What if we could GROW our high-tech materials?

July 24, 2009  |  Uncategorized  |  No Comments

What if, instead of manufacturing new technologies — which often means high energy and materials costs — we could grow some of the parts that go into them? That’s what scientists at the University of Stuttgart are looking at as part of a cross-faculty research project to produce materials for devices like solar cells via biological [...]

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Researchers Discover New Chemistry for Ozone Formation; Not Yet Monitored or Incorporated into Atmospheric Models

July 24, 2009  |  Uncategorized  |  No Comments

Impact of the new chemistry on ambient air quality in the California South Coast Air Basin. (A) shows the base case peak concentrations for O3 (ozone), ClNO and HCl in parts-per-billion by volume (ppbv). (B) shows the additional concentrations on...

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CRU Refuses Data Once Again

July 24, 2009  |  Uncategorized  |  No Comments

Let me review the request situation for readers. There are two institutions involved in the present round of FOI/EIR requests: CRU and the Met Office. Phil Jones of CRU collects station data and sends his "value added" version to the Met Office, who publish the HadCRU combined land-and-ocean index and also distribute the [...]

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Students win with first all-electric Formula car

July 24, 2009  |  Uncategorized  |  No Comments

Students at the University of Hertfordshire won a competition this month with what they say is the world’s first completely electric Formula Student car. Their vehicle won the Low Carbon and Fuel Cell Technology Award for Lowest Carbon Production Car in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Formula Student competition. “We are the first team to enter a [...]

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Jurdy: All wet on efficiency

July 24, 2009  |  Uncategorized  |  No Comments

On water efficiency, Jurdy’s not quite dry behind the ears yet …

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Two Lifecycle Studies Find Greater Range in GHG Emissions from both Conventional and Oil Sands Derived Crude Than Previously Shown; Oils Sands Emissions Comparable to Conventional Oil Production in Some Cases

July 24, 2009  |  Uncategorized  |  No Comments

A plot from the TIAX study of the ranges of well-to-wheel emissions for different types of crudes in different refinery areas in the US for gasoline production. The yellow bar is the range calculated for different conventional crudes. Click to...

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Auroras In Northern And Southern Hemispheres Are Not Identical

July 24, 2009  |  Uncategorized  |  No Comments

Norwegian researchers have shown that the auroras in the Northern and the Southern hemispheres can be totally asymmetric. These findings contradict the commonly made assumption of aurora being mirror images of each other. The study was performed by PhD student Karl Magnus Laundal and professor Nikolai Østgaard at the Institute of Physics and Technology at the University of Bergen.

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Terrabon green petrol made from cornstalks

July 24, 2009  |  Uncategorized  |  No Comments

Biofuels International reports that Texas-based Terrabon is working on a renewable green petrol fuel, identical to ordinary petroleum-based fuel, which can be made from organic material like cornstalks. Terrabon has been testing a technology known as MixAlco, which uses an acid fermentation process that can convert biomass into chemicals that can be further processed into [...]

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Noise Pollution Negatively Affects Woodland Bird Communities

July 24, 2009  |  Uncategorized  |  No Comments

A new University of Colorado at Boulder study shows the strongest evidence yet that noise pollution negatively influences bird populations, findings with implications for the fate of ecological communities situated amid growing urban clamor. The study also is the first to indicate that at least a few bird species opt for noisy areas over quiet ones, perhaps because of their vocalization pitches, a reduction in nest predators and less competition from other songbirds that prefer quiet environments.

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Where I’ll be next week

July 24, 2009  |  Uncategorized  |  No Comments

Last summer I updated you periodically on the successes of the official oldest daughter of env-econ's travel softball team. Well, this year I decided to hold back and not bore you--until the end. After a slow start to the season, the Dublin GreenSox found their stride and finished the season...

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