Does the rainforest have any secrets?

Even the Book of Shadows has readers. 

"A" book of shadows . - mostly a personally written /compiled book / journal  of great info on healing herbs  , ointments  and how to  prepare  .. etc etc .. no real secret in content  , but most of the originals were written in code or theban text  ,,  to  keep the fact that the author is a witch   , a secret . 

Scientists gassed some trees in Central America, thus killing everything. They found new species found only in one tree. Those species are now extinct. Yay science.

Very, very sad.
There's an awful irony in what we learn; the equal wonder and abuse of knowledge.

Knowledge kills. Did you see the movie "Medicine Man" with Sean Connery?

That was a great movie. It's always puzzled me that there haven't been more on the same theme.

Totally agreed that knowledge can be fatal, as can ignorance.

This is where I find the myth of the Garden of Eden so interesting as a metaphor for social and moral evolution.
If the story were true, how would it have affected humans if Eve and Adam had never tasted the taboo fruit? Presumably, they would still be wandering naked in the Garden, innocently doing whatever they pleased - utterly amoral - living like animals. Is it better to have no awareness of good or evil?

To me, it seems that would remove one of the most essential characteristics defining the difference between homosapiens and animals. Animals are free from evil, can only do what instinct and need compel: they can and do show altruism. But all that they do comes from innate drives, without rational consideration of long-term consequences.

From the evolutionist perspective, the weaker instincts of humans allows us to override impulses for the sake of a better outcome - the root of planning to enable hunting, spreading the seeds of food, building shelter, making clothing, surviving hostile seasons, predators and enemies.
The reduced instincts which give us the survival benefit of flexibility and intelligence are the same characteristic that causes a toddler to be amoral:  equally capable of sharing food or bashing the nearest companion. As a species we have both intrinsic altruism and capacity for cooperation, and the capacity to cause immense harm through greed, anger and ignorance.

When knowledge kills it comes from the excess of greed or anger: our endless polluting of the earth for the sake of first world comforts and conveniences; our endless invention and building or ever more devastating ways to murder in war and "self-defense."

Yes, knowledge can be deadly. There was a time when if I had had access to the skin secretions of Phyllobates terribilis, I would have wanted to use it against my sister. I am now extremely glad that my dark fantasies were so grandiose that they were impossible to carry out. I am even more relieved that the situation that gave rise to that level of rage and frustration is now long passed.