Carbon And Heating Soil
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A Solar-Powered Vertical Farm
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Vertical farming is a method for producing crops in vertically stacked layers or surfaces typically in a skyscraper, used warehouse, or shipping container. Modern vertical farming uses indoor farming techniques and controlled-environment agriculture technology.
More Fake Fish News
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There has been quite a bit of news in recent years about the mislabeling of fish sold in markets and restaurants. One study a few years ago concluded that 1/3 of fish sold is not what it is labeled to be. Much of the practice is economic fraud: substituting cheaper, easier-to-find fish for rarer, more valuable types. For example, the study found that fish sold as red snapper was almost always not what it claimed to be. But cheating paying customers is not the only problem associated with the misidentification of fish.
Energy From Evaporating Water
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Researchers at Columbia University have demonstrated a potential new energy harvesting technique based on the natural evaporation of water. Every day, vast amounts of water evaporate from the surfaces of lakes and rivers, a process powered by the heat energy of the sun. The amount of energy involved is enormous but generally speaking is not something we can tap into.
Neonics And Honey
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The use of neonicotinoid pesticides or neonics has long been suspected as harmful to bees and a major factor in the widespread decline of honeybee and wild bee populations. A study published in Science last June provided strong evidence that neonics are indeed a real problem for bees.
Corals Like Plastic
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Microplastics, which are tiny pieces of weathered plastic less than 5 millimeters in diameter, have been accumulating in the oceans for the past 40 years and are now ubiquitous in the marine environment. They are a major threat to many kinds of marine life, including numerous species of birds, turtles, fish, marine mammals and invertebrates who ingest the stuff causing a variety of problems.
An All-Electric Plane
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The British discount airline EasyJet recently announced a partnership with American company Wright Electric to develop an all-electric commercial airplane that they said could be flying within 10 years. The goal of the partnership is to develop aircraft with a maximum range of 335 miles, which is long enough for many of the European routes that EasyJet flies from its hub in England.
Tsunami And Invasive Species
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According to a new study published in the journal Science, scientists have discovered that hundreds of Japanese marine species have been swept across the Pacific Ocean to the United States following the deadly Tsunami in 2011.
A Big Problem For The Giant Panda
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The giant panda, a national icon of China, has been the focus of an intensive, high-profile conservation campaign since the 1970s. In an update to the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species last year, the giant panda had its designation changed from “endangered” to “vulnerable” following a nationwide census that revealed its population was improving. But it appears as though this conservation success may be short-lived.
The Spread Of Bark Beetles
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Bark beetles are a global scourge of evergreen forests. Mountain pine beetles have destroyed pine trees across western North America. Spruce beetles decimated spruce trees from New Mexico into Colorado and beyond. Altogether, bark beetles have ravaged 85,000 square miles of forest in the western U.S, an area the size of Utah, since 2000. They have killed trees across an additional 65,000 square miles of British Columbian forests and have caused millions of dollars of damage to the lumber industry in states like Alabama and Mississippi.
Winter Outlook
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Each year around this time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, releases its U.S. Winter Outlook that predicts overall weather trends around the country for the upcoming winter. They produce these seasonal outlooks to help communities prepare for the weather that is likely to be forthcoming.
Sea Turtle Populations Are Rebounding
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The increasing disappearance of so many plants and animals around the world has made many scientists believe that we are experiencing a sixth mass extinction. Despite ongoing conservation efforts, living things are struggling with habitat loss, climate change, and many other natural and man-made pressures. Conservation success stories seem to be rare events.
An Ancient Way To Store Energy
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Firebricks, which are bricks designed to withstand high heat, have been around for more than 3000 years. The Hittites used them to line iron-smelting kilns. They are simply bricks made from clays that can withstand much higher temperatures than ordinary bricks.
The End Of British Coal
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In the 19th century, Britain produced 80% of the world’s coal. Britain was the dominant global power in the industrial revolution with its giant blast furnaces, steam locomotives and steam ships. And with advent of the electric age, coal once again was the power source of choice. Even as late as the 1970s, Britain got 80% of its electricity from burning coal.
Looking For “Super Coral”
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Coral reefs are essential for much of marine life and are the basis of many commercial fisheries. In places from Florida to Australia, they are major tourist attractions. Estimates are that the economic impact of coral reefs is more than $375 billion a year. And apart from all of that, they are some of the most beautiful places on the planet.
More Power From The Sea
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The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology or OIST has been working on ways to generate electricity from the ocean for five years. Their initial project, known as “Sea Horse” uses submerged turbines anchored to the sea floor that convert the kinetic energy of sustained natural currents into useful electricity, which is then delivered by cables to the land. The project has been successful and OIST is now planning the next phase.
Air Pollution Shortens Lives
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Globally, an estimated 4.5 billion people are exposed to particulate air pollution levels that are at least twice that of what the World Health Organization considers safe. But the impact that sustained exposure to air pollution has on a person’s life expectancy has remained a frustratingly unanswered question. That is until now.
Greening Halloween
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According to the National Retail Federation, 179 million Americans are expected to spend $9.1 billion – or nearly $84 per person – on Halloween festivities this year, reaching a new record high. But it’s not just our wallets that take a beating. The planet also pays quite a price.
A Ton Of Plastic Per Person
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A study by the American Association for the Advancement of Science has produced an estimate of the total amount of plastic manufactured worldwide since the 1950s. The researchers then measured that data against statistics on recycling, incineration and discard rates. The results are sobering.
Saving Chocolate
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