While the 19th century is surely one of the most inspirational periods in American history, it also bears witness to a less flattering record with regard to the environment: most significantly, the slaughter of the plains bison, or buffalo.
In a working paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research, University of Calgary environmental economist M. Scott Taylor argues that the story of the buffalo slaughter on the Great Plains is not, at bottom, an American one.
Instead, Taylor argues that the slaughter of some 30 million bison over the course of a decade was initiatied by a tanning innovation created in Europe, and maintained by a robust European demand for buffalo hides for use as industrial leather.
Taylor used international trade records and first-person accounts of the hunt to show that that the widespread slaughter of bison between 1870 and 1880 was the result of a market for industrial leather that was virtually unregulated by the U.S. government as the country emerged from the Civil War.
Source: University of Calgary
Related stories:
Groups seek more room for bison to roam
Give bison running room in a cattle-free zone in Montana outside Yellowstone National Park, wildlife advocates and homeowners said.
Where will we find the next generation of engineers?
A new study that examines the number of engineering graduates coming out of our nation’s engineering schools reveals a mixed picture of how prepared each state is for meeting the need for high-tech workers in the coming years.
MU Cloning Expert says that Recent FDA Report on the use of Cloned Animals in the Food Supply will be No Concern to Cons
Today, the Food and Drug Administration posted a summary of a final report that supports the use of cloned animals for food. According to the report, cloned animals and their offspring are safe to enter the U.S. food supply. A University of Missouri cloning expert says that this decision will probably mean very little to consumers.
Women have played major role in history -- from the start, authors assert
Hold on to your bearskin hats and your macramé snoods, readers: You are in for a wild verbal ride through your deep, deep past.
Celestial clues hint at eclipse in Homer's Odyssey
Among countless other debates about Homer's Odyssey -- not the least of which is whether the entire poem can be attributed to Homer himself -- is whether Odysseus returns home to experience a total solar eclipse. But a Rockefeller University scientist and a colleague from Argentina believe they have found astronomical references in the Odyssey that provide corroborating evidence of this celestial event. The finding is reported in this week's online early edition of
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Hong Kong culls all live poultry in markets after bird flu outbreak
Hong Kong said Wednesday it would slaughter all live poultry in markets and shops around the city following a fresh outbreak of bird flu.
Pigs raised without antibiotics more likely to carry bacteria, parasites
While consumers are increasing demand for pork produced without antibiotics, more of the pigs raised in such conditions carry bacteria and parasites associated with food-borne illnesses, according to a new study.
Disgusting videos key to first-ever brain imaging study comparing ways of controlling emotions
"Control yourself!" Most of us haven't heard that admonition since our last childhood tantrum. Nonetheless, it's something we often tell ourselves, consciously or not, as we deal with life's daily ups and downs. The ability to regulate one's emotions is critical to successfully interacting with others. How we go about achieving that self-control has an equally important effect on our own well-being.