Technology

More than 200 Billion Online Videos Viewed Globally in October

YouTube Delivers 2 of Every 5 Videos Viewed Worldwide
comScore Releases Inaugural Report on Global Online Video Viewing Habits

Reston, VA, December 14, 2011 – comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, today released inaugural data on worldwide online video viewing from the comScore Video Metrix service. The report found that nearly 1.2 billion people age 15 and older watched 201.4 billion videos online globally during October 2011. Google Sites, driven by YouTube.com, ranked as the top video destination with nearly 88.3 billion videos viewed on the property worldwide during the month.

“As global broadband connectivity continues to rise, online video viewing has taken off in a big way and has become a fully integrated component of the digital content experience,” said Dan Piech, comScore product manager for video. “With the introduction of comScore’s global measurement of online video viewing, multinational media brands and advertisers can now gain a more comprehensive understanding of how online video reaches audiences around the world.” (more…)

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Yale Engineers Making Solar Power More Efficient

Innovations by a team of Yale University researchers could lead to improvements in basic solar power technology that result in lower-cost, higher-efficiency photovoltaic systems.

Photovoltaics (PV) directly convert sunlight into electricity. PV systems can be arrayed on rooftops to generate electricity for entire buildings, among other uses. Less expensive, more efficient systems could encourage broader use of this clean energy technology. (more…)

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NASA Mars-Bound Rover Begins Research in Space

PASADENA, Calif. — NASA’s car-sized Curiosity rover has begun monitoring space radiation during its 8-month trip from Earth to Mars. The research will aid in planning for future human missions to the Red Planet.

Curiosity launched on Nov. 26 from Cape Canaveral, Fla., aboard the Mars Science Laboratory. The rover carries an instrument called the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) that monitors high-energy atomic and subatomic particles from the sun, distant supernovas and other sources. (more…)

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Eleven for ’11 – My Favorite Moments of 2011

By Frank X. Shaw, Corporate Vice President, Corporate Communications

Every year at this time there’s a glut of “year in review” and “best of” lists that come out. Last night I was reading the Rolling Stone “best songs/albums/movies” issue, and was gratified to note that some albums/artists/movies I saw and liked made the list. I feel relevant. 🙂 (more…)

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J. Timmons Roberts: What did Durban do for climate?

J. Timmons Roberts, professor of sociology and director of the Center for Environmental Studies, led a group of Brown researchers and students to the United Nations climate change negotiations in Durban, South Africa. On his return, Roberts spoke with Richard Lewis, reflecting on the Durban meetings, the status of research, and the challenges of activism on issues of climate change.

Timmons Roberts, professor and director of the Center for Environmental Studies, has just returned from attending climate talks in Durban, South Africa. Roberts and a delegation from Brown — faculty, postdoctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students — witnessed the negotiations up close as observers to ministerial speeches and negotiations. The talks ended with an agreement to extend the greenhouse gas emissions targets set under the Kyoto Protocol and a pledge to work on a replacement treaty incorporating the United States, China, and India.

Roberts spoke with Richard Lewis on the importance of the talks, the need for industrialized countries to compensate developing countries for damages from climate change, and the unique opportunity for people from Brown’s environmental program to attend the talks. (more…)

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Archaeologists Find New Evidence of Animals Being Introduced to Prehistoric Caribbean

An archaeological research team from North Carolina State University, the University of Washington and University of Florida has found one of the most diverse collections of prehistoric non-native animal remains in the Caribbean, on the tiny island of Carriacou. The find contributes to our understanding of culture in the region before the arrival of Columbus, and suggests Carriacou may have been more important than previously thought.

The researchers found evidence of five species that were introduced to Carriacou from South America between 1,000 and 1,400 years ago. Only one of these species, the opossum, can still be found on the island. The other species were pig-like peccaries, armadillos, guinea pigs and small rodents called agoutis. (more…)

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