ApocaDocuments (10) for the "Recovery" scenario from this week
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Sun, Apr 27, 2008
from New York Times:
Saddled With Legacy of Dioxin, Town Considers an Odd Ally: The Mushroom
"FORT BRAGG, Calif. -- On a warm April evening, 90 people crowded into the cafeteria of Redwood Elementary School here to meet with representatives of the State Department of Toxic Substances Control. The substance at issue was dioxin, a pollutant that infests the site of a former lumber mill in this town 130 miles north of San Francisco. And the method of cleanup being proposed was a novel one: mushrooms. Mushrooms have been used in the cleaning up of oil spills, a process called bioremediation, but they have not been used to treat dioxin." ...
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We can think of LOTS of magic that can be associated with mushrooms.
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Sat, Apr 26, 2008
from Government of India:
Conservation of Genetic Diversity a Must for Sustainable Agriculture: Shri Pawar
The Government considers proper management of plant and animal genetic resources integral to sustainable development of agriculture ... "Ecological implications of climate change and of agricultural intensification are major constraints to sustainable development of agriculture-based systems. So far, there is little awareness among professionals of the close relationship between climate change and food security and the role genetic resource has to play. It is imperative to manage these resources in a sustainable way. Climate change-induced environmental stress may in fact go beyond the reach of adaptation and in situ approach of genetic resource conservation offers a great chance to shape a future worth living.... Further, a blend of modern science and indigenous knowledge will be required to face the challenges of increasing agricultural production in decades ahead." ...
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"Indigenous knowledge?" What's that?
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Fri, Apr 25, 2008
from UTexas, via Slashdot:
Solar-powered Cyanobacteria Produces Sugars for Biofuels
A newly created microbe produces cellulose that can be turned into ethanol and other biofuels, report scientists from The University of Texas at Austin who say the microbe could provide a significant portion of the nation's transportation fuel if production can be scaled up.
Along with cellulose, the cyanobacteria developed by Professor R. Malcolm Brown Jr. and Dr. David Nobles Jr. secrete glucose and sucrose. These simple sugars are the major sources used to produce ethanol.
"The cyanobacterium is potentially a very inexpensive source for sugars to use for ethanol and designer fuels," says Nobles.... Brown and Nobles say their cyanobacteria can be grown in production facilities on non-agricultural lands using salty water unsuitable for human consumption or crops.
The new cyanobacteria use sunlight as an energy source to produce and excrete sugars and cellulose, and can be continually harvested without harming or destroying the cyanobacteria. [Further,] cyanobacteria that can fix atmospheric nitrogen can be grown without petroleum-based fertilizer input. ...
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Hooray! This could be as big as the sun. Unless, of course, there's unintended consequences.
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Fri, Apr 25, 2008
from Georgia Institute of Technology, via ScienceDaily:
Energy Saving Lights: Organic Light Emitting Diode Made To Last Longer, Resist Moisture
Researchers have developed an improved organic light emitting diode (OLED) sealing process to reduce moisture intrusion and improve device lifetime. OLEDs are promising for the next generation of displays and solid state lighting because they use less power and can be more efficiently manufactured than current technology. However, the intrusion of moisture into the displays can damage or destroy an OLED's organic material.... During testing, the SiON-encapsulated OLEDs showed no sign of degradation after seven months in an open-air environment, while the OLEDs without the coating degraded completely in less than two weeks under the same conditions. ...
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O, Led by SiON-tists, we see the light.
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Thu, Apr 24, 2008
from Science, via EurekAlert:
Scientists call for more access to biotech crop data
"Since 1996 more than a billion acres have been planted with biotech crops in the U.S.," said Michelle Marvier of Santa Clara University in Calif. "We don't really know what are the pros and cons of this important new agricultural technology. People on both sides of the debate about genetically engineered crops have been making a lot of claims. One side has been saying that biotech crops reduce insecticide use, reduce tillage and therefore the erosion of top soil. People on the other side say that biotech crops could hurt native species."... The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistical Service annually collects data documenting acreage planted to various crops in all 50 states.... In addition, the NASS annually interviews more than 125,000 farmers about their land use and the acreage planted in various biotech crops. "We're already spending the money to have these data collected. Let's make them available in the right format for researchers to use. It would be a relatively inexpensive additional step with enormous scientific and public benefit." ...
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Transparency? Analysis of empirical data? Public benefit? Hmm.
And how do we make money off of that?
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Thu, Apr 24, 2008
from Newcastle University, via Eurekalert:
Technological breakthrough in the fight to cut greenhouse gases
The Newcastle team has succeeded in developing an exceptionally active catalyst, derived from aluminium, which can drive the reaction necessary to turn waste carbon dioxide into cyclic carbonates at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, vastly reducing the energy input required.... 'If our catalyst could be employed at the source of high-concentration CO2 production, for example in the exhaust stream of a fossil-fuel power station, we could take out the carbon dioxide, turn it into a commercially-valuable product and at the same time eliminate the need to store waste CO2', he said. ...
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A big "if," of course, but come on --
let's get catalyzing!
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Thu, Apr 24, 2008
from Science Daily (US):
Analysis of RNA Role in Spreading Disease Advances Study of Damaging Plant Infections
Because no chemical treatments exist that can specifically inhibit viroid infection, an effective way to prevent viroid multiplication and spread is through genetic alterations of susceptible plants. The best approach to such bioengineering is learning exactly how the pathogens function in the first place, said Biao Ding, senior author of the study and professor of plant cellular and molecular biology at Ohio State.... Viroids resemble viruses, but consist of only small RNA molecules that don’t have the protein coat found on viruses and that don't encode any proteins. Viroids so far have been shown to infect only plants. ...
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This could be good, for food scarcity, and for understanding viruses. It does, however, require genetic manipulation of those crops. "Viroid-ready corn, anyone? And don't forget, we own it."
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Wed, Apr 23, 2008
from University of Kansas, via The Independent (UK):
Exposed: the great GM crops myth
Genetic modification actually cuts the productivity of crops, an authoritative new study shows, undermining repeated claims that a switch to the controversial technology is needed to solve the growing world food crisis.
The study – carried out over the past three years at the University of Kansas in the US grain belt – has found that GM soya produces about 10 per cent less food than its conventional equivalent, contradicting assertions by advocates of the technology that it increases yields. ...
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A 10 percent penalty and you can't legally replant from your own crop.
We call that
corporate viggorish.
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Tue, Apr 22, 2008
from Los Angeles Times:
Electric car for the masses to be made in Southern California
"Norwegian automaker Think Global said Monday it planned to sell low-priced electric cars to the masses and will introduce its first models in the U.S. by the end of next year. The battery-powered Think City will be able to travel up to 110 miles on a single charge, with a top speed of about 65 mph, the company said. It will be priced below $25,000.... Ford Motor Co. was the longtime owner of Think but sold it in 2003. It was purchased by Norweigan investors two years ago, and began selling cars in Norway this year, with sales in Sweden, Denmark and Britain expected this year. The company said its annual production capacity in Europe is 10,000 vehicles. ...
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What was Ford thinking?
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Mon, Apr 21, 2008
from Globe and Mail (Canada):
Canada first to label bisphenol A as officially dangerous
Health Canada is calling bisphenol A a dangerous substance, making it the first regulatory body in the world to reach such a determination and taking the initial step toward measures to control exposures to it.... U.S. tests have found that more than 90 per cent of the population carries in their bodies trace residues of the chemical, whose molecular shape allows it to mimic the female hormone estrogen.... Until now, regulators in other countries have accepted the industry's assertion that BPA is harmless at the tiny, parts-per-billion type exposures from canned food and plastic beverage containers. A part per billion is roughly equal to one blade of grass on a football field, although natural hormones such as estrogen are active at far lower concentrations, around a part per trillion. ...
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That's only a thousand blades of grass -- not even a "first and goal."
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