Posted on December 8th, 2009 by axb
SMOS over Earth – via ESA
As anyone who’s been caught in a sudden rainstorm can attest that predicting the weather can be dodgy business. Global warming has produced more erratic weather patterns, making this task even more difficult. Recent large-scale natural disasters, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, highlight the need for better climate-monitoring systems.
Fortunately, this past month the European Space Agency launched the Soil Moisture and Salinity (SMOS) probe, a $460 million satellite that promises to help predict floods and droughts across the globe.
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Filed under: Aerospace, Agricultural, e-News, Environmental, Mining | 5 Comments »
Tags: Aerospace, Agricultural, Environmental, Mining
Posted on December 7th, 2009 by axb
In a timely update to our last featured story, Where’s the Turkey, Dutch scientists have reportedly succeeded in growing pork in a lab for the first time. [PopSci]
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Tags: Agricultural, Biomedical
Posted on November 28th, 2009 by jxh
Ecovative Design: COO Ed Browka, Chief Scientist Gavin McIntyre, and CEO Eben Bayer
Eben Bayer invented biodegradable packaging material and building insulation made from mushrooms and other agricultural byproducts.
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Tags: Agricultural, Environmental, Green Technology, Industrial / Manufacturing, Materials
Posted on November 25th, 2009 by axb
Doctors and nutrition scientists have long warned us about the potential dangers of meat. The over-consumption of animal fats – especially red meat – has been linked to such problems as obesity, heart disease, and cancer; and the harvesting of livestock puts a serious strain on the environment. So beyond limiting one’s meat intake (and following food journalist Michael Pollan’s advice to “eat food, not too much, mostly plants”), what’s a burger-loving person to do?
As it turns out, the future of your Thanksgiving feast might just lie in a test tube.
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Filed under: Agricultural, Biomedical, e-News | 1 Comment »
Tags: Agricultural, Biomedical
Posted on October 19th, 2009 by axb
In a move that brings to mind the all-powerful Greek weather god Zeus, Moscow’s mayor Yir Luzhkov has announced plans to eliminate the city’s snowfall this winter. Luzhkov intends to use the Russian Airforce to spray liquid nitrogen and cement particles into the clouds, forcing the snow to fall before it reaches the city. His idea, which is estimated to cost about $6 million, is expected to increase rainfall in rural areas, benefiting crops, while saving Moscow the expense (approx. $12 million each year) of cleaning snow from its streets. No word yet on how Russian schoolchildren feel about the impending lack of snow days. [TIME]
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Filed under: Agricultural, e-News, Environmental | Comments Off on Moscow Mayor Cancels Snow
Tags: Agricultural, Environmental, Weather
