Pollution is nothing but the resources we are not harvesting. We allow them to disperse because we've been ignorant of their value. — R. Buckminster Fuller
Looks like this principle is about to be demonstrated once more, this time, by the coffee industry.
Processing coffee requires large amounts of water. As the producer of 70% of the world's coffee, much of the coffee processing occurs in South America, where waste water is a major source of riverine pollution. Things are about to improve, however, as this hitherto misunderstood resource is about to be turned into a source of green energy.
http://phys.org/news/2014-08-sites-energy-coffee-good-results.html/ Latin America coffee environment community health coffee production wastewater released untreated rivers affecting aquatic fauna flora downstream communities coffee wastewater organic waste high toxicity affects soil generates greenhouse-gas emissions methane health environmental problems coffee wastewater Central American farmers coffee wastewater generate energy UTZ Certified Energy from Coffee Wastewater project protect water resources generate energy treating discharge from coffee mills Han De Groot coffee production fresh water sustainable wastewater treat treatment treated environment oxygen aquatic life /
Smartwatches to date have relied on a Bluetooth connected smartphone for Internet connection. Samsung's latest, for release in October, has its own 3G connection for voice & data.
Screen is curved, with 2 inch diagonal & 480 x 360 pixels. OS is Tizen, running Gear apps.
http://www.gizmag.com/samsung-gear-s-smartwatch-details/33566// wearable Samsung Gear S wristwear smartwatches paired smartphone communications 2G 900/1800 850/1900 3G 900/2100 850/1900 make calls send TXT SMS text messages emails onscreen keyboard on screen Gear S 2-inch 480x360 Super AMOLED display face display curved fit comfortably user user's wearer wearer’s wrist 1GHz dual-core processor 4GB storage 512MB RAM software features S Voice S Health sensors accelerometer gyroscope compass heart rate ambient light 300mAh battery Along with the Gear S launch headset-style device Gear Circle receive calls issue voice commands Bluetooth connection wearer’s neck vibrate alert user incoming calls alerts /
Mobile phones figure prominently in robbery statistics around the world. 65% in San Francisco, for instance.
As a deterrent, the US state of California will require, from 1 July 2015, that all phones sold in the state, have a kill switch, which will allow the legitimate owner to disable, &/or remotely erase their phone, if stolen. Also required, is the ability to re-enable the phone after it is recovered.
Legislation does not specify how the kill switch is to be implemented, but it will probably vary from existing "find my phone" capabilities only in that it will be installed & enabled by default.
Existing solutions for idevices include FoneHome & Apple's Find iPhone.
Android solutions include Where's My Droid & solutions included in security packages such as AVG, Norton, Lookout & CM.
Just search for "find phone" on the relevant app site.
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/130546-california-governor-signs-law-mandating-kill-switch-on-all-smartphones-sold-in-stateS/ California state governor Jerry Brown mandated Monday every smartphone sold California 1 July 2015 device useless if stolen historic legislation prevent smartphone theft majority robberies smart phone smartphone theft San Francisco Oakland bill SB 962 manufacturers implement develop kill switch all smartphones sold online physical stores turn their smartphones back on phone is returned remotely erase data legislation law enforcement officials endorsed every other state in the union equipped with theft deterrent technology purchase new phones Apple Google Samsung agreed to add a kill switch feature enable by default carriers reluctant implement kill switches $7 billion smartphone insurance market /
Tesla has been promising a Supercharger network in Australia ever since pricing of the Model S in this country was announced. Things have become more certain with the appointment of consulting engineer & renewables specialist, Evan Beaver, to manage the Australian Supercharger programme.
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/2355-Tesla-in-Australia/page102?p=663146&viewfull=1#post663146/ Tesla network Supercharger stations plan planning planned Australia Model S arrives rollout Vulture South deliveries develop Supercharger network owners road trips free-to-use Supercharger stations coast-to-coast travel Europe Asia charge recharge range Brisbane Sydney Canberra Melbourne corridors priority charge recharge LiIon lithium ion battery /
As an infant, Quincy was diagnosed with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a malfunction of the adrenal glands, which left her with a lack of the hormone cortisol. No cure is available, but her condition can be managed with hormone treatment three times per day.
As a six year old, she is "one of the best 6-year-old surfers in the world", with her own sponsorship contract.
More about congenital adrenal hyperplasia: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Congenital_adrenal_hyperplasia/ 6-year-old 6 year old girl land water Quincy Symonds surf surfer surfing pint-sized Australian sponsor sponsorship sponsors surfing community Quincy's battle serious condition congenital adrenal hyperplasia disorder adrenal gland surfing prodigy parents adrenal crisis infant diagnosed disorder steroid-dependent requiring medication three times a day surf coach Tony no fear nicknamed nickname the Flying Squirrel started surfing at 4 years old skateboard skateboarding little Aussie favorite pro-surfer and skater /
You may remember the, "Think different," advertising campaign from Apple. Almost as widely publicised, was Steve Jobs' Commencement address at Stanford University on 12 June 2005. Turns out that copies of both of the above are part of Apple's Pages word processor.
One interesting point raised is that the comprehensive typographic capability built in to the first Macintosh came about because of a course in calligraphy that Jobs never would have taken if he hadn't dropped out of college.
Definitely worth a read:
http://www.razorianfly.com/2014/08/25/this-speech-from-steve-jobs-is-hiding-in-your-mac// words speech exact transcript Apple co-founder’s 2005 Commencement Address Stanford University speech transcript words company’s Think Different Finder Go To Folder Applications Pages.app Contents Resources Return file Apple.txt speech by Jobs Here’s to the crazy ones The misfits the rebels The troublemakers The round pegs in the square holes The ones who see things differently universities graduated college graduation connecting the dots Reed College drop-in biological mother unwed college graduate student adoption Woz Steve Wozniak started Apple my parents garage Stay Hungry Stay Foolish Google in paperback form The Whole Earth Catalog Whole Earth Catalogue Pages for Mac /
You may remember the recent post about reversible USB connectors. One item mentioned was an Apple Lightning cable with reversible USB plug. According to the Slashgear item linked below, its not going to happen this year.
Looking around the media, you will find lots of apparently contradictory information about what diet is best for your health.
At least part of the problem appears to work this way: a significant number of people have a low salt diet because their health has been adversely impacted by previous excessive salt consumption. These people can show up in health statistics as stroke or heart attack victims with low salt intake.
"Reverse causation", is the name sometimes used for this anomaly. Its effects are also known from obesity, alcohol, & blood pressure studies.
http://theconversation.com/best-to-ignore-salt-claims-from-studies-using-unsavoury-data-30563?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+18+August+2014+-+1858&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+18+August+2014+-+1858+CID_aabdaa5afc096b963dea579ebc7e8744&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=Best%20to%20ignore%20salt%20claims%20from%20studies%20using%20unsavoury%20data/ New England Journal of Medicine papers effects of salt consumption on health apparently contradictory findings debate harm excessive dietary salt Gates Foundation funded Global Burden of Disease program programme Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological PURE study research project large data sets serious adverse consequences salt consumption claimed the opposite research researchers excess salt consumption is causing 1.65 million premature deaths each year non-fatal strokes heart attacks product unwitting consumers food supply industry intent on filling its coffers money dollar profit effects of salt on blood pressure clear adverse effect of high salt intake on health moderate levels current World Health Organisation WHO goals harmful heart disease and stroke conclusions flawed large numbers data collected effects of salt on ill health measure of salt intake design prior studies salt causes disease cohort study low-salt diet high-salt diet health problem reverse causation obesity alcoholblood pressure complex analyses control World Congress of Cardiology salt consumers industry food supply tobacco smoke action potential nerves nerve very high levels of salt consumption observed media debate randomised trials evidence drive health policy NaCl sodium chloride /
Over the past 5,000 years, our culture, technology & diet have changed enormously. Our bodies meanwhile have changed very little.
How has our diet changed? Whereas our ancestors had to work hard to feed themselves, in industrialised societies, food is freely available for little physical effort. Fat & sugar are consumed at high & growing levels, while fibre is consumed at a fraction of historical levels.
Research around the world is showing that our changed diet is implicated in such a diverse range of diseases as diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, dyslexia, emphysema, & of course, obesity.
Recently, ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) broadcast a two part documentary covering some of the issues & latest research:
/ gut reaction ABC fat diet sugar salt roughage bran bacteria digestion digestive tract diabetic asthma asthmatic dyslexic puffer smoke smoking carbohydrate protein MS /
Seriously though, how many times have you had to reverse a standard USB plug to get it to fit into a socket?
A really simple way to improve this situation: when purchasing devices & cables (or bare sockets or plugs), ensure that the plastic piece across the mouth of the socket or plug is white. Makes it much easier to read the orientation. E.g. does the image below leave you in any doubt about the correct orientation?
Credit: How Stuff Works
Even better would be a plug/socket combination which is reversible.
Which is one advantage of Apple's new Lightning standard: plugs are reversible. Remaining problem, is that when you connect your Lightning device to the computer, at the other end of the cable is a non-reversible USB plug.
Rumour has it that Apple is about to fix that, by releasing Lightning-to-USB cables with reversible plugs at the USB end. This appears to be supported by the video below:
Tripp Lite reversible USB cables have been around for some time:
Noke (developer wants you to pronounce it, "no key") is a padlock you can unlock with your iOS or Android smartphone. So, no key to lose or combination to forget.
With the free app installed on your phone, you can can configure Noke to unlock by clicking the shackle if your phone is within range. Alternatively, you can have the Noke unlock when you:
● click a button in the app
● enter a sequence of long & short clicks — in effect a combination, if that is your preference — or as a backup (reminds me of the Unix shell joke: "Starting next week, all passwords must be entered in Morse code.")
Also allows for:
● shared access
● one time sharing
● time-limited sharing
● time-of-day-limited access
Flat battery?
● claimed battery life is over a year
● Noke warns you in the app, months before the battery dies
● plus you can "jump start" with an external battery
“We believe that Tesla has already proven that EVs [electric vehicles] are inherently better, although most industry observers, & certainly the general public, don’t know it yet.” — Credit Suisse analysts Dan Galves & Shreyas Patil
Instant throttle response: Put your foot down & an EV starts accelerating. An internal combustion engine vehicle (ICE) is sluggish by comparison.
Electric motors develop maximum torque at zero rpm. An ICE develops zero torque at zero rpm. While an ICE is winding up to the point where it makes a useful amount of power, the EV is already gone. Poor throttle response, inherent in an ICE, is made worse by automatic transmission or turbo.
Handling: ICE vehicles are, with few exceptions, front engined. To make more room for passengers, it is best to use front wheel drive with the ICE as far forward as possible. ICEs are heavy & tall. This is exacerbated when an ICE is mounted above a front wheel drivetrain to make the most possible room for passengers. All of the above makes ICE vehicles nose heavy, with a high centre of gravity.
Front/rear weight distribution can be improved with front engine/rear wheel drive, but this configuration is typically still nose heavy.
A better way to improve weight distribution is to place the ICE in front of the rear wheels & behind the passengers. Problem is, this configuration only leaves space for two people.
EVs are heavy because of their large battery, but unlike an ICE, the shape of an EV battery is very flexible. This gives engineers a lot of flexibility with weight distribution. Small size & weight of electric motors helps too. Result is that EVs have a low centre of gravity & near 50/50 weight distribution. E.g. Tesla Model S, 50/50, & GM Volt 52/48. What went wrong with the Volt? Well it does have the advantage of an EV drivetrain, & so is much closer to the 50/50 ideal than 4 passenger ICE vehicles — but it has an ICE too.
Technical issues raised above are demonstrated in the video below:
Because it only has two seats, engineers were free to place passengers further back in the Corvette. This made room for a bigger engine, further back in the vehicle, thereby improving weight distribution.
On the other hand, the Model S accommodates five, or seven with the optional rear facing child seats.
The video above could have been called, "The People Mover Vs The V8 Sports Car" — & the EV people mover fights the sports car to a standstill.
Maintenance & running costs: an electric motor has one moving part. An ICE has hundreds, all grinding away at one another. And the whole thing is driven by explosions! Why does an ICE vehicle have to be serviced so often? Because of the ICE. Explosions & hundreds of pieces grinding one another to destruction have to be cooled &/or lubricated. Oil gradually loses its ability to lubricate due to contamination with fuel & combustion products. Spark plugs, air filters, oil filters & the oil itself all need to be replaced.
https://www.credit-suisse.com/uk/en.html/ air pollution carbon dioxide CO2 greenhouse gas carbon monoxide petrol diesel petroleum hydrocarbon climate change global warming EV electric vehicle LiIon lithium ion battery cell charge recharge range range anxiety /
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2014/8/20/policy-politics/what-i-learned-debating-science-trolls?utm_source=exact&utm_medium=email&utm_content=870416&utm_campaign=cs_daily&modapt=/ discuss science online climate change trolls Don’t feed the trolls education tactics bloggers journalists politicians attack science climate cancer research techniques comically simple emotionally charged evidence-free accusations scams fraud cover-ups common lack credibility accusations polarising debate reducing understanding scientifically incompetent ideologue science religion chairman Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Council Maurice Newman old chestnut Australia’s Chief Scientist Ian Chubb online media recently experts Internet trolls experts professors academia contrarians contrarian views respected professors Harvard MIT Princeton science vitriol disconnected knowledge expertise expert opinion totally misrepresented remarkable confidence findings CSIRO’s John Church sea levels distortions variability this century may reduce warming degrees Celsius very small fraction of the warming human activity quote quoted correctly disagree with the vast majority of their equally qualified or more qualified colleagues scientifically illiterate minority of experts choosing experts agreeable conclusions scientific rigour media statement doctor shopping expert opinion misleading conclusions broken logic attacks on science employ flawed logic carbon dioxide CO2 emissions rapid climate change anthropogenic climate change climate change deniers anthropogenic global warming Minister Tony Abbott anthropic Galileo Italian scientist astronomer Galileo Galilei infamously persecuted politically powerful Catholic Church supported by observation Galileo Gambit debating technique perverts history defend nonsense vast majority of scientists minority promoting pseudoscience equated Galileo no scientific expertise ideological reasons attacking science consensus view of climate scientists tactic of trolls cranks /
One of the difficulties involved with treating AIDS is that the HIV virus, which causes the disease, is able to "hide" from treatment.
A new approach uses a combination of drugs, one of which provides a boost to the immune system, & others which flush the HIV virus from its hiding places. When flushed from their hiding places, the virus particles can be killed by the boosted immune system. Only tested in mice so far, but looks promising.
http://theconversation.com/shock-and-kill-approach-cures-mice-of-hiv-in-world-first-30528?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+18+August+2014+-+1858&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+18+August+2014+-+1858+CID_aabdaa5afc096b963dea579ebc7e8744&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=Shock%20and%20kill%20approach%20cures%20mice%20of%20HIV%20in%20world%20first/ combination of four drugs flush out HIV-infected HIV infected cells hidden reservoirs kill them boost to the immune system research published journal Cell scientists HIV cure research mouse mice infectious diseases unit The Alfred Hospital Professor Sharon Lewin significant step HIV cure research infected HIV virus hiding DNA immune system HIV latency patients anti-HIV drugs latent virus can persist indefinitely shock-and-kill research induced hidden latent viruses resurface using combination three drugs principle combination of drugs activate latent virus antibodies induce remission slightly artificial HIV-infected mouse model idea exploring test tube models HIV latency clinical trials clinical trials drugs treating cancer wake up latent virus infected cell wasn’t killed kill the cells researchers boosted mice’s immune systems using powerful antibodies broadly neutralising antibodies HIV-infected mice combination activating drugs antibodies keep the virus under control Scientia Professor of Medicine David Cooper, director of the Kirby Institute University of New South Wales NSW UNSW research represented important model difficult extrapolate results humans antiretroviral therapies within a day or two of infection low- and middle-income countries identified identify identification opportunistic infection tuberculosis amount of latent virus toxicity drug combination kick and kill flush and kill strategy /
New technologies require a new way of thinking. Computers have become so small that a computer in your phone is taken for granted. Wearable devices constitute another response. Adding computing power to an existing device, to produce the smart watch, was an obvious development. Less obvious was Google Glass. Now, Google hopes to use their smart contact lenses to improve health in many ways, including:
● monitor blood sugar level
● check blood alcohol level
● treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
● deliver drugs
● monitor glaucoma
http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/9400/20140117/google-contact-lens-amazing-5-ways-scientists.htm/ diabetes patients Google’s smart contact lens project wearable technology test testing high-tech contact lens diabetes finger pricks glucose levels monitor diabetes patients’ blood-sugar level blood sugar reading patient’s tears smart device measure glucose levels miniature wireless chip glucose sensor embedded in the contact lens project Brian Otis Babak Parviz Google’s X department University of Washington professor Google Glass project founder research connected smart contact lenses U.S. Food and Drug Administration device prototype scientists investigated body fluids tears track glucose levels miniaturized electronics chips sensors antenna tiny wireless chip miniaturized glucose sensor Google Glass smartwatches wearable technology developments medicine public health consumer interest Google Glass Pebble smartwatch biometric technologies Touch ID finger prick testing light box external light sources reset patient circadian rhythm LED light-emitting diodes user's pineal gland stimulated non-image retinal pathway modulation seratonin control mood light box Jacksonville Florida patents technology distribute anti-inflammatory eye drops allergy dry eye sufferers monitor inflammation administer treatment inflammatory mediators irritant dilatation of blood vessels anti inflammatory therapeutic agents eye drops drug delivery emit medications treat painkillers antibiotics monitor glaucoma patients curvature of the eye /
Tesla warrants its battery pack for 8 years & unlimited distance. On the other hand, the drivetrain is covered by a four-year, 50,000-mile, limited warranty.
Until now.
In a post on the Tesla blog, CEO Elon Musk has extended the warranty on the drivetrain to match that on the battery pack. Hence the, "Infinite Mile Warranty", title on the Tesla blog post at:
http://www.teslamotors.com/en_AU/blog/infinite-mile-warranty/ electric vehicle car EV BEV lithium ion LiIon battery Tesla Model S drive unit warranty guarantee increased match battery pack 85 kWh Model S most popular model 8 year infinite mile warranty both battery pack drive unit no limit number of owners warranty period warranty extension apply retroactively all Model S vehicles ever produced hindsight policy Model S program electric motor fundamentally more reliable gasoline engines fewer moving parts oily residue combustion products byproducts warranty policy investors shareholders moderately negative effect on Tesla earnings in the short term warranty reserves Tesla vehicle owners /
It really is a magnetically levitating Bluetooth speaker. Battery power for the speaker itself, which can operate without the base. AC adapter for the base, which provides the magnetic levitation magic.
Manufacturer claims that the levitation is not just a gimmick — by eliminating the damping effect of contact with other objects, better sound is produced with a lower power requirement. This may contribute to the claimed battery life of 15 hours.
Speakerphone, Bluetooth 4.0, pair two for stereo, $179.
Pre-order at www.omone.com/om-one/ levitating levitate levitation Bluetooth speaker OM Audio audio accessories Inearpeace earphones Mantra speakers novelty products OM One OM/One compact sphere magnetic base AC adapter integrated battery up to 15 hours continuous play microphone speakerphone early prototype sound quality compact Bluetooth speakers pair pairs pairing stereo audio levitating effect produce better audio lower-power driver absorb sound pre-order black white disco ball site ship first batch December /
Credit: Mike Rubenstein and Science/AAAS/ Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
1K (1024), centimeter size robots, each capable of following some simple programming rules, & communicating with the others by infrared, can co-operate to form complex shapes.
http://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2014/08/self-organizing-thousand-robot-swarm/ thousand robot flash mob assembled Harvard University form sea star shape computer scientist command 1,024 little bots via infra-red light robots blink gradually arrange themselves five-pointed star letter K Kilobots simple robots three pin-like legs complex robot collaborate simple platform complex behaviors actions individual cells assemble intelligent organism starlings collective behaviour form a great flowing murmuration across the sky Kilobots demonstrate complexity can arise from very simple behaviors performed en masse computer scientists development of collective artificial intelligence AI two-dimensional image simple rules flock of birds wheeling across the sky individuals collective entity Radhika Nagpal self-organizing swarm Fred Kavli Professor of Computer Science at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences SEAS Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University biological systems large numbers collective entity biological collectives cooperation cooperating entities cells insects animals single task magnitude beyond the scale of any individual behavior colony of army ants social amoebas microscopic scale: when food is scarce fruiting body
USB connectors have been getting smaller & smaller. First step down was mini USB, followed, more recently, by micro USB.
Credit: Intel/Arstechnica
Can you relate to the graphic above? mini USB was was arguably an improvement, but I have difficulty reading the orientation of micro USB in poor light. Well, that problem is about to be solved. USB connectors are about to have a new iteration: USB Type-C. It will be about the same size as micro USB, but will be reversible, & compatible with USB 3.1, which will support data transfer speeds up to 10 gigabits per second (i.e. double the data rate of USB 3.0) & up up to 100 Watts of power.
Intention is that it will replace all previous USB plug/socket standards, on all types of devices. That promises the elimination of a lot of adapter cables. My guess, though, is that the conversion process will take so long that a new connector standard will have been defined before it is complete.
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/08/small-reversible-usb-type-c-connector-finalized// USB Promoter Group finalized design USB Type-C plug socket USB plug designed replace Apple Lightning cables new connector reversible any orientation polarity USB-IF Univeral Serial Bus Industry Forum press release micro USB 2.0 Type-B connectors phones tablets robust laptops tablets slim mobile phones connector cables adapters Type-C devices Type-A Type-B ports older ports USB 3.1 specification spec theoretical transfer speeds 5Gbps USB 3.0 10Gbps 100W of power USB Power Delivery spec Thunderbolt controllers bandwidth second-generation controllers 20Gbps built into chipsets SoC shipping devices USB Type-C connector designed to scale USB spec faster future cables physically compatible micro USB 3.0 Type-B connector /
* Spellings found with a brief search included E-Ink, e-Ink, & E ink. I settled on the one used first in this article, as it's the one used by the E Ink company on their Web page at eink.com. In the interests of confusion, their company logo looks like "Eink".
And the "E"?
Stands for "electrophoretic"./ display time clock ink timepiece time piece time keeping timekeeping set button magnet magnetic bracket self levelling /
How it works http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_ring/ vortex bubble bubble ring toroidal bubble underwater vortex ring air bubble occupies core of the vortex forming a ring shape ring of air nearby water spins poloidally travels through water spin rotate fast faster bubble ring spins stable bubble ring smoke ring vortex ring physics active study fluid dynamics devices invented generate bubble vortex rings bubblering /
Vitamin D — traditionally, it has been associated with the body's use of calcium. Deficiency has been associated with rickets. More recent research is showing that deficiency can increase the risk of such such a diverse range of maladies as diabetes, dementia, schizophrenia & falls in the elderly.
In some ways, the ability of the skin to produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight provides a simple solution. Except, sunlight exposure carries with it elevated risk of skin cancer. Sunscreen provides a level of protection against sunburn & skin cancer, but also prevents production of vitamin D. Dark skin is protective against skin cancer, but also reduces vitamin D production. At high latitudes, a dark skin may make it difficult or impossible to get enough sunlight exposure.
In the light of the above, dietary sources & supplements become more attractive. Relatively few foods contain vitamin D, but fatty fish (such as salmon & tuna) & fish liver oils are among the best sources. Lesser sources are beef liver, cheese, & egg yolks.
Vitamin D deficiency & increased risk of schizophrenia http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279915.php/ children childhood diet lacking in vitamin D develop type 1 diabetes Finland Finnish researchers supplements disease type 1 diabetes autoimmune disease immune system cells insulin producing cells pancreas populations children Asian descent UK deficient in vitamin D childhood obesity infection enterovirus childhood obesity vitamin D elderly people increased risk dementia Alzheimer's disease study investigate links vitamin D deficiency dementia, risk dementia Alzheimer's disease David Llewellyn University of Exeter Medical School UK lowest levels vitamin D higher risk chances developing schizophrenia sunny born new research theory vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy lack of sunlight alter development child's brain womb data link schizophrenia vitamin D deficiency common epidemiological trends develop schizophrenia Europe North America born spring four times more likely to be born to Afro-Caribbean immigrants sunlight make vitamin D dark darker skin pale paler skinned people John McGrath Queensland Centre for Schizophrenia Research Wacol lack of vitamin D during early development schizophrenia /
Miles per gallon & CO2 reduction. Credit: Clean Technica/Business Spectator
Short version:
● tall bars are good
● short bars are bad
● bars extending below zero are worse
● among the fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), only the Toyota 2015 FCV outperforms a Toyota Prius
● all FCVs are inferior to all battery electric vehicles
Long version: http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2014/8/8/smart-energy/tesla-trumps-toyota-why-hydrogen-cant-compete-pure-evs?utm_source=exact&utm_medium=email&utm_content=853446&utm_campaign=cs_daily&modapt=/ Toyota Tesla hydrogen RAV4 partnership electric vehicle company Tesla back Prius fuel cell cars hydrogen petrol gasoline mass-market mass market vehicle electricity ubiquitous parked park green electricity far cheaper petrol gasoline hydrogen green hydrogen nonexistent expensive green hydrogen petrol gasoline hydrogen fuel cell alternative vehicle Energy Department Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy transportation fuel cell vehicle FCV boost funding FCV research key technologies climate change science technology hydrogen cars President Obama Energy Secretary Chu Hydrogen fuel cell cars dead end technological practical climate perspective problems FCV global warming greenhouse gas emissions global warming climate change hydrogen produced natural gas methane CH4 hydrogen renewable resources carbon-free electricity expensive wasteful valuable resource state-of-the-art gas steam reforming process Ford Motor company fuel cell vehicle FCVs hydrogen reformed from natural gas significant environmental well-to-wheels basis GHG emissions natural gas reformation process Julian Cox CleanTechnica well-to-wheels WTW life-cycle GHG emissions FCV EV green Californian Energy Commission hydrogen infrastructure budget Climate Progress /
You probably know about USB On The Go (USB OTG). It's a standard that allows a USB mobile device to act as a USB host. Practical result: you can connect a USB flash drive, digital camera, USB keyboard etc. to your phone.
But there's another twist: the cable at the top of the article can connected two OTG devices for file & battery sharing.
http://the-gadgeteer.com/2014/08/07/connect-2-android-devices-together-for-file-sharing-and-battery-sharing// USB OTG On The Go Android users OTG accessories devices On The Go USB On-The-Go USB OTG specification devices digital audio players cell mobile phones host USB flash drive digital camera mouse keyboard USB OTG roles host client device cell mobile phone read removable media host device USB Mass Storage Device connect connected host computer connect mice keyboards flash drives Android smartphone tablet micro USB connector device cable Allputer cables connect two Android devices together file sharing even battery sharing /
Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko as seen from the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft Credit: European Space Agency/Twitter
As Douglas Adams wisely wrote, "... you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space ..."1
Case in point: the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft. After 10 years & 3.7 billion miles (6 billion kilometres), it has finally caught up to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenk. Rosetta is now in orbit around the comet, & the pair continue to orbit the Sun at 34,000 miles per hour (54,700 kph, 9.4 miles per second, 15.2 km per second).
Further study will include an attempted landing on the surface of the asteroid in November, by a robotic probe named Philae. If you are thinking that part will be easy, think again. There are still many unknowns. One member of the European Space Agency's team recently pointed out that the hardness of the asteroid is, "... somewhere between cement & candyfloss."
1 Douglas Adams: “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy”, Chapter 8, 1979
/ space probe Rosetta historic rendezvous comet 10 year 3.7 billion mile chase Solar System European Space Agency ESA comet Rosetta's flight operations manager Sylvain Lodiot mission control Darmstadt Germany spacecraft orbit around a comet wanderer Solar System primeval dust ice may how the planets formed comet encounters November robotic robot scientific lab laboratory Philae surface first ever landing comet Rosetta's rendezvous Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko 400 million km from Earth signals received ground stations ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain design build launch three-tonne craft tiny target deep space unique mission scientific goal origins understand our future Rosetta mission world science space community Jean-Yves Le Gall president France's National Centre for Space Research (CNES), a major contributor to the project two lobes joined by a neck pucked impact marks first clear views comet project scientist Matt Taylor double lobed structure built from two separate comets that came together in the Solar System's history, or is it one comet that has eroded dramatically asymmetrically launched March 2004 four flybys Mars Earth gravitational force slingshot build up speed catch up 31-month hibernation light from the distant Sun solar panels wake-up call from Earth complex series maneuvers slow down walking speed relative to the comet /
To remain in orbit, a satellite needs to make periodic corrections to its position. Maneuvering requires fuel. Ultimately, a satellite comes to the end of its service life when it runs out of fuel for maneuvering. At that point, the accounting department instantly depreciates that verrry expensive satellite to zero. NASA is developing a robotic refueling system to extend the service life of satellites.
http://mashable.com/2014/08/05/robotic-gas-stations-in-space// NASA robotic gas station space interstellar starships refuel rockets outer solar system service satellites orbiting Earth satellites orbit circle Earth transmitting GPS navigation signals weather forecasts television shows fuel to maneuver orbit refuel aging machines satellites more years of service break down retired NASA's Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office Goddard Space Flight Center Maryland Kennedy Space Center Florida refuel satellites solution refueling robotically new technology NASA hopes add precious years functional life satellites expand options operators unexpected emergencies tougher economic demands aging fleets NASA Bob Granath robotic technology fueling NASA fix malfunctioning satellites build entirely new structures outer space Goddard Kennedy preparing spacecraft launch loading propellant excess Space Shuttle Program hardware development costs robotics remote-control capability test remote robot operator valve simulated satellite nitrogen tetroxide spacecraft, flowed smoothly Remote Robotic Oxidizer Transfer Test RROxiTT robot servicing satellites transfer oxidizer satellite refueling Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility space junk refueling costly launches geosynchronous orbit commercial communication satellites refuel repair satellites GEO geosynchronous Earth orbit more sustainable mitigate orbital debris problems NASA's Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office /
Yes, Google is scanning email, but your privacy isn't being being put at risk. What they are doing is comparing a digital hash code of any image you send against a database of known child porn images.
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/187521-google-scans-your-gmail-inbox-for-child-porn-to-help-catch-criminals-but-dont-worry-about-loss-of-privacy-yet/ man Texas arrested police sending child porn friend email direct tip-off from Google Gmail servers alerted the police Google scan inbox Google scanning everyone’s inbox child porn illegal materials gross invasion of privacy statement AFP arrest Houston man technology identify child sexual abuse imagery doesn’t don't scan email content criminal activity plot a burglary child porn investigators manually searches through Gmail inboxes automated system cryptographic hash digital fingerprint attachment traverses its servers technical details Google’s automated system Dropbox automated copyright piracy prevention system Google maintains a database known indecent images of children compare compares hash fingerprint attachment send against that database match human Google double checks result notifies the authorities Microsoft PhotoDNA software hashing detect child porn images modified original developing system Photo DNA automatically identify child porn donated PhotoDNA National Center for Missing & Exploited Children NCMEC OneDrive Bing Facebook Twitter digital fingerprinting video forms of media detect files tagged as child porn databases Google, Microsoft, NCMEC authorities hundred million examples known child porn images videos creating disseminating new stuff automated detection of child porn criminal activity prevent distribution child porn other crimes detects email correspondence terrorists intervene thieves discussing burglarize home rape scan your Gmail inbox display relevant ads detecting potentially criminal activity Google Microsoft child porn bomb-making guides /
Battery prices continue to fall, but purchase prices of electric vehicles (EVs) are still higher than for comparable internal combustion engine vehicles (ICE). On the other side of the balance sheet, running costs are much lower.
Fuel cost: typically, charging an EV is about one third of the cost of fuel for an ICE to cover the same distance.
Maintenance: Think about the cost of having an ICE vehicle serviced. Most of the cost — labour & material (engine oil, spark plugs, air & oil filters) — is related to the engine.
With 100+ years of development, a state-of-the-art ICE is a masterpiece of engineering. But it's fundamental shortcomings remain: Inefficiency is fundamental to an engine based on compression & expansion of burning gasses. Hundreds of moving parts grinding away at one another; pistons attached to a crankshaft are fundamentally unbalanced.
An electric motor, on the other hand has one moving part, is easily balanced & requires essentially no maintenance.
Health: ICEs emit a range of chemicals harmful to human health, plus particulate matter. Particulate matter from ICE exhausts causes asthma. If you live in an industrialised country, you are suffering from measureable, low-level, carbon monoxide poisoning.
http://chargedevs.com/newswire/four-british-built-electric-buses-hit-the-streets-of-london// British built pure electric bus buses into service London MetroCity single-deck single deck buses manufactured Optare Hinduja Group North Yorkshire trial basis route H98 Hayes Hounslow manufacturer test tests initial cost vehicles legacy diesel buses significantly lower running maintenance costs typical lifetime vehicle five hours fully charge overnight 15.2 kW on‐board on board charger 50 kW off-board fast charge technology range of up to 100 miles small diesel-fueled diesel fueled heater winter months more efficient battery capacity heating Optare buses Mayor’s plan central London zero emission zero-emission 2020 electric buses operating hybrid bus fleet ABB Volvo partnership bus fast charging Mike Weston Transport Director of Buses pure electric vehicles technology results trials new clean technology Gopichand Hinduja Hinduja Group Optare’s MetroCity electric vehicle manufacturing excellence technology innovation zero-emissions solution improve air quality in London Europe worldwide /
Omega-3 is found mainly in cold water oily fish, such as tuna & salmon. For some time, it has been speculated that various positive psychological effects can be associated with high levels of Omega 3 consumption. Now, research is supporting some of those speculations.
http://www.naturalnews.com/040883_omega-3s_aggression_violent_behavior.html/ University of Wollongong researcher good fats Omega 3 reduce criminal behaviour Associate Professor Barbara Meyer university School of Health Sciences prisons prison quality of their cuisine food menu inmate resident violent test novel hypothesis violent aggression largely a product of poor nutrition research researchers inmates less violent diet rich in vitamins fatty acids seafood salmon steak spinach curb violence prison Dr. Joseph Hibbeln senior clinical investigator National Institutes of Health study provocatively titled seafood consumption and homicide mortality correlation higher intake omega-3 fatty acids fish lower murder rates oily cold water fish tuna fatty acids nonviolence fatty acids inhibit violence Bernard Gesch senior research scientist Oxford University better nutrition decrease violence enrolled 231 volunteers British prison study placebo received fatty acids supplements antisocial behavior measured assaults violations inmates supplements dropped by more than a third relative to their previous records control group showed little change trials Holland Norway clear link between diet and violent behavior violence product of free will impulsive acts of violence choice failure to rein in one's worst instincts study conducted researchers Finland tested prisoners convicted violent crimes lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids ordinary healthy subjects Omega-3's foster the growth of neurons brain's frontal cortex gray matter controls impulsive behavior fatty acids keep violent impulses in check violent criminals fatty acids in their diet recent double-blind trial omega-3 given people history of substance abuse symptoms of anger fell by 50 percent omega-3's boosting health silver bullets state of the evidence dietary fat changes in behavior interdependent nutrients nutrition violent behavior brain needs nourished educated nutrients social depression intelligence /
Worker checks on containers of seeds at the Millennium Seed Bank Project. Why the hood & jacket? Seeds are stored at -20ºC. Credit: Millennium Seed Bank Project
Between 22 & 47% of the world's plant species are endangered [1].
Part of a solution is the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens. As of 14 March 2014, they had in total: 1,980,405,036 seeds in storage. While I'm inclined to doubt the level of accuracy claimed, they definitely have a lot of seeds. I'm a bit more comfortable with their claim that those almost 2 billion seeds, represent 34,088 wild plant species.
Target is 25% of wild species by 2020. That will be 75,000 individual species.
http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/millennium-seed-bank
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[1] http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/global-estimate-of-endang// Millennium Seed Bank Partnership plant conservation programme program in the world focus global plant life threat of extinction plants conserve conservation conserved seed banks insurance risk extinction native habitat network of partners 80 countries banked 13% of the world's wild plant species 25% bankable seeds by 2020 75,000 species target plants regions risk increasing impact human activities land use climate change seed drying /
Take home message from the articles: this exploit will make it unsafe to use USB devices for exchanging files between computers unless you control both of them. Neither a reformat, nor any existing scan, is protection against this exploit.
Some of the comments paint a different picture, so be sure to check them too.
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/08/usb-has-a-fundamental-security-flaw-that-you-cant-detect// computer users pass around USB sticks like silicon business cards carry malware infections antivirus scan format reformat reformatting drive thumbdrives flash memory stick security problems USB devices security researchers Karsten Nohl Jakob Lell present black hat hacker demonstrating proof-of-concept malicious software security of USB devices fundamentally broken malware BadUSB installed USB device take over a PC invisibly alter files redirect user’s internet traffic flash memory storage firmware attack code remain hidden contents device device’s memory research no easy fix nearly impossible to counter Black Hat security conference Las Vegas exploit exploiting the very way that USB is designed infect infected non trusted non-trusted computer security consultancy SR Labs USB devices store and spread malware hackers custom-coded infections into USB devices’ memory reverse engineering firmware basic communication functions of USB devices controller chips communicate move files USB firmware all USB devices reprogrammed hide attack code IT security people scan it delete some files find and analyze firmware USB devices keyboards mice smartphones firmware reprogrammed USB memory sticks test tested attack Android handset grab bag of evil tricks it can play software installed corrupted backdoored version malware silently hijack Internet traffic DNS settings /
