Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1321294
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 DECEMBER 2020 9 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 741. Branched Horesetail THE world has some very strange plants. One of the weirder-looking of the Maltese flora must surely be the branched horsetail. Horse- tails have a very long pedigree: at over 350 million years old, they flourished long before nature invented the dinosaurs or even flow- ers! No wonder they are called living fossils. The branched horsetail (M. denb iż-żiemel) is rare in Malta, as it prefers damp places like humid valleys, which is not a common habitat here. But stroll down to Wied il-Qlejgħa (Chadwick Lakes) or Wied L-Isqof, look by the wayside, and you may spot tufts of what look like ordinary clumps of dusty grass. But look closer and you will make out the slender leafless stalks, topped with these eldrich lantern-like black-spotted knobs. Indeed, you will be looking at the sort of plant many dino- saurs probably browsed on! Happy Christmas everyone. Victor Falzon, Desirée Falzon www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 634 See all the books available in our Green Library by following this link Friends of the Earth Malta Green Library THE Green Lending Library is located within the Friends of the Earth Malta Green Resource Centre in Floriana and it was set up in 2020 thanks to the financial support of Aġenzija Żgħażagħ through the Be Active Scheme – an initiative managed and administered by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ within the Parliamentary Secretariat for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations. The lending library aims to provide an array of books (currently 130+ titles) related to topics on environment, activism, biodiversity, sustainable and regenerative agriculture, green lifestyles, cultural diversity and well-being. Books can be enjoyed outdoors at the on-site community garden (subject to Covid measures) or else borrowed (two books at a time). A deposit of 10 euros is required for non-supporters wishing to take out books on loan. VISIT Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation – www.foe- malta.org/donate http://foemalta.org/library Appster Smartphone fun and smarter work Duolingo Free Apple, Andriod Learn a new language with the world's most-downloaded education app! Duolingo is the fun, free app for learning 35+ languages through quick, bite-sized lessons. Practice speaking, reading, listening, and writing to build your vocabulary and grammar skills. Designed by language experts and loved by hundreds of millions of learners worldwide, Duolingo helps you prepare for real conversations in Spanish, French, Chinese, Italian, German, English, and more. TECH RETAILERS contact afarrugia@ mediatoday.com.mt A GOOD WEEK FOR Good Week/Bad Week Don't miss this A BAD WEEK FOR Christmas at the Manoel - Project Cabare 26/27 December, at Manoel Theatre in Valletta at 8pm Tickets are 20 euros (15 euros for senior citizens and students) Check out the theatre's website for more details. This festive season Project Cabaret promises an intimate, nostalgic evening of music and stories told from the magical Manoel Theatre stage. The performers will share their memories of Christmas past and their hopes for Christmas future. For fans of Disney. The Walt Disney Co streamed its Investor's Day which made clear its biggest priority going forward would be its streaming empire. The company announced its timetable for Marvel, Pixar and Disney movies/TV shows going forward. For the toursim sector International tourist arrivals fell by 72% in the first 10 months of 2020, pushing world tourism back to levels not seen since 1990, according to the UN's International Tourism Organization. Disney announced 10 Marvel series and 10 Star Wars shows Global destinations received 900 million fewer international tourists than 2019 Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member