My grandson had on a new shirt from the excellent Idaho Reptile Zoo-Axolotl in bold print. I asked him what it meant and he proceeded to tell me about the unusual amphibian which only lives in two lakes in Mexico. Hank is not often wrong about scientific facts but regardless he is never in doubt. The creature indeed lives in two lakes in Mexico and is unique in that they reach adulthood without undergoing metamorphosis. Technically, the animal is a salamander. The animal is Neotonic, retaining juvenile traits through its entire life. The list of traits is amazing. The axolotl can regenerate nearly every body part, even portions of the eye and brain. Can science unlock the key to this regeneration process? They have proven important in research as some early experimentation led to a better understanding of the role of thyroxin in the human system. If you inject cattle cells into the thyroid of the salamander, it metamorphoses into an air breathing land living animal. They have proven to be able to adapt over time to leave the water if needed to survive. The courtship rituals involve a form of dancing. This species is critically endangered as population growth continues to threaten its native habitat. Seems like protecting them is in the mutual best interests of humanity, science, and the clever amphibian. Thanks to my eight year grandson for stretching my knowledge.
Aztec legend has its own creation story based in the observable cycle of birth, death and rebirth. When the world is destroyed, it’s born again through the sacrifice of one of the gods, and so the birth of a new sun. The Legend of the Five Suns is based on the belief that different worlds have existed. In the beginning there was the void. A dual god created itself, this idea was based in the belief that the many opposites they saw in the world somehow united everything-man/woman, dark/light, birth/death…. God created four gods who came to represent the four directions on the compass. This belief supported or allowed the leaders to prove they were the center of the universe. The Fifth Sun was born without a will or a way to move across the sky. Axolotl, the god of fire and lightning, who had disguised himself as a salamander to avoid destruction is the God of the Fifth Sun. Too complex and conflicting for me to explain, the Aztecs did have a view of the universe which included the water monster, Cipactli. The monster consumed all that entered the water. Cipactli was thought to be the source of the cosmos as the Gods who created her eventually destroyed the monster. I read these stories with interest as some things do not change and parallel today.
Putin who I will call, despicable Cipactli going forward, yearns for power under the guise of a reborn mother Russia. Amassing great financial wealth through his own greed and treachery Cipactli is racing toward at least his political demise. The water monster consumed all who entered its world but even it was not invincible. The world is uniting around overcoming Cipactli and his forces. I encourage everyone to offer time, talent, or treasure as you can to support the Ukrainians. Cipactli will become a pariah in his own country and is a war criminal in this universe.
Take good care. Mike