Broken polymer chains reform to repair a crack in this material when it is pressed together and exposed to UV light.
A new polymer material that can repeatedly heal itself at room temperature when exposed to ultraviolet light presents the tantalizing possibility of products that can repair themselves when damaged. Possibilities include self-healing medical implants, cars, or even airplane parts.
Here’s a good Boston Globe report on the first decade of Portugal’s bold experiment with drug decriminalization and increased treatment. Ten years ago, Portugal — whose drug problem had been spiraling out of control — decided to treat drug addiction as a public health matter, not as a criminal matter. They decriminalized possession of drugs, and increased treatment available to addicts, and experienced an immediate, dramatic and sustained drop in negative effects from drug use — though the use of some drugs went up…
Continue reading… “Portugal: 10 Years of Decriminalized Drugs”
Unilever is taking a Ben & Jerry’s factory in the Netherlands a green step forward: constructing a bio-digester that will convert the waste products from ice cream production and provide for 40 percent of the factory’s green energy requirements.
Made by Paques and expected to be operational a little later this year, the BIOPAQ®AFR is not like bio-digesters of old.
Paques describes:
After a successful test period, Unilever has opted for a new type of bio-digester from Paques, the BIOPAQ®AFR, in which natural micro-organisms (in this case more than 24 billiard (24•1015) little bugs!) ‘eat’ waste products and convert them into biogas. In this system, wastewater is purified by converting waste products from ice cream production such as milk, cream, proteins, syrups and pieces of fruit into biogas.
Continue reading… “Ben & Jerry’s Factory to Convert Ice Cream Waste into Energy”
DAVID GARCIA STUDIO is an experimental architectural platform and has put forth some pretty awesome and thought provoking creations including this circular walking book case. From the site:
The Archive Series are investigations on space and books, aiming to blur the borders between art and design. Clearly non functional, they aim to appeal to the senses, creating a narrative which more often than not, reaches the absurd…
Even tiny doses of ‘neonicotinoids’ made the insects more susceptible to disease.
Pesticides are making honey bees far more susceptible to disease, according to new research than links a new group of chemicals to the recent collapse in the bee population. The US research, revealed in a new film about the disappearance of bees, found even tiny doses of ‘neonicotinoids’ made the insects more susceptible to disease.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uef17zOCDb8&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Who’s got two thumbs and needs glasses to see 3D? Not this guy! Francois Vogel’s figured out a way to remove those pesky spectacles from the equation, and he’s ready to revolutionize the stereoscopic industry forever...
Continue reading… “Man Discovers Glasses-Free 3D”
Dozens of starlings in the Karacabey district of Turkey’s Bursa province were among the victims of a recent spate of mass animal deaths around the world that initially provoked much international alarm. But though scientists have emphasized such incidents are not a sign of broader dangers, plenty of real threats face many of the hundreds of bird species in Turkey…
Continue reading… “Time Running Out For Many Bird Species in Turkey”
Tanner (L), a seven-year old bootlenose dolphin, is seen at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida.
Even blindfolded, a 7-year-old bottlenose dolphin named Tanner was able to mimic another dolphin’s behavior — proof, according to Florida researchers, that dolphins are masters of imitation second only to humans.
Continue reading… “Dolphins are Masters of Imitation Even When Blindfolded”
Having type ‘O’ blood may give some protection against heart attacks.
Blood group ‘O’ protects people against heart attacks , say researchers. A new study, published in The Lancet journal, has revealed that the same gene which creates the enzyme that causes people to be blood group ‘O’ gives them some protection against heart attacks.
Continue reading… “Blood Type ‘O’ Protects Against Heart Attacks”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oivUo2GzWGo&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
This video shot by Modernist Cuisine shows a drop of liquid nitrogen hitting a hot frying pan. It doesn’t instantly vaporize because a thin layer of vapor briefly insulates the drop. Scientists call this phenomenon the Leidenfrost Effect…
Continue reading… “Drop of Liquid Nitrogen Skittering Across a Frying Pan in Super Slow Motion”
Calcium supplements have been linked to increased heart attack risk.
A study published in the British Medical Journal via Natural Awakenings found thatcalcium supplements can increase your risk of a heart attack by as much as 31 percent. The new research looked at 11 studies on 11,921 individuals. It’s scary stuff for those at risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, both of which plague the U.S. But it’s also more proof that the best way to feed your body the nutrients it needs isn’t through supplementation, but through your diet. How can you feed your bones? Well you may be surprised at the foods with the highest percentages of calcium…
Continue reading… “Calcium Supplements Linked to Heart Attacks: Feed Your Bones Instead”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.
