A Laboratory of the Future Human Experience
Global consumption of natural gas will rival the use of coal and steal the market share from oil on the world market.
The “next defining energy trend” is poised to be natural gas as it increasingly becomes a primary global energy source, according to a report released today by GE.
Continue reading… “Natural gas is set to be the next big energy trend”
Scientists are thinking about starting a new geological era: The Anthropocene.
Anthropologist Félix Pharand has made a visualization of Earth that shows urban areas, shipping routes, global roads and air networks. It also gives a very good idea on how big our species’ physical impact on the planet really is.
Continue reading… “Visualization of the human impact on Earth”
major predators help control the populations of their prey… (but not people)
There may be many similarities between the importance of large predators in marine and terrestrial environments, researchers concluded in a recent study, which examined the interactions between wolves and elk in the United States, as well as sharks and dugongs in Australia.
Continue reading… “Sharks and Wolves: Prey Interactions Similar on Land and in Oceans”
A new approach to desalination being developed by researchers at MIT and in Korea could lead to small, portable desalination units that could be powered by solar cells or batteries and could deliver enough fresh water to supply the needs of a family or small village. As an added bonus, the system would also remove many contaminants, viruses and bacteria at the same time.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C5vkbtpdN4&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Welcome to the future, where your fly swatters and insect repellent have been replaced by auto-targeting laser systems. The “Photonic Fence,” designed by Intellectual Ventures Lab, is capable of detecting, tracking, and destroying mosquitoes in flight using basic components harvested from laser printers, Blu-ray disc writers, camcorders, and video game consoles. From the website:
An ancient South American civilisation which disappeared around 1,500 years ago helped to cause its own demise by damaging the fragile ecosystem that held it in place, a study has found.
Continue reading… “Nasca People Of Ancient Peru: Forest Clearances Sealed Civilization’s Downfall”
The catastrophic decline around the world of “apex” predators such as wolves, cougars, lions or sharks has led to a huge increase in smaller “mesopredators” that are causing major economic and ecological disruptions, a new study concludes.
Continue reading… “Loss Of Top Predators Causing Surge In Smaller Predators, Ecosystem Collapse”
An international team of scientists has developed salt-tolerant plants using a new type of genetic modification (GM), bringing salt-tolerant cereal crops a step closer to reality.
Continue reading… “Scientists Closer To Developing Salt-tolerant Crops”
The Amazon River originated as a transcontinental river around 11 million years ago and took its present shape approximately 2.4 million years ago. These are the most significant results of a study on two boreholes drilled in proximity of the mouth of the Amazon River by Petrobras, the national oil company of Brazil.
Continue reading… “Amazon River Is 11 Million Years Old, Drilling Study Finds”
One of the world’s rarest deer has been found in a tiny patch of Philippines forest that is being cut down by farmers and loggers, according to a British-Filipino scientific expedition.
Continue reading… “World’s Rarest Deer Found In Philippines”
An active underwater volcano which spews torrents of lava and noxious gas has become a surprising hotspot for sea critters, scientists revealed. (Pics) (Video)
Continue reading… “Scientists Studying Sea Creatures Living On Violent Undersea Volcano”
Most of the world’s plant species rely on animals to transfer their pollen to other plants. The undisputed queen of these animal pollinators is the bee, made up of about 30,000 species worldwide, whose daily flights aid in the reproduction of more than half of the world’s flowering plants. In recent years, however, an unprecedented and unexplained decline in bee populations across the U.S. and Europe has placed the health of ecosystems and the sustainability of crops in peril.
Continue reading… “Ecologists Assess The Impact Of People On Bees”