Loes Pihlajamaa-Glimmerveen wrote the following contribution to this website:
Cells are the fundamentals of life. All life’s processes happen in and by cells. One of the most amazing characteristics of cells is the fact that they know what time it is. Read about this here.
There are now 6.3 billion of us. We expect to be around 10 to 11 billion by 2050. Could everyone by then still get sufficient food? With less waste and more effective agriculture it could be achieved fairly easily, without even globally expanding land under crops. But we would have to learn to feed ourselves again as humans have always done until a century ago: frugally, with little meat, sustainably caught or farmed fish and plenty of grains and vegetables. Biologically this presents no major problem; people will have to learn to cope sensibly with Earth and her products. Read about this here. (At this moment Dutch version only. English version soon).
The role of chance, the role of chaos and the fact that humans as living organisms will never be free of those bothersome viruses. They are simply part of the living system on Earth. Too much order in those systems could only be dangerous. About these matters millions of chickens can (no longer) talk anymore.
A somewhat spirited and partly philosophical story, but of interest to many people. Read this here. (English version).Europeans spread over large parts of the globe (but not in China and Japan). Were they smarter than the original inhabitants of North, Central and South America, Australia and other regions? No! Maybe just the opposite. A revealing bit of history. Read this here (At this moment Dutch version only. English version soon).
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Bacteria and parasites have had more influence on the course of history than emperors and politicians. Diseases especially have ensured that society is what it is now. Many examples. Read this here (English version).
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Snakes can tell us something: the story of ‘memes’. Read this here (English version).
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Which came first: humans or language? Humans of course, you’re inclined to say. But language was possibly first and ensured that our brains are as large as they are. A remarkable discovery: Word became brain... (At this moment Dutch version only. English version soon).
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Wee are used to distinguishing between the natural sciences (the ‘bèta subjects’) and the human sciences (the ‘alpha subjects’) - and it is also customary to present yourself as a genuine ‘alpha’ or ‘bèta’. But the lines between these fields can’t be drawn so sharply; and some people can break new ground crossing the boundary (At this moment Dutch version only. English version soon).
Everything is matter. Modern (natural) science, proceeding from what is observable and repeatable observations, has never found indications for the existence of non-material ‘components’ of humans. This story, ‘Farewell to Descartes’, concentrates even more strongly on the fact that there are strong indications that ‘everything’ is genetic. (English version).
In memoriam Johan van Es - read here
Louise Glimmerveen completed the Gymnasium B training at the Wageningen Lyceum at Wageningen (Netherlands) and then studied biology at the University of Amsterdam.
After she had completed her studies in 1961
drs. L.E. Glimmerveem worked for the (Dutch) Royal Institute of Health as a
scientific researcher. After her marriage to Heimo Pihlajamaa of Finland
Louise Pihlajamaa-Glimmerveen lived for some
years in Finland where she commenced translating popular scientific books.
She worked in higher education teaching
Biology, at first in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, then for 26 years in Maastricht
at the City College. Next she was
involved for seven years at the Sintermeertencollege (Saint Martin’s College)
at Heerlen, as Environmental Education Co-ordinator and since 2001 with E-linQ, a new project bureau which resulted
from the privatisation of the division of Telematica at Sintermeerten College
(see www.e-linq.nl). ElinQ is also
involved in ICT and internationalisation and renewal in education.
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Patients suffering from the plague (‘the Black Death”) which influenced the history of Europe in the Middle Ages more than the emperors and the generals. Read the article over bacteria which played the central role in history. |
Furthermore she provided publications in her subject area. Thus she wrote parts of biology curriculum for High School titled “Synaps” (subtitle: Biology for society). She also lectures at HOVO (University of the Third Age in Limburg, website www.hovolimburg.nl). For a special book celebrating ten years HOVO-Limburg which appeared in autumn 2000 she wrote a contribution which is also on this site ( see “Bacteria”).
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Sculpture, work of Loes Pihlajamaa-Glimmerveen. |
She is also active in WILPF (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom), a little known but very active lobby group within the United Nations. She edits the Dutch newsletter (website: www.wilpf.int.ch).
She is also project leader of the Sustainable Footprint project (see (http://www.sustainablefootprint.org).
She enjoys creative activities such as free modelling in ceramics.
Since 1963 Loes Glimmerveen has been married to the Finnish writer Heimo Pihlajamaa. The couple lives in South Limburg, Netherlands. (More details of the family on www.glimmerveen.com).
| Journey to Indonesia | |
L
oes Pihlajamaa-Glimmerveen
was in
Indonesia in March and April 2001 as part of a project concerned with nature
and environment education, presenting the project Sustainable Footprint.
A small paradise on earth, with waving coconut trees and a coral reef at your door. Although the centre is not yet complete, it is already functioning; regularly projects with school classes and other groups occur, who learn much about life at and in the sea. An impression
can be found here.
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Biology by  drs. L.E. Pihlajamaa- Glimmerveen |
Nederlandse versie:
klik hier.