Afghanistan,&quot; he said. &quot;We&#39;ve got the factory working, so it will give investors a chance.&quot;

For the moment, however, Jabal Saraj relies on government subsidy to survive. The economics may be tough, but it is people nearby who are mainly looking for work.

&quot;We ask the other countries to help this factory and provide new machinery to replace the old machines,&quot; said plant worker Wazir Mohammad.

&quot;It will be very useful for our people as long as there is poverty in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;and everyone suffers insecurity.&quot;

After a break of 20 years,?Afghanistan's first?cementfactory is once more clanking noisily in the countryside near Kabul as crushed-up limestone rocks rattle along a battered conveyor belt to the newly restored kiln. In an area desperately short of industry and jobs, workers hope the relaunch of the plant built by Czech engineers in 1957 and shut by the Taliban in 1995.

After a break of 20 years, Afghanistan's first cementfactory is once more clanking noisily in the countryside near Kabul as crushed-up limestone rocks rattle along a battered conveyor belt to the newly restored kiln. In an area desperately short of industry and jobs, workers hope the relaunch of the plant, built by Czech engineers in 1957 and shut by the Taliban in 1995, heralds the revival of an industry shattered by decades of war and destruction. "By selling our products and improving the factory's production, we can avoid having our young generation go abroad," said Amir Mohammad. "If there are job possibilities, they can stay with their families and look after their children." But the outdated state-owned plant 75 km (47 miles) outside Kabul also shows how far there is to go before that promise can be achieved and there are serious questions whether the plant has a viable future unless it is thoroughly modernised. Jabal Saraj, which now employs 150 workers, is a small factory with daily capacity of 100 tonnes and equipment that is at least 40 years out of date, the U.S. Geological Survey said in a 2011 report. "We've tried our best and got the factory running using its old machinery," said Abdul Wakil, one of a group of former workers who have returned to help get the plant working again. "As long as we have electricity, it will work." Talks with a private operator to develop a separate, larger plant at Jabal Saraj have run for months, but for now, the government has decided the old plant still serves a purpose, a spokesman for the country's mines and petroleum ministry said. "This old factory is useful and has a profitable production capacity," Mohyaddin Noori added. "It provides job opportunities." Afghanistan's only other major cement manufacturer, the Ghori cement plant, has daily capacity of more than 1,000 tonnes, but domestic industry is dwarfed by the millions of tonnes of imports from neighbours, including Pakistan and Iran. That fierce competition makes it tough to find domestically produced cement in Kabul's main wholesale markets, even despite the fact that domestic cement's bulk and relatively low cost should penalize foreign cement, trucked in hundreds of miles. "We have only Pakistani cement," said trader Ershad Shinwari. "Afghan-made cement is not coming to us." Demand for building materials has fallen sharply since international forces left in 2014 but the market has not collapsed and director Mohammadi hopes for domestic growth. "There is huge demand for cement in Afghanistan," he said. "We've got the factory working, so it will give investors a chance." For the moment, however, Jabal Saraj relies on government subsidy to survive. The economics may be tough, but it is people nearby who are mainly looking for work. "We ask the other countries to help this factory and provide new machinery to replace the old machines," said plant worker Wazir Mohammad. "It will be very useful for our people as long as there is poverty in Afghanistan and everyone suffers insecurity."

Hopes and fears for jobs as Afghan cement factory reopens

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