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Ausstieg aus Braunkohle überfällig: Garzweiler II muss stillgelegt werden

By Guest PostOctober 9, 2013Environmentbraunkohle, braunkohletagebau garzweiler, bund, co2 ausstoss, energie expertin, garzweiler, klimaschaedliche braunkohle, kohlestrom, konzernpolitik, naturschutz deutschland, nordrhein westfalen, rwe, tagebau in nrw, tina loeffelsend, umwelt

Berlin/Düsseldorf: “Das mögliche vorzeitige Aus für den Braunkohletagebau Garzweiler II zeigt, dass Kohleverstromung in der Energiewende keinen Platz mehr hat. Die klimaschädliche Braunkohle ist keine Brückentechnologie sondern Altlast einer überholten Energieversorgung. Garzweiler muss stillgelegt und der klimaverträgliche Ausstieg aus der Kohleverstromung eingeleitet werden”, forderte Tina Löffelsend, Energie-Expertin des Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) anlässlich der heutigen Meldung, RWE erwäge das Aus für den Braunkohletagebau Garzweiler II in Nordrhein-Westfalen. (more…)

Poetry is like music to the mind, scientists prove

By Guest PostOctober 9, 2013Culture, Health, Scienceadam zeman, anatomical sense, art, brain imaging technology, favourite poetry, fmri technology, introspection, music to mind, poetry, prose, recollection, scientist, university of exeter

New brain imaging technology is helping researchers to bridge the gap between art and science by mapping the different ways in which the brain responds to poetry and prose.

Scientists at the University of Exeter used state-of-the-art functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology, which allows them to visualise which parts of the brain are activated to process various activities.

No one had previously looked specifically at the differing responses in the brain to poetry and prose. (more…)

Stronger winds explain puzzling growth of sea ice in Antarctica

By Guest PostOctober 9, 2013Environmentantarctic sea ice, Antarctica, atmosphere, axel schweiger, dynamic change, global climate models, jinlun zhang, model experiment, modeling study, natural cycle, ozone depletion, puzzling growth, sea ice, south pole, southern hemisphere, Southern Ocean, stronger winds, thick ice, university of washington, variability, warming climate

Much attention is paid to melting sea ice in the Arctic. But less clear is the situation on the other side of the planet. Despite warmer air and oceans, there’s more sea ice in Antarctica now than in the 1970s – a fact often pounced on by global warming skeptics. The latest numbers suggest the Antarctic sea ice may be heading toward a record high this year.

While changes in weather may play a big role in short-term changes in sea ice seen in the past couple of months, changes in winds have apparently led to the more general upward sea ice trend during the past few decades, according to University of Washington research. A new modeling study to be published in the Journal of Climate shows that stronger polar winds lead to an increase in Antarctic sea ice, even in a warming climate. (more…)

New Model Should Expedite Development of Temperature-Stable Nano-Alloys

By Guest PostOctober 9, 2013Sciencecarl koch, elevated temperature, hasan kotan, high temperature alloys, lightweight aluminum alloys, model, mostafa saber, nano alloys, nanoscale grain, nanoscale material, north Carolina, nuclear energy applications, ron scattergood, stabilizing agent, state university, temperature stable, theoretical model

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new theoretical model that will speed the development of new nanomaterial alloys that retain their advantageous properties at elevated temperatures.

Nanoscale materials are made up of tiny crystals, or grains, that are less than 100 nanometers in diameter. These materials are of interest to researchers, designers and manufacturers because two materials can have the same chemical composition but very different mechanical properties depending on their grain size. For example, materials with nanoscale grains can be harder and stronger than chemically identical materials with larger grains. (more…)

Was ist Ihnen unser Wald wert?

By Guest PostOctober 8, 2013Environment, Natureco2 speicher, hund gassi, lebensraum, nabu projektteam, projekt, regenwaeldern suedamerikas, sauerstoffproduzent, thema wald beschaeftigt, wald wert

Machen Sie mit bei der Umfrage zum Thema „Wertvoller Wald“

Irgendwie ist er allgegenwärtig: in Filmen, Büchern und sogar in der Werbung, als Ausflugsziel und Naherholungsgebiet, als CO2-Speicher und Sauerstoffproduzent und als Lebensraum von bedrohten Tieren und Pflanzen. Die Rede ist vom Wald. Und zwar nicht von den exotischen Regenwäldern Südamerikas, sondern vom Wald direkt vor unserer Haustür. Wir spazieren oder radeln durch ihn, führen den Hund Gassi oder fahren auf dem Arbeitsweg an ihm vorbei, kurzum der Wald ist ein Teil unseres Lebens.

Doch obwohl er so tief mit der Geschichte der Menschheit und unserem täglichen Leben verwurzelt ist, nehmen wir ihn kaum bewusst wahr. Oder haben Sie sich schon einmal gefragt, was der Wald Ihnen persönlich bedeutet und ob Sie es stören würde, wenn er auf einmal nicht mehr da wäre oder ganz anders aussehen würde? (more…)

Despite growth reports, Africa mired in poverty

By Guest PostOctober 8, 2013Economyafrica, african citizens, afrobarometer, carolyn logan, democratic development, east africa, economic growth, economic management, ghana, growth reports, Johannesburg, michael bratton, michigan state university, political science, poverty, the hopeful continent, west africa

Despite continued reports of economic growth in Africa, much of the continent remains wracked by poverty, with roughly one in five citizens saying they frequently lack food, clean water and medical care, according to the largest survey of African citizens.

This suggests the growth is not trickling down to the poorest citizens or that actual growth rates are inflated, said Carolyn Logan, assistant professor of political science at Michigan State University and deputy director of the survey, called the Afrobarometer. (more…)

Medicare plans understate risky Rx rates

By Guest PostOctober 8, 2013Healthhigh risk prescribing, medicare advantage, medicare plans, pharmacy data, risky drugs

An analysis of a quality measure that Medicare Advantage plans self-report to the government finds that the insurers almost always err in their own favor. More elderly receive high-risk medications than the plans acknowledge, according to the study published Sept. 30 in Annals of Internal Medicine. (more…)

Singing Mice Protect Their Turf With High-Pitched Tunes

By Guest PostOctober 8, 2013Naturealstons singing mouse, austin, bret pasch, chiriqui singing mouse, conflict, costa rica, forest, high pitched tunes, human hearing, lifestyle, mountain cloud, panama, range, s xerampelinus, scotinomys teguina, singing mice, steven phelps, temperature tolerant, university of texas

AUSTIN, Texas — Two species of tawny brown singing mice that live deep in the mountain cloud forests of Costa Rica and Panama set their boundaries by emitting high-pitched trills, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered.

Although males of both the Alston’s singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina) and Chiriqui singing mouse (S. xerampelinus sing to attract mates and repel rivals within their respective species, the findings show for the first time that communication is being used to create geographic boundaries between species.

In this case, the smaller Alston’s mouse steers clear of its larger cousin, the Chiriqui. (more…)

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