Wind power!

Wind turbines are an important part of renewable energy. With the rise in demand for green energy, wind turbines have become a good alternate source. Wind turbines vary in size and energy output, but there is one general rule. For every 10 turbines, a two person maintenance team is required. There have been hundreds of jobs created with the rise in popularity of wind turbines, and the demand is just getting bigger. Many community colleges in Iowa have opened up wind technology training programs to lower cost of their own electricity, and the programs are growing quickly. Since the job outlook in wind technology is virtually unlimited, the programs should spread quickly to other states.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25886533/

Energy Island

The organization OTEC recently began developing an "Energy Island" which would drill for renewables instead of petroleum. They would utilize the wind and solar power, and use underwater turbines to take power in the current. The main power source however is a system called ocean thermal energy. conversionhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27684950/#storyContinued

Ray Gun Technology

Click here for information on Ray Gun Technology from Jack. http://123131312.blogspot.com/

Farming Moves to Cities

With new technology, farming will be able to be moved to cities instead of rural areas. This method is called hydroponics -a method of cultivating plants in water instead of soil. With this method, farming can be moved to apartment buildings, rooftops, and even vacant lots. This could be good because it will eliminate the cost of trucks shipping food. However, the negative side of hydroponics is that the plants might not get enough light and heat. 

 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/11/21/urban.agriculture.ap/index.html 

THE NEW 3G iPhone! Better than before!

iPhone 3G



The iPhone 3G has fast 3G technology, GPS, support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, and the new App Store. This new iPhone is has more amazing features than the last one. It is three high technology products combined- a revolutionary phone, a widescreen iPod, and a breakthrough Internet device. This new device gives you fast access to the Internet and email over your cellular network. It also makes it easier to multitask and when you are connected to 3G, you can serf the web even when you are on your cell phone.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone?mco=MTE2NTQ

New Car Technology... Better Future!

Scientists are finding more and better engines, which are much more fuel-efficient than other engines. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that these engines have become about 30% more fuel-efficient, over the past 15 yrs. People are still buying big and powerful engines, instead of fuel efficient ones, though. Scientists predict that these engines will reduce the amount of fuel used by about 1/3 by 2020, and by about 1/2 by 2030. Hopefully more people will continue to buy these fuel-efficient engines, and help the economy!

Click Here!


http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/images/Scooter/honda_insight.jpg

Bug-Sized, Flying Spies!

Engineers in the United States military are currently working on creating flying robots that look like insects. These robots, called Micro Aerial Vehicles, will be used to spy on enemies by recording, taking pictures, and even carrying explosives and chemicals. Because of their small size, MAVs will be able to fly into buildings without being detected. However, a bird-sized robot will not be developed until 2015, and the bumblebee-sized robot in 2030. These robots will be extremely helpful in the future because they can gain valuable information without risking the lives of soldiers.

Link to website

Lauren Barnett

Ground is Broken to Build New Generator!

Located in Colusa County, which is right outside of Sacramento, California, a generator will be completed in 2010. This generator will provide electricity for almost a half of a million homes. Pacific Gas & Electric is funding this construction. This generator will use 97% less water, less fuel, and will release 35% less Carbon Dioxide into the air.

**Link to my page**

The Ghost of CNN studios

David Bhorman created is the mastermind behind the incredible new invention. After about a dozen years of becoming a "mad-scientist" as quoted by Bhorman, he has finally succeeded. By recreating an image using a green room and forty cameras circling Will I Am, they created what they begin to call the "transporter." The cameras would broadcast where they are in the studio and calculate out the right perspective of Will I Am so that he would appear to be on the red dot. Up to the final minutes before the viewing, no one (not even the crew) knew if this experiment would work. 

Farming goes high-tech

In Pomona, California, California State Polytechnic University plant science teacher Terry Fujimoto thinks believes that the future of farming lies in the roots of the leafy green plants that he and his students grow in streams of water in the campus green house. This program, run by California State Polytechnic University's agriculture professor , is a part of a project trying to use hydroponics, a method of farming using water instead of soil. The purpose of hydroponics is to expose th roots directly into a little bit of water in stead of planting it in the soil. This uses a lot less water than traditional farming in fields and is designed to bring farming into cities where consumers of produce are concentrated. this will save a lot of water and energy in the long run since there are no need for tractors or much manual labor.

-Andrew Campbell

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/11/21/urban.agriculture.ap/index.html

Is YouTube causing kids to cheat?

A few Texas college students, that have asked to remain unidentified, have confessed anonymously to posting cheating videos on YouTube. One girl said that, "This method of cheating, it will work." She has made an online video showing how to do so. Many students have posted thousands of videos on YouTube showing how to cheat.  This cheating scam really catches the eye of the average teen in a way that will cause sever consequences. Most teens who cheat, think that they will never get caught. This naiveness can cause them to be kicked out of their schools.

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/cnet/20081122/tc_cnet/8301102331010611193

That sweat tastes good!

When most people think of spaceships they think of dangerous missions and glorious rewards. However, many people do not think of all the nasty work that goes on behind the scenes. Recently the astronauts at the International Space Station have begun to work on a recycling system that recycles sweat and urine into drinkable water! Although it may sound nasty the program will actually be very beneficial. The program will go into affect next year, and it will allow 3 more   to join the group because of financial space.

Risk of Particle Accelerator

In Meyrin, Switzerland a particle accelerator has been built and is to be the most powerful ever built. It is 330 feet buried in the ground and it 17 miles in circumference. It cost more than 5 billion dollars to build. Some people did fear that when it was turned on in august of 2008 it could cause serious problems. For one they thought that when it was turned on it would create a black-hole and destroy the earth. Scientist told them that that wouldn't happen and now that it has been on for 3 months it seems like those scientist where correct.

Jackson Lundy

Sources:

www.sciencedaily.com/.../ 01/080131161812.htm

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/06/30/doomsdaycollider.ap/index.html

Glaciers on MARS!!

MORE ICE ON MARS!!!!!!!

A group of researchers using NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter discovered huge glaciers close to the equator. The rovers in space don't have to land at the poles to study Mars' ice, they can use the glaciers. Astronauts would be able to use the glaciers as a drinking source and as a source to make hydrogen fuel. Scientists believe the glaciers formed a long time ago when Mars tilted on its axis because it was a shocker to find them so close to the equator. The slopes were thought to be only rock, but when the radio waves passed through the debris on top and reflected from an inner/deeper surface.The waves didn't lose much strength, and this was the expected signal for thick ice and a layer of debris.

Walk Twice, Walk Once More

The third walk on the moon was meant for repairing a joint that helps generate power for the international space station. Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen refreshed and polished the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, which is made to allow the solar panels on the left side of the station to rotate and track the sun.57. These astronauts were very confident with their abilities, so they came home without any injuries or sunburn(hahahahaha).75. The astronauts were welcomed back heartily by their friends and family. Go to link for more..........

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/11/22/endeavour.spacewalk/index.html

Cell Phone Radiation

Over the past few years, researchers have found evidence proving cell phones could emit enough radiation to cause serious health risks. There is evidence to support both the theory that cell phones are not harmful to people and there is also enough evidence to support that they are in fact harmful to people. Cell phones emit signals via radio waves, which is a form of electromagnetic radiation. These signals move at the speed of light. The scare is that the cell phones are placed directly on the head and is therefore exposed to tissue, which can be damaged by radiation. All electromagnetic matter falls somewhere on the energy spectrum, but scientists don't know if cell phones cause enough harm to your brain to worry about the issue or not.  

Katherine Thompson

Sources: 

 

More TVs?

New types of televisions seem to come out every month, and three with great new features are; Laser TV, LED backlighting, and OLED. Laser TV is a rear-projected TV with a laser instead of traditional lighting. The laser brings out better color and is more energy efficient. TVs with LED, light-emitting diodes, backlighting are more environmentally friendly than LCDs because they do not contain Mercury, and like laser TVs, their color is much better. OLED, organic-LED, TVs have incredibly clear pictures, but the only one sold now is very small. These TVs will become more cost efficient and practical soon.

This is the XEL-1 OLED TV from Sony.
http://www.techfresh.net/pre-order-sony-xel-1-oled-tv-right-now

LA Times Story

Cell Phones Eliminate Traffic Jams (image)

(I couldn't get my image to post to my summary)

Source:

The Nokia Morph

The Nokia Morph

The Nokia morph is the newest of all phones nowadays. This “phone” is a scientific break through that the researchers of Nokia came up with. With the help of Cambridge Nanoscience Centre in the United Kingdoms created many of the technological breakthroughs in modern times, like Nanotechnology. The morph has a flexible design that can change its form within seconds (look at video). It also has a self-cleaning mechanism so it repels water, dirt, and fingerprints. This phone is only a concept so it’s not out for sale but when it is it will be the phone of the century.


http://www.nokia.com/A4852062

Video Games? Eating Away Energy? no.... Well, YES!

"What is this all about?" You are probably asking yourself this question right now or maybe you are asking yourself, "How do video games hurt our supply of energy?" I'm sure you have several questions running through your mind, and that's why I am here to help! Read on to find out what you can do to reduce your energy bill and what video games are doing to our energy supply!

So we ask, how do video games relate to our world energy crisis. Video Games are only a SMALL part of it. Recent studies say that we can significantly reduce energy use by simply shutting off video games or at least making sure to turn them off when you are done playing them! Yes, thats right! Video games are sucking away our energy!

Studies say that the Nintendo Wii is the number 1 energy "eater". It uses the most energy to power it up and by accidentally leaving it on, we are wasting energy. All it takes is the switch of a button after you play it and it is said that gamers will save $100 dollars a year if they can remember to turn off their systems after they play! (Although it may not sound like a lot, think about this... 10 years = $1000!!) Better yet, sell them and you will save even more!

Turning off video games, just simply shutting them down, can be an instant energy saver which results in a money saver according to recent studies! If we can all remember to turn off not only video games but other electronics, think about all of the energy and money we can save! 

Come on everybody, let's do it!

   TAKE A LOOK AT THESE STUDIES!!!

The following chart shows the money saved between gamers 

who turn off their systems and those who do not! Take a look! 

   Remember: 

yellow = those who turn their consoles off

orange = those who leave their consules on

SOURCE: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10106245-54.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0

Cell Phones Eliminate Traffic Jams

file:///Users/hoganl12/Desktop/traffic_jam.jpg

Researchers in California have developed a new system that gathers GPS information from cell phone in mobile vehicles and uses it to create traffic jams. These maps are available online and can also be sent to your mobile device. If enough people download this tool, it should be really helpful on relieving congestion on all roads. The GPS data is also anonymous so you will never have to worry about someone being able to follow you. This new idea can be really helpful in large cities because it can cut back on travel time and also cute down on pollution if you're not idiling in traffic for long periods of time!

Source:

New Technology Article

Cell Phones Saving Lives?

In Britain cell phones are being used to help with chronic diseases like asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, and COPD. Software allows people to tell about their disease so it can be controlled between hospital appointments. Data entered is sent to a monitoring system to alert nurses of changes. Software was designed by t+ Medical. It reduced blood sugar in both types of diabetes. Another version monitors the effects of chemotherapy so the doses can be adjusted correctly. One-fifth of the population of Britain has a chronic disease and thousands of patients are using this software and other trials. The software prevents emergencies between appointments. It is supposed to keep patients out of the hospital.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5193865.ece

AWESOME JAMES BOND LIKE CAMERA!!!!

The Air Force has been working on and almost completed a bird like spy camera. The camera can fly around, land on ledges, and go inside buildings. It can also record and film people of what they say. This invention could help reduce human causalities because it can do the spy work of a person. This drone is also different from the average drone because it can hold chemicals and do a little fighting. In 2030 the Air Force also expects to have a bee sized camera that can do the exact same things but is bee sized.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27845644/ 

Mykey from ford is like having your mom in the car.

My key, a new type of key from ford puts a limit on your speed. With Mykey, your car will not be able to go over 80mph. Also it beeps and lets you know when you do not have your seatbelt on. Now if you have this key, and your parents know how to use the thing, your parents can check to see if you wear your seatbelt and, they can limit your volume, so you can not rock out on the way to school. Although it may not make you as happy, this will hopefully save lives of others.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27053080/

Iphone 3G, the new way to travel?

The Iphone 3G is a revolutionary new phone that uses a touch screen to navigate through pages and applications. But what you may not know about it is that it can help you travel as well. The iphone has maps on it and downloadable google earth so that it is the perfect travel companion. It also has translators for many languages.(61) I am going to egypt for a winter trip and i am bringing mine to help me translate arabic. This is why the iphone is a necessity for travelers. 

http://www.apple.com/iphone/iphone-your-life/world-travel.html

New IPhone app Trapster helps you on the road

The new IPhone application Trapster is an application that can help you avoid costly speeding tickets and other violations. Trapster locates where police speed traps, red-light cameras, and speeding cameras are located within a certain area. By using the GPS system installed on the IPhone, the application warns you when you are coming close to a speed trap. After the application is installed on the IPhone, an alert will sound if a vehicle has a speed trap inside of it. This helps out many people because it can help them be aware of where the police are and if they are speeding or not. It also will help people from having to pay costly fines for speeding and other violations.

Click here for the website: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/new-iphone-apps-help-drivers-beat-speed-traps/

Revolutionary Paper That's Stronger Than Steel!

This paper, nicknamed buckypaper, is thinner than a strand of hair, yet it is almost 500 times stronger than and ten times lighter than steel.  This technology, developed by researchers at Florida State University, uses miniscule nanotubes.  Currently it is still only produced in the lab, and not as strong as scientists think it could be.  But once perfected buckypaper will have a huge affect on the world.  It can be used on aircrafts to protect against lightning, as electromagnetic interference shielding, and could replace graphite shields in laptops.     

Click Here for the Website 

Black Silicon- The Facts

The procedure of discovering black silicon was done by shining a forceful laser on a silicon wafer.   The difference between regular silicon and black silicon is black silicon is clothed with a lot of ultra- tiny spikes.  Black silicon is now one of the most sensitive materials to light.  It is more cost effective than normal silicon and takes in about double the amount of light that normal silicon takes in.  It also is much better at detecting light than normal silicon.  In the future, black silicon will be used in night vision systems and digital cameras.   

Link to black silicon webpage

It's About TIme We Lose the Chains

Forget those rusty, dirty, greasy, and sharp, chains that cause numerous problems while trying to ride a bike. Trek – the largest US bike manufacturer has developed two models where belts replace chains, providing a smoother ride than its foe. Besides being quieter, the belts also last three times longer than the traditional chains and do not need to be greased. The models will be released in December and will hopefully inspire people to rely less on gas and instead other ways of transportation.



http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/11/19/chainless.bicycles.ap/index.html

NASA's New Deep Space Communication System

 NASA announced it has  tested the first deep-space communications network, and it worked! The new network, modeled on the Internet, was able to transmit a lot of space images between Earth and a NASA science spacecraft located more than 20 million miles away, in a decent amount of time. It is designed so that if communication is cut off, then instead of the data just being dropped, like on the earths internet, it is saved and transmitted once the obstruction has resolved itself, it transmits.

link to my article http://www.technewsworld.com/story/NASA-Tests-New-Deep-Space-Cyber-Net-65219.html?wlc=1227211695

Energy from Poo

Link to my article

This article is about biomass and how it helps produce cleaner energy. It is a renewable resource that uses the trash we do not want or use. Biomass energy involves burning plant or animal "trash" or in other words stuff we do not want. This article shows the pros and cons of biomass for our economy now. It is much cleaner than burning fossil fuels and growing the materials needed for biomass energy takes about the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide out of the air

The increase of lung disease is a great concern. Interstitial lung diseases, also known as(IDLs) is one of the most abundant lung diseases. Incident rates were examined of ILDs between 1995 to 2005. Between that time, a total amount of 21,765 patients were tested, and ILD was found in them. Between the times of 1995 and 1998, it decreased 27.14 per 100,000 person- years to 19.36. in 1998 it actually increased, peaking at 34.34 per 100,000 person-years. I don't know about the current percentages, but this just show how serious lung cancer is. It also shows how rapidly it grows as the years increase.

Calories DO count? Uh oh.

More and more restraunts are starting to change their menus and lower their food portions. Is that necessary? Yes! Its proven the best way to loose weight is to lower your calorie intake and increase your physical activity. In New York City it is
go, go, go for most people the only way they can squeeze meals in, is to stop at a restraunt. “The popular quiche Lorraine was trimmed to 6 ounces from 11, with extra salad filling out the plate. Sweets like brownies may shrink, too.” Now some people might think that just be the portions are smaller the price will be too, but the prices are the same.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/dining/29calories.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Super Enzymes: Streamling Biofuels like its NBD

“Super Enzymes’ Could Streamline Biofules Refining,” scientists have found a way to vanish big stains. The new Stain remover removes most “stubborn spots” on clothes. Enzymes are the secret to the vanishing of the hard stains. Scientists from California are now searching for faster working enzymes they would be able to use in laundry, and in stain removers. “Xyn8” is a gene that breaks down xylan, witch works well in cold weather. This stain remover will be a big step in cleaning products.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081031213335.htm

Restricting Calories Make Immune System Healthy and Lifetime Longer

After many studies and tests, calorie restriction shows that it can make the life of many organisms longer. Scientists put the test on monkeys. Starting just before puberty, they fed some of the monkeys about a third less of calories than the other monkeys. Then about 42 months later, researches monitored the immune systems of the monkeys and there were some major differences. The monkeys that were fed a regular amount of calories had aged much differently than the monkeys who were fed a third less.

Other researchers are thinking about cutting down the amount of calories in medicine and suggest that elderly people do not cut down on calories to reserve their immune systems.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/8073/title/Restricting_calories_keeps_immune_system_young

Is America too cheap to eat healthy?

Our economy is failing at the moment and food is becoming more expensive. The junk foods with higher calories are the least expensive for some reason.  The healthier choices in grocery stores cost more than the unhealthy foods.  This may cause more people to gain weight in the United States of America because everyone wants to go with the cheaper choice. The cheaper foods have more calories than the more expensive ones. This is probably because of some of the agricultural polices on growing food and processing food. Cookies and chips cost less because they are easier to ship unlike a few apples that have the possibility of being bruised. The rising food prices are going to make more people in America more obese. 

http://www.courant.com/features/hc-webcheapfood.artnov03,0,362462.story?page=2

CALORIES ARE BUSTED.

Schools across the country are taking measures to create a healthier cafeteria. For starters, no more cake, soft drinks, or cookies. To promote this, deep fryers have been banned in California and Alabama has gotten rid of sweet tea.  The school’s goals are to create a healthier lifestyle for kids because of the number of overweight children in our country. However, some parents don’t agree with this because things such as cupcakes for birthdays have been banned. There are mixed feelings to whether these guidelines for food should be taken by schools across America. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/business/05junkfood.html

Fast Food Chains: Giving Out Calorie Count Like Its No Big Deal

In today’s economic crisis, there is still one thing that remains the same, that being the fast food corporation. Many of the fast food chains in America are still thriving, however, things are about to change for some. The New York City Board of Health voted unanimously to require that all fast food chains in New York have the calorie count data on their menus. The board argues, “Calorie information provided at the time of food selection would enable New Yorkers to make a more informed, healthier choice.” The reasoning behind this vote is because of the fact that 54% of adults are either overweight or obese, found by a 2005 community health survey.

www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/01/22/calories.menus/index.html

NBD.

He Lost 10 Pounds in Just 3 Weeks On Zoo Watchers like it was NO NIG DEAL!!

Gorillas on Weight Watchers? Polar bears slurping sugar-free Jell-O shots? Giraffes nibbling alfalfa biscuits

Most people no that gorillas are just like humans. But I bet you didn’t no that gorillas in the Atlanta zoo are now on a special diet, just like humans they don’t want to be over weight. The diet is just like weight watchers and all foods are on a point system. For the polar bears, they receive one point for each of their granola bars. Some zoos do not use the point system but they strive to keep the animals on a low-calorie and healthy diet. Now instead of receiving fruit juices the gorillas and orangutans are now getting to sip on some crystal light because it contains less sugar and fewer calories, the zoos are striving to keep fit animals by feeding them right.



http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/24/zoos-count-calories-for-animals/

nobiggie

Ultrafast Lasers Show Snapshot Of Electrons In Action

I choose this article because it shows how electrons rearrange during chemical reactions. The scientist that does this project uses a N2O4(Dinitrogen tetraoxide) and shot two lasers through it. The first laser induced a very large oscillations within the molecule. The second laser produce an X-ray, which was used to map the electrons energy level of the molecule and most importantly, to understand how these electron energy levels rearrange as the molecule changes shape. This relates to chemical reactions and which that was something that we have talked about in the trimester.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081030144622.htm

Shocking Plants

For centuries plants have been used as a means of medication. However, as societies dependence on plants for medicine increased, scientists needed a way to extract the needed chemicals quickly and efficiently. To do so, scientists have used synthetic chemical additives and genetic engineering. Although these methods did help extract the chemicals, they were extremely expensive and potentially harmful. Hans VanEtten took it upon himself to find a new way to produce these chemicals. In their study VanEtten and his colleagues exposed pea plants to sub-lethal levels of electricity in hopes to produce pisatin, a chemical in plants that acts as an antibiotic. The electricity not only produced pisatin, but thirteen times more than plants not exposed to electricity.

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331092009.htm

 

Calorie Labeling Law?

In today’s society, many people are surprised to see how many calories are in different foods such as muffins and a raspberry scone from Starbucks. In New York, a judge struck down the“ New York City’s first calorie labeling law.”  This law would only apply to fast food restaurants or restaurants with 15 or more outlets nationwide. The law says that, you need to label how many calories are in the types of food they serve. Many restaurants, and coffee shops like Starbucks have a raspberry scone with 470 calories in it, and 610-calorie cookies. Many people are finding out the foods they thought were healthy, were not. At T.G.I.Friday’s a chicken salad, with pecans, mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, and celery have 1,360 calories. At the end of the day, may people aren’t very happy with the labeling because, “it discourages them from ordering what they want,” says a New Yorker. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25464987/