Fallen leaf, from the abstract artistic sculpture called “Metaphor: The Tree of Utah.” Photo source: ©© Stew.
Sometimes also called the Tree of Life, “Metaphor: The Tree of Utah”, a 87-foot (27 m) tall sculpture, was created by the Swedish artist Karl Momen in the 1980s. It is located in the desolate Great Salt Lake Desert of Utah. The sculpture, which is constructed mainly of concrete, consists of a squarish ‘trunk’ holding up six spheres that are coated with natural rock and minerals native to Utah. There are also several hollow sphere segments (fallen leaves) on the ground around the base. Inscribed on the plaque are the words from “Ode to Joy” by Friedrich Schiller, also used as the chorus of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Captions: Wikipedia
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During some parts of the year, a layer of salt can be seen on the ground in eastern Cuba, which makes it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to farm. Since agronomist Orlando Coto saw this with his own eyes, he has been searching for salt-tolerant fruit trees.
“The main causes of this phenomenon are associated with climate change, like drought and penetration by seawater,” said Coto, of the governmental Tropical Fruit Research Institute (IIFT). “Alternatives have to be found that come up with faster results than the traditional plant breeding techniques, to deal with this problem.”..
