According to the US Department of Agriculture, 22 percent of corn is expected to be used for ethanol production driving up food prices 20 percent, reports MSNBC.
Of course, the ethanol industry is crying foul. They estimate ethanol production is only driving up food prices 4 percent. Both farmers and ethanol execs were in Washington this week trying to explain "the biofuel industry is not the culprit behind skyrocketing corn and wheat prices that have set off riots abroad and grocery sticker shock in America." They warn, "We cannot afford to jettison the promise of biofuels due to this manufactured hysteria over a fight between food versus fuel."
And they're right. We can't afford to jettison the promise of biofuels. But we should jettison the promise of converting food (corn, wheat) into fuel.
Pound360 has been grumbling about this for months. And others, including Republicans in Washington are starting to grumble with us. According to MSNBC, Arizona Republican Jeff Flake "called for a repeal of government incentives designed to boost ethanol production." Not only that, Flake took the first step towards really fixing the problem: he admitted we were simply wrong in the past. He called public policy support for ethanol "a classic case of the law of unintended consequences."
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
American Obesity is Costing us 487 Billion Dollars
If each American suddenly slimmed down to a healthy weight, the country would be $487 billion richer, reports MSN Money. Among other gains, we could save $5 billion in fuel costs (airlines would be profitable); $10 billion on plus-size clothing; $81 billion from the extra food we need to maintain our massive weight; $141 billion on health care; and $257 billion in lost productivity.
Obesity also costs us in the form of bigger doorways, wider seats and stronger furniture according to the MSN report.
Obesity even damages the environment. The fuel, food and other costs noted above lead to carbon emissions, fertilizing the land and other practices that aren't so good for nature (at least in the quantity and frequency we apply them).
On top of all that, slimmer people tend to be paid more, have better jobs, sleep better and have better sex.
My fellow Americans, let's loose weight, okay? Tons of it.
Obesity also costs us in the form of bigger doorways, wider seats and stronger furniture according to the MSN report.
Obesity even damages the environment. The fuel, food and other costs noted above lead to carbon emissions, fertilizing the land and other practices that aren't so good for nature (at least in the quantity and frequency we apply them).
On top of all that, slimmer people tend to be paid more, have better jobs, sleep better and have better sex.
My fellow Americans, let's loose weight, okay? Tons of it.
Why Super-Spicy Food Burns, and Burns… and Burns
The molecule in spicy food responsible for that delightful burning, capsaicin, happens to be a greasy little bugger that digs in and grapples to heat receptors on your tongue. Pound360 heard it the other day on NPR.
A glass of water won't help. Capsaicin actually is greasy, thus fat soluble (as opposed to water soluble). So drink all the water you want, the capsaicin won't budge. Instead, try drinking a beer, wine, a gin/tonic or shot of whisky (depending on how bad your mouth is burning). The alcohol acts as a solvent, prying capsaicin away from battered heat receptors in your mouth.
A glass of water won't help. Capsaicin actually is greasy, thus fat soluble (as opposed to water soluble). So drink all the water you want, the capsaicin won't budge. Instead, try drinking a beer, wine, a gin/tonic or shot of whisky (depending on how bad your mouth is burning). The alcohol acts as a solvent, prying capsaicin away from battered heat receptors in your mouth.
Analyst: $7 Gas by 2012
The global oil situation is pretty bleak, reports the NY Times. Oil demand is going up, of course, because Americans need bigger SUVs and China, India and the Middle East are sprinting to catch up with us.
As demand goes up, so do prices. That’s normal.
But according to the International Energy Agency chief economist, what's not normal is that, as prices have been rising recently, demand has not been ebbing and oil production has not been going up. That's why prices keep rising and rising.
How high will they go? CIBC World Markets analyst Jeff Rubin told The Times, oil may hit $200 a barrel in 2012 pushing the price-per-gallon of gas to $7 in the US.
Two problems. Supply and demand. Regarding demand, Pound360 believes developing nations are scurrying aboard the oil train to a higher quality of life because it's the fastest, simplest, easiest way to do it. They should expect big brother (the developed nation that's benefited the most from a century of oil) to innovate and come up with a clean, renewable energy source to take us all into the next act. But we (the US) aren't into that. Of course, we expect prices will come down (like they always have), so why innovate? But that's a fading possibility.
According to the NY Times piece, we're simply running out of oil reserves in many places (Alaska, Britain and Norway, for example), while political instability and market wrangling is stalling production in others (Iran, Iraq and Russia, for example).
As demand goes up, so do prices. That’s normal.
But according to the International Energy Agency chief economist, what's not normal is that, as prices have been rising recently, demand has not been ebbing and oil production has not been going up. That's why prices keep rising and rising.
How high will they go? CIBC World Markets analyst Jeff Rubin told The Times, oil may hit $200 a barrel in 2012 pushing the price-per-gallon of gas to $7 in the US.
Two problems. Supply and demand. Regarding demand, Pound360 believes developing nations are scurrying aboard the oil train to a higher quality of life because it's the fastest, simplest, easiest way to do it. They should expect big brother (the developed nation that's benefited the most from a century of oil) to innovate and come up with a clean, renewable energy source to take us all into the next act. But we (the US) aren't into that. Of course, we expect prices will come down (like they always have), so why innovate? But that's a fading possibility.
According to the NY Times piece, we're simply running out of oil reserves in many places (Alaska, Britain and Norway, for example), while political instability and market wrangling is stalling production in others (Iran, Iraq and Russia, for example).
Brazilian Expedition Discovers 14 New Species
Scientists exploring the Cerrado wilderness in Brazil have identified 14 new species, reports Reuters. Among the surprising finds is a legless lizard. Pound360 wonders if this creature isn't part of the animal group we've been referring to for thousands of years as "snakes." But we're not scientists here.
Other new species include a variation on the horned toad, a dwarf woodpecker and eight previously undiscovered types of fish.
For as well as we people think we know the planet, it's pretty inspiring to know there's more out there. It's also a bit depressing. We're doing such a spectacular job of wiping out pristine wilderness (to plant biofuel crops, no doubt) and pumping pollutants into the environment, Pound360 wonders what species have been wiped out in recent years without ever being discovered by science.
Who cares? Check out this recent post: "Species Loss Represents a Dark, Mysterious Debt."
Other new species include a variation on the horned toad, a dwarf woodpecker and eight previously undiscovered types of fish.
For as well as we people think we know the planet, it's pretty inspiring to know there's more out there. It's also a bit depressing. We're doing such a spectacular job of wiping out pristine wilderness (to plant biofuel crops, no doubt) and pumping pollutants into the environment, Pound360 wonders what species have been wiped out in recent years without ever being discovered by science.
Who cares? Check out this recent post: "Species Loss Represents a Dark, Mysterious Debt."
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
What's Better for Environment? Eating Local or Going Vegetarian?
Carnegie Mellon University research concludes that, when compared to the carbon cost of food transportation, "foods such as beef and dairy make a far deeper impression on a consumer's carbon footprint." This according to a recent New Scientist report.
You may recall yesterday Pound360 discussed an article at the NY Times on the environmental impact of our global food market. While it's something to be taken seriously, food transportation only accounts for three percent of all the food industry's emissions.
For the record, Pound360 doesn't eat meat. We used to be subtle about pointing out some of the facts that support our diet. But as evidence has mounted over the years, we've gotten a little cranky.
According to Carnegie Mellon research, eating local every day for a year saves the equivalent of driving 994 miles. However, if you switch from red meat to vegetables just one day per week for a year, you save 1,156 miles worth of carbon emissions.
In 2006, a University of Chicago report found a vegetarian diet saves 1.6 tons of carbon emissions compared to an omnivore's diet.
You may recall yesterday Pound360 discussed an article at the NY Times on the environmental impact of our global food market. While it's something to be taken seriously, food transportation only accounts for three percent of all the food industry's emissions.
For the record, Pound360 doesn't eat meat. We used to be subtle about pointing out some of the facts that support our diet. But as evidence has mounted over the years, we've gotten a little cranky.
According to Carnegie Mellon research, eating local every day for a year saves the equivalent of driving 994 miles. However, if you switch from red meat to vegetables just one day per week for a year, you save 1,156 miles worth of carbon emissions.
In 2006, a University of Chicago report found a vegetarian diet saves 1.6 tons of carbon emissions compared to an omnivore's diet.
The Strange Race for Industrial Spider Silk
German scientists announced a breakthrough in the race to produce synthetic spider silk, reports the BBC. Scientists are interested in coming up with a way to reproduce spider silk since its five-times stronger than steel, elastic and biodegradable.
Not only can super heroes swing through Manhattan on ropes made of spider silk, but imagine belts and t-shirts made out of this stuff. A single belt, or pair of shoe laces would last a family for generations.
Using new techniques, the German team is able to both observe how spiders make silk and "mimic this process." Spiders produce silk by forcing water-soluble proteins through small holes on their backside known as spinnerets. The German scientists produced silk by cultivating spider silk proteins from bacteria and forcing them through "channels etched into glass." These channels mix in salt solution (which condenses the protein) before spitting out a single, strong fiber.
However, we're not done yet. Said one British expert, none of the German team's results "were of a particularly high quality." However, the team's research "adds a piece to the puzzle."
In the past, researchers have used some very bizarre methods to recreate spider silk. For example, a Canadian team implanted a spider gene into goat eggs so the animals would produce spider silk in their milk. Pound360 is not making this up. According to the BBC, "the technique was successful but the company later abandoned the research." The report didn't explain exactly why the research was abandoned.
Pound360 wonders if it had something to do with the occasional monster goat being born. Come on, there had to have been a couple goats with eight legs or ten eyes, right?
Not only can super heroes swing through Manhattan on ropes made of spider silk, but imagine belts and t-shirts made out of this stuff. A single belt, or pair of shoe laces would last a family for generations.
Using new techniques, the German team is able to both observe how spiders make silk and "mimic this process." Spiders produce silk by forcing water-soluble proteins through small holes on their backside known as spinnerets. The German scientists produced silk by cultivating spider silk proteins from bacteria and forcing them through "channels etched into glass." These channels mix in salt solution (which condenses the protein) before spitting out a single, strong fiber.
However, we're not done yet. Said one British expert, none of the German team's results "were of a particularly high quality." However, the team's research "adds a piece to the puzzle."
In the past, researchers have used some very bizarre methods to recreate spider silk. For example, a Canadian team implanted a spider gene into goat eggs so the animals would produce spider silk in their milk. Pound360 is not making this up. According to the BBC, "the technique was successful but the company later abandoned the research." The report didn't explain exactly why the research was abandoned.
Pound360 wonders if it had something to do with the occasional monster goat being born. Come on, there had to have been a couple goats with eight legs or ten eyes, right?
Sunday, April 27, 2008
NASA Fights the Long Defeat
Pound360 has a cynical streak. We're a glass-half-empty kind of team. (Don't pity us, it's actually the secret to our happiness.) So when it comes to the future of the US space program, we're pretty glum. Mission to Mars? Congress will slowly cut spending. Don't waste your time. Moon bases? Yeah right.
But NASA is pushing like Frodo up the slopes of Mt. Doom. And we really admire that. For an agency Presidential hopeful Barak Obama sneered is "no longer associated with inspiration," they're pretty much kicking ass.
(By the way, whether Barak Obama has any clue what NASA is up to or not (we're afraid he does not), the agency's Cassini mission is something that even us cynical, half-empties here at Pound360 find deeply inspiring. More Cassini inspiration here.)
Back to the moon.
According to Discover Magazine, "Despite funding concerns, NASA prepares to build a base on the moon, explore it with robots, and maybe even cover it with antennas." NASA teams are testing space suits, heat shields and test driving a new generation of lunar rovers. They're even launching a satellite this Fall, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, intended to scout locations for a moon walk in 2020.
For an inspiring look at NASA's plans to push man deeper into space than ever before, check out this terrific clip from 60 Minutes...
But NASA is pushing like Frodo up the slopes of Mt. Doom. And we really admire that. For an agency Presidential hopeful Barak Obama sneered is "no longer associated with inspiration," they're pretty much kicking ass.
(By the way, whether Barak Obama has any clue what NASA is up to or not (we're afraid he does not), the agency's Cassini mission is something that even us cynical, half-empties here at Pound360 find deeply inspiring. More Cassini inspiration here.)
Back to the moon.
According to Discover Magazine, "Despite funding concerns, NASA prepares to build a base on the moon, explore it with robots, and maybe even cover it with antennas." NASA teams are testing space suits, heat shields and test driving a new generation of lunar rovers. They're even launching a satellite this Fall, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, intended to scout locations for a moon walk in 2020.
For an inspiring look at NASA's plans to push man deeper into space than ever before, check out this terrific clip from 60 Minutes...
Globalized Food Market Saves Cash, Costs Pollution
Consumers around the world are used to having all kinds of food, at any time of the year for cheap. This is not natural. That does not mean it's bad. But that does mean it's probably not free.
Actually, regarding your pocket book, so far it pretty much is. "Under longstanding trade agreements, fuel for international freight carried by sea and air is not taxed," reports the NY Times in a recent article, "Environmental Cost of Shipping Groceries Around the World."
About three percent of food industry carbon emissions come from transportation, reports the Times. The food industry transports food to keep produce bins stocked year-round and to take advantage of cheap labor. For example, the UK (and other countries for sure) import grapes from South Africa and squash from Italy in the winter. The UK also goes to places like Morocco and Egypt for tomatoes and salad greens instead of Spain since labor costs are lower.
These examples seem pretty reasonable. But there are others that are pretty bizarre. For example, cod from the coasts of Norway is shipped to China for filleting, then shipped back to Norway grocers for sale. In the fight against pollution and global warming, shouldn't we be cutting as many of these corners as possible?
One solution that wouldn't make much sense is rearranging the "longstanding trade agreements" mentioned earlier. Chances are, governments will never agree to a single, simple, across-the-board solution. They'll fight. They'll pound their chests. They'll simply get up and walk away from the table. Thus, you'll end up with what the NY Times refers to as "an uneven patchwork of fuel taxes" leaving "countries that kept the exemption a huge trade advantage."
Another solution that could (probably not) work is taking the decision to consumers. That's the idea behind a soon-to-be-launched "green" food labeling system at Tesco, the UK's largest grocery chain. The new labels will indicate how far food has traveled to make it to the store and how much carbon was emitted to create it.
Interestingly enough, not all supermarket items that are shipped long distances are worse for the environment than local stuff. For example, tropical flowers. The carbon footprint is smaller if you ship them from the tropics instead of growing them in "energy-hungry" greenhouses.
But that shouldn't make a consumer feel much better. Maybe tropical flowers outside of the tropics are simply a bad idea. When it comes to pollution, smaller isn't better when it's compared to zero.
Actually, regarding your pocket book, so far it pretty much is. "Under longstanding trade agreements, fuel for international freight carried by sea and air is not taxed," reports the NY Times in a recent article, "Environmental Cost of Shipping Groceries Around the World."
About three percent of food industry carbon emissions come from transportation, reports the Times. The food industry transports food to keep produce bins stocked year-round and to take advantage of cheap labor. For example, the UK (and other countries for sure) import grapes from South Africa and squash from Italy in the winter. The UK also goes to places like Morocco and Egypt for tomatoes and salad greens instead of Spain since labor costs are lower.
These examples seem pretty reasonable. But there are others that are pretty bizarre. For example, cod from the coasts of Norway is shipped to China for filleting, then shipped back to Norway grocers for sale. In the fight against pollution and global warming, shouldn't we be cutting as many of these corners as possible?
One solution that wouldn't make much sense is rearranging the "longstanding trade agreements" mentioned earlier. Chances are, governments will never agree to a single, simple, across-the-board solution. They'll fight. They'll pound their chests. They'll simply get up and walk away from the table. Thus, you'll end up with what the NY Times refers to as "an uneven patchwork of fuel taxes" leaving "countries that kept the exemption a huge trade advantage."
Another solution that could (probably not) work is taking the decision to consumers. That's the idea behind a soon-to-be-launched "green" food labeling system at Tesco, the UK's largest grocery chain. The new labels will indicate how far food has traveled to make it to the store and how much carbon was emitted to create it.
Interestingly enough, not all supermarket items that are shipped long distances are worse for the environment than local stuff. For example, tropical flowers. The carbon footprint is smaller if you ship them from the tropics instead of growing them in "energy-hungry" greenhouses.
But that shouldn't make a consumer feel much better. Maybe tropical flowers outside of the tropics are simply a bad idea. When it comes to pollution, smaller isn't better when it's compared to zero.
Friday, April 25, 2008
New Conclusions from Impossible 2005 Dino Find
In 2005, paleontologist Mary Schweitzer discovered the impossible: the soft tissue of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Three years ago, the NY Times reported the tissue was so in tact that it included "blood vessels and possibly cells." At the time, experts found the blood vessels were "virtually indistinguishable" from those of modern ostriches.
Now, molecular analysis of the tissue shows a "very high probability" that the T Rex " is more similar to birds than to alligators or other reptiles." The analysis, by a Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School team, reinforces our understanding of evolution, which was previously based on studying bone and other physical structures.
The research team using an "improved argon-argon dating method" also confirmed that wooly mammoths are "clearly a close relative of elephants." It seems like a no-brainer. But dinosaurs were supposed to be more like iguanas than pelicans, right? Researchers used DNA recovered from the preserved hair of a mastodon that died 50,000 years ago.
Another interesting find: the team's research pushes back the extinction of dinosaurs about 450,000 years (from 65.5 to 65.95 million years). Their analysis has about a 40,000 year margin of error.
Now, molecular analysis of the tissue shows a "very high probability" that the T Rex " is more similar to birds than to alligators or other reptiles." The analysis, by a Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School team, reinforces our understanding of evolution, which was previously based on studying bone and other physical structures.
The research team using an "improved argon-argon dating method" also confirmed that wooly mammoths are "clearly a close relative of elephants." It seems like a no-brainer. But dinosaurs were supposed to be more like iguanas than pelicans, right? Researchers used DNA recovered from the preserved hair of a mastodon that died 50,000 years ago.
Another interesting find: the team's research pushes back the extinction of dinosaurs about 450,000 years (from 65.5 to 65.95 million years). Their analysis has about a 40,000 year margin of error.
Astronauts Survive 'Pretty Dramatic' Reentry
Coming back from the international space station, the crew aboard a Soyuz space capsule experienced the reentry ride of their lives. And they're lucky to be alive. Said one Russian official, "the situation was on a razor's edge," reports CNN.
First, the capsule came in too steep, too fast, leading to nearly double the normal G-force. A force of five is the norm, but the needle aboard Soyuz pushed past eight. Also, the capsule was facing the wrong direction (who was driving this thing?), so the hatch instead of the heat shields were facing downward.
Making the situation worse, and perhaps contributing to the whole mess, the descent module failed to separate from the propulsion module as planned, according to a NY Times report.
As the capsule fell through to earth, it got hot enough the communication antenna burned up and astronauts inside detected smoke.
When the Soyuz capsule finally touched down, it was about 260 miles away from the official landing zone and about 20 minutes late. The astronauts also had trouble reaching mission control since the capsule's communication systems were damaged. To reach the base, astronauts relied on a backup satellite phone.
There to greet the astronauts when they landed were local farmers that happened to be "burning grass" in the area.
So, basically, the astronauts crashed to earth in a fireball where they were rescued by a bunch of farmers before calling for help on a cell phone. It's the future of space travel, ladies and gentlemen! Star Trek it ain't.
As it turns out, this is the second troubled reentry for a Soyuz capsule in a row, and the third in five years.
Of particular concern here is the fact that the Space Shuttle will be retiring in a 2010. Thus, the Soyuz will be the only way home for people visiting the international space station until the United States' Orion spacecraft debuts in 2015 as part of Project Constellation (that is unless Barak Obama is elected president).
First, the capsule came in too steep, too fast, leading to nearly double the normal G-force. A force of five is the norm, but the needle aboard Soyuz pushed past eight. Also, the capsule was facing the wrong direction (who was driving this thing?), so the hatch instead of the heat shields were facing downward.
Making the situation worse, and perhaps contributing to the whole mess, the descent module failed to separate from the propulsion module as planned, according to a NY Times report.
As the capsule fell through to earth, it got hot enough the communication antenna burned up and astronauts inside detected smoke.
When the Soyuz capsule finally touched down, it was about 260 miles away from the official landing zone and about 20 minutes late. The astronauts also had trouble reaching mission control since the capsule's communication systems were damaged. To reach the base, astronauts relied on a backup satellite phone.
There to greet the astronauts when they landed were local farmers that happened to be "burning grass" in the area.
So, basically, the astronauts crashed to earth in a fireball where they were rescued by a bunch of farmers before calling for help on a cell phone. It's the future of space travel, ladies and gentlemen! Star Trek it ain't.
As it turns out, this is the second troubled reentry for a Soyuz capsule in a row, and the third in five years.
Of particular concern here is the fact that the Space Shuttle will be retiring in a 2010. Thus, the Soyuz will be the only way home for people visiting the international space station until the United States' Orion spacecraft debuts in 2015 as part of Project Constellation (that is unless Barak Obama is elected president).
Thursday, April 24, 2008
China Facing Coal Crisis (This is Good)
Unfortunately, nobody innovates until there's a crisis. People would sooner die a slow death to save a buck than invest upfront in new technologies for the long haul. For example, China is suffocating itself (and the world) with its reliance on coal instead of driving innovation in a clean, renewable energy source.
Pound360 is run by a bunch of Americans. Is this a case of the teapot calling the kettle black? Of course. But we're just as disappointed that leadership in the US isn't driving a Manhattan project to fast-track the era of clean, renewable energy.
Back to China. According to a New Scientist article, up to two new coal-fired power plants go online each week in China (the country gets 70 percent of its electricity from coal). This has helped charge the "breakneck" economic growth rate the country has enjoyed the past two decades (about 10 percent per year).
But the system is showing signs of weaknesses. The supply and ability of the transportation infrastructure (namely rail) to deliver coal to all of the nation's power plants is being strained. (Regarding supply, China only started importing coal last year, previously it relied on its own mines.) As of now, "the country has just 12 days of coal reserves at most power stations." The situation may lead to "brownouts and power shortages" in the near future.
This is terrific. Hopefully, stung by a power shortage, China will lead the way in ushering the era of green energy.
Pound360 is run by a bunch of Americans. Is this a case of the teapot calling the kettle black? Of course. But we're just as disappointed that leadership in the US isn't driving a Manhattan project to fast-track the era of clean, renewable energy.
Back to China. According to a New Scientist article, up to two new coal-fired power plants go online each week in China (the country gets 70 percent of its electricity from coal). This has helped charge the "breakneck" economic growth rate the country has enjoyed the past two decades (about 10 percent per year).
But the system is showing signs of weaknesses. The supply and ability of the transportation infrastructure (namely rail) to deliver coal to all of the nation's power plants is being strained. (Regarding supply, China only started importing coal last year, previously it relied on its own mines.) As of now, "the country has just 12 days of coal reserves at most power stations." The situation may lead to "brownouts and power shortages" in the near future.
This is terrific. Hopefully, stung by a power shortage, China will lead the way in ushering the era of green energy.
Cities Begin Shutting Off Intersection Cameras
We at Pound360 feel those cameras at intersections meant to catch people running red lights are pure evil. Nobody on staff has ever been caught by one of these cameras (we don’t think), but the idea of being monitored like this is disturbing.
Pound360 loves technological advancement. But this is one we loathe.
So you can imagine our delight when we stumbled upon a recent MSNC article reporting, "municipalities across the country are reconsidering red light cameras, which often work too well." Charlotte, NC shut off all their intersection cams recently. Dallas, TX shut down about a quarter of theirs.
Originally, city leaders took the pious stance that intersection cams would "simultaneously save lives and generate millions of dollars in extra fines." As it turns out, the life saving part was just cover. They were really interested in the revenue. You see, at intersections where cameras are installed, motorists are extremely careful. So while violations go down (the life saving part), so does revenue. That's great, right? Keep the lights, yes? No. Since "local governments collect fewer fines," they can't "justify the cost of running them." What about the life saving stuff? How can you put a value on a life!
As it turns out, according to a federal study, the drop in injuries (not even fatalities) at intersections where cameras are installed is "small but measurable." But that's offset a bit by "an increase in some kinds of collisions" (specifically, rear-end crashes by terrified motorists slamming on their breaks to avoid a snapshot).
Pound360 loves technological advancement. But this is one we loathe.
So you can imagine our delight when we stumbled upon a recent MSNC article reporting, "municipalities across the country are reconsidering red light cameras, which often work too well." Charlotte, NC shut off all their intersection cams recently. Dallas, TX shut down about a quarter of theirs.
Originally, city leaders took the pious stance that intersection cams would "simultaneously save lives and generate millions of dollars in extra fines." As it turns out, the life saving part was just cover. They were really interested in the revenue. You see, at intersections where cameras are installed, motorists are extremely careful. So while violations go down (the life saving part), so does revenue. That's great, right? Keep the lights, yes? No. Since "local governments collect fewer fines," they can't "justify the cost of running them." What about the life saving stuff? How can you put a value on a life!
As it turns out, according to a federal study, the drop in injuries (not even fatalities) at intersections where cameras are installed is "small but measurable." But that's offset a bit by "an increase in some kinds of collisions" (specifically, rear-end crashes by terrified motorists slamming on their breaks to avoid a snapshot).
'The world's last great source of carbon-based fuel'?
We're getting pretty desperate on this planet for stuff we can burn to create energy. The latest pursuit? "Flammable ice." This according to a report at New Scientist.
Beneath some permafrost and stretches of ocean floor lie frozen methane hydrates. If we can find an efficient way to mine this stuff, we may have a new fuel source on our hands. Japan, which has long searched for a homespun energy source is leading research in this field.
But caution is urged. "Disturbing the hydrates" could lead to a chain reaction causing seaborne natural disasters like tsunamis. Scotland is thought to have been hit by a tsunami 8000 years ago after a "sudden release" of gas from beneath the sea floor.
Beneath some permafrost and stretches of ocean floor lie frozen methane hydrates. If we can find an efficient way to mine this stuff, we may have a new fuel source on our hands. Japan, which has long searched for a homespun energy source is leading research in this field.
But caution is urged. "Disturbing the hydrates" could lead to a chain reaction causing seaborne natural disasters like tsunamis. Scotland is thought to have been hit by a tsunami 8000 years ago after a "sudden release" of gas from beneath the sea floor.
Species Loss Represents a Dark, Mysterious Debt
\What does species loss cost us? In other words, who cares if another bug or frog is wiped out? The short answer: we have no idea. Until we've had a chance to fully study creatures and their unique adaptations, we'll never know whether or not they hold answers to some of the medical problems facing human beings. This according to a report at the BBC.
In one example, an Australian frog that "raised their young in the females' stomachs" was wiped out in the early eighties. If we had spared the species, we may have learned how the youngsters avoided being digested. Perhaps, such an understanding "could have lead to new ways of preventing and treating stomach ulcers in humans."
Another example, bears. By studying how they maintain bone density during periods of hibernation, we may find new ways to fight osteoporosis.
Isn't it alarming that this is news? Why does this need to be explained to people in a newspaper?
One expert told the BBC, "Societies depend on nature for treating diseases; health systems over human history have their foundation on animal and planet products that are used for treatment."
In one example, an Australian frog that "raised their young in the females' stomachs" was wiped out in the early eighties. If we had spared the species, we may have learned how the youngsters avoided being digested. Perhaps, such an understanding "could have lead to new ways of preventing and treating stomach ulcers in humans."
Another example, bears. By studying how they maintain bone density during periods of hibernation, we may find new ways to fight osteoporosis.
Isn't it alarming that this is news? Why does this need to be explained to people in a newspaper?
One expert told the BBC, "Societies depend on nature for treating diseases; health systems over human history have their foundation on animal and planet products that are used for treatment."
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Wow: US Life Expectancy Drops in Some Regions
Anyone left disputing the US is not crashing from its post as the world's superpower, take note. Life expectancies are falling. Not in a country fraught with civil war, food shortages or an exotic disease, but right here in the United States. According to Reuters, life expectancy is "declining in many poor counties, especially among women."
Could we now have the first generation in this country that will not live longer than its parents? If that's not a true sign that the American Era in world history has come to a close, Pound360 doesn't know what is.
According to one expert, "Life expectancy decline is something that has traditionally been considered a sign that the health and social systems have failed."
Overall, US life expectancy is up to 78 years from 76 in 1995 and 70 in 1955. However, the US ranks 42nd in global life expectancy.
In US populations where life expectancy is declining, the usual suspects are to blame: smoking, obesity and cancer. But some particularly troubling factors are mentioned in the Reuters piece: homicide and AIDS.
Could we now have the first generation in this country that will not live longer than its parents? If that's not a true sign that the American Era in world history has come to a close, Pound360 doesn't know what is.
According to one expert, "Life expectancy decline is something that has traditionally been considered a sign that the health and social systems have failed."
Overall, US life expectancy is up to 78 years from 76 in 1995 and 70 in 1955. However, the US ranks 42nd in global life expectancy.
In US populations where life expectancy is declining, the usual suspects are to blame: smoking, obesity and cancer. But some particularly troubling factors are mentioned in the Reuters piece: homicide and AIDS.
Early Earth May Have Rotated MUCH Faster
Before the mega-collision that scientist believe created the moon, Earth may have rotated on its axis once every four hours, reports New Scientist. Imagine that. Two hours of daylight. Two hours of stars. Pretty amazing. How different would life on Earth be? Would there be life at all? Could intelligent life developed with short, frequent sleep patterns?
According to the New Scientist piece, an object the size of Mars collided with the Earth about 4.5 billion years ago. The impact would have delivered enough force to significantly slow the Earth's early rotation, perhaps reversing it. The collision also would have created a cloud of debris that eventually formed the moon.
According to the New Scientist piece, an object the size of Mars collided with the Earth about 4.5 billion years ago. The impact would have delivered enough force to significantly slow the Earth's early rotation, perhaps reversing it. The collision also would have created a cloud of debris that eventually formed the moon.
Unexplained Bee Disappearances Spread to UK
Here in the United States, (very few of us) have been following the inexplicable crash in bee population. One estimate puts bee losses at 30 percent, according to the BBC. If the same loss affected the human race, billions would be dead. Who cares if every bee in the world is wiped out? Bees play a critical role in plant pollination. As much as a third of the food you eat comes courtesy of the activity of bees. Unfortunately, according to the BBC, "there is still no answer" to what's wiping out the bees. For now, it's a condition dubbed "colony collapse disorder."
Now the problem has spread to the UK. According to another BBC report, "wild bee populations around the UK are experiencing 'catastrophic declines.'" They call the problem "Mary Celeste Syndrome" over there (after the legendary ghost ship, of course… Pound360 likes that name better than the US version).
Suspected in Mary Celeste Syndrome are declining wildflower population and varroa mites. When varroa mites invade a bee colony, they lead to birth defects and nerve disorders.
Now the problem has spread to the UK. According to another BBC report, "wild bee populations around the UK are experiencing 'catastrophic declines.'" They call the problem "Mary Celeste Syndrome" over there (after the legendary ghost ship, of course… Pound360 likes that name better than the US version).
Suspected in Mary Celeste Syndrome are declining wildflower population and varroa mites. When varroa mites invade a bee colony, they lead to birth defects and nerve disorders.
Mystery Lights Return to Sky over Phoenix
On the NBC Nightly News yesterday, they reported UFOs over Phoenix. The broadcast version of the story was not available, but Pound360 found this.
This isn't the first time their was a mass-sighting of mysterious lights over Phoenix. In 1997, thousands watched a triangular formation coast across the state.
After investigating the latest incident, Pound360 learned they lights were probably part of a backyard science experiment of some kind. According to the Arizona Republic, a witness saw their neighbor "launch several helium balloons with flares attached to them" from their porch.
The Village Voice seemed to have this all figured out from the start. According to the NY paper, "UFOs are big business" for media companies since reporting on them brings high ratings. Pound360 hopes that works for this blog.
This isn't the first time their was a mass-sighting of mysterious lights over Phoenix. In 1997, thousands watched a triangular formation coast across the state.
After investigating the latest incident, Pound360 learned they lights were probably part of a backyard science experiment of some kind. According to the Arizona Republic, a witness saw their neighbor "launch several helium balloons with flares attached to them" from their porch.
The Village Voice seemed to have this all figured out from the start. According to the NY paper, "UFOs are big business" for media companies since reporting on them brings high ratings. Pound360 hopes that works for this blog.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
America’s Misguided Cancer Crusade
It seems like each week the evening news is reporting a new link between some common product and cancer. For example, the pesticides on that apple you just ate, the cosmetics your mom uses or the cell phone you place next to your head every hour. That’s not to mention power lines, asbestos and other unnatural environmental dangers. Sure, these things can cause cancer, but a recent column at Slate explains America’s focus on this “worry candy” is distracting us from more notorious mass-murderers: natural carcinogens.
From Slate: “Somewhat insidiously, we're starting to believe that cancer mostly is prevented by informing individuals to change their consumption habits—not by proactive, broad-based public-health measures like widespread vaccination or agricultural reform.”
(By the way, Pound360 is as big a sucker for the worry candy as everybody else.)
Some of the most brutal killers are diseases that leave us vulnerable to cancer like human pilloma virus (HPV, which opens the door to cervical cancer), hepatitis B (can lead to liver cancer) and Helicobacter pylori (a major cause of stomach cancers). To prevent deaths, we should be vaccinating ourselves (in the case of HPV and hepatitis B) or working on developing a vaccine (for Helicobacter pylori).
Aflotoxin exposure is also a killer. This stuff comes from the mold that grows on peanuts, grains and milk when they’re stored for distribution. According to Slate, five billion people are at risk for aflotoxin exposure, but “regular food testing, could save thousands upon thousands of lives.”
From Slate: “Somewhat insidiously, we're starting to believe that cancer mostly is prevented by informing individuals to change their consumption habits—not by proactive, broad-based public-health measures like widespread vaccination or agricultural reform.”
(By the way, Pound360 is as big a sucker for the worry candy as everybody else.)
Some of the most brutal killers are diseases that leave us vulnerable to cancer like human pilloma virus (HPV, which opens the door to cervical cancer), hepatitis B (can lead to liver cancer) and Helicobacter pylori (a major cause of stomach cancers). To prevent deaths, we should be vaccinating ourselves (in the case of HPV and hepatitis B) or working on developing a vaccine (for Helicobacter pylori).
Aflotoxin exposure is also a killer. This stuff comes from the mold that grows on peanuts, grains and milk when they’re stored for distribution. According to Slate, five billion people are at risk for aflotoxin exposure, but “regular food testing, could save thousands upon thousands of lives.”
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Rush to Biofuels May Cause ‘Environmental Disaster’
It’s not that biofuels by themselves are a horrible idea, it’s the way people are going about them that’s pushing us towards an “environmental disaster.”
(The same can be said of eating meat, by the way.)
According to a couple of “controversial” studies, reports Discover Magazine, wiping out pristine wilderness to plant fuel crops causes a carbon debt that will take us decades to pay off. It’s the latest in a string of studies examining the link between land use and global warming. (From the Discover piece: “About 20 percent of total current carbon emissions comes from land-use change.”)
Basically, plants store carbon. They’re made up of it. They keep it out of the atmosphere. In fact, “Plants and soils contain almost three times as much carbon as the atmosphere.” This is good (it may be part of the reason Earth didn’t end up a virtual Hell like Venus). But when you destroy millions of acres of plants, you send the carbon into the atmosphere. This is bad.
While biofuels, in theory are good for the environment (the fields of fuel stock should zero out tailpipe emissions, for example), the initial conversion of land causes a carbon debt that will take 93 to 167 years to repay (depending on the study you trust).
The big problem with our approach to biofuel is we’re thinking backwards instead of looking at new stuff, challenging ourselves to innovate. Corn? Please. That’s so PC. We need a Mac. One candidate is algae. According to the Discover article, “Algae may be the most promising biofuel… some species are made of up to 50% of their body weight in oil which can be extracted and processed to create biodiesel.” More on algae here.
(The same can be said of eating meat, by the way.)
According to a couple of “controversial” studies, reports Discover Magazine, wiping out pristine wilderness to plant fuel crops causes a carbon debt that will take us decades to pay off. It’s the latest in a string of studies examining the link between land use and global warming. (From the Discover piece: “About 20 percent of total current carbon emissions comes from land-use change.”)
Basically, plants store carbon. They’re made up of it. They keep it out of the atmosphere. In fact, “Plants and soils contain almost three times as much carbon as the atmosphere.” This is good (it may be part of the reason Earth didn’t end up a virtual Hell like Venus). But when you destroy millions of acres of plants, you send the carbon into the atmosphere. This is bad.
While biofuels, in theory are good for the environment (the fields of fuel stock should zero out tailpipe emissions, for example), the initial conversion of land causes a carbon debt that will take 93 to 167 years to repay (depending on the study you trust).
The big problem with our approach to biofuel is we’re thinking backwards instead of looking at new stuff, challenging ourselves to innovate. Corn? Please. That’s so PC. We need a Mac. One candidate is algae. According to the Discover article, “Algae may be the most promising biofuel… some species are made of up to 50% of their body weight in oil which can be extracted and processed to create biodiesel.” More on algae here.
Testing Jet Engines with Dead Geese
For jet engines to get the FAA’s seal of approval, they must past numerous, stringent safety tests and standards. But the most bizarre is one where they shoot (at 205 miles per hour) four dead geese (via a 50-foot steel tube) into an engine running at full tilt. The “bird strike” test, reported by Discover Magazine, is necessary since collisions with birds cause more than a billion dollars in damage to planes each year.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Oceans ‘Sick’ With Trash
An Ocean Conservancy report is raising awareness of how polluted our oceans are with trash, according to a story at ScienceDaily. And the numbers are pretty shameful. Volunteers combing beaches around the world have picked up an estimated 116 million pounds of debris from 211,460 miles of shoreline over the past 20 years. Trash in and around the worlds oceans kill over a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals annually. Animals can die when entangled in or ingesting trash.
Pound360 feels guilty enough creating trash in the first place. The very least we can do is put it in a trash can or, ideally, recycle it. So to us, it’s utterly confusing, simply amazing that people just toss trash in the streets, or worse, into the oceans where it’s more difficult to recover.
According to the ScienceDaily write up, it can take decades for tin cans to decompose in the ocean, centuries for plastic bottles to go away and hundreds-of-thousands of years for glass to break down.
Pound360 feels guilty enough creating trash in the first place. The very least we can do is put it in a trash can or, ideally, recycle it. So to us, it’s utterly confusing, simply amazing that people just toss trash in the streets, or worse, into the oceans where it’s more difficult to recover.
According to the ScienceDaily write up, it can take decades for tin cans to decompose in the ocean, centuries for plastic bottles to go away and hundreds-of-thousands of years for glass to break down.
Life Returns to Nuked Seabed
Ecologists diving on Bikini Atoll’s coral reefs were surprised to find a thriving ecosystem 50 years after the infamous nuclear tests that annihilated them, reports New Scientist. Expecting to mind a moonscape, ecologists were fascinated to find coral growing like trees in a 2-kilometer wide submarine crater created by one of the nuclear tests.
Radiation levels in the underwater are pretty low, but when scientists pointed their Geiger counters at coconuts on the shore, the detectors “went berserk.” Coconuts concentrate nutrients, minerals, and apparently radioactive material from the soil.
Radiation levels in the underwater are pretty low, but when scientists pointed their Geiger counters at coconuts on the shore, the detectors “went berserk.” Coconuts concentrate nutrients, minerals, and apparently radioactive material from the soil.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Stellar Discovery Breaks Rules, Inspires New Class
Astronomers have stumbled upon a brown dwarf star (15-30 times the size of Jupiter) with a surface temperature of just 660 degrees Fahrenheit, reports Discovery News. That’s about the same temperature as Mercury’s surface, less than Venus (867 degrees) and way less than the surface of our Sun (11,000 degrees)
The newly discovered brown dwarf (dubbed CFBDS0059) is so cool it doesn’t even glow. In fact, without special equipment (infrared sensors) you can’t even see it, not even with a telescope. The cool dwarf is so unusual, it’s forced astronomers to create an entirely new stellar class, “Y class dwarf.”
Why Y? The other two classes of dwarf are L and T. Perhaps it’s a Y-class dwarf as in, Y isn’t this a planet? According to Discover News, the Y-Class wonder falls “right smack in the middle of the final frontier that divides mega-planets from the puniest stars.”
The Discover piece doesn’t explain exactly why the new dwarf isn’t a planet. But Pound360 guesses there must be nuclear fusion at the core instead of a ball of rock (which is at the center of gas giants like Jupiter).
Pound360 first came across this story at Slashdot.
The newly discovered brown dwarf (dubbed CFBDS0059) is so cool it doesn’t even glow. In fact, without special equipment (infrared sensors) you can’t even see it, not even with a telescope. The cool dwarf is so unusual, it’s forced astronomers to create an entirely new stellar class, “Y class dwarf.”
Why Y? The other two classes of dwarf are L and T. Perhaps it’s a Y-class dwarf as in, Y isn’t this a planet? According to Discover News, the Y-Class wonder falls “right smack in the middle of the final frontier that divides mega-planets from the puniest stars.”
The Discover piece doesn’t explain exactly why the new dwarf isn’t a planet. But Pound360 guesses there must be nuclear fusion at the core instead of a ball of rock (which is at the center of gas giants like Jupiter).
Pound360 first came across this story at Slashdot.
Government Study Shows Disastrous Shake Imminent
New scientists recommends Southern Californians prepare for higher home insurance in the wake of a new US Geological Survey (USGS) study showing a better than even chance the area will be rocked by at least a 6.7 magnitude quake by 2037. The chances of a catastrophic 7.5-or-greater is 46 percent. For San Francisco, there’s a 63 percent chance a 6.7-or-harder earthquake will strike in the next 20 years.
The first-of-its-kind, three-year study is being called “the most comprehensive earthquake forecast ever for the state of California” by the USGS.
The first-of-its-kind, three-year study is being called “the most comprehensive earthquake forecast ever for the state of California” by the USGS.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Scientists Discover 8,000-Year-Old Trees
High in the mountains of Sweden, scientists stumbled upon a grove of 8,000-year-old Norway spruces, reports Reuters. What are Norway spruces doing in Sweden? We don’t know. The bigger question, how does something live for 8,000 years?
It’s not unheard of trees to live thousands of years. California’s legendary Methuselah tree is almost 5,000-years-old. And researchers have found trees in Sweden that have been growing for 5,500 years.
The ancient Swedish spruces probably survived as 3-foot-tall shrubs for most of the last 8,000 years. Then, as temperatures rose in recent decades, they sprung up. Coverage of the story at Reuters didn’t say how tall the trees are now.
It’s not unheard of trees to live thousands of years. California’s legendary Methuselah tree is almost 5,000-years-old. And researchers have found trees in Sweden that have been growing for 5,500 years.
The ancient Swedish spruces probably survived as 3-foot-tall shrubs for most of the last 8,000 years. Then, as temperatures rose in recent decades, they sprung up. Coverage of the story at Reuters didn’t say how tall the trees are now.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Mars May Have Rings in Its Future
NASA’s exploration of the Martian system continues to intrigue Pound360 with a new set of hi-res pictures. The latest set of snapshots are not of Mars, but one of its moons, Phobos. Yes, Mars has moons. Two of them (Phobos and Deimos), both “thought to be captured asteroids,” says the BBC in a write up on the Phobos photos.
Here, meet Phobos:
As it turns out, Phobos is locked in a descending orbit. Every 100 years, explains the BBC, Phobos’ orbit sinks about 6 feet. This means “it will either crash into Mars or break up into a ring.” Either way, Earth observers (whether they be our robot offspring or advanced cockroach astronomers) are in for quite a show.
Here, meet Phobos:
(Photo Courtesy NASA/JPL)
Cratered. Grooved. One ugly SOB. Phobos has taken quite a beating, you can tell. But it may end up as the foundation for a beautiful set of rings in another 50 million years or so.As it turns out, Phobos is locked in a descending orbit. Every 100 years, explains the BBC, Phobos’ orbit sinks about 6 feet. This means “it will either crash into Mars or break up into a ring.” Either way, Earth observers (whether they be our robot offspring or advanced cockroach astronomers) are in for quite a show.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
President Obama Would Cut NASA Spending
Presidential candidate Barak Obama’s intends to slash spending for space exploration in order to support his education reform package reports the Space Review (via Slashdot). This does not help Obama’s chances of earning a Pound360 endorsement.
In fact, this really irritates us.
Obama’s plan is to pull funds from Project Constellation, the program aimed at “maintaining American presence in low Earth orbit, returning to the Moon for purposes of establishing an outpost, and laying the foundation to explore Mars,” according to Wikipedia.
Pound360 gets that education is important. But do you have to pull money from NASA? How about shaking a couch or two at the Pentagon and collecting the change? In the US we spend around $440 billion on defense each year. NASA by contrast has a meager annual budget of $17 billion.
Part of Obama’s problem with space spending is that “NASA has lost focus and is no longer associated with inspiration.” Okay, so the way you fire it up is draining the bank account? This is terribly confusing coming from a man that said, “I grew up on Star Trek… I believe in the final frontier.”
Another deeply disturbing issue with Obama is his support of ethanol. Pound360 has regularly discussed how getting fuel from food is a bad idea. It’s bad for pocket books (rising food prices, for example), bad for the environment (more fertilizer for our waterways, for example) and it simply won’t do much to curb demand for gasoline (if you used all the farmland in the United States to supply crops for ethanol, which is completely absurd, it would only serve around 30 percent of total gasoline demand).
In fact, this really irritates us.
Obama’s plan is to pull funds from Project Constellation, the program aimed at “maintaining American presence in low Earth orbit, returning to the Moon for purposes of establishing an outpost, and laying the foundation to explore Mars,” according to Wikipedia.
Pound360 gets that education is important. But do you have to pull money from NASA? How about shaking a couch or two at the Pentagon and collecting the change? In the US we spend around $440 billion on defense each year. NASA by contrast has a meager annual budget of $17 billion.
Part of Obama’s problem with space spending is that “NASA has lost focus and is no longer associated with inspiration.” Okay, so the way you fire it up is draining the bank account? This is terribly confusing coming from a man that said, “I grew up on Star Trek… I believe in the final frontier.”
Another deeply disturbing issue with Obama is his support of ethanol. Pound360 has regularly discussed how getting fuel from food is a bad idea. It’s bad for pocket books (rising food prices, for example), bad for the environment (more fertilizer for our waterways, for example) and it simply won’t do much to curb demand for gasoline (if you used all the farmland in the United States to supply crops for ethanol, which is completely absurd, it would only serve around 30 percent of total gasoline demand).
‘Curious’ Cloud Formations May Signal Looming Catastrophe
This is pretty bizarre, but a pair of Chinese scientists are investigating whether or not “distinctive cloud formations above an active fault in Iran” are linked to magnitude 6+ earthquakes that have killed hundreds in the region, reports New Scientist.
Two months prior to earthquakes in 2005 and 2006, an odd gap appeared in the clouds above an Iranian fault line. The 2005 quake, a magnitude 6.4 killed 600 people. Chinese scientists speculate the cloud gap may have been caused by hot gasses seeping from the fault before a quake. The temperature along the fault was elevated before the quake as well.
If a link is found, we may be able to predict certain types of quakes along certain types of faults (at a minimum). But the predictions would probably never be completely accurate.
Pound360 wonders what you’re supposed to tell a population if predictions show a quake is imminent. Imagine the anxiety that would spread. Would the freeways, airports jam with people fleeing? What if the quake never comes and general anxiety lingers for months?
Two months prior to earthquakes in 2005 and 2006, an odd gap appeared in the clouds above an Iranian fault line. The 2005 quake, a magnitude 6.4 killed 600 people. Chinese scientists speculate the cloud gap may have been caused by hot gasses seeping from the fault before a quake. The temperature along the fault was elevated before the quake as well.
If a link is found, we may be able to predict certain types of quakes along certain types of faults (at a minimum). But the predictions would probably never be completely accurate.
Pound360 wonders what you’re supposed to tell a population if predictions show a quake is imminent. Imagine the anxiety that would spread. Would the freeways, airports jam with people fleeing? What if the quake never comes and general anxiety lingers for months?
Thursday, April 10, 2008
White Bread Better than Whole Wheat?
Yes. According to an article at the London Times. White bread is better for you than wheat when it comes to minerals and calcium absorbtion.
Here's why. Since World War II, the flour used to make white bread has been fortified with calcium, iron, vitamin B1 and nicacin. This combination means "white bread triumphs" over whole wheat in the mineral category.
Also, fiber blocks your body's absorption of calcium. So you absorb more calcium from a slice of white bread than wheat.
Sure, whole wheat bread has more fiber (and we at Pound360 think it tastes better), but grab a stalk of celery if you're worried about it.
The Times piece, "Five 'bad' foods that can be good for you," also had positive things to say about red meat (it has the same amount of fat per serving as chicken), ice cream (it's a low-GI food that controls appetite, and a low-cal alternative to super-rich deserts like cheese cake) and butter (one of the few natural foods with vitamin D).
Here's why. Since World War II, the flour used to make white bread has been fortified with calcium, iron, vitamin B1 and nicacin. This combination means "white bread triumphs" over whole wheat in the mineral category.
Also, fiber blocks your body's absorption of calcium. So you absorb more calcium from a slice of white bread than wheat.
Sure, whole wheat bread has more fiber (and we at Pound360 think it tastes better), but grab a stalk of celery if you're worried about it.
The Times piece, "Five 'bad' foods that can be good for you," also had positive things to say about red meat (it has the same amount of fat per serving as chicken), ice cream (it's a low-GI food that controls appetite, and a low-cal alternative to super-rich deserts like cheese cake) and butter (one of the few natural foods with vitamin D).
Frog Devolves, Loses Lungs
What a wonderful world we live in. You can decaf or regular coffee, white or wheat bread, and now you can get frogs with or without lungs, according to a report at Reuters.
Apparently, a "rare and primitive" frog, deep in the Borneo jungle, has "evolved backwards" and traded in its lungs for oxygen-absorbing skin. We at Pound360 aren't sure what to make of this incredible development. While it seems cool that this creature has come up with an -- er, relatively -- alternative way of breathing. It's a step back right? Ah, we get in now. Retro. Okay, that's cool. So where do we sign up to be retro-biologists?
Creatures originally developed lungs millions of years ago when they crawled out of the oceans and started living on the land. But the Bornean frog isn't the first land-creature to get rid of its lungs. Some salamanders have also done this, thought it's "exceedingly rare," one expert told Reuters.
Apparently, a "rare and primitive" frog, deep in the Borneo jungle, has "evolved backwards" and traded in its lungs for oxygen-absorbing skin. We at Pound360 aren't sure what to make of this incredible development. While it seems cool that this creature has come up with an -- er, relatively -- alternative way of breathing. It's a step back right? Ah, we get in now. Retro. Okay, that's cool. So where do we sign up to be retro-biologists?
Creatures originally developed lungs millions of years ago when they crawled out of the oceans and started living on the land. But the Bornean frog isn't the first land-creature to get rid of its lungs. Some salamanders have also done this, thought it's "exceedingly rare," one expert told Reuters.
Innovation Converts Rainfall into Energy
French scientists are at work on panels that convert the mechanical energy from rainfall into electricity, reports National Geographic in this video feature (via Seed's Daily Zeitgeist). A write-up on the story is also available at Physorg.com.
With an innovation like this, made cheap and easy to manufacture, societies may have clean, renewable energy rain or shine.
How does this work? When a raindrop falls on a panel manufactured to convert mechanical into electric energy (generally known as piezoelectric material), tiny vibrations are created. Those vibrations generate an electrical charge that can be captured, explains Physorg.com.
A while back, Pound360 recalls a story about walkways that could capture energy from pedestrians. So it seems that almost anything can be tapped to generate energy. Again, the key is to make the technology cheap and easy to manufacture.
With an innovation like this, made cheap and easy to manufacture, societies may have clean, renewable energy rain or shine.
How does this work? When a raindrop falls on a panel manufactured to convert mechanical into electric energy (generally known as piezoelectric material), tiny vibrations are created. Those vibrations generate an electrical charge that can be captured, explains Physorg.com.
A while back, Pound360 recalls a story about walkways that could capture energy from pedestrians. So it seems that almost anything can be tapped to generate energy. Again, the key is to make the technology cheap and easy to manufacture.