EARTH Portation curated news: EARTH PORTATION curated News January 3rd

ANIMALS - Animal cells can communicate by reaching out, touching, study shows

In a finding that directly contradicts the standard biological model of animal cell communication, scientists have discovered that typical cells in animals have the ability to transmit and receive biological signals by making physical contact with each other, even at long distance .. ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140102142014.ht

ANIMALS - Do Dogs Have a Special Magnetic Sense?

New data suggests that dogs may have a magnetic sense that responds to the direction of the Earth's magnetic fields. This sensitivity could serve as a "compass" that could help explain some of the remarkable homing behavior, where lost dogs travel hundreds of miles to return to their home.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201401/do-

ANIMALS - Hoda and Carson talk to the animals, and animals talk back

http://www.today.com/video/today/5396427

ANIMALS - Reconstructing the New World monkey family tree

When monkeys landed in South America 37 or more million years ago, the long-isolated continent already teemed with a menagerie of 30-foot snakes, giant armadillos and strange, hoofed mammals. Over time, the monkeys forged their own niches across the New World, evolved new forms and spread as far north as the Caribbean and as far south as Patagonia .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-reconstructing-world-monkey-fam

ANIMALS - Trapping insects by color: Will it work in Montana?

Red and green traps attract more sweetpotato weevils than other colors, and a Montana State University researcher who made that discovery wants to know if Montana insects react the same way .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-insects-montana.htm

BOOKS - Book Excerpt: Walk in a Relaxed Manner

Joyce Rupp on at letting go as she walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain ..
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/books/excerpts.php?id

BOOKS - Science Fiction and Fantasy Books You Can't Afford to Miss in January

You won't survive this coming month without some great stories to carry you through. Luckily, January is just chock full of amazing reads, including fantasy epics, space adventures and near-future weirdness. Here are all January's most essential science fiction and fantasy books!Read more... .. ...

http://io9.com/science-fiction-and-fantasy-books-you-cant-af

BOOKS - Spiritual Quotation: Compassion, Poverty, Hunger, Understanding, Abuse

The life of the poor is one of exploitation .. ...
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/quotes/quotes.php?id=

BOOKS - Spiritual Quotation: Life, Suffering, Pain, Fear, Joy

True joy is the preservation of life.. ...
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/quotes/quotes.php?id=

BOOKS - The book we all wish we could have read as children

In the early twentieth century, two fantasy writers became friends. Their names were J.R.R. Tolkien and Naomi Mitchison; they both wrote incredible novels; but one author is still celebrated and the other forgotten. Until now.. ...

http://io9.com/the-book-we-all-wish-we-could-have-read-as-ch

BOOKS - US library offers glimpse of bookless future

(AP)—The future of the public library looks a lot like an Apple Store. Rows of glossy iMacs and iPads beckon. Hundreds of other tablets stand ready for checkout to anyone with a borrowing card .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-texas-library-glimpse-bookless-

CLIMATE - Fewer Clouds Could Mean Greater Global Warming

Clouds may not look all that complicated, but in the world of climate science, they are a key area of uncertainty.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fewer-cloud

CLIMATE - U.S. Maps Route to Reduce Global Warming Pollution

The United States will make good on the promise it made under the 2009 Copenhagen Accord to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the State Department declared yesterday.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=us-maps-rou

EARTH - As China Goes Exploring, Antarctica Becomes Another Frontier

Beijing, which wants the country to become a scientific power, is funding a fourth base on Antarctic http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-03/as-china-goe

EARTH - Mysterious Light Associated with Earthquakes Now Linked to Geologic Rift Zones

A new catalog of earthquake lights--mysterious glows sometimes reported before or during seismic shaking--finds that they happen most often in geological rift environments, where the ground is pulling apart. The work is the latest to tackle the enigmatic lights, which have been described by eyewitnesses for centuries but are yet to be fully explained by scientists.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=mysterious-

EARTH - Tomb of ancient Egyptian beer brewer unearthed

(AP)—Egypt's minister of antiquities says Japanese archeologists have unearthed the tomb of an ancient beer brewer in the city of Luxor that is more than 3,000 years old ..
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-tomb-ancient-egyptian-beer-brew

EARTH - Will 2014 prove to be the official start of the 21st Century?

Scifi author and futurist David Brin has penned a fascinating piece for Bloomerg in which he argues that the previous two centuries didn't really get going until their 14th year — and that 2014 could follow a similar pattern.

http://io9.com/will-2014-prove-to-be-the-official-start-of-t

ECONOMICS - 5 Cleantech Firms That Could Go Public in 2014

An IPO or acquisition is the promised land for VC-funded startups -- but those have been rare cleantech events over the last few years. The fact is that most cleantech companies require a longer time frame, a bigger budget, and a different set of investor skills than do IT software startups. Will we see any IPOs from the renewable energy and cleantech sector in 2014? In the past decade, companies such as SunPower, First Solar, EnerNOC, Comverge, ...

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/5-Cleantech-Firm

EDUCATION - Three Ways I Will Keep Myself Learning in 2014: A Teacher's Reflection

As CTQ blogger and classroom teacher Ariel Sacks looks forward, she sets three goals for learning, and reflects on what it will take to accomplish them: "I still find myself pulled in several different directions. I have to remember, the external pressures come and go; teachers who stay have all seen this happen. If we want to become great, we need to find ourselves and be ourselves in our own classrooms--and beyond."Photo Credit: Wikimedi .. ...
http://www.good.is/posts/three-ways-i-will-keep-myself-learn

EDUCATION - support HoloLibrary on Kickstarter and bring Free Education to the world!!!

HoloLibrary is a 3D virtual reality encyclopedia, looking to create FREE educational content for the whole world .. ...
http://www.good.is/posts/support-hololibrary-on-kickstarter-

ENERGY - 5 PACE Programs to Watch in 2014

Commercial property-assessed clean energy (PACE) financed projects climbed to nearly $60 million in 2013. And that figure will likely swell in the coming years. There is more than $215 million in PACE project applications in the pipeline, according to PACENow, a nonprofit that promotes PACE programs. Meanwhile, many more such programs are just getting off the ground. Source: PACENow PACE allows investments in energy-efficiency retrofits and dis ...

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/5-pace-programs-

ENERGY - California’s Grid Takes Two Big Steps To Add More Renewables And EVs

California already leads the United States in most measures of the clean energy economy, but two new initiatives by the state’s grid operator could ensure the Golden State’s electricity system can handle far more renewables, electric vehicles, and power demand.The California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO) announced two plans last month to help it integrate EVs as grid balancing resources, increase demand response and energy efficiency .. ...

http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/02/californias-grid-takes-t

ENERGY - California’s Roadmap for Balancing the Demand Side of the Grid

California, a state facing an unprecedented challenge in balancing its growing share of intermittent solar and wind power supply on the grid, is turning to wholesale and retail electricity customers for help. But can the state that leads the nation in energy efficiency also create systems to get millions of residents and thousands of big power users to save power when the grid needs it the most? That’s the task that the California Independent

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/californias-road

ENERGY - NREL: 23% Of Global Electricity Generation Supplied By Renewable Sources

Originally published on 1Sun4All.The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) released a report – 2012 Renewable Energy Data Book – in October of 2013 regarding the status of renewable energy globally and in the US. The report has an abundance of great charts and, in reading through the pages, I discovered that renewable energy accounts for 23% of all electricity generation worldwide (4,892 TWh) (on page 41).

http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/03/nrel-23-global-electrici

ENERGY - Science Smackdown: Key Points On Renewable & EV Revolution From Mark Jacobson

I just recently ran across this video below. I actually shared it not long after it was published, but that was a year and a half ago. The video includes excellent talks by Mark Z Jacobson, Mark Ruffalo, and Marco Krapels. The portion of Mark Jacobcson’s presentation on why we need cleantech is perhaps the best I’ve seen on that topic, but I’m not going to highlight that part today —
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/02/science-smackdown-key-po

FASHION - Japan gets to the point and makes straight-up Disney Princess lingerie

Sorry, Disney, but if you don't have the balls to go ahead and completely sexuallize your beloved Disney Princess girls brand, then Japan will do it for you. Ladies, now your lady bits can truly feel like a princess with lingerie based on Cinderella, Aurora, Belle and Rapunzel! Sorry, girls, puberty not included!

http://io9.com/japan-gets-to-the-point-and-makes-straight-up

FASHION - The 411 on Eyelash Extensions

Curious about these luscious add-ons? Our experts explain how the process works and how to choose a good person to do it .. ...

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/treatments/beauty-lash-out?src=R

HOMES - Cob House Built For $250

Cob is a very popular building material amongst natural builders. It allows for beautiful curves rather than sharp corners, and as much customization as you want. It’s also cheap. Check out this $250 cob house below and see what you think.Beautiful Cob-House Built By Retired Teacher With Only $250 Dollars (via Planetsave)Ever think about building your own house? Perhaps a cob house? I know that I certainly have.

http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/02/cob-house-built-250

HOMES - How big should a home be?

What's too big, too small or just right .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/urban-design/how-big-should-home-b

HOMES - The Tiny Project: "Less house! More Life!"

Less really is more at Alek Lisefski's tiny house .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/tiny-project-le

MOVIES - 2014 in film preview: sequels

Let's go round again for the final part in our series on the films to look our for in 2014. Here are our pick of this year's upcoming sequels• 2014 preview: British films• 2014 preview: blockbusters• 2014 preview: Oscar hopefuls• 2014 preview: science-fiction22 Jump StreetBig, dumb cop (Channing Tatum) and squat, dorky cop (Jonah Hill) return to wreck more havoc. 21 Jump Street, a reboot of the TV show that made Johnny Depp's name, saw detectives ...

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jan/03/2014-film-previe
Enclosure: image/jpeg http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2012/3

MOVIES - Man and his dog recreate iconic movie scenes

Some people really love movies. Some people really love dogs. But Chris Naka? He’s bonkers for both.As evidence, consider what just might be the strangest (and funniest!) series of photos ever conceived .. ...
http://www.today.com/pets/man-recreates-iconic-movie-scenes-

MOVIES - The new Paranormal Activity movie is a great introduction to the series

There have been precisely 1,179 movies in the Paranormal Activity series, about a fame-whore demon and the feckless humans who capture him on video. It's daunting. But even if you've never seen a PA movie, or you've missed a few, the new spin-off is a great intro to the series. It's fresh, scary and bursting with ideas.

http://io9.com/the-new-paranormal-activity-movie-is-a-great-

PERMACULTURE - 5 videos on finding, creating and protecting healthy soils

Scientific soil testing has its place. Sometimes, however, you just have to roll up your sleeves and get dirty .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/5-videos.htm

PLANTS - Roses are red: Why some petunias are blue

Researchers have uncovered the secret recipe to making some petunias such a rare shade of blue. The findings may help to explain and manipulate the color of other ornamental flowers, not to mention the taste of fruits and wine, say researchers. From the flowers' point of view, the findings also have important implications, since blue petals instead of red might spell disaster when it comes to attracting pollinators .. ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140102133223.ht

SPACE - First Meteor Shower of 2014 Peaks Friday

The Quadrantid meteor shower will peak in North America while the sun is still out .. ...
http://news.discovery.com/space/astronomy/first-meteor-showe

SPACE - Is Earth Surrounded by Dark Matter?

If measurements of our planet's mass using the armada of GPS satellites is to be believed, there could be a reservoir of non-baryonic matter surrounding us. Continue reading .. ...
http://news.discovery.com/space/is-earth-surrounded-by-dark-

SPACE - The Objects in Space That We Really, Really Can't Explain

Forget UFOs — there are a lot of objects and events in space that are identified, but still completely incomprehensible. From planets in our solar system, to inexplicable energy bursts from across the universe, here are some of the enduring mysteries of the space and time we call home.

http://io9.com/the-objects-in-space-that-we-really-really-ca

TREES - This simple optical illusion makes a tree look like it's floating

A tree in Potsdam, Germany, looks like it has been cut in two, with the top hovering over the trunk, and it's thanks to a simple but clever artistic technique.
http://io9.com/this-simple-optical-illusion-makes-a-tree-loo

URBAN - Bucky Fuller's grain silo houses found in New Jersey

A dozen units survive, according to Alastair Gordon in the New York Time ..

http://www.treehugger.com/modular-design/bucky-fullers-grain

URBAN - Ice Architecture: 6 Incredible Buildings Made from Ice and Snow

TRON ICE HOTEL SUITE QUEBEC’S HOTEL DE GLACEHARBIN INTERNATIONAL ICE AND SNOW SCULPTURE FESTIVAL RUSSIAN ICE PALACE
ice architecture, buildings made from ice and snow, ice buildings, snow buildings, icehotel, green design, eco design, sustainable design, ice castle

ice architecture, buildings made from ice and snow, ice buildings, snow buildings, icehotel, green design, eco design, sustainable design, ice castle

http://inhabitat.com/ice-architecture-6-incredible-buildings

URBAN - Immersive, Community-Based, Off-Campus Study to Change the World.

I was an undergrad at the University of Minnesota and I am now kicking myself, repeatedly, for not doing this when I had the chance. As social design and creative social change movements emerge, it's important-- imperative, even-- that we remember that this is not new. Yes, maybe a collective discourse on it is new, degree programs geared towards it are new-- but using the arts for social change is not.
http://www.good.is/posts/immersive-community-based-off-campu

URBAN - It's time to dump the tired argument that density and height are green and sustainable.

You can have too much of both, and you can put it in the wrong place. It's time for the nostalgists and NIMBYs to stand up and demand more regulation in what we build and where .. ...