EARTH PORTATION curated News December 16th

ANIMALS - Bonobos stay young longer

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131216080425.ht

ANIMALS - Cat domestication traced to Chinese farmers 5,300 years ago

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131216154858.ht

ANIMALS - Four new mammal species discovered in Democratic Republic of Congo

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131216183857.ht

ANIMALS - How household dogs protect against asthma and infection

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131216155042.ht

ANIMALS - No matter the continent, the world's frogs have a lot in common, biologist finds

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-continent-world-frogs-lot-commo

ANIMALS - Poor owner knowledge of cat sex life linked to 850,000 unplanned kittens every year

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-poor-owner-knowledge-cat-sex.ht

ANIMALS - TIL U.S. Military Working Dogs have ranks: they are always one rank above their handler, so that hurting one intentionally would have the same consequences as striking an officer

http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1t061v/til_us

ANIMALS - Traffic jams lend insight into emperor penguin huddle

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-traffic-insight-emperor-penguin

ANIMALS - Video: Giant Sea Creature Baffles Experts After Washing Up On Shore

http://www.pakalertpress.com/2013/12/16/video-giant-sea-crea

ART - 5 Ridiculously Awesome Food-Themed Christmas Ornaments

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-daily-meal/5-ridiculously-

ART - In Photos: Award-winning photographer Tin Man Lee on the ethics and challenges of wildlife photography

http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/photos-award-winn

BIRDS - Photo: This is how fast hummingbirds fly

http://www.treehugger.com/slideshows/natural-sciences/photo-

BOOKS - Book Excerpt: Learning to Pray

http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/books/excerpts.php?id

CLIMATE - Arctic sea ice volume bounces back

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25383373#sa-ns

CLIMATE - Clues Sought for Sea Star Die-off

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=clues-sough

CLIMATE - Recognizing the elephant in the room: Future climate impacts across sectors

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131216154856.ht

CLIMATE - Scientists help adapt Brazil farming to climate change

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-scientists-brazil-farming-clima

CLIMATE - Shark-cull Plan Draws Ire

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=shark-cull-

EARTH - Neanderthals buried their dead, new research concludes

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-neanderthals-dead.htm

EDUCATION - Genetics rather than environment reflect differences in educational achievement

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/270041.ph

ENERGY - Big Data on the Smart Grid: 2013 in Review and 2014 Outlook

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Big-Datas-5-Big-

ENERGY - Cellulose nanocrystals possible 'green' wonder material

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-cellulose-nanocrystals-green-ma

ENERGY - Could power generated from swimming laps create the next wave in sustainable energy?

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-power-laps-sustainable-energy.h

ENERGY - Segmenting the Home Energy Management Systems Market

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/segmenting-the-h

ENERGY - Yingli Energy Offer Congratulations On Connection Of Longyangxia Dam

http://cleantechnica.com/2013/12/16/yingli-energy-offer-cong

ENVIRONMENT - Linking social science, ecology to solve the world's environmental problems

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131216095538.ht

ENVIRONMENT - Study: Yellowstone magma much bigger than thought (Update)

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-yellowstone-magma-bigger-though

FASHION - Never lose that wrench again: flatpack furniture is held together with magnets

http://www.treehugger.com/eco-friendly-furniture/never-lose-

HOMES - Wonderful Eco Homes for Indigenous Mapuche Pop Up in Chile

http://inhabitat.com/wonderful-eco-homes-for-indigenous-mapu

MUSIC - Stevie Ray Vaughan’s guitar tech is smooth (Video)

http://thechive.com/2013/12/16/stevie-ray-vaughans-guitar-te

PEOPLE - It pays to be pretty, starting in high school, research says

http://www.today.com/money/it-pays-be-pretty-starting-high-s

PERMACULTURE - Nitrogen deposition poses threat to diversity of Europe's forest vegetation

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131216080427.ht

PLANTS - A universal RNA extraction protocol for land plants

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-universal-rna-protocol.htm

SCIENCE - A Terahertz generator with the highest signal quality

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131216080320.ht

SCIENCE - Ultrafast heating of water: This pot boils faster than you can watch it

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-ultrafast-pot-faster.htm

SPACE - Gaia on a mission to map billions of stars in the Milky Way

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-gaia-mission-billions-stars-mil

TECH - Obama to meet tech chiefs on surveillance

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-obama-tech-chiefs-surveillance.

TECH - Solar Installation Through the Google Glass Lens

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Solar-Installati

URBAN - BIM: Changing the way architects and builders work

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-bim-architects-builders.htm

URBAN - Baltimore's neglected rowhouses are the last ones standing

http://www.treehugger.com/slideshows/urban-design/ben-marcin

URBAN - Futuristic ‘Forts of Fanaticism’ Cater to Obsessive Gardeners, Fishermen, Sport Buffs, Car Lovers and Computer Geeks

http://inhabitat.com/futuristic-forts-of-fanaticism-cater-to

URBAN - Mikou Studio Unveils Daylit Zero Energy Docks School Near Paris

http://inhabitat.com/mikou-studio-unveils-daylit-zero-energy

URBAN - School of Tyres is a Temporary Handbuilt School in the West Bank

http://inhabitat.com/school-of-tyres-is-a-temporary-handbuil

URBAN - Vertical Cemetery Could Provide Norway With More Space to Bury the Dead

http://inhabitat.com/vertical-cemetery-could-provide-norway-

URBAN - Víctor Enrich Twists and Turns an Ordinary Munich Building in 88 Different Ways

http://inhabitat.com/victor-enrich-twists-and-turns-an-ordin

WATER - Less Than 3 Percent of Oceans in Marine Parks Despite Recent Growth

http://www.treehugger.com/ocean-conservation/less-3-percent-

WIND - Computer program for reducing the cost of offshore wind energy

http://phys.org/news/2013-12-offshore-energy.htm

WIND - Wind Fact Heaven ( Wind Energy Charts & Graphs)

http://cleantechnica.com/2013/12/16/wind-fact-heaven-charts-

WRITE - Hack List No. 9: Thomas Friedman

http://www.salon.com/2013/12/16/hack_list_no_9_thomas_friedm