October 4th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
India is sucking 54 trillion liters of water out of the ground every year
India’s thirst for groundwater is threatening a major water crisis, and adding to global sea level rise, says a report.
Virendra Tiwari, from the National Geophysical Research Institute in Hyderabad, says that satellite measurements have shown that northern India is sucking some 54 trillion litres of water out of the ground every year.
He and his colleagues used gravity data from the GRACE satellite to monitor the loss of continental mass around the world since 2002.
In their study report, the researchers highlight the fact that regions where water is being removed from the ground have less mass, and, therefore, exert a smaller gravitational pull on the satellite.
As regards their observations, Tiwari’s team revealed that groundwater under northern India and its surroundings was being extracted exceptionally fast.
The researchers’ calculations suggest that an average of 54 cubic kilometres, enough to fill more than 21 million Olympic swimming pools was lost every year between 2002 and 2008.
According to them, boreholes in the region show the water table is dropping by around 10 centimetres a year, reports New Scientist magazine.
John Wahr, of the University of Colorado at Boulder, considers agriculture to be the prime culprit.
The researchers reckon that severe water shortages may hit the 600 million people living in the region in the next few years, if the trend is not reversed soon.
The team also note in their report that the “lost” water does not just disappear, most of it runs into the oceans.
They believe that it might be pushing up global sea levels by as much as 0.16 millimetres each year, which is 5 per cent of total sea level rise.
A research article on the findings has been published in Geophysical Research Letters.
India’s thirst for groundwater is threatening a major water crisis, and adding to global sea level rise, says a report. (Pics)
Continue Reading »
October 4th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
A simple technique that involves squeezing the arm three times before surgery could speed up recovery from heart bypass operations and even improve patients’ long-term survival. Using the same type of blood pressure device found in GPs’ surgeries, doctors squeeze the upper arm three times, for five minutes at a time, restricting blood flow to the heart.
Continue Reading »
October 4th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Lines of light are projected on a finger to illuminate the print. The light is warped by the ridges and valleys of the fingertip, allowing researchers to generate a 3-D fingerprint.
A new non-contact, 3-D fingerprinting system could make spotting the bad guys faster and easier, whether it’s at the border or the police precinct. By projecting patterns of light onto a finger and analyzing the image, researchers from the University of Kentucky are able to create a more accurate print than those made with ink or sensor plates. The researchers say the system is more efficient than traditional fingerprinting and significantly reduces the number of incorrect matches.
Continue Reading »
October 4th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
E-Tron concept electric car
Audi has unveiled its new electric car concept, the Audi e-tron at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. The all electric car is basically a modified Audi R8 sports car, but slightly smaller in all dimensions. The car delivers a massive 4500 Nm (3,319 lb-ft) of torque and 233 kW (313 horsepower), and the car can go from 0 to 100 kph (0-60 mph) in 4.8 seconds. The power comes from four electric motors: one for each wheel. (Pics and video)
Continue Reading »
October 4th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
It’s a rough life as a young child in India
Despite India’s economic prosperity, nearly two million children under the age of five, die every year in the country, the highest number anywhere in the world, a media report said today.
More than half of them die the month after birth and 400,000 in their first 24 hours, The Observer said based on a report by an international NGO ‘Save the Children’.
Even in the national capital, Delhi, where an estimated 20 per cent of people live in slums, the infant mortality rate was reported to have doubled in a year, it said.
“The difference between rich and poor is huge. In a city like Delhi it is starker because we have got state-of-the-art hospitals and women giving birth under flyovers. The health services have failed to deliver,” Shireen Miller, Head policy and advocacy of the NGO in India said.
The report also revealed that the poor are disproportionately affected and accused the country of failing to provide adequate healthcare for the impoverished majority of one billion people.
Malnutrition, neonatal diseases, diarrhoea and pneumonia were identified as the major causes of death.
“For many poor parents and their children, seeking medical help is a luxury and health services are often too far away,” Miller said
The report said nearly nine million children die worldwide every year before the age of five. India has the highest number of deaths, with China on the fifth place.
Despite India’s economic prosperity, nearly two million children under the age of five, die every year in the country, the highest number anywhere in the world, a media report said today.
Continue Reading »
October 4th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
The Punch Camera is just like any other digital camera, but with a twist. You can still load your photos onto a computer via USB, but the Punch also has a series of pins that you can use to literally punch a rasterized image onto a piece of paper. You lose a lot of definition and color, but there’s an undeniable charm to the finished result.
Continue Reading »
October 4th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Beware of crazy little men carrying vacuum cleaners,
for they represent an entirely new breed of suckers
Some photos cause headaches and others cause scandals. However, this particular combination of photos has been selected to cause a jock rash in people without a sense of humor. (Pics)
Continue Reading »
October 4th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Researchers from Kitasato University in Tokyo have been awarded this year’s Ig Nobel Biology Prize for demonstrating a method to reduce kitchen waste by more than 90% by using bacteria derived from Giant Panda excrement. Professor Fumiaki Taguchi, who shares the prize with fellow researchers Song Guofu and Zhang Guanglei (both from the Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences), began the project in 1998 after suspecting panda feces must contain bacteria capable of breaking down even the hardiest of foods because of the bear’s vast consumption of bamboo.
Continue Reading »
October 3rd, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Global warming came to an abrupt end this summer
The average June-August 2009 summer temperature for the contiguous United States was below average – the 34th coolest on record, according to a preliminary analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. August was also below the long-term average. The analysis is based on records dating back to 1895.
U.S. Temperature Highlights – Summer
High resolution (Credit: NOAA)
For the 2009 summer, the average temperature of 71.7 degrees F was 0.4 degree F below the 20th Century average. The 2008 average summer temperature was 72.7 degrees F.
A recurring upper level trough held the June-August temperatures down in the central states, where Michigan experienced its fifth, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota their seventh, Nebraska its eighth, and Iowa its ninth coolest summer. By contrast, Florida had its fourth warmest summer, while Washington and Texas experienced their eighth and ninth warmest, respectively.
The Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota region experienced its sixth coolest summer on record. Only the Northwest averaged above normal temperatures.
U.S. Temperature Highlights – August
High resolution (Credit: NOAA)
The average 2009 August temperature of 72.2 degrees F was 0.6 degree F below the 20th Century average. Last year’s August temperature was 73.2 degrees F.
Temperatures were below normal in the Midwest, Plains, and parts of the south. Above-normal temperatures dominated the eastern seaboard, areas in the southwest, and in the extreme northwest.
Several northeastern states were much above normal for August, including Delaware and New Jersey (eighth warmest), Maine (ninth), and Rhode Island and Connecticut (10th). In contrast, below-normal temperatures were recorded for Missouri and Kansas.
U.S. Precipitation Highlights – Summer
High resolution (Credit: NOAA)
The Northeast region had its eighth wettest June-August summer on record. By contrast, the South, Southeast and Southwest regions, were drier than average. Arizona had its third driest summer, while both South Carolina and Georgia had their sixth driest.
U.S. Precipitation Highlights – August
In August, precipitation across the contiguous United States averaged 2.34 inches, which is 0.26 inch below the 1901-2000 average.
Above-normal averages were generally recorded across the northern U.S., west of the Great Lakes. The South and Southeast regions experienced below-normal precipitation.
Precipitation across the Southwest region averaged 0.85 inches, which is 1.10 inches below normal and ranks as the 4th driest August on record. Arizona had its fourth driest, New Mexico its fifth, and it was the eighth driest August on record for Colorado, Utah and Texas.
High resolution (Credit: NOAA)
By the end of August, moderate-to-exceptional drought covered 14 percent of the contiguous United States, based on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Drought intensified in parts of the Pacific Northwest and new drought areas emerged in Arizona and the Carolinas. Montana, Wisconsin and Oklahoma saw minor improvements in their drought conditions.
About 27 percent of the contiguous United States had moderately-to-extremely wet conditions at the end of August, according to the Palmer Index (a well-known index that measures both drought intensity and wet spell intensity).
Other Highlights
There were more than 300 low temperature records (counting daily highs and lows) set across states in the Midwest during the last two days of August.
A total of 7,975 fires burned 1,646,363 acres in August, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center. August 2009 ranked fifth for the number of fires and sixth for acres burned in August this decade. From January through August, 64,682 fires have burned 5.2 million acres across the nation.
NCDC’s preliminary reports, which assess the current state of the climate, are released soon after the end of each month. These analyses are based on preliminary data, which are subject to revision. Additional quality control is applied to the data when late reports are received several weeks after the end of the month and as increased scientific methods improve NCDC’s processing algorithms.
NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.
The average 2009 August temperature of 72.2 degrees F was 0.6 degree F below the 20th Century average. Last year’s August temperature was 73.2 degrees F.
Continue Reading »
October 3rd, 2009 at 10:44 am
It’s been a busy, stressful week, with Iran’s nuclear plans, tragic natural disasters in Samoa, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and a new climate bill in the Senate packing the headlines with nail-biting tension. So what do I have to say to all that? Why, it’s nothing an adorable picture of a polar bear cub taking a piggyback ride on its mom’s back can’t fix, right? (Pics)
October 3rd, 2009 at 10:30 am
No place to hide
Move over Erin Brockovich. Today’s environmental detectives can use radar, helicopters and even satellite images to help them spot illegal toxic waste dumps and help catch those responsible. Ironically, the tightening of restrictions on waste disposal and the enforcement of new recycling laws have made illegal dumping more likely, turning it into big business for the criminals involved.
Continue Reading »
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:59 am
Boston architects Howeler + Yoon and Los Angeles digital designers Squared Design Lab have designed a conceptual structure for Boston, where an unfinished building would be covered in modular pods growing algae for biofuel. The pods would be continuously rearranged by robotic arms (powered by the micro-algae produced) to ensure the optimum growing conditions for alage in each pod.
Continue Reading »
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:38 am
Unlike most kinds of petty crime, a confidence game, or con, takes an enormous amount of skill and forethought to pull off. When done right, in many cases the grifters who perpetrate them have not actually done anything overtly illegal–they’ve simply used lies and manipulation to get their victim, or “mark,” to willingly hand over their own money. Whether blackmail, fraud, or illegal gambling, the following are ten of the most famous ways that these swindlers try to take advantage of the confidence of their unsuspecting victims. Obviously, there are a number of takes on any kind of con, but these are the most popular variations of the most well known tricks.
Continue Reading »
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:10 am
Colorado Inventor Showcase
Common misconceptions can cause the best ideas to fall flat – The economic downturn has forced us to rethink our lives. For many, this means a time of stepping into the workshop to give shape to ideas that have been waiting for the right opportunity to emerge.
Continue Reading »
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:12 am
An enlarged image of Reduviasporonites. Scientists believe extinct fungus species capitalised on a world-wide disaster and thrived on early Earth.
Tiny organisms that covered the planet more than 250 million years ago appear to be a species of ancient fungus that thrived in dead wood, according to new research published October 1 in the journal Geology.
Continue Reading »
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:08 am
in:
Analysis,
Breakthrough Thinking,
Culture,
Current Events,
Health & Fitness,
Hot Issues,
Human Behavior,
Internet,
Latest News,
New Discoveries,
New Viewpoints,
People Making a Difference,
Science & Technology News
Children who eat sweets and chocolate every day are more likely to be violent as adults, according to new research.
Children who eat sweets and chocolate every day are more likely to be violent as adults, according to new research.
Continue Reading »
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:05 am
in:
Analysis,
Breakthrough Thinking,
Crazy Photos,
Crazy Stuff,
Current Events,
Health & Fitness,
Internet,
Latest News,
Latest Trend,
Medical Breakthrough,
People Making a Difference,
Science & Technology News
Mothers who smoke during pregnancy put their children at greater risk of developing psychotic symptoms in their teenage years.
Mothers who smoke during pregnancy put their children at greater risk of developing psychotic symptoms in their teenage years.
Continue Reading »
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:41 am
Lightning Packs is a company that is developing backpacks that generate electricity with the motion of their users. As the user walks, the spring-mounted backback bounces slightly, turning a gear on a generator. It is the brainchild of Lawrence C. Rome of the University of Pennsylvania, who hopes to market his idea to the U.S. military:
“Soldiers now carry GPS receivers, night vision goggles, headlamps, communication devices, and more. And with this technology, means of powering them becomes critical. Soldiers carry eighty pound backpacks, up to twenty pounds of which are spare batteries. Now, with the Suspended Load Backpack, electricity can be generated to power the equipment directly or to charge a lightweight rechargeable battery,” Dr. Rome said.
(video after jump…)
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:39 am
Good news for procrastinating students: a nasal spray developed by a team of German scientists promises to give late night cram sessions a major boost, if a good night’s sleep follows.
Good news for procrastinating students: a nasal spray developed by a team of German scientists promises to give late night cram sessions a major boost, if a good night’s sleep follows. In a research report featured as the cover story of the October 2009 print issue of The FASEB Journal, these scientists show that a molecule from the body’s immune system (interleukin-6) when administered through the nose helps the brain retain emotional and procedural memories during REM sleep.
Continue Reading »
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:47 am
Most babies born in rich countries this century will eventually make it to their 100th birthday, new research says. Danish experts say that since the 20th century, people in developed countries are living about three decades longer than in the past. Surprisingly, the trend shows little sign of slowing down.
Continue Reading »
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:46 am
Ardi – First Ape Woman
She lived at the dawn of a new era, when chimps and people began walking (or climbing) along their own evolutionary trails. This is Ardi – the oldest member of the human family tree we’ve found so far. Short, hairy and with long arms, she roamed the forests of Africa 4.4million years ago. (Pics)
Continue Reading »
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:46 am
Featured Invention at the Colorado Inventor Showcase 2009
The Lock-Bouie is a home safety device that prevents intruders from getting into a house through an open window, and prevents children from falling out of open windows. The Lock-Bouie is a telescoping, adjustable window brace that sits inconspicuously in the track of a window frame and limits how high or wide a window can open – effectively blocking a window from opening beyond the adjusted height. (Pics)
Continue Reading »
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:45 am
Nearly 1 million homes nationwide are in the process of foreclosure, according to a report Wednesday from the U.S. Department of the Treasury covering banks and loan servicers that make up 64 percent of all outstanding mortgages. As of June 30, there were 992,554 homes in the process of foreclosure, up 15.3 percent from March 31 and up 79.4 percent from the same period a year ago, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency reported.
Continue Reading »
October 1st, 2009 at 9:18 am
Young, healthy muscle (left column) appears pink and red. In contrast, the old muscle is marked by scarring and inflammation, as evidenced by the yellow and blue areas. This difference between old and young tissue occurs both in the muscle’s normal state and after two weeks of immobilization in a cast. Exercise after cast removal did not significantly improve old muscle regeneration; scarring and inflammation persisted, or worsened in many cases.
A study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has identified critical biochemical pathways linked to the aging of human muscle. By manipulating these pathways, the researchers were able to turn back the clock on old human muscle, restoring its ability to repair and rebuild itself.
Continue Reading »
October 1st, 2009 at 9:14 am
in:
Analysis,
Big Problems,
Brain,
Breakthrough Thinking,
Crazy Photos,
Crazy Stuff,
Current Events,
Hot Issues,
Human Behavior,
Internet,
Latest News,
Latest Trend,
New Discoveries,
New Viewpoints,
People Making a Difference,
Science & Technology News
A new study estimates that people with a gun are 4.5 times more likely to be shot in an assault than those not possessing a gun.
In a first-of its-kind study, epidemiologists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that, on average, guns did not protect those who possessed them from being shot in an assault. The study estimated that people with a gun were 4.5 times more likely to be shot in an assault than those not possessing a gun.
Continue Reading »
Loading ...