,
Aug 01, 2009
Permafrost is defined as soil that has remained at or below 0 degrees C (32 degrees F) for two years or more. There does not need to be ice or snow present to identify permafrost. Most permafrost is located near the North and South Poles and dates back millions of years. The area of the Earth covered by permafrost is constantly shrinking and global warming is credited with the loss of large amounts of ancient permafrost.
Read more …
,
Jul 31, 2009
Nanotechnology is the study and development of particles and even machines on a cellular scale. A nanometer equals one-billionth of a meter. Nanoparticles are already being used in medicine and nanomachines are being developed to perform a variety of tasks. Nanotechnology will affect every part of our lives within the next decade.
Read more …
,
Jul 30, 2009
In the US many new cars and trucks are equipped to operate on either gasoline or ethanol. Many parts of the US now have ethanol available at fuel stations and convenience stores for far less per gallon than gasoline. Although this is exciting news, the use of ethanol as a motor vehicle fuel in the US remains a very small portion of the total fuel market.
Read more …
,
Jul 29, 2009
The US Department of Energy has announced a projected investment of €2.7billion ($3.8billion USD) in a national smart grid to more efficiently create and distribute electrical power. Existing electrical power grids are aging and inefficient compared to current technology.
Read more …
,
Jul 29, 2009
Petropolis, Brazil, a small town 45 miles (65km) from Rio de Janeiro, is a tourist hot spot that has turned its human sewage problem into a solution for clean energy. The town has built more than 80 bio-digesting units designed to capture the methane gas and carbon dioxide released by sewage. In the past, a lack of sufficient sewage treatment facilities has been a problem for the area, as it is in many developing countries.
Read more …
