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Subcategory: Science and Business
The Quest to Stop the Brain Drain
Nov 19 2009 - The Boston Globe
Computer products are popular among older Americans searching for ways to stay mentally sharp. Researchers, however, have yet to determine whether these brain games deliver what they promise.
World's Most Environmentally Sound Building Opens
Nov 2 2009 - Voice of America News
A French engineering firm has built what is being hailed as the world's most environmentally sound building, a structure that produces more energy than it consumes.
Bill Gates Calls for New Green Revolution in Agriculture
Oct 15 2009 - The Seattle Times
More than 50 years ago, U.S. philanthropy funded the first "Green Revolution" to grow more food for the world. Now Bill Gates, the world's richest philanthropist, is backing a new green revolution, and telling the world it should be "greener than the first."
Should the U.S. Build Its Next Coal Plants Underground?
Sep 22 2009 - ScienceInsider
Might burning coal thousands of feet below the surface be the secret to making coal climate friendly?
Some Buildings Not Living Up to Green Label
Aug 31 2009 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
Builders covet a green certification, but many buildings do not save as much energy as their designs predicted.
Not Retiring Comes With a Bonus: Better Health
Jul 30 2009 - MSNBC
Rather than retiring and relaxing into a life of leisure, increasing numbers of older Americans are remaining on the job or returning to the workforce. Scientists say that older adults who work are healthier as a whole, particularly if they like their jobs.
Organic Has No Health Benefits
Jul 29 2009 - BBC News
Organic food is no healthier than ordinary food, a large independent review has concluded. There is little difference in nutritional value and no evidence of any extra health benefits from eating organic produce, UK researchers found.
Hydrocarbons in the Deep Earth?
Jul 27 2009 - ScienceDaily
For the first time, scientists have found that ethane and heavier hydrocarbons can be synthesized under the pressure-temperature conditions of the upper mantle—the layer of Earth under the crust and on top of the core.
Europe Eyes Africa for Solar Power
Jul 24 2009 - Scientific American
European government and industry have been eyeing tracts of sun-drenched, vacant land in North Africa and the Middle East for some time. And now, officials and business executives are beginning to sweat out the details that could see renewable power sprouting in the desert.
Radioactive Drug for Tests Is in Short Supply
Jul 24 2009 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
A global shortage of a radioactive drug crucial to tests for cardiac disease, cancer, and kidney function in children is emerging because two aging nuclear reactors that provide most of the world's supply are shut for repairs.
FDA Approves First-Ever Dog Cancer Drug
Jun 4 2009 - CBS News
The FDA approved "Palladia," the first cancer drug for dogs. The drug maker, Pfizer said it
caused 37% of mast cell tumors to disappear and had a positive effect in many dogs.
U.K. Bioscientists Lobby on Animal Experimentation Law
Mar 26 2009 - ScienceInsider
In the latest installment of what promises to be a long political drama, scientists and officials representing major U.K. biomedical organizations today released a joint declaration expressing concern that a proposed revamping of European regulations on the use of animals in research will cause more harm to science than good for animals.
How Much Would Nanotox Testing Cost?
Mar 5 2009 - ScienceInsider
Nanotech insiders continue to spar over whether there should be widespread toxicity testing of nanomaterials. Not surprisingly, companies churning out products with nanomaterials in them tend to argue that existing regulations and testing are adequate to ensure these materials are safe, while environmental groups tend to call it the other way.
GM Crop Genes Contaminate Mexican Corn
Feb 24 2009 - Discovery News
Genes from genetically engineered corn have been found in traditional crop strains in Mexico,
according to a new study likely to reignite a bitter controversy over biotech maize.
A New Space Prize Sign of the Times?
Feb 3 2009 - ScienceInsider
The Heinlein Prize Trust is offering a new $25,000 prize for scientists to design microgravity experiments to fly into space in the next two years. SpaceX, a commercial space company in California, also announced it will donate experimental payload space on its Dragon spacecraft on an upcoming flight.
Virginia Company Recalls Peanut Butter Linked to Salmonella Outbreak
Jan 14 2009 - The Wall Street Journal
A Virginia company that makes peanut butter for institutional use is recalling peanut butter made at a Georgia plant after health officials linked it to a salmonella outbreak that sickened at least 425 people in 43 states and may have caused three deaths.
Water Currents Tapped as Renewable Energy
Dec 15 2008 - MSNBC
Currents can be powerful enough to tip canoes, damage docks, and even topple bridges. The force of all that moving water can also provide a clean, affordable, and unobtrusive source of renewable energy, says University of Michigan engineer Michael Bernitsas.
FDA Tests Find Melamine Traces in Baby Formula
Nov 26 2008 - The Wall Street Journal
The Food and Drug Administration said it found "trace levels" of the industrial chemical melamine in one sample of U.S.-made infant formula and in a few samples of other products like nutritional and medical supplements made by U.S. manufacturers of infant formula.
Burger King Begins Limiting Sodium in "Kids Meals"
Nov 19 2008 - Reuters
Burger King Corp, the world's second-largest hamburger chain, on Wednesday said it will limit sodium in its "Kids Meals" and that it was the first fast-food restaurant chain to take that step.
Scientists Bleak about AIDS Vaccine Prospects
Oct 17 2008 - Time Magazine
The global economic turmoil is likely to take its toll on AIDS research funding and add to the problems plaguing the search for a vaccine against the virus, scientists warned Tuesday. There is added concern that philanthropic organizations, like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, who have become major players in health and development projects may cut back on funding.
Bottled Water Impure Too, Study Finds
Oct 15 2008 - CBS News
Tests on leading brands of bottled water turned up a variety of contaminants often found in tap water, according to a study released Wednesday by an environmental advocacy group. The findings challenge the popular impression—and marketing pitch—that bottled water is purer than tap water, the researchers say.
"Unbreakable" Encryption Unveiled
Oct 9 2008 - BBC News
Perfect secrecy has come a step closer with the launch of the world's first computer network protected by unbreakable quantum encryption at a scientific conference in Vienna. Quantum systems use the laws of quantum theory, which have been shown to be inherently unbreakable.
Six Products, Six Carbon Footprints
Oct 6 2008 - The Wall Street Journal
First came organic. Then came fair trade. Now makers of everything from milk to jackets to cars are starting to tally up the carbon footprints of their products.
U.S. Vigilant over Tainted Chinese Milk
Sep 22 2008 - CBS News
Although no trace of infant formula from China has turned up in this country, U.S. authorities said they are taking added precautions to keep out tainted milk products. FDA spokeswoman Judy Leon said the agency has issued an alert warning consumers not to buy milk products from China on the internet.
Drilling for Hot Rocks: Google Sinks Cash into Advanced Geothermal Technology
Aug 21 2008 - Scientific American
For $1 billion over the next 40 years, the U.S. could develop 100 gigawatts of electricity generation that emits no air pollution and pumps out power to the grid even more reliably than coal-fired power plants, according to scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Now Google.org—the charitable wing of the search engine giant—has chipped in nearly $11 million for this renewable resource: so-called geothermal power, or tapping the Earth's heat to make electricity.
Should Clinical Trials Be Outsourced?
Aug 8 2008 - Time Magazine
India's vast skilled workforce gets western companies' jobs done cheaper and faster. Much has been written about the outsourced back-office services—in IT, finance, telecom—that have helped propel the country's growth to more than 8% a year. Now a lesser-known western industry has begun tapping India's outsourcing pool, prompting concerns not about jobs, but about the health and safety of the Indian population: Big Pharma.
Booger Is Back: Woman Receives 5 Cloned Puppies
Aug 6 2008 - The Washington Post (requires free registration)
An American woman received five puppies that were cloned from her beloved late pitbull, becoming the inaugural customer of a South Korean company that says it is the world's first successful commercial canine cloning service.
Water Refineries?
Aug 4 2008 - National Science Foundation
New method extracts oxygen from water with minimal energy, potentially boosting efforts to develop solar as a 24-hour energy source.
Nano-Food Fears: Scientists Say "Size Matters"
Jul 31 2008 - MSNBC
Those consumers already worried about genetically engineered or cloned food reaching their tables may soon find something else in their grocery carts to furrow their brows over—nano-foods. Recent studies have shown that nano-sized particles in some cases can invade cells and breach the blood-brain barrier, and some forms of nano-sized carbon could be as harmful as asbestos if inhaled in quantity.
Gates, Bloomberg Pledge $500 Million for Antismoking Programs
Jul 24 2008 - The Wall Street Journal
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg pledged to invest $500 million in antismoking programs in developing countries, building on a continuing effort by Mr. Bloomberg to end what he calls "the global tobacco epidemic."
Mideast Facing Choice Between Crops and Water
Jul 21 2008 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
Global food shortages have placed the Middle East and North Africa in a quandary, as they are forced to choose between growing more crops to feed an expanding population or preserving their already scant supply of water.
Many Sunscreens Ineffective, Group Says
Jul 7 2008 - CBS News
An environmental research and advocacy group claims that four out of five brand-name sunscreens either provide inadequate sun protection or contain chemicals that may be unsafe, but industry representatives strongly dispute the charge.
Are Microbes the Answer to the Energy Crisis?
Jun 5 2008 - Science Daily
The answer to the looming fuel crisis in the 21st century may be found by thinking small, microscopic in fact. Microscopic organisms from bacteria and cyanobacteria, to fungi to microalgae, are biological factories that are proving to efficient sources of inexpensive, environmentally friendly biofuels that can serve as alternatives to oil, according to research presented at the 108th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Boston.
Wind Energy Gets a Lift in New Report
May 13 2008 - CBS News
Two decades from now Americans could get as much electricity from windmills as from nuclear power plants, according to a government report that lays out a possible plan for wind energy growth.
Are Backyard Ethanol Brewers an Answer to High-Priced Gas?
May 12 2008 - Scientific American
A company banking on drivers' weariness of skyrocketing gasoline prices unveiled a home refinery device offering another option--ethanol. E-Fuel Corporation says its EFuel100 MicroFueler can produce up to 35 gallons (132 liters) of ethanol a week that consumers can pump directly into their cars and trucks.
Perk of Good Job: Aging Mind Is Sharp
May 8 2008 - CBC News
Work that requires decision making, negotiating with others, analysis, and making judgments builds up your "cognitive reserve"--a level of mental function that helps you avoid or compensate for age-related mental decline.
Researchers Build Micro Spider-Silk Spinner
Apr 29 2008 - Scientific American
Researchers have built a microfluidics (miniature plumbing) system for spinning short strands of artificial spider silk. The new strands are less than half a millimeter long, and their strength and elasticity are still untested. Other research groups have already created strands yards or more in length that come close to the properties of real spider silk. Such strands have long been desired for weaving into lighter bulletproof vests or artificial tendons and ligaments, but even relatively short strands could find niche applications in medical procedures such as brain surgery.
In Search of a Test-Tube Hamburger
Apr 29 2008 - Time Magazine
The animal rights group PETA announced it would award $1 million to the first person to come up with a way to make commercially viable in vitro meat by 2012. The fake meat would have to be indistinguishable from the real deal, according to competition rules, and it would have to be cheap enough to succeed in the marketplace. In theory, this seems like an excellent idea, with the potential to ease the burden on the environment from meat production, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve human health. In practice, however, the chances of anyone actually winning the prize seem slim.
Web Guru Targets Malaria with New Site
Apr 22 2008 - MSNBC
The British entrepreneur who sold a soccer website at the age of 17 for $40 million has switched his attention to help launch a social networking site designed to fight malaria.
High Testosterone Means High Profits
Apr 15 2008 - Time Magazine
According to new research, the higher a trader's morning testosterone level, the more money he'll likely have made before the close of business. But sometimes the losses can be equally as high.
Study Reveals Sex Bias in Science
Jan 18 2008 - NewScientist.com
A new study suggests that females are more likely to have their research published if the people who review their work are unaware of their gender. Some observers note “double-blind” peer review, which involves neither side knowing the other’s identity, would be a fairer system. To determine if this was true, University of Toronto’s Amber Budden and colleagues, examined the gender of the authors of papers accepted by Behavioral Ecology before and after the publication changed to a double-blind peer review system in 2001.
UK Pulls Out of Key Physics and Astronomy Projects
Dec 13 2007 - NewScientist.com
Concerns over costs needed to run new physics facilities are forcing officials in the United Kingdom to withdraw from physics and astronomy programs. Funding will be eliminated for the twin eight-meter Gemini telescopes in Chile and Hawaii, the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes on the Canary Islands, the International Linear Collider, and for high-energy gamma ray astronomy and ground-based studies of the Sun’s effect on Earth. Researchers in the United Kingdom say the cuts will discourage students from pursuing careers in the physical sciences.
Adding Planets Means New Textbooks, Toys
Aug 16 2006 - CBS News
For people who make their living on the old Mercury through Pluto system, a change in the number of planets means quick, but welcome revisions to their products, no matter how costly. For book publishers, the change could be troublesome because most of this year’s textbooks are already in schools. For the several thousand planetariums around the globe, “this is more exciting than difficult,” said Susan Reynolds Button, president-elect of the International Planetarium Society. Reynolds Button explained that visuals and equipment are already available to accommodate any changes. “It’s just a matter of presenting new data,” she said.
Top U.S. Scientists Fight for NASA Science Budget
Mar 3 2006 - New Scientist.com
NASA’s proposed cuts to its science budget will have a devastating impact on astronomy and Earth science research for years to come, according to top scientists who are members of various National Academy of Sciences panels. The scientists recently discussed NASA’s 2007 budget request at a hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives’ science committee. Scientists urged NASA to restore funding for research and analysis grants and low-cost missions, even if it comes at the expense of more ambitious missions.
Human Spaceflight Must Come First, Argues NASA
Feb 17 2006 - NewScientist.com
NASA Administrator Mike Griffin says human space flight must be the agency’s top priority and must take precedence over science in the organization’s budget. Griffin defended the space agency’s 2007 budget before a congressional committee. The $16.8 billion budget includes $5.3 billion for science in 2007, but calls for $3.1 billion in cuts to science programs by 2010. The cuts were made to fund costs needed to fly the space shuttles until they are retired in 2010. One lawmaker observed “if science becomes secondary, if scientists leave the agency, if new missions don’t keep young researchers going, then it will be hard to leave this pattern.”
Can Bush Make America More Competitive in Math and Science?
Feb 10 2006 - Christian Science Monitor
Americans have heard the warnings for decades: the nation is in danger of falling behind other technological powerhouses in the world, posing a threat to its way of life. President Bush’s competitiveness initiative would focus $136 billion over 10 years to boost research and education. A part of the education funding, $90 million, would go to increasing the ranks of students taking Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes in math, science, and foreign languages by training 70,000 additional teachers in those subject areas in high poverty schools. In a nation that seems to have a cultural aversion to tackling hard subjects like math and science, can those numbers be achieved? And without the stark image of Sputnik to spur a fear of national decline, will the nation rally to the “competitiveness” cause and push Congress to fund the plan? Click on the link above to read what the experts have to say.
Ad Pushes Math and Science Education for U.S. Students
Feb 7 2006 - San Diego Union-Tribune
Imagine viewing an advertisement showing a globe suspended above a sheet of mathematical formulas with the question: Where in the world will the next big idea come from? More than 140 educators, executives, and politicians who want to strengthen the United States’ competitive edge amid intensifying foreign challenges signed the advertisement, which comes on the heels of President Bush’s “American Competitiveness Initiative.” The advertisement can be found in the Feb. 8 editions of The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and other publications.
Keeping His Word on Science
Feb 7 2006 - Inside Higher Ed
President Bush’s budget proposal for the 2007 fiscal year requests a $910 million combined increase for basic research at the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. Bioscience researchers, however, may struggle a bit more for federal money, with requested funding for the National Institutes of Health stagnant at about $28.4 billion, and the total number of grants administered by the institutes set to decline.
Bush Says Economic Rivals Must Be Matched
Feb 5 2006 - Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, California)
President Bush says the United States cannot afford to be complacent and must meet the competition head-on from burgeoning economies such as China and India. “We’re seeing the rise of new competitors, like China and India, who are making great sides in technology,” the president said. “In response, some people want to wall off our economy from the world. That is called protectionism. The American people should not fear our economic future because we intend to shape our economic future.” The president’s message—delivered during his weekly radio address—echoed a theme stressed in his State of the Union speech: to stay competitive in the world economic market, the country must invest in basic research, business innovation, and give students a firm grounding in math and science.
U.S. Research Budget Worries Scientists
Jan 3 2006 - ABC News
Defense and space projects account for most increases in the $135 billion federal research and development budget next year, worrying scientists who fear that after years of growth the nation is beginning to skimp on technology that fuels marketplace innovation. The realignment by Congress of research money toward national defense and human space exploration means many universities, institutions, and scientists will have to scramble for new sources of money or cut back current or planned projects. The Bush administration counters that federal research and development spending remains near an all-time high.
U.S. Support for Science Softens
Nov 22 2005 - Inside Higher Ed
With Congress considering 2006 budgets that would barely increase support for scientific research—if not cut it back—new data from the National Science Foundation suggest that the rapid expansion of federal research funding in recent years has already begun to ebb. A recent report by the foundation projects that federal obligations for research would be $54.698 billion in 2005, up 0.5% from the preliminary total of $54.450 billion in 2004. But in inflation-adjusted dollars from 2000, NSF estimates federal research obligations in 2005 are expected to decline by 1.5%.
Tech Engineers Fear U.S. is Falling Behind
Nov 14 2005 - San Francisco Chronicle
A new survey shows U.S. engineers are worried about job security and fear that America might lose its technological edge over foreign rivals. Conducted by the trade publication EE Times and an Oregon communications firm, the study also found a widespread movement of engineering tasks to work centers overseas. Similar findings were noted in a report released by the National Academies in October titled “Rising Above the Gathering Storm.” Authors of both reports say better math and science programs starting in grade school will be needed if the United States wants to remain competitive.
From Abroad, Challenges to U.S. Role as Top Innovator
Oct 12 2005 - Christian Science Monitor
For decades, America was the preeminent destination for the world’s innovators. Many countries struggled to stop this brain drain to the U.S. But today, the trend is heading in the other direction. In 2005, 325,000 Chinese earned engineering degrees compared to 60,000 Americans. International enrollment at U.S. campuses is falling. These numbers symbolize an emerging risk that developing nations like India and China, fueled by high education and lower labor costs, could leapfrog U.S. leadership in innovation. But amid new calls to address a scientist shortage, the need is not so much to match China and others numerically as to do something that may be even harder—to stay way ahead in the quality of research and the jobs it spawns.
China Launches Two 'Taikonauts' Into Orbit
Oct 12 2005 - New Scientist.com
China has successfully launched two “taikonauts” into orbit. Exactly what the “taikonauts” will do during the mission remains a mystery. Previous news stories indicated the mission would include tests of space radiation effects on plant seeds and pig sperm, but in more recent reports space officials have denied those experiments will take place. Whatever the itinerary is, one observer notes the flight means there is another player in the elite group of countries working on human spaceflight.
Group Says NASA Budget Cuts Will Damage Science Programs
Jun 8 2005 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
A scientific group says the proposed NASA budget cuts for Earth and space science will decimate programs that enable people to understand the complex world in which they live. The American Geophysical Union claims the United States’ leadership in Earth and space science is at risk because of financial demands on NASA that have caused the agency to cut science programs to finance human spaceflight. A NASA spokesman said the agency appreciated the concerns and would continue to plan “a robust scientific program” within the organization.
New Postage Stamps Honor Four Scientists
May 4 2005 - Yahoo-Associated Press
The U.S. Postal Service has issued four new stamps that feature pioneering American scientists. Scientists featured include Barbara McClintock who won the 1983 Nobel Prize in medicine for her discoveries in genetics and John von Neumann, a top mathematician of the 20th century. The two other scientists are Richard P. Feynman who won the 1965 Nobel Prize in physics for his work in quantum electrodynamics and Josiah Willard Gibbs, a pioneer in the study of vector analysis. The 37-cent stamps go on sale nationwide May 5.
Pulling the Plug on Science?
Apr 14 2005 - Christian Science Monitor
For decades, American scientists have unlocked nature’s secrets, generated an enormous number of patents, and earned a string of Nobel Prizes. These days, however, pride of accomplishment is mingling with angst as Washington contemplates research cuts on everything from space weather to high-energy physics. The concern? The United States unwittingly may be positioning itself for a long, steady decline in basic research—a key engine for economic growth—at a time when competitors from Europe and Asia are hot on America’s heels.
U.S. Risks High-Tech Wreck
Mar 9 2005 - CBS News
Leaders of high-tech companies say the United States risks losing its competitive edge unless significant new investments are made in education, research and development, and the spread of broadband technology. Technology officials recently plead their case to lawmakers in the nation’s capital, noting students in America are behind in math and science compared to their counterparts in foreign countries. The officials hope the formation of a new education task force, a plea for more funding, and other initiatives will help solve the problem.
Funding For Space, Science Trimmed Back
Jul 20 2004 - MSNBC
Funding for space, science, and environmental programs has been cut, thanks to a House panel vote taken July 20. Monies eliminated for science related programs would help to finance a $2 billion increase in healthcare for veterans. “The choices have been brutally fair,” said Rep. James Walsh, (R-NY), who authored the legislation. “We’ve tried to do the best we could,” Walsh added, noting that federal deficits have reached record levels. The Senate has yet to write its version of the funding measure.
National Science Panel Warns of Far Too Few New Scientists
May 5 2004 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
America faces a serious shortage of scientists unless the country works harder at developing its own scientific talent, according to a new report. The study, An Emerging and Critical Problem of the Science and Engineering Labor Force, shows “a troubling decline” in the number of Americans studying to be scientists and notes that such trends “threaten the economic welfare and security” of the United States. A federal panel who authored the report said the recruitment problem grows out of the nation’s economic success and the rising demand for employees trained in science and engineering.
Science Group Says U.S. Budget Plan Would Harm Research
Apr 23 2004 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
A national science group claims that President Bush’s proposed budget for the next five years could negatively impact financing for federal agencies engaging in scientific research. A spokesman for the American Association for the Advancement of Science noted several fields such as physics, biology, and chemistry would likely be hurt under the budget plan. Space exploration would be one of three research categories that would likely escape the cuts, the organization said. Dr. John H. Marburger III, the president’s science advisor, has described the group’s analysis as “unduly pessimistic.”
OECD Urges Better Communication of Science Advances
Dec 8 2003 - Yahoo-Reuters
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is urging governments to enhance their communication efforts to educate people about scientific and technological advances to counter misinformation and often-unfounded fears of risks to health and the environment. “To preserve the vast potential of science to better the human condition, governments must do much more to ensure the maintenance of public confidence,” noted Donald Johnston, the OECD’s secretary-general.
'Scientific American' Names Its Best of the Best
Nov 25 2003 - USA Today
From a Nobel prize winner cited for his work on how key materials enter and leave the human body to a car dealership awarded for commercializing environmentally friendly autos with “hybrid” electric and internal combustion engines, this year’s Scientific American 50 list honors a variety of contributions to science, technology, and society. Click on the link above to learn more.
Scientists Challenge For-Profit Journals
Jul 7 2003 - Yahoo-Associated Press
Scientists are challenging the way for-profit journals handle their research papers. Several scientific journals, including Science and Nature, own the copyrights to the research papers reprinted in their publications, and charge for access to them. Scientists claim such a system “inhibits scientific collaboration.”
Opinion: Humans in Space Serve Science, Future Citizens
Apr 24 2003 - USA TODAY
Alcestis “Cooky” Oberg, a freelance science and technology writer and a member of USA TODAY’s board of contributors, argues in this editorial that it’s important to keep humans in space both for science and future generations. According to Oberg, “we owe it to our children and grandchildren to keep the toehold we have in low-Earth orbit now, whatever the expense, however imperfect the vehicles, and whatever the short-term low scientific return.”
Scientists Discuss Balance of Research and Security
Jan 10 2003 - The New York Times (Requries free registration)
Scientists and security experts are discussing ways on how to balance the publication of scientific research without it posing a security threat. Scientists claim the best defense against biological weapons is “robust research that is widely accessible.” Security specialists, however, say scientists are “naïve” and “reckless” with that type of approach.
Panel Offers Blueprint to Fix Smithsonian's Science Programs
Jan 9 2003 - The New York Times (Requires free registration)
An 18-member panel has recommended more federal and private funding be channeled into the Smithsonian Institution so it can refocus it scientific research on four major areas including the origin and nature of the universe, the formation and evolution of Earth and other planets, the discovery and understanding of life’s diversity, and the study of human diversity and culture change. The panel has also suggested the Smithsonian find additional funding for its science activities.
Economic Interests Keep Drive for Renewable Energy Stuck in Neutral
Aug 21 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration)
Despite concerns over the environmental problems associated with fossil fuels, renewable energy sources, such as the sun and the wind, account for just 1 percent of the world's supply. In contrast, fossil fuels, which are much cheaper than renewables, provide about 85 percent. What can be done to increase the rate at which renewables are developed and used? As the above article reports, that's a question that the major energy companies, even as much as many environmentalists, are taking very seriously.
DNA Fingerprints Identify Fine Wines
Aug 14 2002 - MSNBC -- AP
The next time you purchase a $100 bottle of wine, you may want to bring along a do-it-yourself DNA test kit. Or at least that's the idea. As the above article reports, French researchers are exploring ways to use DNA to tell the difference between a high-end wine and a cheaper blend. The hope is that the technology can someday be used in the fight against wine fraud, which has been a problem in the industry.
Science and Business: The Struggle to Sell a "Green" Wrapper
Jul 22 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration)
EarthShell, a California-based company, is touting its product -- a mix of limestone, sand and starch -- as an environmentally friendly alternative to the paper and plastic foam used in food packaging. And so far, the environmental benefits appear promising, with tests showing that the material decomposes in weeks when exposed to air. But as the above article reports, the most difficult step for EarthShell still lies ahead -- making the leap to commercial success.
Biodiesel: A Fuel That Starts Low on the Food Chain
May 14 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration)
Usually made from soybean oil or recycled restaurant grease, nontoxic biodiesel has been getting more attention lately as a domestically produced alternative fuel. This year, for example, production is expected to grow to more than 20 million gallons. Could biodiesel be the fuel of the future? The above article examines the benefits and drawbacks...
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