Can This 'Miraculous' Molecule Help Reverse Global Warming?It seems that we may have a new ally in our quest to reduce global warming - A molecule that goes by the name of Criegee biradica or Criegee Intermediate. If experts are to be believed, this newly discovered oxidizer that is present in our atmosphere has the potential to cool down the Earth and help offset global warming....
Read news article'WakaWaka' Lamps Bring Light To AfricaIt is quite ironic that while we are able to send a man to the moon, we are unable to provide something as basic as electricity to everybody in the world. Sadly though, that is the case. An astounding 1.6 billion people or over 20% of the world's population have no power but instead, rely on rudimentary forms of light, like kerosene lamps that are not only inefficient, but also, dangerous and toxic....
Read news articleSelf-Cleaning Jeans Could Be In Your Future!Imagine if 'doing' laundry meant wearing your dirty clothes and lounging in the sun. If researchers from China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Hubei University of Nationalities have their way, that may actually be a reality, in the not so distant future....
Read news articleCan You Spot The Endangered Animals?The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is an international non-profit organization that is constantly trying to remind us to do the right thing to save the Earth - whether it be by protecting endangered wildlife and environments, reversing global warming or, using our limited natural resources in a sustainable manner....
Read news articleScientists Discover First Ever 'Soldier' BeeHoneybee hive hierarchy is well documented - The queen bee gives birth to every bee in the hive, drones mate with the queen and immediately die or get kicked out, while worker bees ensure that the hive functions like clockwork. Now it seems, that South American honeybees have added an additional role - that of a soldier bee....
Read news articleCaterpillars Spin 'Tougher Than Steel' SilkRecreating spider silk, the flexible yet tough as steel strands of protein, spun by the arachnids, has been the holy grail of material scientists for many years now. However, making it in bulk has been a little elusive, thanks to the fact that spiders are very territorial and devour each other if placed in very close quarters...
Read news articleNew Zealand's Oiled Penguins Released Back Into The OceanOn Wednesday, December 7th, some lucky Tauranga students got to participate in the release of 49 Little Blue Penguins back to the ocean. These tiny flightless birds were the fourth batch of penguins to be released from the group 343 oiled birds, rescued and nursed back to health, following what was one of New Zealand's worst pollution disasters....
Read news articleSweden's Ice Hotel Is Open For BusinessLooking for something offbeat to do this Christmas vacation? How about the Ice Hotel? Located in the village of Jukkasjarvi, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden, it is as the name indicates, built entirely from ice blocks lugged in from the nearby Torne River....
Read news articleNamib Beetle Inspires Award-Winning InventionA young Australian is $15,000 USD richer and the proud winner of this year's prestigious James Dyson award, thanks to an invention that was inspired by the small Namib beetle, that resides in one of the world's most arid regions - The Namib Desert....
Read news article'Mini(Mize)' Your Paper Usage With This Mini PrinterWhile the notion of a 'paperless' society has been floating around ever since the first computer was invented, the reality is far from that. Though we all try to consume our media on-line, there are times when we just have to print things out - And now, thanks to this handy dandy 'Little Printer', we may not feel as guilty about doing so....
Read news articleBanana Peels - The New Water Purifier?While the banana peel has a reputation of just being a slippery hazard, it is actually useful for many things - Ranging from use as a fertilizer to curing warts and even, polishing shoes and silver. Now it turns out, that it can even help remove heavy metals from water....
Read news articleLiquid Robotics Plans To Network Our OceansThe beautiful oceans that cover three-quarters of our planet are home to some of our most valuable natural resources. However, while our knowledge of outer space is quite extensive, the same cannot be said about the deep waters, thanks to the fact that any attempts to monitor them has either been too cumbersome or too expensive. Now, California-based Liquid Robotics has come up with an innovative invention that is both economical and easily deployable across the waters....
Read news articleGecko-Inspired Adhesive Tape Can Hold Up An Adult And Be Re-Used!The unassuming gecko - That tiny lizard that seems to scamper around any surface in gravity-defying positions, has intrigued scientists for many years. In the past, this amazing ability has been duplicated by researchers to create wall-scaling robots and now, a team of scientists from Germany have come up with a gecko inspired adhesive tape, that can be re-used thousands of times....
Read news articleWhy Ants Never Lose Their WayAnts are industrious little insects that always seem to know where they are heading - Now, a team of curious researchers from the Technical University of Munich and Brazilian Center for Physics Research believe they may have the answer - It's all to do with their in-built GPS systems....
Read news articleOctopus Use Coconut Shells As Mobile Home And ArmorMost of us think of the Octopus as an eight-legged mollusk that spends its days wriggling around with its snake-like arms. However, not only does this intelligent animal have a razor-sharp memory, it has also, been known to maneuver through mazes and even try escape from tanks....
Read news articleJapan's Team Tokai Wins The 2011 Veolia World Solar ChallengeOn Sunday October 16, thirty-nine teams representing 21 countries, gathered in Darwin, Australia, to compete in the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge. The biennial 1,860 mile race is often called one of the world's greatest scientific adventures - One in which contestants battle the harsh conditions of the Australian Outback, behind the wheels of a solar-powered car....
Read news articleOne Man's Quest To Restore Florida's Coral ReefKen Nedimyer first dived into the pristine waters off the Florida Keys at the tender age of 13, whilst on vacation with his parents. He enjoyed it so much, that he returned in 1969 to obtain a degree in Zoology from the Florida Atlantic University and never left....
Read news articlePortugal Builds The City Of The FutureThough we see futuristic cities in movies, in the real world, things are still pretty low-tech, with every major decision being handled by humans. However, a new city in Portugal promises to change that and usher in what may become the future standard of sustainable urban living....
Read news articleUsing Recycled Colored Glass To Purify Ground WaterThough glass is generally a better candidate for recycling than plastic, it may come as a surprise to you that not all glass is considered equal - Since there is more demand for clear glass, most recycling plants focus on that, in lieu of colored glass, which often ends up in landfills. Now, a team of researchers from the UK's University of Greenwich has come with a great way to re-use recycled colored glass - To filter pollutants from ground water....
Read news article'Levytators' Could Usher In An Era Of Funky EscalatorsEver wonder why escalators have the same boring rectangular stairs and relatively straight look? Jack Levy from City University London certainly did and has come up with a radical design that not only makes them more exciting to ride on, but also, more cost-efficient....
Read news articlePoland's Mysterious 'Crooked Forest'Take a stroll inside the pine forest near Gryfino in Northwest Poland and you will feel like you were just transported to Harry Potter's 'Forbidden Forest' - thanks to the 400 eerily curved pine trees....
Read news articleJapan's Solution To Future Natural Disasters - A Floating CapsuleThe 9.0 Earthquake and subsequent Tsunami that rocked Japan earlier this year, was one of the worst natural disasters that the country has had to deal with. Now, an innovative Japanese firm has come up with a floatable shelter designed to reduce the number of human casualties, should something similar happen again....
Read news articleSan Diego's Ocean Glows In The Dark!The oceans surrounding the coastal city of San Diego, California are known to be warm, crystal clear and . . . . . . . Bioluminescent? At least that's what they have been for the last few weeks and the residents seem to be enjoying every moment of it....
Read news articleCould Aladdin's 'Flying' Carpet Become A Reality?One of the best parts in Disney's Aladdin is watching him and Princess Jasmine flying around on Aladdin's magical carpet. Now, a Princeton student has invented a prototype that could some day, turn into a real-life flying carpet....
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