Tag Archives: science & technology

Computer Simulation Shows BP Spill After 1 Year (Video)

Where will the BP spill be a year after the Deepwater Horizon first exploded on April 20th? It’s hard to say, of course, and depends largely on whether the relief well BP says will be ready next month is successful in cutting of the deep sea gusher. But oceanographers still have some ideas of what’s likely to happen with the spill that’s currently amassing in the Gulf — and they designed a pretty horrifying animated computer simulation to display one possible scenario of how far the spill will reach in 360 day’s time. Video is after the jump: … Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Computer Simulation Shows BP Spill After 1 Year (Video)

Faster to Read Paper Books Than e-Books, Survey Shows

Photo by Skippyjon The Nielsen Norman Group has conducted a study that shows it is substantially faster to read a paper book than an e-book loaded onto an e-reader. What does this mean — a slowed market for e-readers? A new wave of tree-cutting as the publishing market experiences a resurgent love for the printed word? A turn around in the prediction for e-readers to be successful tools in school classrooms? A giant uptake in energy consumption as readers slowly trudge through War and Peace on their Kindles? Well….not quite. … Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Faster to Read Paper Books Than e-Books, Survey Shows

BP Cleaning Up Less than 1% of the Oil it Promised the Feds

Photo: NASA , public domain. Doesn’t Anyone Have a Working B.S. Detector in Washington? On March 24th, 2010, BP made some promises to federals regulators about its capacity to deal with an oil spill (and we all know what happened soon afterwards ). One of these was that it was able to skim and collect “491,721 barrels of oil each day in the event of a major spill”. Sounds like a lot doesn’t it? Well, the reality tu… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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BP Cleaning Up Less than 1% of the Oil it Promised the Feds

Prehistoric Humans Caused Climate Changes, Too?

Image via elisson1 It’s almost quaint to think that our ancient ancestors, living some 10,000 years ago, may have altered the planet’s climate, just like us. Though unlike today, a time when our thirst of fossil fuels is heating up the planet , a new study suggests that our distant relatives’ hunger for mammoth meat could have played a hand in ancient climate change, long before the wheel was even invented…. Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Prehistoric Humans Caused Climate Changes, Too?

Yes, the Climate Change ‘Hockey Stick’ Still Stands

This Graph is Right On Michael Mann was one of the scientists at the center of the so-called ‘Climate Gate’ controversy, and as the author of the famous ‘hockey stick’ graph (the one above, displaying clearly that the temperatures we’re currently experiencing are anomalous, and hotter than the last 2,000 years) is a favorite target of climate denier attacks. Well, guess what folks — finally, an Investigative Committee of faculty charged with determining the strength and quality of Mann’s research, and whether he had engaged in any wrongdoing, has passed down its long-awaited decision. And yes, Mann has been co… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Yes, the Climate Change ‘Hockey Stick’ Still Stands

Why Are Corporate Giants Verizon, Qualcomm, GE Backing Smart Grid Start-Up Consert Inc?

Image via Consert Inc Consert Inc, a smart grid software company, is getting some major backing by big companies. Verizon, Qualcomm, Constellation Energy and GE have pulled together $17.7 million to invest in promoting the company’s software. Currently, Consert has software deployed with electric utilities in North Carolina and Texas, but they’re looking to spread. And the backing by big companies with known names is a sign that corporate cooperation is going to be a big factor in advancing the smart grid so that every tech company can benefit. … Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Why Are Corporate Giants Verizon, Qualcomm, GE Backing Smart Grid Start-Up Consert Inc?

Google and Small Bookstores Forming an Alliance in E-Book Market

Photo via GypsyFae A giant like Google moving into the e-book market usually spells disaster for small stores. Independent outlets typically don’t stand much of a chance when a huge company decides it wants in on the market. However, when it comes to e-books, the typical story might just be turned on its head — small stores and Google could use one another as an ally when it comes to digital books, a rapidly growing segment of the book mar… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Google and Small Bookstores Forming an Alliance in E-Book Market

Desktop Earth Turns Your Computer Into A Gorgeous Globe

Image via Desktop Earth A very cool new download puts the whole world right on your desktop and in real time, shows where the sun is rising and setting. Using NASA’s Blue Marble Next and Earth’s City Lights, the download follows the earth’s rotation and can be customized to even follow the way the planet looks as seasons change. Follow the moon, electric lights, or shadows, and track cloud cover, watching the world spin as you work. … Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Desktop Earth Turns Your Computer Into A Gorgeous Globe

Best of Ecouterre: 7 Ways Wearable Technology Can Improve Quality of Life

+ Talk about hitting the big leagues. Engineering students from Northwestern University have developed a data-logging compression shirt that helps baseball pitchers avoid torn ligaments from fatigue or poor technique. + If the peripheral distortion on your bulky bifocals makes your head swim, take heart. By year’s end, the world’s first pair of electronic spectacles will hit the market, with “surround-v… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Best of Ecouterre: 7 Ways Wearable Technology Can Improve Quality of Life

Federal Judge Throws Out New York City E-Waste Lawsuit

Photo via cometstarmoon After New York state passed the new e-waste law earlier in June, we figured the lawsuit by electronics manufacturers against New York City for its toughened requirements for e-waste collection would be a moot. The state law already held provisions for e-waste collection that would override that of NYC anyway. Well, it’s finally official – a federal judge has dismissed the suit,… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Federal Judge Throws Out New York City E-Waste Lawsuit