Tag Archives: Science

Street lamps powered by algae eat CO2

French Bio Chemist Pierre Calleja discovered that Micro Algae eats CO2 – i.e. car exhaust – and then uses that energy power to create light.  This technology was recently tested in a parking lot to clean air – it can capture and filter one ton of CO2 per year – and used the pollution as an energy source to create light.  This technology is currently being used to light and filter the air in an underground parking garage, but this would work great in urban areas, and revolutionize cityscapes.

Thanks to the Good News Network for this story.

How introverts can change the world for the better

The Introvert AdvantageMany books are written on how to put your extroverted self out there to be better, stronger, faster! so it’s great to find a book with a different take on how to help give voice to those on the more introverted side.  The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney, Psy.D, is a book that focuses on pointing out the unique thinking patterns and skills that introverts bring to problem solving and life.  An introvert is someone who gets their recharge energy from being alone, whereas an extrovert is someone who gets their recharge energy from being out in the excitement with other people.  An example might be going to a dinner party:  an extrovert will be revved up after all the Continue reading

Body heat powered flashlight

This body heat powered flashlight was invented by Canadian 10th grader Ann Makosinski.  Using no batteries, electricity, or cranking, just the difference between her warm hand on metal and the colder air flowing through a hollow plastic tube, the heat energy difference (thermoelectric effect) lights up the LED bulbs.

Ms. Makosinski is a finalist this year in the worldwide Google Science Fair.  Take a look at her simple and practical flashlight design.

Thanks to Gizmag for this article.

Book: The Paleo Solution (The Original Human Diet), by Robb Wolf

The Paleo SolutionA fun little romp through human history, this diet book explains what the human body needs to function optimally, and backs it up with archeology, science, chemistry, and more.  Robb Wolf is a research biochemist and athlete who wants to help people get and stay well (his own parents were sick a lot), so opened a gym focusing on how simple nutrition, exercise, and a few lifestyle changes can radically improve ones’ appearance, health, and longevity.

This is an entertaining book, but I was impressed most with the charts about what foods have the highest nutritional and fiber value (spoiler:  it’s not grains) Continue reading

New membrane produces clean water AND creates energy

A team of scientists at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University have developed a material known as Multi-use Dioxide.  Research shows it can be used to produce hydrogen  and clean waste from wastewater, double the lifespan of batteries, create antibacterial wound dressings, and more.  Plus it’s a low cost alternative to Platinum.  Here’s a quote from Professor Sun from the article at the NTU website: “While there is no single silver bullet to solving two of the world’s biggest challenges: cheap renewable energy and an abundant supply of clean water; our single multi-use membrane comes close, with its titanium dioxide nanoparticles being a key catalyst in discovering such solutions. With our unique nanomaterial, we hope to be able to help convert today’s waste into tomorrow’s resources, such as clean water and energy.”

Learn more here.  Thanks to Gizmag for this article.

Book: The Source Field Investigations

The Source Field InvestigationsMy sister the librarian suggested The Source Field Investigations by David Wilcock.  This book is a wild ride.  It reports on the science and lost civilizations behind the 2012 prophecies, with the best non-science explanations I’ve ever read on quantum physics, E=MC2, wormholes, time travel, and other science and math type subjects.  He also discusses the central source of core beliefs in the major world religions, which I found fascinating. Historical accounts and archeological evidence add to this fascinating soup of explaining why our particular time in history is a time of universal evolution to a ‘golden age’ of peace, healing, and exciting possibilities.  If you are a thought leader, you quite possibly will be stimulated and encouraged by this book.

Car & power plant run on liquid air

Inventor Peter Dearman of London has invented a car that is powered by liquid air:  no gas, no batteries.  He says the technology has been around for a while, and that since we’re running out of fossil fuel, it’s time to offer a non-toxic solution.  It won’t produce any emissions because it’s only air – just using heat from the atmosphere and liquid air.  An engineering company in Europe is creating a state-of-the-art version of Inventor Dearman’s prototype car later this year.

Liquid air can be used for more then powering cars.  It is currently being used on the outskirts of London in a power plant storing wind energy at night to be used during the day to power local houses.  The United States has more than $100 billion earmarked for investment in energy storage over the next 10 years, so this technology could be coming to a town near you.

When asked why he has spent 40 years inventing various technologies that he hopes will help save the planet, Dearman shrugged and said “Why not?’

For more information, check out this ABC news article.

March 20th is the first UN International Day Of Happiness

International Happiness Day is TODAY March 20th!  Find out more about it, and ideas on how to celebrate, here.

Water-producing billboard

The city of Lima Peru doesn’t get much rainfall, but they can get humidity as high as 98%.  The University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC) has partnered with advertising agency Mayo-Draft FCB to create a novel way for residents to not only get unpolluted drinking water (their local wells are often polluted), but also to show prospective students that they could make the world a better place by becoming an engineer. The billboard catches humidity in the air and turns it into filtered drinking water, and is capable of producing 96 liters (over 25 gallons) of water every day for the locals or travelers needing a drink.  This video outlines the project:

Thanks to Gizmag for this story.

Free personality test and other tools for dream building

Went to a meet-up for intuitive-based-personalities this past Thursday, and it was GREAT! The talk was on practical tools for dream building using intellectual and spiritual platforms.  We also listened to a pre-recorded talk by Dr. Joe Dispenza discussing the science behind ones thoughts creating ones life.

The meet-up organizers Michael and Jennifer suggested a free personality test at Human Metrics that is similar to the Meyers-Briggs test. I’m an INFJ. If you’ve never taken this little quiz, it might help answer some questions for you, pinpoint your strengths, as well as help you not beat yourself up about what you perceive as your weaknesses.

Smog-eating concrete and other new tech ideas

America’s Greenest Street’ provides a complete street urban development package.  I’ve heard of permeable pavers, bioswales to absorb rainwater overflow, recycled concrete, and tree canopies to produce shade in the summer and absorb traffic pollution.  But I hadn’t heard of Smog-Eating concrete, nor LED street lights run on solar AND wind power combined.  The lights are actually quite fun to watch when the wind blows.

Here’s a short video of these and other new inventions that could power our cities in practical and beautiful ways:

See the whole article by gizmag here.

Your own sound track: music tempo matches your run speed

runnersEver wished you had a soundtrack?  Music that would speed up or slow down depending on your movements or actions? The new Cruise Control app changes a songs’ tempo to match your cadence.  Created at Canada’s Simon Fraser University, the device is iOS compatible, and was designed for runners and for other health pursuits including medical needs.  You can choose between four modes:

Cadence mode will choose songs from your library and adjust their tempo to play at the cadence you’ve chosen. Basically, you set the pace you want to run Continue reading

A living sewage treatment plant

Here’s a really cool technique for treating wastewater that treats up to 52,000 gallons of human waste a day, and produces clean water, fertilizer for food, and solar energy in the process.  Makes me want to go on a retreat to the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies just to try it out (well, and take a rest, do yoga, get massages, learn stuff – basically my ideal retreat).  This is yet another creative example of cradle-to-cradle technology, where one being’s waste is another’s food.  This is a larger scale and power supplying version of my previous articles on home-use composting toilets and home use herb garden/worm bin/fish tank.  This is also a practical solution to update our current faulty national sanitation system.  Thanks to Yes! magazine for the link.

Tapping into better health: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

I recently discovered a simple, free, do-it-yourself way to help relieve stress.  It’s called Emotional Freedom Techniques, or EFT and I learned about it in a book and then searched for more information online.  EFT is a powerful self-help method based on research showing that emotional trauma contributes greatly to disease. Clinical trials have shown that EFT is able to rapidly reduce the emotional impact of memories, fear, and incidents that trigger emotional distress. Once the distress is reduced or removed, the body can often rebalance itself, and accelerate physical healing. EFT uses elements of Cognitive Therapy and Exposure Therapy, and combines them with Acupressure, in the form of fingertip tapping on acupuncture points. Over 20 clinical trials published in peer-reviewed medical and psychology journals have demonstrated that EFT is effective for phobias, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, pain, and Continue reading

Composting toilet as a sustainable option for the cabin, boat, or basement

I’m intrigued by the whole idea of cradle-to-cradle technology. From what I’ve read, it wasn’t that long ago when some cultures requested you to give a return on their food/hospitality investment before you left (ie you leave your waste product for use as fertilizer for their crops).   I’ve always thought it odd to put waste into our fresh drinking water, and then use chemicals and processing to take it back out again.  However, in our culture, composting is thought to be inconvenient, smelly, and beneath our sensibilities.

Well, with new technology, modern composting toilets are easily available online – and I even saw a composting toilet in a local plumbing showroom!  Some Continue reading

Book: Second Sight by Judith Orloff, M.D.

Second SightThis book reads more like a novel than a self-help book.  Judith Orloff is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA, has a private practice, is a New York Times bestselling author… and is an empathic intuitive.  Not a ‘put-on-a-turban-roll-your-eyes-into-your-head-entertainer’, but an authentic healer and seer.  She was part of the team awhile back that intuited and uncovered buried sea treasure.  I remember reading about that in the news and thinking “cool – to be able to find buried treasure with your thoughts!”

Second Sight starts out with Judith’s childhood fear of ‘knowing’ when her grandpa died, and why she could tell which of her parents friends were going to Continue reading

Chiropractor to Olympians inventing new healing modality

Dean at clinic 3-2011He’s the Chiropractor to Olympians, rock stars, weekend athletes, kids, pregnant moms, and your grandma.  Dean Clark is always looking for new and better ways to alleviate pain and bring about better health. His expertise and great bedside manner have given him the privilege to be the Olympic Chiropractor to world-class athletes at THREE different Olympics (2000, 2008, 2012).  His rock star healer status has also caught the attention of actual rock stars who’ve flown him to their homes and/or on the road to treat them.  You’d think this kind of access would go to a guys’ head…but not Dr. Clark.  He’s the kindest, most down-to-earth Continue reading

Your heart can impact the world

Interesting short scientific facebook video about how the human heart can literally impact the world.  Gregg Braden, former Senior Designer for Martin Marietta and Technical Operations Manager for Cisco Systems, has been featured in PBS, History and Discovery TV programming, film, and radio interviews.

Friendship Has No Boundaries Photo credit permission given by artist Aubrey Frimoth.

Pee generated electricity

A urine-powered generator  has been created by teenage girls!  Their invention turns one liter of urine into six hours of electricity.  These girls are actively working to solve major world problems.  These generators would be great as emergency back-up, or even everyday use.  This aligns with cradle to cradle methodology.  When this idea becomes an actual product, please let me know and I’ll post it here.  Until then, take a look at this article, and if you are a decision maker, help Duro-Aina Adebola, Akindele Abiola, Faleke Oluwatoyin, and Bello Eniola  bring this invention to market!

Build-A-Building: The all-in-one doghouse, chicken coop, playhouse, shed

Imagine a backyard building system that was so easy to put together and take apart that a 5th grader could do it.  Imagine instructions you could download free online that were as accurate and easy to follow as IKEA or Lego kits.  Imagine not having to get rid of the dog house, the shed, the chicken coop, the play house when you were done with it…. but instead be able to re-form the components from the old building you no longer use, into a new building you CAN use?

Wouldn’t it be great if you had re-usable, interchangeable building pieces that you could reconfigure as your needs changed?  Let’s say Continue reading