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carbon capture enzyme process claimed
“A new way to capture carbon dioxide from smokestacks produces a raw
material that can be sequestered underground or turned into substances
such as baking soda, chalk, or limestone. CO2 Solution, of Quebec City,
Canada, has already tested its process on a small municipal incinerator
and an Alcoa aluminum smelter. Its scientists are now working with
power-plant equipment giant Babcock and Wilcox on ways to adapt the
technology to a coal-fired generating station.
“The company has genetically engineered E. coli bacteria to produce an
enzyme that converts carbon dioxide into bicarbonate. The enzyme sits at
the core of a bioreactor technology that could be scaled up to capture
carbon-dioxide emissions from power plants that run on fossil fuels--a
timely development as political support grows for cap-and-trade schemes
that assign a market value to carbon.”
related material
energy pricing and greenwash
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the web address for the article above is
http://www.abelard.org/news/lite0701.php#carbon_capture_280207
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emissions and aircraft
“EasyJet said it would help combat global warming by increasing fuel
efficiency, pushing for smoother European traffic control and helping
passengers offset emissions through trading schemes.
“It also warned governments against over-reacting, saying carbon dioxide
from aircraft only accounts for 1.6 percent of global greenhouse
emmissions.”
As there are suggestions that con-trails contribute to
global dimming, this may be over-reaction.
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the web address for the article above is
http://www.abelard.org/news/lite0701.php#emissions_aircraft_220207
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another step to ray guns
“A metre-long plasma-powered particle accelerator can boost electrons'
energy to the same degree as a conventional machine 3-kilometres-long,
experiments show [SLAC ]. For all it does, the diminutive accelerator is
also relatively simple, consisting of a metal tube filled with gas.
“Physicists use accelerators to crash particles together at enormous speeds. The debris from these collisions can reveal exotic particles and new phenomena. But particle accelerators, which normally accelerate particles using empty cavities filled with electromagnetic fields, need to be kilometres-long to attain such speeds. They also cost billions of dollars to build.”
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“Only last week, physicists announced plans to build the next big particle accelerator, the International Linear Collider. This will stretch 35 kilometres and will cost about $15 billion.”
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the web address for the article above is
http://www.abelard.org/news/lite0701.php#ray_guns_170207
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bacteriology and nanotechnology as the material sciences go into overdrive
“[...] organisms could be taught to create other kinds of nanostructures -
perfect microscopic building blocks that she calls "evolved hybrid materials." At the University of
Texas and then at MIT, she got down to work: She exposed viruses to semiconductor materials and watched
to see if any adhered. When one did, she inserted it into bacteria so it could replicate [...] ”
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the web address for the article above is
http://www.abelard.org/news/lite0701.php#bacteria_nanotechnology_260107
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advice from an endurance runner - the auroran sunset
Somewhat extreme, but he seems to have a good attitude!
“Over the next 14 years, Karnazes challenged almost every known
endurance running limit. He covered 350 miles without sleeping. (It took
more than three days.) He ran the first and only marathon to the South
Pole (finishing second), and a few months ago, at age 44, he completed
50 marathons in 50 consecutive days, one in each of the 50 states. (The
last one was in New York City. After that, he decided to run home to San
Francisco.) Karnazes' transformation from a tequila-sodden party animal
into an international symbol of human achievement is as educational as
it is inspirational. Here's his advice for pushing athletic performance
from the unthinkable to the untouchable.”
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“You wouldn't believe the stuff Karnazes consumes on a run. He carries a
cell phone and regularly orders an extra-large Hawaiian pizza. The
delivery car waits for him at an intersection, and when he gets there he
grabs the pie and rams the whole thing down his gullet on the go. The
trick: Roll it up for easy scarfing. He'll chase the pizza with
cheesecake, cinnamon buns, chocolate éclairs, and all-natural cookies.
The high-fat pig-out fuels Karnazes' long jaunts, which can burn more
than 9,000 calories a day.”
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the web address for the article above is
http://www.abelard.org/news/lite0701.php#forest_gump_150107
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cosmic rays interfere with electronics as miniaturisation progresses
“Altitude adds to vulnerability. At sea level, one square
centimetre (0.155 of a square inch) is hit by 10 neutrons every hour; for
an airliner cruising altitude, the tally is a thousand times higher.
“ "Take a laptop which runs perfectly and hop on a transatlantic flight,"
says Autran.
“ "There is a high risk that it will jam up once during the trip and you
have to reboot it." ”
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the web address for the article above is
http://www.abelard.org/news/lite0701.php#cosmic_rays_140107
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pretty photos from wild places - the auroran sunset
Image credit: © Kenneth Parker
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Image credit: © Kenneth Parker |
| Lavender Swirl, Lower Antelope Canyon Navajo
Reservation, Arizona |
Wave Cloud over Kangtega & Thamserku
Khumbu Himalaya, Nepal |
“Most of Parkers photographs are captured over the course of 5-10 day backpacking excursions hauling 75-85 pounds of large-format camera equipment [...]”
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the web address for the article above is
http://www.abelard.org/news/lite0701.php#pretty_wild_pix_090107
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