All Creatures Great and Small # 14

Recent Research on Borneo

The bold text on some of the entries means nothing. I just could not figure out how to get rid of it.

New Genetic Information

Our results point to a surprisingly active population in Wallacea, marked by two periods of extensive change concentrated around the Last Glacial Maximum ~15 ka and after-Austronesian contact ~3 ka. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12070965

More new Genetic Information

We discovered a deeply diverged East Asian ancestry in the Guangxi region that persisted until at least 6,000 years ago. We found that ∼9,000- to 6,000-year-old Guangxi populations were a mixture of local ancestry, southern ancestry previously sampled in Fujian, and deep Asian ancestry related to Southeast Asian Hòabìnhian hunter-gatherers, showing broad admixture in the region predating the appearance of farming. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.05.018

Architectural Design and the Rainforest

As everybody knows, the cutting down of trees in the rain forests will cause the forests to disappear. A paper written by Nazrin Pamnan and Fadizadh Abdullah proposes an architectural solution integrated with a research project. Design Ideals vol 3 issue 1 2021

Geckos

Five known species of the old world gecko live on rock surfaces reside here in Borneo. One additional species was discovered on the karst rocks of western and northern Sarawak. These known species emphasize the need for the protection of limestone karsts within the rain forests. Our own Indra Das worked on the project. DOI:https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.7195.13.7.18792-18799.

Vaccine for Malaria?

A plasmodium knowlesi (mosquito) membrane has been isolated in the lab. The membrane has been considered as a possible candidate for the human plasmodium malaria vaccine. DOI: 10.47665/tb.38.2.052 

LGBT Study

A study about the LGBT all agree the practice is wrong. However, most agree that they deserve to be treated as humans. Both statements come from religious teachings. http://myjms.mohe.gov.my/index.php/ajbs 

Wind Farm

A wind farm to provide electricity to the villages should be built in Sematan because of its wind speed of 4-9 kmh say the authors of this paper. https://www.ejosdr.com

Colonists Writings about Borneo

Western works about Borneo can be divided into two groups. The first are the travellers, priests or journalists. The second are imperialist leaders comprising of administrators or colonial officials. Some writers do objective research about Borneo. However, there many unobjective observations, interpretations, bias and prejudice about the Malay -Muslim community. This work describes the writer’s viewpoint from an anti-Islamic perspective. https://doi.org/10.11113/umran2021.8n2.465

Elderly and Drinking Habits

A study by the Malaysian Journal of Nursing states that the elderly in longhouses are at risk of malnutrition because of alcohol consumption. The study was conducted in the Serian and Kuching divisions.  VOL. 13 NO. 1 (2021): THE MALAYSIAN JOURNAL OF NURSING

Diets of Rainbow Toad

An investigation of the eating habits of the little known Rainbow Toad (Ansonia latidisca) has revealed a diet of ants in males while the females consumed beetles. There was no significant difference between eating during wet and dry seasons. The study was carried out through an investigation of a population at Gunung Penrissen, Sarawak. Asian Herpetological Research Issue:2021 VoI.12 No.2

 

Shield Gift Ends up in the Vatican Museum

 A Kenyah Madang Chief, Saba Irang, gave a shield to Charles Hose to be presented to Rajah Charles Brooke in 1899. The shield disappeared only to end up in the Vatican Museum. The shield is thought to have been displayed in The Brooke museum in Chichester, England. Some items were donated for display at the Sarawak exhibit at Wembley, England. These were then taken to the Vatican Museum for their display in 1926. After this, the shield ended up as the founding collection of the ethnography section in the Vatican museum. Journal of Borneo-Kalimantan vol.7 

 

New Beetle

 A species of Darkling Beetle (Menimus matangicussp.) discovered on Borneo lack eyes. A tiny species can be collected by sifting the soil. They possess wings are thought not to fly very far. It is likely the species evolved in the present area and did not travel beyond this location. https://doi.org/10.18476/2021.176419

 

The Philippines to Sabah

 This paper presents an exploratory descriptive study of irregular migrants in Sabah, Malaysia from Southern Palawan, Philippines. It explores the economic and socio-cultural context of their home origins, their motivations, their lived experiences in the host country and decisions to go home or come back.  Vol 7 No 1 (2021): Journal of Borneo Kalimantan

Santubong Tale

The story of the two girls, Santubong and Sejinjang, was told to reflect the political happenings of the times. The stories were invented so mistakes of the past were not repeated. It is hoped this paper will elevate folktales to a new level in history. doi.org/10.33736/ils.2552.2021

Shellfish and Kota Kinabalu

The number of shellfish collected in the zone between the high and low tides was almost three times lower than in areas that were not adjacent to urban areas. However, their numbers at the lower intertidal zone was about the same as those found elsewhere. This suggests that urban causes, ie humans walking along the beach and collecting shells were the major culprit of the reduced numbers. DOI: https:doi.org/10.33736/bjrst.3371.2021

New Species of Stonefish

A new species of Stone Fish has been made known to the science world. Synanceia quinque was collected off of Sabah and Flores. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-021-00829-y

Weather and Borneo

Using computer models, this paper divides Borneo into four zones, dry and hot, wet and hot, wet and wet and cold. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-283015/v1 

The Sinhan of Belaga

The Sinhan community is located in Belaga and contains about 216 individuals. They have a way to cure a disease called antu Sangin or the language of the spirits. It must be noted that it is very different from the normal Sinhan language. This oral folklore or sing-song tradition is sung orally to cure the person. https://doi.org/10.21315/kajh2021.28.1.8

Painted Cave of Niah

The Painted Cave of Niah is the subject of this article about the hand and foot images of the figures painted on the walls. The images have specific messages that correlate with the prehistoric society of the time. ANTHROPOMORPHIC IMAGES IN THE PAINTED CAVE SARAWAK (I have a copy if you are interested)

Army Worm Invasion

The invasion of Armyworms from North America has infected Maize cultivation in Bintulu. The damage caused by the Fall Army Worms are limited to shoots and stalks however, some cobs have also been infected. Serangga 2021, 26(2): 97-106.

Export and Sale of Dayak Skulls

The Malaysian Customs seized 16 skulls in 2005 for export and transferred them to the Sarawak Museum 10 years later. They were studied by a team of scientists. The team found the skulls were modified for the online sale. The skulls were made to look like that they were older and had a colonial-era period. This is a really interesting article if you can get past the jargon and especially the pictures. Journal of Borneo-Kalimantan. Vol 7(1) 2021