Ozone pollution generated in each of the Northern Hemisphere’s major industrialized regions damages six important agricultural crops.
Europe loses 1.2 million tons of wheat a year due to man-made pollution from North America, an new study has found.
Continue reading… “Food crops harmed by air pollution crossing continents: study”
It is really only a matter of time before our food crisis becomes crippling.
In the past few days a number of interesting articles have been circulating, all discussing genetically modified crops and starkly different versions of the future of food. One one hand we have the state of affairs in the US. On the other we have the future Bill Gates would like to manifest in Africa, all in the supremely laudable goal of reducing poverty and hunger, which looks an awful like the current situation in America.
It’s not a pretty picture, for people, for farmers, for the planet…
Continue reading… “Is there any hope for a non-genetically modified future in America, or Africa?”
Some Twitter users are planning to go all of Saturday without tweeting to show their displeasure.
There are fears of Twitter censorship among bloggers and activists from China, the Middle East and Latin America as new Twitter policies could allow governments to censor messages, stifling free expression.
Continue reading… “Twitter to censor tweets on a country-by-country basis”
Rising human carbon dioxide emissions may be affecting the brains and central nervous system of sea fishes.
Rising human carbon dioxide emissions may be affecting the brains and central nervous system of sea fishes with serious consequences for their survival, an international scientific team has found…
Continue reading… “Carbon dioxide Is ‘driving fish crazy’”
The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor shows entrepreneurial activity revived in 2011 after years of decline
Early-stage entrepreneurial activity rates surged around the world in 2011, jumping nearly 60 percent in the U.S., according to a survey released this week by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. More than 12 percent of U.S. adults reported starting a business or running new businesses last year, up from just below 8 percent in 2010.
Continue reading… “Startup rates increased around the world in 2011”
The world’s smallest map is composed of 500,000 pixels, each measuring 20 nm2 and was created in only 2.23 minutes.
Zurich scientists have created the world’s smallest 3D map – of the world. IBM’s perfectly formed ‘nano-world’, has now been accepted by the Guinness World Record organization. (Pics)
Continue reading… “World’s smallest 3D map of the world”
Leap seconds are necessary to prevent atomic clocks from speeding ahead of solar time.
Governments are headed for a showdown after ten years of talks as they vote this week on an issue that pits technological precision against nature’s whims. The United States, France and others are pushing for countries at a U.N. telecom meeting to abolish the leap second, which for 40 years has kept computers in sync with the Earth day.
Continue reading… “Global showdown over push to abolish leap second”
Sex-selective feticide is warping the balance between male and female births and consequently skewing the sex ratios for the rising generation.
The world over the past three decades has come to witness an ominous and entirely new form of gender discrimination: sex-selective feticide. The feticide is implemented through the practice of surgical abortion with the assistance of information gained through prenatal gender determination technology. All around the world, the victims of this new practice are overwhelmingly female and occurs all around the world. In fact is is almost universally female.
Continue reading… “War on baby girls goes global”
Cycling transportation gets a boost in Sweden.
If you want to find an unassuming place where bicycling is a way of life and nobody makes a big deal about it, head south. The south of Sweden, that is, where the small university town of Lund has a big bicycle habit. They just don’t advertise it.
In Lund, 60% of the populace bikes or takes public transport to go about their daily tasks. And then there’s Malmö, Sweden’s third largest city – only 20 miles southwest of Lund. Malmö also doesn’t have a reputation for fantastic biking. But some say it is the country’s best biking city – ahead of both Stockholm, the capital; Gothenburg, the second largest Swedish metropolitan area, and a host of smaller bike-friendly burgs…
Continue reading… “A new cycling superhighway. Not in the U.S.A.”
50 Global Risks 2012 ncludes risks we don’t think about everyday like cyber neotribalism, the militarization of space, and a volcanic winter.
Risk management is a part of our everyday personal and professional lives. We know to look both ways before crossing the street. We also know that we must diversify our investment portfolios to mitigate the impact of a stock market crash.
But, what about the less obvious risks?
Continue reading… “14 major risks that used to only exist in science fiction novels”
Fertility on the decline, but at what cost?
You probably already know that China has a one child per couple policy, but you might not know how it is enforced or who is granted exceptions to the rule. The answers to these questions can be found over at Mental Floss and they are simply fascinating….
Continue reading… “How China’s One Baby Policy works?”
It only takes $34,000 per person to be amid the richest 1% of people in the world.
There is a disproportionate amount of the world’s rich people living in the United States.
Continue reading… “Half of the world’s richest 1% live in America”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.