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The article offers information on various meetings related to life sciences. The fifth annual Research and Development Management Program, conducted by Ohio University and Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio, will be held from September 24-October 6, 1967. It offers information on the conference "The Chemistry of Learning: An Evaluation of Planarian Research and Other Invertebrate Preparations," held at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan in September 1966. The conference featured several investigators representing biochemistry, physiology and zoology who discussed issues related to learning of planaria and other invertebrates. It offers information on the first International Symposium on Tropical Root Crops held from April 2-8, 1967 in Saint Augustine, Trinidad.

Conservation in Latin America is being given much more serious consideration than it was 10 or even 5 years ago. There is an awakening to realities and the knowledge, for instance, that a rain forest which appears to be inviolable now could be lost to future generations by the activities of a single lumbering crew. Effective comrnunications have been established between the Latin American countries themselves and private nongovernmental conservation organizations both in Latin America and the United States. The Latin American Desk of The Nature Conservancy, headed by Dr. Maria Buchinger, is doing pioneer work in this field, and it is the hope of the author that there will soon be a Nature Conservancy in every one of the Latin American countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the world food crisis as the most serious problem in the tropics, and cites the importance of tropical agriculture in the zone. The author highlights the tropical agriculture research on cash and plantation crops, and informs the presence of great opportunities for biologists to make significant contributions on food shortage prevention. He considers the increase of food production as the most realistic short-range method of solving the crisis. He believes that tropical food production can be increased through conventional agriculture by overseas technical programs, but he claims that training the young people in developing countries is the best method.