Flying or driving — which is greener?

At first glance, the answer seems obvious: a 747 uses 1 US gallon (~3.79 litres) of fuel per second — 5 US gallons per mile — 36,000 US gallons (150,000 liters) in a 10 hour flight — case closed. However, there is much more to be considered, including:

• number of passengers — cars typically have only one passenger, whereas a 747 can accommodate up to 660.

• efficiency varies between car & aircraft propulsion method, model & configuration, & even driving style.

Green Car Reports takes a look:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1089680_which-is-greener-flying-or-driving-to-your-destination / transport methods method truly green input fuel generate energy required move flying fly amount amounts fuel aircraft burn through worse than cars better cross-country cross country University of Michigan Transport Research Institute report looking scenario surprising conclusion for the most part main mainly greener to fly than drive car cars more efficient means moving people about average fuel economy light duty light-duty vehicles increase efficiency around 50 percent average passenger numbers would need to double report making driving less energy intensive than flying author Michael Sivak analyzes analyse analyze analyses amount energy needed transport person USA U.S.A U.S. given distance EV electric vehicle scheduled airline flight automobiles automobile generally become more efficient airline industry leapfrogged road transport green greenest moving people about Popular Mechanics table report energy intensities intensity flying less energy-intensive energy intensive current fuel economy fleet of light-duty vehicles increase 21.5 mpg to 33.8 mpg average passenger numbers trip passenger passengers /

Snoopy at the tennis

Credit: Charles Schulz

"I was dizzy from the middle of the first set & then I saw Snoopy & I thought, 'Wow, Snoopy, that's weird.' I couldn't keep my balance anymore & I leaned over the fence & when I woke up people were all around me." — Canadian professional tennis player Frank Dancevic, after collapsing from heat stress at the 2014 Australian Open

http://theconversation.com/how-heat-can-make-your-body-melt-down-from-the-inside-out-22042?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+16+January+2014&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+16+January+2014+CID_95854a17c5e2c6ceaff8c10da6a5a39f&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=Donna%20Green%20explains / tennis game match Australian Open world temperature tennis players hallucinate about Snoopy too hot heat stress stressed heat-stressed players player play fainted faint vomit vomited Snoopy court dangerous conditions Melbourne Australia stop play international sporting events sport event Australian Open tennis match US military 1950 1950s identify levels of heat stress restrict activity monitor required rest intervals water needs for soldiers soldier Wet Bulb Globe Temperature takes into account temperature humidity wind speed exposure to sunlight combine information better indicator how comfortable weather Wet Bulb Globe Temperature formula produces adjusted temperature measure measuring outside air temperature few degrees heat make all the difference body bodies function core body temperature too hot organs will start to fail heat stress can be deadly eating heating body bodies work properly eat calories calorie energy muscles organs nervous system work properly biochemical reactions turn calories food energy produce heat enzyme outside conditions temperate heat comfortable core body temperature around 37° 37 C degrees Celcius external temperature increases increase heat needs to be lost body bodies dissipate dissipation dissipating through our skin when you are hot sweat take off layers of clothes stand near a fan go into the shade less exercise drink water quickly get heat out of core through your skin temperature gradient reduce reduction reduced increase temperature humidity get getting rid of this heat fast enough vital organs equivalent self spontaneous self-combustion point temperature stop working core body temperature reaches 40°C 40 organs begin to fail cooler conditions immediately you will die hot core body temperature rise to lethal levels level a few degrees range of conditions Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, it’s commonly thought that your skin needs to be below 35°C body effectively dissipate heat producing Wet Bulb Globe Temperature must be well below 35°C inhabited places on the Earth daytime heat extreme longer term factor higher temperature conditions relent at night run of hot days hot nights heat wave heatwave people will die heatwaves many parts of the world last decade acclimatise acclimatize extremes extreme temperature physiologically resting inside during the heat of the day vulnerable people children elderly especially susceptible to heatwaves /

10 inch tablet not big enough? Try Samsung's 12.2 inch offerings

Multi window mode — now up to 4 apps open, on screen, simultaneously
Credit: AndroidPit

Galaxy 12.2 Note & Tab:

http://www.androidpit.com/galaxy-note-pro-12-2-hands-on

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/review/2321919/ces-samsung-galaxy-tab-pro-122-hands-on-review

9,500 mAh battery suggests good battery life, but 12.2 inch screen suggests high battery consumption. We'll see.


Samsung Galaxy 12.2 inch tablet in Zagg keyboard case
Credit: Zagg

Zagg has a keyboard case in development. A problem with keyboard cases for existing tablets is that the keyboards are the same width as the tablet & so are less than full size. Cases for these larger tablets will be full size, or at least closer to.

Sign up to be notified when it's available:

http://www.zagg.com/keyboard-cases/cover-fit/8778?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CES%20Roundup%202014%20-%20All%20C&utm_content=&spMailingID=7757554&spUserID=Nzc4MTg2NzU4OTES1&spJobID=114462960&spReportId=MTE0NDYyOTYwS0 / Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 highlight highlights mobile mobility presented Consumer Electronics Show CES Note Pro 12.2 Galaxy Note 3 added software features feature improved user interface Magazine UX space tools productivity first look Samsung Samsung's behemoth Android tablet design faux leather new Galaxy trend Note 3 Note 10.1 aluminium aluminum frame polycarbonate bezel dimension dimensions 259.5 x 203.9 x 7.95 mm weight 750 gram 753 g LTE model width infra red infra-red IR blaster power/lock power lock sleep button top dual speaker speakers found either side micro USB port microSD SIM S Pen slots slot home button located usual central position under display horizontal mode micro USB microUSB charging port one handed one-handed S Pen user users surface faux leather fake false display Super Clear LCD display Full HD resolution 2560 x 1600 247 ppi pixels per inch point points pixel density 12-inch model excellent viewing angle great color representation rendition individual pixels naked unaided human eye LCD display battery set constant brightness any high performing screen save battery life software hardware software Samsung tablet manufacturer manufacturers bloat bloatware unnecessary software features use up internal storage suck battery life Note Pro implemented new tweaked user interface usual home screen user users load full folder folders application applications app apps widgets widget Magazine UX newsfeed app Flipboard interface presents dashboard full of content news books book magazines apps more tab form visually appealing look Kobo UI user interface Berlin IFA content hidden app drawer user flip pages page magazine app drawer Magazine UX can be customized Samsung keep what matters at your fingertips Samsung makes a point of implementing multitasking device devices Note Pro upped the ante employ up to four apps Multi Window mode user can choose apps adjust the proportions proportion drag content app to another press long pressing middle point menu will pop up providing options expand close out switch apps /

It's not the heat, it's the carbon dioxide

Credit: Adam Hardy/Dan Ly/YouTube

Jumping allows the conch snail to escape from the predatory cone snail. Previous experiments had shown that rising temperature had left the conch's predator avoiding ability unimpaired.

No such luck with rising carbon dioxide levels:

http://www.coralcoe.org.au/news/jumping-snails-left-grounded-in-future-oceans / sea snails mollusk mollusc Mollusca leap escape predator predators jump jumping ability rising human carbon dioxide emissions team international scientists discover discovery discovered research lead author study published today Dr Sue-Ann Watson ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies Coral CoE James Cook University observed observe observation conch snail strong foot leap away approaching predators predator predate stop stops jumping takes longer to jump when exposed levels carbon dioxide projected end this century Dr Watson explains increased carbon dioxide ocean acidification levels disrupt particular neurotransmitter receptor snail’s nervous system delaying vital decision making decision-making escape snail more vulnerable poisonous dart slow moving slow-moving nemesis marbled cone shell effects quite profound altered behaviours behaviour behaviors behavior between predators predator prey potential disrupt ocean food webs web study shows show disrupted decision making decision-making elevated carbon dioxide levels level occur marine invertebrate invertebrates scientists observe observed similar effects before fish co author co-author Professor Göran Nilsson University of Oslo neurotransmitter receptor common many animals evolved quite early animal kingdom study suggests suggest human carbon dioxide emissions directly alter behaviour many marine animals including seafood part human diet Professor Philip Munday Coral CoE past studies effects ocean acidification animals mostly focused happen shell shells marine snails calcifying animals shell shells built more acidic environment study shows dual threat both weaker shells impaired behaviour Professor Munday critical study understand extent behavioural disturbances disturbance question sea creatures adapt fast enough rapid pace rising carbon dioxide levels ocean acidification /

New Corning Gorilla Glass

Credit: 123RF®

Mobile phones — so many uses — clock, calculator & SMS were amongst, if not the, first uses, apart from voice. Current smartphones include Web browsing, email, games, GPS navigation, word processing, document scanning & storage, programming environment, photography, photo editing, astronomy & banking in their repertoire.

And the next killer app is:

killing germs?

Apparently so:

http://applefansite.com/2014/01/new-gorilla-glass-will-kill-germs-phone/ / hard scratch resistant penetration tough Gorilla Glass public health Corning latest version toughened screen protectors protect protection company prevent growth fungi mildew mold algae bacteria nasty things live phone phone's phones screen new products product contain ionic silver coating ion bacteria germ killing services version last lifetime buy Corning guarantee health related benefit benefits germ free devices AppleFanSite germ virus antiseptic antisepsis screen protection protector surface anti bacterial anti-bacterial fungal viral germ-free germ free /

10 app trends for 2014: privacy, wearables, education & more

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/10/app-trends-2014-privacy-wearables-education / iOS Android smartphone smart phone pad tablet iPad iPod Google Apple app application hand mobile cell device free-to-play gaming evolution free to play iOS versus Android sharing economy regulation apps industry industries entertainment publishing game games enterprise education sector attracted big investment generated lucrative acquisitions billion billions dollars revenue revenues privacy regulation Dotcom dot com dotcom-style bubble pop 2014 big trends trend apps developer developers startup startups brand brands create creating release releasing crash relatively small number apps make making big money rubbish spare time hobbyist projects project startup startups raise raised seed venture financing catch on users money photo-sharing photo sharing health tracking health-tracking tools tool freemium games messaging apps overstuffed category cull 2014 search audience business model good technology acquihirers Facebook Snapchat hack security ID privacy password passwords mobile free-to-play gaming free to 2 play f2p freemium software free games messaging apps WeChat Line KakaoTalk WhatsApp Kik Snapchat the Blackberry mail BBM Facebook Myspace games game shop shopping music video social networking network education device /

Tesla Model X spotted on public road in Culver City, California

Credit: Instagram ID jmtibs/Inside EVs

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1089596_2015-tesla-model-x-prototype-seen-testing-on-southern-california-roads / 2015 Tesla Model X spotted sighted seen on public roads Instagram sighted spotted Tesla Model X electric crossover prototype testing street streets Southern Culver City California plug in plug-in crossover spotted 10 miles from Tesla Tesla's design center in Hawthorne Tesla show showed Model X opening Palo Alto store October appearance Model X public indicates Tesla is preparing prepare unveil production model to public 2014 Detroit Auto Show Tesla press conference scheduled 11:40 am Tuesday Model X revealed headquarters of CEO Elon Musk SpaceX all electric electric vehicle EV all-electric crossover falcon doors crowds auto shows Tesla showed revised prototype new interior 2013 Detroit show Model S rides platform Model X sedan same hardware 85 killoWatt hour kWh 85-kilowatt-hour battery pack SUV crossover design Model X all wheel 4 wheel four wheel all-wheel drive production line assembly line volume production beginning begin first quarter 2015 /