When People Worry About Math, the Brain Feels the Pain
Mathematics anxiety can prompt a response in the brain similar to when a person experiences physical pain, according to new research at the University of Chicago. (more…)
Technology
NASA Maps How Nutrients Affect Plant Productivity
PASADENA, Calif. – A new analysis led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., has estimated how much the growth of plants worldwide is limited by the amount of nutrients available in their soil. The maps produced from the research will be particularly useful in evaluating how much carbon dioxide Earth’s ecosystems may be able to soak up as greenhouse gas levels increase. (more…)
Study Suggests Antibiotics Might be Another Suspect in Honey Bee Die-off
The gut bacteria of honey bees have acquired several genes that confer resistance to tetracycline, a direct result of more than five decades of use of antibiotics by American beekeepers and a potential health hazard for bee colonies, a new study by Yale University researchers show.
The genetic analysis of the gut bacteria, which are believed to help in bees’ digestion and ability to ward off parasites, suggests changing antibiotic use by beekeepers might be one factor in the mysterious colony collapse disorder afflicting bee populations. (more…)
A Few Words on Emergency Car Loans
To speak of car loans, one might feel that these are one of those complicated forms of loan which take a couple of weeks to be processed and then one might also need to keep his car with the loan providers as the collateral. However, this is actually not the case. Emergency car loans are one of the most instantaneous loan processes. (more…)
China and the Internet
Internet bringing change to Chinese society, China Forum speaker says
The Internet is affecting every facet of Chinese life and shaping public opinion, according to Sanjiu Yan, the guest speaker at the inaugural China Forum, held Friday, Oct. 26, at the University of Delaware.
Yan, a former journalist who is now the dean of the College of Communication at East China Normal University in Shanghai, presented the first talk in the China Forum, a new monthly lecture series hosted by the Confucius Institute at UD. (more…)
Half of Texans Prefer Faith over Science, According to UT/Texas Tribune Poll
AUSTIN, Texas — About half of Texas voters believe faith is a better guide than scientific evidence on most important questions, according to a recent University of Texas at Austin/Texas Tribune poll.
According to the poll, which surveyed Texans on a wide range of attitudes related to science and public policy, a similar proportion of voters said that “instinct and gut reactions” are just as good as the advice of scientists in most cases.
However, 66 percent of voters said politicians, when faced with a difficult decision, should follow the advice of relevant experts, even if it means going against their ideology. (more…)
Who Else Wants to Hire the Best IT Specialists Available?
Can anyone argue that are modern world is moving forward at warp speed? Every day, there seem to be major improvements introduced around the world in various technologies. Automobiles have certainly become far more complex in the last two decades, mostly thanks to the electronics that control the engine, as well as the additional consumer friendly-features such as DVD players, docking ports for iPods or iPhones, navigation systems etc. Airplanes have also become far more sophisticated, with engine designed to maximise fuel-efficiency, and overall designs that maximise lift while also providing creature comforts for the passengers. In just about any type of industry, computers are helping to either design new products or control robots that create them, and they even monitor the entire process from design to final shipment to a client. (more…)
Long-Term Sea Level Rise Could Cost Washington, D.C. Billions
College Park, MD – A University of Maryland study projects that Washington, D.C. city and federal property could suffer billions of dollars in damage if sea level rise from global warming increases over the next century. Potential for significant damage will be even greater in the event of extreme weather like Hurricane Sandy
The study by Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Bilal Ayyub, Haralamb Braileanu and Naeem Qureshi, of the Clark School of Engineering’s Center for Technology and Systems Management, looks at possible long term effects of projected sea level rise on Washington, D.C. real-estate property and government infrastructure. They conclude that over the next 100 years, continuing sea level rise could cause damages of more than $24.6 billion to Washington’s commercial property, museums, and government agencies. (more…)