EARTH PORTATION curated News January 22nd

AIR - Made in China: Air pollution travels across the Pacific to U.S. West Coast

People living in China are the main victims of the country's horrendous pollution problems, no doubt about it. But a lot of that pollution travels on powerful winds.. .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/corporate-responsibility/made-chin

ANIMALS - Fungi, often seen as pests, play a crucial role policing biodiversity in rainforests

A new study has revealed that fungi, often seen as pests, play a crucial role policing biodiversity in rainforests .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-fungi-pests-crucial-role-polici

ANIMALS - These spiders build statues of themselves using leaves and dead bugs

Did you know that there is a spider that spends its time building lifelike spider effigies out of discarded leaves, twigs, and dead insect bodies? Now, however frightened you are, take that and multiply it by two. Because there are actually two entirely separate species of spiders, both independently building spider effigies
http://io9.com/these-spiders-build-statues-of-spiders-out-of

ART - Skin cancer detector applied to paintings reveals 3D layering techniques of original artists

(Phys.org) —A team made up of university chemists, art conservationists and research scientists with the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., has discovered a new way to reveal three dimensional details of paintings. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences describing their research, the team describes how they applied a laser technique normally used to detect skin cancer, to paintings and how it allowed ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-skin-cancer-detector-reveals-3d

BEES - Pathogenic plant virus jumps to honeybees, may explain bee population decline

A viral pathogen that typically infects plants has been found in honeybees and could help explain their decline. Researchers working in the U.S. and Beijing, China report their findings in a recently published article .. ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140121093042.ht

BIRDS - Hedges and edges help pigeons learn their way around

A study has found that homing pigeons' ability to remember routes depends on the complexity of the landscape below, with hedges and boundaries between urban and rural areas providing ideal landmarks for navigation .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-hedges-edges-pigeons.htm

BOOKS - Book Review: The Third Freedom

Argues that world hunger can be ended by 2030 .. ...
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/books/books.php?id=26

EARTH - Archaeologists find remains of previously unknown pharaoh in Egypt

Discovery of 3,600-year-old body of King Woseribre Senebkay confirms existence of dynastyThe 3,600-year-old remains of a previously unknown pharaoh have been discovered in southern Egypt, the country's antiquities ministry has announced.The discovery of King Woseribre Senebkay is the first firm evidence of a forgotten pharaonic dynasty whose existence archaeologists had suspected but never proved.Senebkay's tomb appeared to have been sacked by an ...

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jan/22/archaeologist
Enclosure: image/jpeg http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/20

EARTH - Israeli archeologists uncover ancient church

Israeli archeologists say they have uncovered the remnants of a 1,500-year-old church dating back to the Byzantine era .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-israeli-archeologists-uncover-a

ECONOMICS - 10 ways you may be getting fooled at the grocery store

Fifty-four percent of shoppers in the U.S. read food labels when purchasing a product for the first time. But whether they fully understand many of the terms used is another story entirely .. ...
http://www.today.com/health/10-ways-you-may-be-getting-foole

ECONOMICS - Bill Gates Is Crazy Optimistic About Ending Poverty

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has released its annual letter, "3 Myths that Block Progress for the Poor," at the World Economic Foru .. ...
http://origin-www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-21/bill-

EDUCATION - How About a $1,000 'MBA'? Thanks to the Internet, It's Possible

Looking for a business school education without the hefty MBA pricetag? 32-year-old Rwanda-based USAID worker Laurie Pickard is on track to earn an MBA for less than $1,000. She's the "first person to cobble together an entire business program's worth of classes from massive open online course platforms." Of course, B-school isn't just about skills--the networking is invaluable--and whether employers will accept her "MBA" remains to be seen, but ...
http://www.good.is/posts/how-about-a-1-000-mba-thanks-to-the

EDUCATION - How to Earn the Equivalent of an Elite MBA for Free

Getting a MBA seems to have a lot to do with interaction with other students, but it is interesting to think about gaining the hard skills a business school teaches for free and online .. ...
http://www.good.is/posts/how-to-earn-the-equivalent-of-an-el

EDUCATION - Learn about design centered education with the film "If You Build It"

“If You Build It” is a documentary that highlights a radically innovative approach to education focusing on hands-on learning through design. The film followers designer-activists Emily Pilloton and Matthew Miller as they imbed themselves in rural Bertie County, the poorest in North Carolina, with the desire to change the current teaching model for area high school students. Director Patrick Creadon describes the film as “Extreme Home Makeover” m ...
http://www.good.is/posts/learn-about-design-centered-educati

ENERGY - EU to cut carbon emissions by 40% by 2030

UK overruled in landmark climate deal that requires bloc to produce 27% of its energy from renewable sourcesEurope will cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, compared with 1990 levels, the toughest climate change target of any region in the world, and will produce 27% of its energy from renewable sources by the same date.The landmark deal was reached after grinding negotiations dragged on to the deadline of 11am on Wednesday, as warrin ...

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/22/eu-carbon
Enclosure: image/jpeg http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Environment/Pix/columnis

ENERGY - Gridco Deploys Advanced Power Electronics to Control the Grid Edge

Gridco Systems, the startup that’s spent the past four years developing next-generation power-electronics-based technology for the distribution grid, has finally launched its first line of products. Now we’ll see whether its promise to bring transmission-grid-type flexible power control down to the edges of the grid can hold up on the utility front lines. On Tuesday, the Woburn, Mass.-based company announced commercial availability of its emPowe ...

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Gridco-Deploys-A

ENERGY - REmap 2030 Launched — Roadmap To Doubling Renewable Energy Share By 2030

IRENA has just launched REmap 2030, a roadmap showing how the world can double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030, and triple the share of “modern renewables.” Overall, REmap 2030 sees modern renewables quadrupling in absolute terms by 2030, a share of at least 30% in total final energy consumption. The roadmap focuses on 26 countries, and will eventually include individual reports for each country, which will be .. ...

http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/22/remap

ENERGY - Read This Retiring Utility Commissioner’s Candid Words About Energy Policy

When public servants leave office, they sometimes offer up the most candid words of their career. And when Mark Ferron, a commissioner with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), left his post last week in order to focus on his battle with prostate cancer, candor is exactly what he left behind. Ferron was known as a strong supporter of clean energy. And before joining the CPUC, he had a long career in finance, giving him an understan ...
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/read-this-retiri

FASHION - Life-Saving Smart Shoes Track Firefighters

Sensor-laden shoes record precise data about a firefighter's location and movements and transmit the info to central command. Continue reading .. ...
http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/life-saving-

FURNITURE - Geometric Round + Round flat pack bench is made from salvaged wood

Combining recycled wood with a geometric playfulness, this circular bench can hide a few clever things up its sleeve .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/eco-friendly-furniture/louis-lim-f

HOMES - A Passive House is built on stilts

Basements and foundations are usually made of concrete and insulated with plastic foam. Being built on stilts gets rid of a lot of those problematic materials .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/passive-house-b

MOVIES - Print out the Doctor Who version of Cards Against Humanity right now

Cards Against Humanity is the hilarious party game for horrible people, and now you can mix the games political incorrectness with your knowledge of Doctor Who thanks to a fan-made edition called Cards Against Gallifrey.

http://io9.com/print-out-the-doctor-who-version-of-cards-aga

MOVIES - The Doctor Who comic license returns to jolly old England

It's not quite the level of Dark Horse losing Star Wars, but IDW has to be smarting today after Titan Comics announced they'll be taking over the Doctor Who license and publishing comics later this year — including the first comics featuring the Twelth Doctor, Peter Capaldi

http://io9.com/the-doctor-who-comic-license-returns-to-jolly

MOVIES - Which movie or TV show starts with the most perfect image?

Sometimes a great director can speak volumes with a single image, right at the beginning of a story. The best movies and TV shows often start off with a single stark frame, that stays with you as you watch the story unfold. But what's the best opening shot in science fiction or fantasy history?

http://io9.com/which-movie-or-tv-show-has-the-best-opening-s

MUSIC - Music Customized For Your Heartbeat

Streaming music services could match your tunes to your heart rate. Continue reading .. ...
http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/music-custom

MUSIC - Why music might seem to slow down when you yawn

Some people have noticed that when they're listening to music through headphones and they yawn, the music slows way down. This might be due to a little thing called chronostasis

http://io9.com/why-music-might-seem-to-slow-down-when-you-ya

PEOPLE - First Nation Couple’s 78-Year Love Story (Video)

First Arthur John won her hand, and then her heart. Now, about 80 years after Alice John threw his possessions into the river, the couple’s vibrant love endures, even as all else fades.Married 78 years is, as Reader’s Digest Canada points out in its February 2014 edition, “a feat that requires tolerance for spilled tea—and a great deal more.” His first feat entailed beating out other suitors by being first to complete the three-day canoe journey ...

http://www.whitewolfpack.com/2014/01/first-nation-couples-78

PLANTS - Genome sequencing reveals what puts the 'heat' in hot peppers

(Phys.org) —The genome of the hot pepper, the world's most widely grown spice crop, has been sequenced by a large international team of researchers, including scientists at the University of California, Davis .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-genome-sequencing-reveals-hot-p

PLANTS - Talking Plants Could Speak Planet's Problems

Small electronic devices will turn plants into "plant-borgs" that will help monitor the environment. Continue reading .. ...
http://news.discovery.com/tech/talking-plants-could-speak-pl

PLANTS - Talking plants… science fiction?

Science is becoming closer emulating the fiction of the Avatar movie, by deciphering plants' electrical signals to devise new holistic environmental biosensors .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-science-fiction.htm

SCIENCE - An apparent discovery of quantum vibrations in microtubules inside neurons is rekindling a 20-year o

An apparent discovery of quantum vibrations in microtubules inside neurons is rekindling a 20-year old debate on the nature of consciousness. Called the Orch OR model, it suggests there's a connection between the brain?s biomolecular processes and the basic structure of the universe.
http://io9.com/an-apparent-discovery-of-quantum-vibrations-i

SCIENCE - Chemistry Calculations Reveal a New Kind of Bonding

Extreme conditions yield exotic molecules .. ...
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chemistry-calculat

SCIENCE - From a carpet of nanorods to a thin film solar cell absorber within a few seconds

Research teams at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and at the University of Limerick, Ireland, have discovered a novel solid state reaction which lets kesterite grains grow within a few seconds and at relatively low temperatures. For this reaction, they exploit a transition from a metastable wurtzite compound in the form of nanorods to the more stable kesterite compound. At the EDDI Beamline at BESSY II, the scientists could observe this process in r ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-carpet-nanorods-thin-solar-cell

SCIENCE - Spider silk ties scientists up in knots

Two years ago, researchers from Iowa State University (USA) published a study which concluded that spider silk conducts heat as well as metals. Now, a team from the University of the Basque Country (Spain) has repeated the experiment and the results throw this discovery into question. This has reaffirmed the need to validate scientific findings before proclaiming their validity in the press .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-spider-silk-ties-scientists.htm

SCIENCE - The Monk Of A Million Telescopes

“IF THERE WERE A MILLION PEOPLE WITH TELESCOPES WILLING TO LET A FEW THOUSAND OTHER PEOPLE LOOK THROUGH THEM, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT EVERYONE WHO WALKS THIS EARTH, WITH EYES TO SEE, MIGHT SEE THE UNIVERSE” John Dobson, (September 14th, 1915 – January 15th, 2014) John Dobson’s life reads like a movie script. .. ...
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/life-unbounded/2014/01/2

SCIENCE - The unexpected power of baby math: Adults still think about numbers like kids

Children understand numbers differently than adults. For kids, one and two seem much further apart then 101 and 102, because two is twice as big as one, and 102 is just a little bigger than 101. It's only after years of schooling that we're persuaded to see the numbers in both sets as only one integer apart on a number line .. ...
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-01-unexpected-power-baby-

SPACE - Bright star reveals new exoplanet

An international team of astronomers at Stellar Astrophysics Centre in Aarhus, Denmark, have discovered a new exoplanet, christened "Kepler-410A b." The planet is about the size of Neptune and orbits the brightest star in a double star system 425 light years from Earth .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-bright-star-reveals-exoplanet.h

SPACE - For All Mankind: vintage Nasa photographs, 1964-1983 – in pictures

Vintage photographs from Nasa document the golden age of space explorationSarah Gilber .. ...
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2014/jan/22/
Enclosure: image/jpeg http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/20

SPACE - Galaxies on FIRE: Star feedback results in less massive galaxies

For decades, astrophysicists have encountered a puzzling contradiction: although many galactic-wind models—simulations of how matter is distributed in our universe—predict that the majority of the "normal" matter exists in stars at the center of galaxies, in actuality these stars account for less than 10 percent of the matter in the universe. A new set of simulations offer insight into this mismatch between the models and reality: the energy rele ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-galaxies-star-feedback-results-

SUSTAINABILITY - Eco-friendly laundry: 11 Low-tech and simple methods for washing clothes more sustainably

Unless we become nudists, we'll continue to need to wash our clothes, so greening up the laundry is a must for reducing our environmental footprint .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/cleaning-organizing/eco-friendly-l

URBAN - A Small Group of Chinese Villagers Are Living as ‘Cavemen’ of the 21st Century

A small community of villagers in Guizhou Province, China, refused the houses the government has offered them, and decided to keep living in the caves in the mountains of Anshun. The Miao ethnic minority group has developed a quasi-tribal society and built roofless houses, schools and a basketball court inside the 230-meter-long, 115-meter-wide and 50-meter-high cave.Read the rest of A Small Group of Chinese Villagers Are Living as ‘Cavemen’ of t ...

http://inhabitat.com/small-group-of-chinese-villagers-are-ca

URBAN - America’s Sprawl Capitals “Have Reached Their Inflection Point”

There’s still plenty of sprawl happening around the United States, even though many indicators point to a shift away from car-dependence. How can we tell if the trend toward walkability is lasting?A Phoenix news station reports on the rise of “infill” development near the city center. Image: AZCentral.comPayton Chung at West North blog has been watching the news carefully. He notes that even the places most identified with car-centric developmen ...

http://streetsblog.net/2014/01/22/americas-sprawl-capitals-h

URBAN - Green Metal-Clad Werkhouse Blends into Germany’s Country Landscape

Read the rest of Green Metal-Clad Werkhouse Blends into Germany’s Country LandscapePermalink |Add todel.icio.us | diggPost tags: agricultural cooperative, corrugated metal facade, german countryside, iron skin, metal-clad house, minimalist house, Thomas Kröger, werkhouse, wood chip boiler, workshop and hous .. ...

http://inhabitat.com/green-metal-clad-werkhouse-blends-into-

URBAN - Prefabricated housing gains acceptance, goes mainstream

Green modern prefab design is becoming almost common .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/modular-design/prefabricated-housi

URBAN - White, green or black roofs? New report compares economic payoffs

Looking strictly at the economic costs and benefits of three different roof types—black, white and "green" (or vegetated)—Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) researchers have found in a new study that white roofs are the most cost-effective over a 50-year time span. While the high installation cost of green roofs sets them back in economic terms, their environmental and amenity benefits may at least partially mitigate their finan ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-white-green-black-roofs-economi

WATER - Viruses within the ocean floor comprise the greatest fraction  of the deep biosphere

In the current issue of the Journal of the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME Journal, 20.1.2014) scientists from the University of Oldenburg and from the GFZ German Centre for Geosciences show that in deep, old and nutrient-poor marine sediments there are up to 225 times more viruses than microbes. In such extreme habitats viruses make up the largest fraction of living biomass and take over the role as predators in this bizarre ec ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-viruses-ocean-floor-comprise-gr

WIND - Loch Ness Wind Farm To Proceed

Scottish electric utility SSE announced on Friday that the Scottish Government had granted consent for the Bhlaraidh wind farm, to be located north-west of Invermoriston, itself on the western shore of Loch Ness.The planned wind farm will have a maximum capacity of 180 MW, generated by 32 wind turbines, but must address several environmental measures as it moves forward, according to Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing.Ewing was further q .. ...
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/21/loch-ness-wind-farm-proc

WORK - 39 percent of unemployed Americans are seeking work for 6+ months

Thirty-nine percent of unemployed Americans are experiencing long-term unemployment in the wake of the 2008 recession, which is more than double the percent unemployed more than six months but actively seeking work in 2007, according to new research about trends in long-term unemployment since the recession from the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-percent-unemployed-americans-mo

WRITE - I am a Mad Scientist: Using Real Science to Help Write Science Fiction

I am an actual, real-life "mad scientist." Don't believe me? In the past five years, my scientific expertise has helped create a horde of engineered monsters rampaging their way across a secret island research base, an evolutionary off-shoot of humanity that feeds on the weak of San Francisco, and a ever-adapting intelligent disease that violently "bioforms" the human body while the host watches in horror. So, yeah, I consider myself a mad scient ...

http://drjeremyellis.kinja.com/i-am-a-mad-scientist-using-re

WRITE - Is your signature safe? How to avoid forgery

Have you ever had your credit card stolen and used? Did the thief try to forge your scrawled signature, miniaturised on that impossibly tiny and slippery white line on the back of your card .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-signature-safe-forgery.htm