Studio co-founder Rodrigo Terra shares why he believes in the power of virtual reality
Just as there have been Brazilian game developers since the 1980s, so too has the country's creative talent been pioneering with virtual reality from an early stage.
Rodrigo Terra, president of Brazil games trade body Abragames and co-founder of VR studio Arvore Immersive Entertainment, has been working with VR since 2014, having experimented with the Oculus Rift DK1 "way back before Facebook bought Oculus," he laughs.
"When VR first appeared, I thought it was amazing because I could drop the screen and live in a place, be in a world, and live an experience, not just looking at a screen," he tells GamesIndustry.biz.
However, the market for virtual reality in Brazil is currently quite small, although Terra tells us this hasn't dissuaded the major players in this space from trying to establish a foothold in the region.
"[The big companies] trying to market VR headsets as productivity tools, but they're not there yet," he tells GamesIndustry.biz. "Apple is doing a good job in this direction, and Meta is making the right investments in another direction, and that's the best way to foster [growth]. But here, [adoption] will take time.
"Access is important. Smartphones are popular here because there was a public policy that made it possible to manufacture smartphones [in Brazil], and that cut the price in half. VR [doesn't have] the same thing."
But the VR community in Brazil is growing, he says. As with other products hindered by the country's limitations on importing technology, determined developers have found other ways to bring headsets into the country – "you can import them directly, put them in your bag, or whatever" – so there are some VR players in the region.
"It's a niche, but that's why we're looking at the global market at Arvore, not just the Brazilian market," he explains. "We know the Brazilian market will take time to grow. If Meta, Google, and Apple start selling here officially and invest here, I'm pretty sure we can change this momentum and the adoption will be bigger.
"If Apple could fit all that technology in that little thing, which is super light, what can we do in ten years? It's moving that way, and players are now investing"
"Brazilian people love technology. We're among the first on each [new] digital wave. WhatsApp, we were first. Discord, we were second. TikTok, we were second. We're a heavily digitised population, so it's just a matter of access. If you bring something here at a price people can afford, you'll see an explosion."
Arvore was founded seven years ago by Terra with his co-founder and friend from university, Ricardo Justus. At the time, the pair were running a television production company, but both were interested in gaming and new technology. They began talking in 2015 about the potential for virtual reality, and whether there was scope for a VR games developer in Brazil – even though there were no consumer headsets in the market at that time, just prototypes.
"We thought we could do it, because commercial VR created a second wave of companies — Survios, Owlchemy Labs, and the others were the first wave, and the second wave was starting, so it was a good moment to do it."
The duo began by bootstrapping, spending a year pitching the vision for their company to investors, and eventually securing some seed funding. They then drew on gaming talent they had met, as well as folks from other technology and creative industries such as film and TV. Then, in 2017, Arvore Immersive Entertainment was born.
The company began by working on both B2B and B2C projects, as well as physical and location-based installations.
Arvore's first commercially released VR game was Pixel Ripped 1989, an homage to retro video games played from a first-person perspective. Debuting in 2018, it was followed by a 1995-themed sequel – but it was the studio's third game that put it on the map in a very different way.
The Line is a 20-minute interactive love story led by film director Ricardo Laganaro. It was submitted for inclusion in the 2019 Venice International Film Festival and even won the prize for best VR immersive experience – and that wasn't the only award it would pick up.
"It was the first time Brazil had won a prize in Venice," Terra says. "76 years of that festival, and the first [Brazilian] win was a VR title. And in 2020, we won the Primetime Emmy for outstanding innovation in interactive programming. And then we thought, 'Okay now we are playing.'
"Immersive content for us is something that we can use to showcase that our work can be recognised and loved by global audiences. We tell universal stories, games that everyone in the world can understand and love, but we always put a Brazilian flavour in it. Seven years on, and we're still going. There have been many movements in the market with this year's ups and downs but we're still here, and we're growing more and more. And we still believe in the market."
Inevitably, our conversation turns to virtual reality's struggles to become a mainstream proposition. Terra notes that he's heard people suggest it will take off in the next year or two, adding: "But I've been hearing that since I started."
"Immersive experiences were what we saw as the future of entertainment, and they still are"
Nonetheless, he maintains that VR eventually becoming more than a niche is a "no brainer."
"I don't know exactly when it will happen, but it's going to be mainstream," he says. "We won't need to use phones and computers in ten, 15 years. Why use those gadgets if I can have something [immersive]? It's a matter of time.
"If you took everything out of an Apple Vision Pro, [you'd] see it's a ski goggle but a thin one. If Apple could fit all that technology in that little thing, which is super light, what can we do in ten years? It's moving that way, and players are now investing."
For Terra, virtual reality currently stands as "a niche you can survive in." For now, that niche is adults with disposable income and an interest in newer technologies, but as more children get into VR – perhaps gifted headsets as a big Christmas present, Terra suggests – a new generation of players will rise.
"That generation is now starting to play games and VR is an entryway to that. For new generations, immersive technologies and platforms are now part of the mix of how they have fun. What I'm looking for is [people in future] who have VR or XR as part of their lives and how they play.
"It's still a niche today, but it's a niche that is starting to be understood. It's not an experiment anymore, it's not Virtual Boy, it's an industry, it's definitely growing, and it will get there. If I knew whether it will take five years or ten years, I'd be a multibillionaire. "
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Arvore brings a chaotic 3-on-3 VR soccer game with cats to Meta Quest
The free multiplayer title will go into early access in October
Brazilian development studio Arvore has announced a new VR multiplayer game. "Clawball" will be released for free in Early Access for Meta Quest 3
Quest 3S and all other Quest headsets on October 17th
The VR game will feature fast-paced 3-on-3 soccer matches where you play as cats with paws and claws to score goals
Clawball has been directed by Ana Ribeiro, the creative force behind the Pixel Ripped series
Arvore is introducing a Halloween-themed Season Pass at the start of Early Access
It offers limited cosmetic items such as ghost cats
The studio is putting a lot of emphasis on customization
You can customize your cat persona with different headgear
new cosmetic items will be added on a regular basis
explains: "It all started when our lead programmer
noticed his movements resembling those of a cat while tinkering with the initial prototype
This sparked a burst of creative inspiration
The best part of developing this game has been our playtest sessions with the whole team
where it's hard to stop playing and get work done
we're excited to finally share that joy with the world
creating Clawball has been a blast—we hope you enjoy playing it as much as we do!"
you can try out Clawball for free on Meta Quest from October 17 and join the cat community
Note: Links to online stores in articles can be so-called affiliate links
MIXED receives a commission from the provider
Posted in: Games, Video Games, VR | Tagged: ARVORE, Clawball
After being teased a couple of months ago during one of the many summer gaming livestreams
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Text description provided by the architects. The House in the Trees is located in Teresópolis, 100 km from Rio de Janeiro. The narrow plot has a 10-meter elevation difference, with access from the highest point. To the right of the entrance, there is a natural reserve with trees reaching up to 30 meters in height. In front, the view extends to the mountain range of the region.
To keep the ground free, allowing sunlight and minimizing the construction of stairs, earth movement, and contact with humidity, the house was set 1 meter below the access level, in a long volume elevated 7 meters from the ground, similar to a pier.
ElevationInside the house, a gallery connects the spaces, arranged transversely to it. The access volume is 1.50 m wide and is marked by the rhythm of the wooden roof structure, composed of 19 modules of 80 cm each. The glass facade opens like a balcony, allowing uses that go beyond simple circulation.
divided into two slopes with a 30 cm height difference between the circulation area and the internal spaces
The width of the rooms follows the same modulation as the gallery
it is possible to see how the limits of the house dissolve through the reflection of the green and the sky on the galvanized steel eaves
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Clawball is a 3v3 feline soccer game inspired by Gorilla Tag
As someone who spent years playing the latter
Clawball doesn't deviate from soccer in the sense that two teams compete to score the most goals before time runs out
hitting a blowfish that's used as the football with your paws
Team rotation is key as you can't leave the goal completely unmanned
ensuring everyone gets a fair attempt when suitable
The time limit feels reasonable and matches don't feel too short or overly long
and Clawball heads into overtime if you're tied
Clawball's arm-swinging locomotion sets it apart from other VR "soccer" games; Ultimechs opted for teleportation between different pads and while Sky Strikers takes a similar approach
Moving around the arena works but the controls took some getting used to
Judging how much force is required when swinging my arms to jump was tricky
though this issue will likely disappear with more practice
You won't find any special moves or "ultimate" abilities like some games offer
There's not much else you can do on the field
I prefer games with stick-based locomotion
so using my arms for both movement and hitting the ball soon after was slightly awkward at times
scoring goals as a team effort was ultimately satisfying
I had fun with this playtest and while I couldn't explore Clawball's social playground
there's a good foundation ARVORE can build upon
I also enjoyed the humorous celebrations that followed each match
The winning team sprays milk bottles like Formula 1 drivers spray champagne on the podium
while the (sore?) losers throw tomatoes at them
ARVORE is currently focused on polishing gameplay before adding extra content
I'm told power-ups and wall climbing are being considered
while ranked online multiplayer won't be included in early access
Cat customization options were unsurprisingly limited for an early build
and more cosmetics will be added periodically
Clawball targets a free-to-play early access launch on Quest this October, while the full release is planned for 2025. You can also join the upcoming closed beta test via ARVORE's Discord server.
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Most visitors to Brasilia stay along the Monumental Axis, with its wide boulevards of roaring traffic, and conclude that the city is a noisy and unwelcoming place for pedestrians. However, those who venture into Brasilia's master-planned "superblocks" will find leafy parks, tranquil sidewalks, and quirky local businesses. One such establishment is the newsstand serving block SQS 108.
When Brasilia was conjured out of wilderness in 1960, SQS 108 was one of the first superblocks to be laid out and built up. (The city's oldest church, a landmark designed by the celebrated architect Oscar Niemeyer, is also found nearby.) Freshly arrived from the northeastern state of Bahia, Lourivaldo Soares Marques chose this location to establish Super Banca 108 Sul, the infant capital's first newsstand, providing newspapers and refreshments to the growing city.
In 1963, facing a hot summer, Soares planted a pair of rubber fig saplings (Ficus elastica) alongside his newsstand to provide shade. The ficuses' free-flowing aerial roots, shaped by years of careful pruning, now grow together as a single trunk—framing a perfectly-formed doorway. More than just shade, Soares's landscaping has become a neighborhood landmark, an organic and human-scaled response to the supersized concrete monuments in the city center.
Even better, the tree grants wishes. Soares has described the arboreal arch as an "energy portal," where three wishes can be made to come true. The neighbors concur: a local university student named Anna Silva told a reporter in 2011 that she had made multiple wishes under the tree's embrace, and swore that "one of them even is in the process of coming true right now."
Soares has said that the tree, which he kisses three times a day, has fulfilled his wishes, too: the businesses he has built around the city, a five-decade marriage, nine children, and 18 grandchildren. It's easy to believe him.
A quirky old tree covered in tokens, cans, and bottles of wishes.
This grand old 80-foot sequoia towers above the buildings in the city’s retail center.
One of the world’s largest living advertisements is made out of pine trees.
A pair of trees near a Hong Kong shrine are said to grant wishes, but only the ones they hold on to.
Far out of its comfort zone, this sequoia was planted as a symbol of the connection between Visalia and its neighboring national park.
The last remnant of a tree that helped prove to the world that sequoias are real—and they’re spectacular.
One of the oldest and most majestic living trees in Britain, thought to be over 1,500 years old.
Mysterious markers have been giving the public a lesson in dendrochronology for over a century.
another thing is the place for the project
To realize what is the place is to already do the project" - Álvaro Siza In addition to technical decisions
we understand the nature of the place and the interaction with the community
previously underutilized and/or in conflict of interest
With the budget cut there should be a "loss" to the project
But we saw an opportunity: to take better advantage of the main element - a Paineira with 12 m
demonstrated the relevant need for adequacy of the executive projects and the budget
There was no possibility of reduction of the intervention area and no change in the diameter of the party adopted in the initial project
The project’s transformation included layout revisions that suggest the reuse of existing paving areas and the rescue of natural systems - with materials
soil and tree planting - that make the project execution less complex and a lot cheaper
it was possible to maintain the dry fountain and the playful topography
without harming the expectations already left in place According to the initial project
the square was intended for children aged 0 to 3
all planning took into account such objectives
It expresses the opportunity of the appreciation of free play in the natural soil with drainage
the award-winning Brazilian studio which developed acclaimed VR titles Pixel Ripped 1995 and The Line
an action-packed bullet hell VR game with roguelite mechanics set in a fully original anime universe
With an innovative VR gameplay inspired by classics like Star Fox and Touhou
the game explores the player’s spatial awareness and body movement across multiple procedural levels
This all leads to a highly challenging adventure with roguelite elements
such as a semi-persistent progression system that allows the player to improve his skill by equipping several power ups and new abilities at the beginning of each run
Yuki transports the player into the wild imagination of a child to fly through multidimensional worlds while holding the action figure of her favorite anime character
They will use their hands to fly Yuki and dodge a near infinite barrage of bullets and obstacles that fall into their path in an enthralling VR-designed gameplay
Players will have to think on their feet and engage in a smooth choreography to battle enemies while dodging bullets and obstacles
Yuki offers a unique VR blend of the ‘bullet hell’ and ‘roguelite’ genres — both are known for their high difficulty
but Yuki is designed to be accessible and enjoyed by everyone
the player can feel the power progression through systems and clear skill progression through difficulty
Yuki quickly grows into a strategic game that offers a clear feeling of progression and rewards for the player’s personal achievements
ARVORE wants to invite all players interested in playtesting Yuki to join their community on Discord (and follow the project on Twitter)
“A while back we were brainstorming new ideas and started to wonder what some classic game genres would look like translated completely to VR
so we started prototyping some of them,” explained Ricardo Justus
“This translation of the ‘bullet hell’ genre showed a lot of promise right from the initial prototypes
ARVORE creates and develops profound interactive narrative experiences using the latest immersive technologies such as VR
With a multidisciplinary team of innovators and trailblazers
and a lab tasked with expanding the possibilities of these platforms
senses and media to push the envelope of storytelling to new levels
ARVORE’s products reach global audiences through digital distribution and local audiences in Latin America through Voyager
a leading chain of VR theme parks owned and operated by the studio
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80th Venice Film Festival exhibits 'Mãri Hi - A Árvore do Sonho'
an award-winning Yanomami short film in Gramado
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The strength of Yanomami cinema will be highlighted at the 80th Venice Film Festival
which takes place from August 30th to September 9th
The parallel exhibition Giornate degli Autori will dedicate the 4th of September to the first Yanomami filmmaker
and to recent productions of Yanomami cinema
the exhibition's partnership with the cultural association Isola Edipo and the Cartier Foundation celebrate Yanomami Cinema with the title "Eyes of the forest" and featuring three short films: Thuë Pihi Kuuwi – A Woman Thinking
Yuri u xëatima thë – Fishing with Timbó e Mãri Hi - The Dream Tree
Morzaniel announced that he intends to use the opportunity to appeal to the international public to fight for the rights of the Yanomami
“I'm also going to talk about the fight we have today against the invaders and Marco Temporal
I'll talk about the health and education needs of my people
like the fact that our traditional culture still exists
telling the story of the tree of dreams and how our shamans dream," he told ISA
The Yanomami filmmaker won Best Cinematography and the Jury Prize at the Gramado Festival this year. Also, Morzaniel's film won the It's All True Festival 2023 in the category Best Documentary Short Film in Brazil
and is eligible to compete for an Oscar in the category Best Documentary in Short Film
The work features the participation of Yanomami shaman and leader Davi Kopenawa
who talks about his people's knowledge of dreams
Aida Harika, Roseane Yariana and Edmar Tokorino are responsible for the other two films. In addition to being among his first productions, they are also the first films with Yanomami women in the production and which will premiere at an International Film Festival
All three productions were made in Watorikɨ
They were produced by Aruac Filmes during the filming of the fall from heaven
freely inspired by the book by Davi Kopenawa and Bruce Albert
is signed by Eryk Rocha and Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha.
together with the Hutukara Associação Yanomami and the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA)
an audiovisual assembly workshop that led to the production of the three short films that will be at the Venice Film Festival
Read alsoYanomami and Ye'kwana learn cinema by telling their stories
“The objective of this year's initiative is to highlight the direct and intimate vision of filmmakers from the Yanomami community
one of the most well-known indigenous populations in the Amazon
and its growing importance in the international film scene
A political act giving back to the forest its eyes
bodies and voices to raise awareness about the current Yanomami situation and the urgent need to protect their territory and their way of life”
co-produced by Hutukara Associação Yanomami and associated production by Gata Maior Filmes
The most relevant news for you to form your opinion on the socio-environmental agenda
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we proposed tailor-made solutions to fit the spirit of the house and craftsmanship available
Through the implementation of unconventional elements and solutions
the house developed and matured to suit this new phase of the owner's life
provoke emotions and contemplate deeply without boundaries - bringing out the joy of continuous discovery
The 300 square meters Casa da Árvore is situated in the mountainous region of Atibaia
in portugal, contaminar arquitetos builds a primary school dubbed ‘casa da árvore’ with a unique material palette of timber and cork
the team notes that the project began with the vision of the treehouse
where the main concept of being in contact with nature and discovery
allows for the stimulation of learning from a concept that meets the methodology used in school
casa da árvore appears as one of the first moments in which children have contact with the world of architecture in relation to nature
images by fernando guerra | FG+SG | @fernandogguerra
the design team at contaminar arquitetos organizes its casa da árvore to connect the classrooms with outdoor space
noting that this was the starting point for the project’s development
led to a classroom condition where the interior space appears as an extension of the exterior
thus creating a strong connection with nature
the patios and porches allow children to fully use the space
and the structure itself was designed as an integral part of the patio furniture
the choice of materials used is in accordance with the concept of the project
where the use of natural cork as a cladding material in the eaves connects us with nature
the stereotomy itself was crafted like pieces of a puzzle
creating a rhythm on the façade that allows for different appropriations and movements
the concrete along the walls was treated in a particular way
where visitors can see the inert materials that make up and support the structure resting on a pavement in earth tones that reinforces the imagery of the casa da árvore
architecture: contaminar arquitetos client: O jardim dos fraldinhas project completion year: 2020 photography: fernando guerra | FG+SG | @fernandogguerra
principal architects: joel esperança
eurico sousa and joaquim duarte collaborating architects: filipa pimpão
ana carolina and sara fernandes constructor: irmãos couto e coito
AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function
but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style
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By Elaine Guerini2017-09-08T09:36:00+01:00
One of the pioneers in Virtual Reality (VR) projects in Brazil
is leaving Fernando Meirelles’ O2 Filmes to dedicate himself exclusively to immersive narratives
Best known for the VR documentary Step To The Line
Laganaro has just become a partner at Arvore
a production company based in São Paulo focused on new technology
Among Laganaro’s new projects is a sci-fi immersive experience
in the same format as Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Carne y Arena
this experience will transport the viewer to a space station orbiting the Earth
After witnessing a catastrophe on the planet
they will have to face some dilemmas while sharing the spaceship with an artificial intelligence unit
“The idea is to register this work at international film festivals
as the demand for VR is growing,’’ says Laganaro
who is writing the script and working on the preproduction of the project
The fact that the immersive experience is interactive does not mean that it is not about cinema,’’ he adds
Shot in a California maximum security prison
Step To The Line was this year listed among the top five VR experiences to try on mobile by Time magazine
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted on his page about the short documentary about prisoners who are trying to change their lives through education
The film is part of the Oculus VR For Good
a programme launched last year to create VR content that showcases the need for social change
“The prison is an example of a place that arouses a great deal of curiosity
The filmmaker will also develop other documentary narrative experiences at the new company
highlighting people with peculiar ocupations in inhospitable places
The first of them will be shot in northern Norway
where a group of people hold all the edible seeds of the planet in an urn hidden in the mountain just in case any of them run out
“Our goal is to find people who deal with a greater good
it will be an opportunity to feel in a place with very restricted access,” he says
Laganaro has been working since 2009 at O2 Filmes as head of the 3D department and as a VFX supervisor
He has directed several 360º videos and was responsible for the 8-minute film Cosmos
which tells the story of the universe in 360 degrees in the dome of the Museu do Amanhã in Rio de Janeiro
Company’s latest foray into genre will open theatrically on October 10
The film is set in a remote monastery in fourteenth-century England
EXCLUSIVE: Conic will release in UK-Ireland later this year
Oscar winner proposing federal tax incentives
‘Ish’ and ‘Learning To Breathe Under Water’ will also feature
Screen International is the essential resource for the international film industry
access to the Screen International archive and supplements including Stars of Tomorrow and World of Locations
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from which everything is used – from the leaf to the oil –
buriti has achieved such prestige that it is treated as a “tree of life”
A doctoral research by the Institute of Biology (IB) on this plant showed that it is possible for rural communities that extract its fruit to combine income generation and at the same time conservation of the species
forestry engineer Maurício Bonesso Sampaio
showed that there is a smaller impact from this type of extractivism than from other activities that harm the environment
in his investigation carried out at Unicamp (he completed his undergraduate and master's degrees at the University of Brasília – UnB)
even though up to 70% of the fruits were removed from these populations
the impact still would not have been too much
“The extractivist does not harm the seed because
if they are returned to the swamp by extractivists
the buriti populations will follow their normal course”
is a more sustainable economic alternative than other forms of land use and
despite not having data on how much buriti moves in terms of figures in the regions where it occurs
Maurício heard reports that many families are able to obtain a monthly income of up to ten thousand reais solely by selling their products
remembering that the harvest lasts for a period of three or four months
companies are currently the ones that buy the most buriti products
being produced and sold in Brazil by the extractivists themselves
other industries are also interested in its oil
that could put the development of the buriti's life cycle at risk
Maurício's study – guided by IB professor Flávio Antonio Maës dos Santos – even suggested that a setback such as fire is capable of causing major impacts on fruit production and the maintenance of populations
The fire that ends up affecting multiple areas
if it burns in the same place once every ten years
will inevitably end up being harmful to buriti populations
When evaluating the effects of commercial fruit extraction on natural buriti populations
Maurício also found that “one of the problems that persists is intense harvesting
reducing the chances of seedlings being born that will regenerate buriti populations
“There is no commercial planting of buriti in the country.”
an increasingly smaller production of fruits can be expected
as many people depend on this extractivism
the Pantanal and a small area of the caatinga
in South American countries such as Colombia
where it exists in a smaller proportion in a small strip of the north of the State
it is classified as “Endangered” (EN) on the official list of flora species in the State of São Paulo threatened with extinction (Resolution SMA 48 of 2004)
The plant is a palm tree from the Arecaceae family
according to professor Flávio Antonio Maës dos Santos
almost linear populations can be seen following water courses
The first alludes to ontogeny: how changes occur in the morphological characteristics of individuals throughout the life cycle
how the plant grows and at what size it produces fruits
Maurício revealed that fruit production can begin when the plant reaches approximately eight meters in height (a palm tree can reach 30 meters)
Another thing: it lives hundreds of years and is native to Trinidad and Tobago and South America
he tested the effects of fruit extraction and fires (quite frequent in the Cerrado) on the ecology of buriti populations
he evaluated the social factors that influence fruit extraction and other uses in the swamps
But it was during fieldwork that Maurício really understood the dynamics of buriti
he visited three regions – two in the State of Tocantins (Jalapão
to the east of the State and the northeast
close to Itacajá and Santa Maria do Tocantins) and one to the south of the State of Piauí
where small industries producing sweets are concentrated
the doctoral student spent four months prospecting the areas where he would work and collecting data for the third chapter of the thesis
his work became annual in the areas studied
finding fertile ground for his investigations
he stayed there for a month.His biggest difficulty was identifying populations of buriti that had little anthropogenic impact (caused by man in the environment in which they live)
One of the requirements for this study was to have pristine areas (as preserved as possible)
the forestry engineer requested support from the NGOs Pequi (Research and Conservation of the Cerrado) and ISPN (Society
he had collaborations with the extractivists themselves – especially a technician from Emater
in the south of Piauí – and the Tocantins Nature Institute (Naturatins)
he received help from researchers Tamara Ticktin
who studies the effects of extractivism of non-timber forest products
from the Center for Environmental Studies and Research (Nepam )
Maurício's thesis converges with a series of works in the Plant Population Ecology research line at IB
developed over two decades ago in the Department of Plant Biology
studies on the effects of exploitation on plant populations began thanks to a demand from postgraduate students from 1995 onwards
related to the impact of logging on tree species in the Amazon
It then began to include the exploration of non-timber forest products
such as the research by Maurício and another doctoral student
who expanded the initiative by studying janaguba
a tree species found in the Cerrado.
“Maurício’s work aims to combine many variables and analyze a social component linked to this exploitation
he tried to marry this with the assessment of dynamics models: how populations are reacting to this exploitation
It is extremely difficult to find research in the literature bringing these approaches together around a common point”
The experience gained in the field of work guided Maurício to design two booklets for rural populations who live close to swamp areas and who practice buriti extraction
The booklets are Good Management Practices for Sustainable Extractivism in Buriti
Population and Nature Institute (ISPN); and Good Management Practices for the Sustainable Extractivism of Capim Dourado and Buriti
produced in partnership with researchers Isabel Schmidt
One booklet covers the fruit and the other the buriti leaves
which provide a fiber widely used in golden grass crafts
Maurício even evaluated the impact of extracting these leaves
Around a thousand copies were distributed by ISPN to agroextractivists in the Cerrado
The expectation is that the results will contribute to these communities continuing to practice extractivism
generating income and improving its distribution and people's access to the local economy.
one of the points to be highlighted is that extraction is family-based
but there is a lack of support and training for these people
“If we entertain the idea that it is possible to create a more vigorous economy in these regions
the buritis and extractive populations could suffer a lot as a result.”
management and conservation of buriti (Mauritia flexuosa; Arecaceae) in the swamps of Central Brazil”Author Maurício Bonesso SampaioAdvisor: Flávio Antonio Maës dos SantosUnity: Institute of Biology (IB)Financing: CNPq and Fapesp
Below are the links to download the booklets mentioned in the article
https://www.ispn.org.br/arquivos/Cartilha-Buriti-Web.pdf
https://www.ispn.org.br/arquivos/Capim-Dourado-e-Buriti.pdf
I congratulate Doctors Maurício and his advisor Flávio for the thesis presented
on the banks of the Rio Novo where there is buriti
We intend to sell Buriti oil for cosmetic purposes
as well as the fruit for sweets; generating and moving income in that region
I would like to receive two copies that were distributed by ISPN to agroextractivists in the Cerrado
Our idea is to carry out extractivism in a sustainable way
Part of my Father's area is being transformed into RPPN
I feel comfortable knowing that there are people like Dr
Flávio developing work that is so relevant to the preservation of buriti
A plant that brings hope to distant communities in our Brazil
I'm from Barra-Ba and a neighbor of Buritirama
The place is a true oasis in the heart of the caatinga
The city received this generous name because it is surrounded by this noble palm tree "buriti"
It is a region of swamps and the communities benefit from the benefits of this plant
which is also a symbol of resistance to the actions of the climate and man
an independent video game developer based in São Paulo
announced today that their roguelike/bullet hell hybrid game YUKI will be available on the Oculus Quest
and any and all Steam virtual reality platforms as of July 22nd of this year
whoever preorders the game will be able to play it 2 days before it officially launches
YUKI is a journey into the vivid imagination of one child
you will maneuver Yuki's action figure as it swerves to avoid projectile weapons from enemies and other obstacles
According to the press release put out by Arvore:
Has Arvore done what they said they were trying to do with this game
Let us know what you think in the comments below
A series of striking paintings from cultural icon Bob Dylan have been released as signed limited edition prints by the UK’s leading fine art publisher
The three new pieces are the second instalment of works to be released from Dylan’s widely acclaimed collection ‘The Brazil Series’
inspired by his travels to the South American country
The release of the new artworks come as Bob Dylan performs his much anticipated concerts at The Royal Albert Hall from 21st – 25th October 2015
As one of contemporary culture’s most influential and ground-breaking artists
His contribution to music is well documented
wining 11 Grammy Awards and selling in excess of 125 million records worldwide
Having painted and sketched for years Dylan's first major museum exhibition was in 2007 at Germany's Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz
Dylan's artwork has been exhibited at many of the world's most prestigious museums and galleries
including The National Gallery of Denmark in which ‘The Brazil Series’ was first exhibited in 2011
released as a set of limited edition artworks by Washington Green earlier this year (May 2015)
Dylan further makes his mark as an accomplished artist with this second release from the series
painting scenes brimming with life and full of vibrant colour
Brazil captured Dylan’s interest during his many visits to the country
to gain an understanding and respect for the people and their culture
This is reflected in his three new pieces which capture the distinctive personality of Brazil – from the country’s infamous favelas to its beautiful coastline and the heart of its countryside
while subtly hinting at ever-prevalent themes of economic disparity and social inequality
Dylan – whose work has been published in collaboration with Washington Green since 2008 – created art as a way of relaxing and refocusing his mind while touring around the world
“After a number of successful past collections
‘The Brazil Series’ is rich body of work that further cements Bob’s artistic standing
Dylan offers up the many faces of Brazil to intrigue and inspire the viewer
the tonal colours and style of brush strokes used are reminiscent of French impressionist artist Paul Cézanne – one of Dylan’s real inspirations
One of the pieces ‘Grande Árvore Beachfront’ even nods towards Cézanne’s most famous collection of paintings ‘The Card Players’ in its composition
“The record sales of the previous release of ‘The Brazil Series’ is testament to Dylan’s popularity as an artist and we have no doubt this engaging collection will prove as popular as ever.”
Dylan’s previous signed limited edition collections published by Washington Green include ‘The Drawn Blank Series’
a collection drawings sketched while touring America
hand embellished images based on Bob Dylan's most iconic image Train Tracks
The three new pieces from ‘The Brazil Series’ by Dylan can be viewed and purchased at Castle Fine Art and Castle Galleries retail outlets across the UK
Each of the works are certificated and personally signed by Bob Dylan with the limited edition prints priced at £1,500
Developed in Germany, the CityTree is a mobile structure that incorporates mosses and urban furniture to create a possible solution to the polluted air of urban centers.
Rectangular, trunkless and flat, this "tree" basically consists of a large vertical panel, a wall of mosses which, according to its creators, has the capacity to absorb the same amount of nitrogen dioxide and microscopic particles from the air as 275 natural trees.
Each CityTree can absorb 250 grams of particles per day and stores 240 metric tons of CO2 per year, say its creators. Installation takes about 6 hours and maintenance is quite simple, since the structure has built-in sensors that control the air temperature, water quality, and soil moisture. The sensors also allow the air quality to be measured in order to evaluate the efficiency of the structure.
Eight CityTrees in front of the Frauenkirche in Dresden, Germany. Image © Green City SolutionsDespite CityTree's promising qualities, one of the product's setbacks is its cost. Planting and maintaining a traditional tree costs cities less than $1,000 per decade, while just purchasing a CityTree costs about $25,000, prompting the question: would it not be more effective to use these investments to address the sources of atmospheric pollution in cities?
CityTree. Image © Green City SolutionsThese structures have nevertheless proved popular with municipalities around the world
having already been implemented in 25 cities including Oslo
News via Green City Solutions
peter schulz was a professor at the Institute of Physics "Gleb Wataghin" (IFGW) at Unicamp for 20 years
He is currently a professor at the Faculty of Applied Sciences (FCA) at Unicamp
In addition to articles in specialized journals in Physics and Scientometrics
he is dedicated to scientific dissemination and the study of aspects of interdisciplinarity
He published the book “The crossroads of nanotechnology – innovation
2009) and was the curator of the exhibition “So far
so close – telecommunications and society”
Plants can have various names and nicknames
In Quechua it is called quina or quina-quina
The name ended up becoming the surname of a genus of plants
I don't believe I have seen any of them myself
which in part became facts and other facts
ground into powder in a dose equivalent to the weight of two small silver coins
when administered as a drink, cures common fevers and tertian fevers and produced miraculous results in Lima.”
European interest in the new medicine was soon awakened
a pharmaceutical laboratory was created responsible for exporting the “Jesuit bark” throughout Europe
but the growing demand for quina-quina (the shell of the bark in Quechua) almost led to the extinction of cinchona in Peru
Demand grew not only due to the incidence of malaria in European metropolises
but also due to its alarming presence in the growing number of colonized territories
cinchonas and their seeds were smuggled and spread to other places
trees adapted to the point of becoming naturalized
This interest can be illustrated by the presence of cinchona in the “Catalogue of foreign plants worthy of being encouraged in the American colonies for medicinal
published in the first volume of the “Transactions of the American Philosophical Society” of 1771
Here It is worth noting: it was Carlos Linnaeus himself (1707-1778)
in honor of the countess of the previous century
which did not grow properly in some places and were at risk of extinction in others
was taking place in laboratories in England
The French Pharmacy Society instituted a prize:
“...for a long time we have faced an important problem of finding a substitute for quinine with the same therapeutic effects
offering 4000 francs to the discoverer of a path to the production of synthetic quinine”
the German chemist Paul Rabe (1869 – 1952)
established 50 years earlier; It's quite another thing to discover how those 48 atoms bonded together
with the tools created throughout the 1918th century
published an article in 1931 entitled “Partial synthesis of quinine
The article provides few details of the synthesis steps and development in the area progressed slowly
his collaborators synthesized one gram of hydrokinine
which is very little and expensive to replace the production of quinine from trees
returning to the place of origin of these trees
with the aim of guaranteeing the supply of fever trees from the forests of Andean countries for military purposes
This program ended up being interrupted with the recovery of Asian forests and the normalization of stocks in allied countries
that it always remained cheaper and more efficient to extract quinine from trees
until the famous alkaloid was replaced by chloroquine
a synthetic analogue with a similar formula and competitive price
which sadly and unduly gained fame recently at the hands of unscrupulous scientists and genocidal politicians
chemistry) with the knowledge of original peoples
issues environmental and scientific controversies
from the participation of scientists like Louis Pasteur in this adventure to the use of quinine sulfate
an idea that emerged in the Indian army to combat malaria
It didn't work very well for its original purpose
This text began with a vague idle curiosity, which increased to wanting to pull the thread here. Along the way, the question arises as to which other plants would reveal historical riches like this. A conviction that, yes, there are others, probably many, was established without seeking sources. In exchange of messages, Luiz Carlos Dias passed on a source, which he did not know, for new adventures, a reference that I share with the reader who may be curious[8]
This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Unicamp
[1] The Legend of Cinchona, George Urdang, The Scientific Monthly
[2] Evaluating Cinchona bark and quinine for treating and preventing malaria
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine; 2017
[3] Various information in this paragraph and the following were taken from the article “The Quest for Quinine: Those Who Won the Battles and Those Who Won the War”
[4] To read about other branches of this story, check article by Luiz Carlos Dias:
[5] Wartime Cinchona Procurement in Latin America
[6] QUININA: 470 YEARS OF HISTORY, CONTROVERSIES AND DEVELOPMENT
Alfredo Ricardo Marques de Oliveira and Daiane Szczerbowski
Note: the title of the article is imprecise
[7] Quinine synthesis mystery solved
[8] Virtual Chemistry Magazine
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