The visible portion of the 13-foot-tall (4-meter-tall) Christmas tree isn't ancient, but its root system has been growing for 9,550 years, according to a team led by Leif Kullman, professor at UmeÃ¥ University's department of ecology and environmental science in Sweden. Enlarge Photo.
Here are the facts: 1  More than 100 million animals are reported killed by hunters each year.  The vast majority of species that are hunted -- waterfowl, upland birds, mourning doves, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, crows, coyotes, etc. -- provide minimal sustenance and do not require population control.
Credit: Â© Martine De Graaf | Dreamstime.com. Diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans, such as bird flu and tuberculosis, can wreak havoc on the health of both organisms. Now researchers have found 13 so-called zoonoses are responsible for 2.2 million human deaths every year. The study, detailed this week in the report Mapping of Poverty and Likely Zoonoses Hotspots, shows the vast majority of these illnesses and deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.