Saturday, April 30, 2011

Tuscaloosa Tornado

This video is from the EF4 tornado that went through Tuscaloosa, AL on 4/27/11. It was taken from the University Mall parking lot. Probably the closest video to the storm your going to see.

First Look: Next-generation LiveShare by Cooliris - The Future of Visual Communication

President Barack Obama: 'I've Never Seen Devastation Like This'

Expressing amazement at the destruction all around him, President Barack Obama on Friday stepped through the wreckage left by rampaging tornadoes and pledged help to those who survived but lost their homes in a terrifying flash.

Endeavour Launch Called Off

A high-profile shuttle launch was scrubbed hours before liftoff due to a mechanical issue with the spacecraft.

First Person: Tornado Debris 'Like Missiles'

After the tornado came through Pleasant Grove, Alabama, residents are now surveying what is left of homes and neighborhoods, marveling at the storm's power but thankful to be alive.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Honda’s NSX Successor to be Hybrid?

The (Honda) Acura NSX really was a car that really was ahead of its time, loaded with high-tech features that outpaced pretty much everything on the road. And Honda might bring it back…as a hybrid?

The next Acura NSX will probably be a gas-electric hybrid, with a focus on being as light as possible. It may even employ a Kinetic Energy Recovery System, or KERS to provide a brief burst of power. Know what would make it really, really cool though? An NSX NGV, or Natural Gas Vehicle. Source: Gas 2.0

Eco-Trek 13: The Sleeping Giant Awakens

The thirteenth edition of Eco-Trek - one of the first ever syndicated green online news magazines and presented by German actress Anita Anthonj is now available for download and re-publishing for websites, newspapers, and magazines.

This week's episode of Eco-Trek kicks off an in depth look at the environment in China. The fastest growing country on this planet faces huge environmental challenges. Will China be able to balance economic growth and ecological responsibility?

UNICEF: oneminutesjr.- Superwomen

Cruelty at Canada's 2011 Commercial Seal Slaughter

On April 15, 2011, a baby seal is shot and wounded, and impaled while conscious on a metal hook. He is dragged onto a sealing boat, where he cries out repeatedly from a pile of skinned baby seal carcasses onto which he has been thrown.

Massive Tornado Caught on Tape

April 27, 2011: The Dominator tracked four wedge tornadoes across central Mississippi and Alabama including the early stages of the monster that devastated Tuscaloosa. Courtesy of Reed Timmer and http://www.tornadovideos.net

Solar’s New Twist: Floatovoltaics, Panels That Float On Water

A solar company in California is rolling out an upgraded version of an unusual solar panel –one that floats on water.

The product, called Floatovoltaics, is intended for reservoirs and irrigation ponds rather than the ocean, and uses the same kind of solar panels that can be mounted on the ground or a building’s roof. The innovation is in the engineering of a racking system and floating structure that can accommodate water rising and falling.

Source: Solar’s Forbes

Far Niente is the first to install a Floatovoltaic solar array--a solar system that floats on an irrigation pond. The system generates enough energy to offset the winery's annual power usage and provide a net-zero energy bill.

REI Announces Green Energy Grant

REI Adventures, a leader in worldwide guided active adventure programs, announced that a grant of $87,000 has been awarded to Nepal SEEDS, a nonprofit organization focused on improving social, educational and environmental development.

Where Does Obama Stand On Green Energy Spending?

Researching the Next Generation of Clean Energy

NextEra Energy and its subsidiary, Florida Power & Light, are joining The Scripps Research Institute, one of America's most respected non-profit research organizations, for a cutting-edge collaboration focused on finding creative solutions for the next generation of clean energy.

President Barack Obama speaks to students at Pen state about clean energy

Eco-Trek 12: Making Green Waves: on Land and by Sea

The twelfth edition of Eco-Trek - one of the first ever syndicated green online news magazines and presented by German actress Anita Anthonj- is now available for download and re-publishing for websites, newspapers, and magazines.

This week's episode of Eco-Trek features the last leg of the Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive in Australia. The drive around the world has reached its halfway mark and is now on the way back to Germany. Roz Savage, environmentalist and solo ocean rower takes off from Perth to Mumbai. Also in Perth Carnegy Wave Energy producing energy out of the sea.

Roz Savage -- solo ocean rower, environmental campaigner and author was the first woman to row solo across the Atlantic in 2005. Her mission: Rowing to create awareness and inspire individuals to take action on the top environmental issues facing the world today. Eco-Trek caught up with Roz just before her launch from Perth to Mumbai, India

Wave Energy: The CETO wave energy project launched by the Perth-based public company Carnegie Wave Energy is designed to convert the movement of the waves into emission free electricity as well as clean power for the desalination of water.

Junkadelic: Junkadelic is community arts group dedicated to bringing together funk music and culture with a focus on environmental sustainability to young people through free, open workshops and concerts as a way of enhancing their lives.

Another Earth Trailer

Another Earth is an upcoming science-fiction drama movie directed by Mike Cahill based on a script he co-wrote with Brit Marling. The film is starring William Mapother, Brit Marling, Jordan Baker, Robin Lord Taylor, and Flint Beverage. It will be released by Fox Searchlight on July 22. 2011.


Another Earth Trailer by teasertrailer

Source: Another Earth Trailer

MegaQuake- Is the United States Next?

Three hotspots within the "Ring of Fire" have blown in the past year. Therefore, is the fault line off the west coast of the United States next in line to reach its breaking point?

Kia Naimo electric concept debuts in Seoul

Korean brand Kia has unveiled the new Naimo electric car concept at the 2011 Seoul Motor Show

Radiation Detected on Japanese Travelers and Ships upon Checking in China

The Chinese government made an official announcement this week that two Japanese travelers were admitted to a hospital upon their arrival aboard a commercial airline aircraft from Tokyo. Radiation contamination was detected upon these two travelers when they arrived in eastern China.

On requesting further specifics of the incident, the Chinese government had responded through the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. The statement pointed that the Japanese travelers reached the city of Wuxi on Wednesday night post which all the action began and the radiation levels on these Japanese travelers was “beyond serious standards” which warranted immediate action.

Source: Energy Business Daily

NASA: Space Shuttle Endeavour Launch Delayed For At Least 48 Hours

NASA has delayed the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour, which was scheduled for 3:47 p.m. EDT on Friday. The holdup is apparently due to concerns over an auxiliary power heater. NASA broke the bad news in a tweet and stated that the delay would last at least 48 hours.

President Obama and his family, as well as Rep. Gabrielle Giffords were scheduled to attend this afternoon’s launch. NASA tweeted that the Endeavour's launch would take place "no earlier than Monday at 2:33 p.m. EDT."

Source: Hufftington Post

President Obama, along with First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia, take a tour of the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL. The family had planned to watch the launch of the Shuttle Endeavour, but the launch was delayed due to equipment issues.

Panasonic recognizes OLED lighting as the next-generation lighting devices

Panasonic Corporation announced major restructuring, which includes laying off about 17,000 jobs (to reduce total employees to a level of 350,000) and reorganizing into three sectors (Consumer, Components & Devices and Solutions). The company identified four growth areas: Solar Business, water purification, devices for smartphones and OLED lighting.

Panasonic statement about OLEDs: "Panasonic recognizes OLED lighting as the next-generation lighting devices that may become equally popular as LED lighting in the market and formed a joint venture called Panasonic Idemitsu OLED Lighting with Idemitsu Kosan on April 12, 2011. Panasonic will speed up the commercialization and market development for its OLED lighting products."

Source: OLED INfo

Eco-Trek 11: Green Wizards of Oz

The eleventh edition of Eco-Trek - one of the first ever syndicated green online news magazines and presented by German actress, Anita Anthonj- is now available for download and re-publishing for websites, newspapers, and magazines. This week's episode of Eco-Trek features more green stories from the "Fifth Continent." From Melbourne's Green Roofs Project to a "green island" in the middle of Adelaide called: Christie Walk -- an eco-urban complex developed by Urban Ecology Australia. Green Roofs Project MELBOURNE'S Green Roofs Project at the University of Melbourne is helping to create a greener skyline Down Under. At the University of Melbourne, a group of scientists are now researching how Australia can maximize it's environmental and economic benefits through green urban design.

D'Arcy Surfboards Surfing has been a way of life for Stuart D'Arcy. After working in surfboard factories he discovered that he and many of his friends got sick - from the fumes, dust and chemicals they were using - so - 23 years ago he and his wife Michelle set out to manufacture surfboards in a much more eco-friendly way. The Solarball An ingenious way to purify up to three liters of water per day for those who truly need it. 1-in-8 people in our world don't have access to potable water, causing nearly 80% of sickness and disease in developing regions. Jon Liow, a university student from Melbourne designed a device to purify water using only sunlight: The Solarball. Christie Walk In Adelaide you can find a "green island" in the center of the city: "Christie Walk" -- an eco-urban complex developed for Urban Ecology Australia and built by the Architect group Ecopolis - as an experiment in a "quality of life" eco-city.

Perez Hilton: What Are Factory Farms Trying to Hide?

Bills that could punish individuals for their efforts to expose animal abuse on factory farms are currently making their way through various state legislatures. Celebrity-gossip blogger extraordinaire Perez Hilton is speaking out against these bills, one of which is pending in Perez's home state of Florida. The bills are designed to shroud factory farming in secrecy and will deprive animals of their already minimal legal protections.

As a journalist and an animal lover, Perez is letting others know why these bills promote the suffering of animals. Whistleblower reports and undercover investigations of factory farms, such as those done by PETA, have resulted in criminal charges after documenting that farm workers were beating, sexually abusing, stomping, kicking, and throwing animals.

Warning: This video contains disturbing footage



People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

Nuclear Nightmare: Japan in Crisis - Everything on the Line on Discovery Channel

Nuclear Nightmare: Japan in Crisis premieres Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 10pm ET/PT only on Discovery Channel. the midst of a nuclear nightmare, the brave workers at the Fukushima nuclear power plant volunteered to stay and help diffuse the situation, even with the understanding that they could be exposed to deadly radiation

Dan Phillips: Creative houses from reclaimed stuff

In this funny and insightful talk from TEDxHouston, builder Dan Phillips tours us through a dozen homes he's built in Texas using recycled and reclaimed materials in wildly creative ways. Brilliant, low-tech design details will refresh your own creative drive.

Jamie Oliver Wants Flavored Milk Removed From Schools

Jamie Oliver, king of the “Food Revolution” in American schools, was on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on April 26th and announced his plans to remove flavored milk from cafeterias.

He was joined by John Deasy, the superintendent from the Los Angeles Unified School District, and the two revealed that their plan will start next fall. That means no strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, or whatever other artificially flavored milks will be tolerated as part of an option at school. Source: Ecorazzi

What to Eat: The Environmental Impacts of Our Food narrated by Jason Schwartzman

What to Eat? It is the question on everyone's minds at least three times a day. By showing how our food choices have a more serious impact on our environment than the car we drive, the light bulbs we use or the ways we recycle, the film makes the point that we can all take small steps for positive change.

Bonnie-Jill Laflin's exclusive interview for PETA

Bonnie-Jill shares how being vegetarian has made her look and feel great in this behind-the-scenes interview from her "Body By Veg" photo shoot.

Alicia Silverstone Speaks Out Against Dog Fighting App

Actress and author Alicia Silverstone has written an open letter to Kage Games, the CEO of Google, and the maker of Android asking them to take down their free dog fighting app.

Silverstone wrote, “When I read about the new game Dog Wars, I couldn’t believe my eyes. As a mom-to-be and someone who has adopted and loved rescued pit bulls, I join PETA’s millions of members in imploring you to cancel this game immediately. If one dog dies as a result of this game, you will not forgive yourself.”

Source: Ecorazzi

Exxon make $5M/hr profit yet still qualify for US Gov subsidies

Eco-Trek #10: Taking the Green Lead - Down Under

The tenth edition of Eco-Trek - one of the first ever syndicated green online news magazines and presented by German actress Anita Anthonj- is now available for download and re-publishing for websites, newspapers, and magazines.

This week's episode of Eco-Trek features Australia, widely regarded as the greenest continent on the globe. Meet former Minister for the Environment and ex-rock star Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil and the world's fastest solar car.

Peter Garrett is one of Australia's most important environmental activists! For 25 years, Garrett was the lead singer of Midnight Oil, the Sydney rock band as famous for their award-winning music as their outspoken environmental and social activism. Garrett was President of the Australian Conservation Foundation, sat on the board of Greenpeace and received the Australian Humanitarian Foundation Award for his environmental work. He left music to enter politics and was Australia's Minister for the Environment for four years and continues to champion environmental sustainability!

A World Without Cars (Oil)

"Oil is the problem. Cars are the solution", say Iain Carson and Vijay Vaitheeswaran of The Economist in their new book, "Zoom". They predict another industrial revolution-- and they want the American government to spark it ...

Imagine a world without cars. Suddenly, it might seem that three great evils widely associated with automobiles--environmental harm, economic pain, and geopolitical insecurity--would vanish. But realistically, a world without cars would be a dim, joyless place with much-diminished freedom, mobility and prosperity.

This is especially true for America, the birthplace of the modern automobile industry and of most of the political, technological and cultural developments behind mass motorisation. From drive-through banks to drive-in churches, car culture permeates American life. Three-car garages are becoming the norm. Inspired by the American example, developing giants such as China and India are taking to the roads too. Soon we will be a world of a billion cars.

Oil is the problem, not cars. That is why we must reinvent the automobile. As engines of change, clean cars of the future can help speed the world towards a more sensible approach to transportation. The snag is getting from here to there. Big oil clearly has no interest in seeing its main product fall by the wayside, and the Detroit car industry has shown few signs of real innovation or long-term vision.

Contrary to what some critics claim, there is nothing inherently evil about oil companies' pumping oil, or carmarkers' selling cars. That is their job, and for decades it was socially acceptable for them to do it. The difference today is that society's expectations are changing. A richer, greener, better-informed world is demanding more from its energy and transportation industries. The social contract is evolving--but public policies have not yet changed to reflect that progress.

Citroen Revolte Concept Driven on the Champs Elysees

We take the Citroen 2CV Revolte concept for a spin up the Champs Elysees in Paris France. Here's a preview video of the event made by Citroen.

Fiat SoHo Gallery

Total to tender for majority stake in SunPower

French energy company Total SA offered to pay up to $1.37 billion for a majority stake in U.S. solar company SunPower Corp, one of the biggest moves ever by an oil and gas giant into the market for renewable energy.

Solar power has been one of the fastest growing energy industries in recent years, but still remains tiny compared with oil, gas and coal because of its higher cost. With Total's financial heft behind it, SunPower said solar energy would become competitive with fossil fuels more quickly.

Read more at Reuters

Turning Kilowatts Into Kindness with Green Energy - North American Power

Select NAP as your energy provider online by grabbing your utility bill and get started now. As soon as you've made the switch, you can start helping a child get an education, help keep water clean or promote a little peace in a world that needs it. You'll benefit from our rates, but still be working with your existing Utility. Plus you can do even more, by choosing NAP Green you can help fight climate change and improve America's energy indepedence while supporting the production of cleaner power from renewable resources like wind and water.

Hundreds of Miles of Wind Farms, Networked Under the Sea

During the last ice age, glaciers a mile high pushed several dozen cubic miles of rock, sand and debris into the ocean off North America’s mid-Atlantic coast, creating a broad shelf that extends up to 40 miles offshore. This long, flat stretch of seabed and the shallow, windy waters that cover it make the ideal spot for dozens of offshore wind farms—and if all goes well, the network that would link those turbines together and back to the coast will soon be in place.

Source: Popular Science

The World's Biggest Space Experiment Launches, Ready to Find Dark Matter and Alternate Universes

Friday’s space shuttle launch will be much more than the final hurrah for the shuttle Endeavour. Riding in its cargo bay is a massive and controversial physics experiment that could help answer some of the most confounding mysteries in science. With the delivery of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, the space shuttle’s penultimate mission could turn out to be one of its greatest achievements.

Soaking up cosmic rays from its permanent perch on the International Space Station, the AMS is designed to study the universe’s deepest secrets — what happened to all the antimatter, and what, in the name of all creation, is dark matter?



Source: Popular Science

Final launch of US space shuttle Endeavor

US space shuttle Endeavor will launch for one last time on Friday as NASA space shuttle program's next-to-last mission. The launch nears the end to the program's 30-year run.

The presidential family is expected to attend, as well as the wife of the shuttle commander, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who is recovering from a gunshot wound sustained while meeting constituents in January.

Eco-Trek #9: Green Ideas from the Pacific Northwest to the land Down Under

The ninth edition of Eco-Trek - one of the first ever syndicated green online news magazines and presented by German actress Anita Anthonj- is now available for download and re-publishing for websites, newspapers, and magazine.

In this week's episode Eco-Trek recaps the Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive and the green stories along the roadside in America. At its last stop in Seattle, Eco-Trek encountered the Bag Monster before taking off to the land Down Under.

The Bag Monster Andy Keller is the founder of the reusable bag company ChicoBag. His alter ego, the Bag Monster is a character born of 500 plastic bags stitched together -- the amount an average person uses each year. With his performance, Andy wants to raise awareness about the single usage of plastic bags. 30 billion plastic and 10 billion paper grocery bags are used every year, destroying 14 million trees and wasting 12 million barrels of oil.

The Mercedes-Benz F-CELL Drive
The Mercedes-Benz F-CELL Drive has concluded its North American leg and Eco-Trek takes a closer look at the fuel cell vehicles. The cars are filled with pressurized hydrogen instead of gasoline. In the fuel cell, the hydrogen is oxidized. The result of this process is just water! And, of course, the electricity, that powers an electric engine.

Royal Wedding: At The Balcony of Buckingham Palace and The KIss

The Royal Wedding Vows

Prince William and Catherine Middleton say their vows

Catherine Middleton walks down the aisle

Catherine Middleton enters Westminster Abbey and walks down the aisle with her father, Michael Middleton, led by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev Dr John Hall

Catherine Middleton arrives at Westminster Abbey

Catherine Middleton enters Westminster Abbey through the Great West door with her maid of honor, Pippa Middleton and attendants

Crowd celebrates the Royal Marriage

Crowds celebrate as the bride and bridegroom go past along the procession route

The Procession to Buckingham Palace

The Procession to Buckingham Palace (Sovereign's Escort)

The Royal Family follow the procession route back to Buckingham Palace

The Master's Department prepares for the Royal Wedding

Staff talk about Royal Household hospitality and catering in advance of the Royal Wedding.

The Royal Wedding Cake Designer - Fiona Cairns

Cake designer Fiona Cairns has been chosen to make the cake for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. Decorated using the Joseph Lambeth technique, the cake will be a traditional fruit cake of many tiers.

An interview with McVitie's: The Royal Wedding reception cake

Paul Courtney, Head Chef, Cake Design and Development at McVitie's, talks about the Royal Wedding reception cake, requested by Prince William.

Catherine Middleton's attendants arrive at Westminster Abbey

Catherine Middleton's attendants arrive at Westminster Abbey for the Royal Wedding Ceremony

Prince William and Prince Harry leave Clarence House

Prince William and Prince Harry leave Clarence House for the wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey

Catherine Middleton arrives at Westminster Abbey

Catherine Middleton enters Westminster Abbey through the Great West door with her maid of honor, Pippa Middleton and attendants

Royal Wedding Book invitation

Sign our Wedding Book and send your message to the couple

The Royal Mint makes an official coin for the Royal Wedding

The Royal Mint has made an official coin for the Royal Wedding.

Royal Wedding invitation

The Royal Household invites you to watch the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on the 29th of April from 10am London Time. Live on The Royal Channel.

An interview with Prince William and Catherine Middleton

On the day their engagement is announced, Prince William and Catherine Middleton answer questions from ITN's Tom Bradby about their future together.

The Royal Mews prepares for the Royal Wedding

Staff at the Royal Mews talk about plans and preparations for the big day.

Prince William and Catherine Middleton appear at a photocall

His Royal Highness Prince William and Catherine Middleton appear at a photocall held at St. James's Palace on the day their engagement is announced.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

The royal wedding live on YouTube

As the historic day approaches, the much-anticipated wedding of Britain's Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton has people around the world buzzing with excitement.

While millions will be in London for the big day, it's clear that people around the world have wedding fever. Google search trends show that in addition to the UK and the US, the top ten countries searching for “royal wedding” include places like Singapore and the Philippines. In response, we've been working to make as much of the big day as possible accessible to everyone. We previously announced the expansion of our Google Earth 3D imagery to offer a “Royals’-eye” view of the entire wedding procession, complete with 3D images of iconic landmarks and five species of digital trees that can be seen along the route.

The Royal Household has just announced that footage of the entire ceremony will be live-streamed on their official YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel

Source: Official Google Blog

Royal Route: Key Stops on the Wedding Day

Prince William and Kate Middleton will make several critical stops on their way to and from Westminster Abbey on their wedding day. Where to watch in London, or what to watch for on TV.

Royal Wedding: Royal media frenzy hits London

Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered in London, Britain's capital, a day before Prince William ties the knot with his long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton.

The event on Friday is expected to attract the biggest TV audience on record of a royal wedding. Not surprisingly, the world's media is jostling for position in London to cover it.

Royal Wedding Day Could Bring Rain

After a week of sunny skies, rain is in the forecast for the royal wedding. But that won't stop hundreds of thousands from pouring into London on Friday to watch the ceremony.

Royal Wedding: A Royal Wedding Etiquette Guide

Don't give the queen a friendly hug and don't tweet from the church. That's just the start of the advice being offered to those attending Britain's April 29 royal wedding.

YouTube - No Tweeting: A Royal Wedding Etiquette Guide

The Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund

Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton have created a charitable gift fund to help celebrate their wedding. The fund will focus on assisting charities which support the five causes chosen by the couple. These causes are close to their hearts and reflect the experiences, passions and values of their lives so far. Having been touched by the goodwill shown to them since their engagement, they have asked that anyone wishing to send them a wedding gift consider doing so in the form of a donation to the fund.

The Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund

Royal Wedding to Feature Two Cakes, Not One

When it comes to the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, it seems two cakes are better than one. The main cake will be a fruity, floral masterwork, but William will get his childhood favorite chocolate biscuit cake, too.

Royal Wedding: Kate Middleton Arrives at Hotel

Obama: Storms Nothing Short of 'Catastrophic'

President Barack Obama says the savage storms that swept through the South are nothing short of 'catastrophic.' He is pledging the federal government's help in helping those affected by the storms, notably in Alabama.

Yep climate is changing

Luxgen's Neora EV sedan concept unveiled at Shanghai Auto Show

Taiwan’s first and only domestic car brand, Luxgen, used the Auto Shanghai show to premiere its electric-powered Neora four-door premium sedan concept, featuring sprightly acceleration and a 400km battery range.

Luxgen says the Neora weighs 1600kg (slightly more than a Nissan Leaf), and that its 48kWh lithium-ion battery pack – twice the size of the Leaf’s – enables a claimed maximum range of 400km from a full charge, comfortably beating the Leaf’s 160km.

The Taiwanese brand says the Neora’s batteries can be charged to 80 per cent capacity in one hour. The Leaf’s smaller battery takes 26 minutes on fast-charge or eight hours from a household outlet.

The Neora’s 180kW electric induction motor sends 100kW more power to the front wheels than a Leaf does. As a result, Luxgen says its electric sedan concept can achieve the sprint from rest to 100km/h in a Golf GTI-shaming 6.5 seconds, topping out at 250km/h – matching the electronically-limited top speed of many high-performance European cars.



Electric Vehicle News

Eric Giler demos wireless electricity

Eric Giler wants to untangle our wired lives with cable-free electric power. Here, he covers what this sci-fi tech offers, and demos MIT's breakthrough version, WiTricity -- a near-to-market invention that may soon recharge your cell phone, car, pacemaker.

Toyota Joins Wireless Electric Car Charging Revolution

Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, has joined the inductive charging revolution with a substantial undisclosed investment in WiTricity, specialists in wireless charging.

WiTricity’s current technology is comparable to standard Level 2 fast charge technology, providing up to 3.3 kilowatts of power. This makes it ideal for providing a way of charging plug-in vehicles without wires where in places where wired technology may present a trip hazard such as shopping mall parking lots, for example. WiTricity’s technology makes use of a technique it calls resonance wireless charging. Read more at: http://www.witricity.com/

Source: All Cars Electric

Introducing The World's First Wireless Electric Bike: The Shadow Ebike

A new player in the EV market reveals a sleek, efficient design for bike lovers. At the 109th Canton fair in Guanzhou China earlier this month, Toronto-based Daymak Inc. introduced the first electric bike in the world to feature wireless brakes, a wireless throttle and wireless pedal assist system, and an integrated battery and motor design.

Dubbed the Shadow Ebike, the company boasts that in terms of evolution, this two-wheeled marvel is setup for upgrades that will allow it to interact with your iPhone, Blackberry or your Google Phone and computer in the future.



Source: Crisp Green

An introduction to OLED lighting by Yamagata University

A nice video from Yamagata University with an introduction to OLED lighting and a lot of OLED panels and lamps prototypes

Jusung Engineers to enter the OLED market, shows the world's largest OLED lighting panel

Jusung Engineering (a Korean maker of semiconductor and display manufacturing equipment) announced it is entering the OLED market - for both display and lighting. Jusung will offer a 'total solution' - from vacuum deposition to encapsulation. The company currently offers 4-Gen OLED equipment, and they plan to establish a joint-venture outside of Korea to enter the worldwide OLED lighting market.

Jusung's CEO Hwang Chul-joo unveiled an OLED lighting panel that measures 730x920mm, the largest panel ever unveiled, produced by vacuum deposition on a glass substrate.

Source: OLED Info

Mike Matas: A next-generation digital book Our Choice by Al Gore

Software developer Mike Matas demos the first full-length interactive book for the iPad -- with clever, swipeable video and graphics and some very cool data visualizations to play with. The book is "Our Choice," Al Gore's sequel to "An Inconvenient Truth."

Saudi Arabia invests 100 billion dollar in renewable green energy

Saudi Arabia doesn’t want to be dependent on crude oil alone anymore. Recently the country announced that it wants to do a major investment in solar and nuclear energy, but also in other renewable green energy sources. Saudi Arabia wants to invest over 100 billion dollar in the development of alternative energy sources. This investment will be spread over ten years. Compared to for example China, who invested over 54 billion dollar last year alone in renewable energy, it is not that much.

Saudi Arabia’s plan to invest in renewable energy confirms the need of new energy sources. The nation will be getting over 20% of their energy out of renewable energy sources in the year 2030 if all goes well.

Source: Tomorrow is greener

Completion of Museo Soumaya, Mexico City by FREE Fernando Romero EnterprisE

Designed by FREE Fernando Romero EnterprisE, Museo Soumaya opened to the public on March 29, 2011 after four years of development. The Museo Soumaya houses one of the most important art collections in Latin America with over 6,200 artworks and 60,000 square feet of exhibition space.

From the outside, the building is an organic and asymmetrical shape that is perceived differently by each visitor, while reflecting the diversity of the collection on the inside. Its heterogeneous collection is housed in a continuous exhibition space spread over six levels, representing approximately 60,000 ft². The building also includes an auditorium for 350 people, library, offices, a restaurant, a gift shop and a multi-purpose gathering lounge.

Looks great, just missing the solar-panels.

Source: eVolo

Up-Cycling cans house

This house made of 40,000 recycled drink cans was built at Bonnaroo Music Festival last summer. I designed and built it so that up-cycling could be physically demonstrated: we used excer-cycles to pedal empty cans up a conveyor belt, 16′ to pour into the bin, which was designed to be a cylindrical house. It was a huge hit at the fest.

Source: Recyclart

Elk Grove Civic Centre by Zaha Hadid Architects

Following the international competition held in 2006, Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) were chosen to create initial conceptual proposals for the Civic Centre of the City of Elk Grove, California, a fast-growing suburb of Sacramento.

The main objective of the Elk Grove Civic Centre Design Study was to explore a wealth of possible ideas for programmatic distribution; incorporating the city’s requirement for initial ‘visioning’ proposals that identify all the project components while keeping the opportunities for flexibility.

Read more at: eVolo

2012 Honda Gold Wing

At their showroom in Aoyama, Honda is displaying the BENLY, a 50cc scooter for business use that the company plans to put on sale this summer."This model is aimed for business use with the development concept being "Everyone's work partner, trouble-free, with pro-specifications". Most 50cc models have tanks with capacity of 5L or so, but this model has the largest tank in its class, at 10L.

Why isn't this an full electric scooter? That's the question.

Sun Power

Every Day 970 trillion kWh energy on earth
970 trillion = 970.000.000.000.000 kWh =
970.000 Twh (terra watt uur)

Watch a PEM Fuel Cell Power Up MP3 Player

Element14 has a video showing a PEM fuel cell powering an MP3 player. But, exactly what is PEM technology, how does it work, and why do we care if it powers a small electronic device?



Source: TreeHugger

China's Energy Use & Emissions To Peak Well Before 2050

Some good news about China's energy use coming out of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, relying on some assumptions that may or may not actually come to pass (or even be good for the environment defined broadly). According to the China's Energy and Carbon Emissions Outlook to 2050, contrary to the prevailing wisdom, China's energy use and carbon emissions will stop growing well before 2050, as market saturation for consumer products and in construction takes hold.

Somewhere by 2030-2035, the report says, road and rail construction, car ownership, consumer goods purchases will all peak. Depending on which scenario comes to pass, energy consumption begins to flatten by 2025, 2030, or 2033.

The carbon emissions in the most aggressive scenario peak at 9.7 billion metric tons in 2027 and fall back to 7 billion metric tons by 2050. Under the least aggressive scenario emissions peak at 12 billion tons by 2033 and fall back to 11 billion tons by 2050.

Source: TreeHugger

Kids Clean Up Forest & Build a House with Bottles

This is a project by the Guernsey Eco-Club who cleaned up their forest and made a house with all the plastic bottles they collected! The Earth Trust is a small non-profit organisation in the Nilgiris, South India that runs Eco-Clubs for young children to promote 'clean and green consciousness'.




For more information go to http://www.earthtrustnilgiris.org/

Don't Cry, Three Gorges

Since the first Three Gorges generator started operations in 2003 the water level in the reservoir has been rising, and with it China's ability to increase its hydroelectric capacity. From the banks up stream thousands of tons of garbage are constantly carried down by water into the reservoir. Such a huge amount of waste threatens to jam the miter gate of the dam, possibly damaging the propellers and huls of passing boats, and it is a blight on the scenery and the water quality of the area. These serious challenges, though expected by environmentalists for years, have not been met with sufficient countermeasures from the government.

In Don't Cry, Three Gorges (2010) director Chen Fu documented the work and life of Liu Gujun, captain of Wanzhou River Cleaning Unit. In
2003, Liu Gujun stopped his fishing and transportation business, used his own savings and ships and started a river cleaning team, organizing fellow fishermen to collect floating garbage that covered some 10 miles of waters in the Yangtze River near Chongqing. What came out of a courageous attempt to save the mother river has turned into a perpetual defensive battle.

Today the river cleaning unit has been taken over by the local government, and Liu keeps working with his fellow fishermen to keep the reservoir clean for a very minimal wage. The local garbage treatment facility has yet to be substantially expanded to keep up with the tons of garbage the unit keeps collecting everyday.

Don't Cry, Three Gorges

Since the first Three Gorges generator started operations in 2003 the water level in the reservoir has been rising, and with it China's ability to increase its hydroelectric capacity. From the banks up stream thousands of tons of garbage are constantly carried down by water into the reservoir. Such a huge amount of waste threatens to jam the miter gate of the dam, possibly damaging the propellers and huls of passing boats, and it is a blight on the scenery and the water quality of the area. These serious challenges, though expected by environmentalists for years, have not been met with sufficient countermeasures from the government.

In Don't Cry, Three Gorges (2010) director Chen Fu documented the work and life of Liu Gujun, captain of Wanzhou River Cleaning Unit. In
2003, Liu Gujun stopped his fishing and transportation business, used his own savings and ships and started a river cleaning team, organizing fellow fishermen to collect floating garbage that covered some 10 miles of waters in the Yangtze River near Chongqing. What came out of a courageous attempt to save the mother river has turned into a perpetual defensive battle.

Today the river cleaning unit has been taken over by the local government, and Liu keeps working with his fellow fishermen to keep the reservoir clean for a very minimal wage. The local garbage treatment facility has yet to be substantially expanded to keep up with the tons of garbage the unit keeps collecting everyday.

High Tech Bulb Wants to Turn You On

View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com.

Sony Project Shiphunt: Teaser

Project Shiphunt, a joint venture between Sony and Intel, will empower a group of Michigan high school students to discover an historic sunken ship in the Great Lakes using Sony VAIO laptops powered by 2nd Gen Intel Core Processors. Will they find the ship?



High Radiation Levels At Ohio Nuclear Plant Prompt Special Inspection

High radiation levels recorded at a nuclear reactor in northeast Ohio have prompted a special inspection by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Workers at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant immediately evacuated it on April 22 when radiation levels rose while it was shutting down for a refueling outage, the commission said Tuesday. Plant officials don't believe workers were exposed to radiation levels "in excess of NRC limits," the commission said. "The plant is in a safe condition and there has been no impact to workers at the plant or members of the public from this issue," the commission said in a statement.

Radiation levels rose while workers were removing a monitor that measures nuclear reactions during start-up, low-power operations and shutdown, the commission said.

Source: Hufftington Post

This 'All Wood' Bicycle Can Go Pretty Fast: The Splinter Bike

The SplinterBike, as its called, is a bicycle that's made completely from wood. Others have done similar 'all wood' bicycles before but this one is supposed to be the fastest—it can hit 31mph.

There's a lot of different wood in this bike! The axles are made of the hardwood ekki; the cogs, wheels and frame are birch ply; and oily ironwood was used in place of metal bearings where moving parts met. The pedals and handlebars were made from an old broom handle.

Source: Gizmodo

Fallout - Chernobyl 25 years later - Photoessay by Robert Knoth

In remote villages of the Ukraine, contaminated food is part of daily life. There is no choice.

After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the Ukrainian government regularly monitored the food and soil of the affected areas, this monitoring discontinued in 2009.

In 2011, Greenpeace visited the Ukraine to carry out independent research. In one village alone, the Caesium-137 content of milk was 1.2-16.3 times above the allowed limit for children.

Nuclear Nightmare: Japan in Crisis - Managing Unstable Nuclear Energy on Discovery Channel

Nuclear Nightmare: Japan in Crisis premieres Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 10pm ET/PT only on Discovery Channel. What happens when a tsunami begins to overtake a nuclear power plant on the coast of Japan? Watch as the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant unravels as the force of the tsunami begins to swamp vital machinery.

World Press Freedom Day 2011

Every year, May 3rd is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.

3 May was proclaimed World Press Freedom Day the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of UNESCO's General Conference in 1991. It serves as an occasion to inform citizens of violations of press freedom - a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered. It is a date to encourage and develop initiatives in favour of press freedom, and to assess the state of press freedom worldwide.

It serves as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. Just as importantly, World Press Freedom Day is a day of support for media which are targets for the restraint, or abolition, of press freedom. It is also a day of remembrance for those journalists who lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.


More at: World Press Freedom Day 2011

Nanosolar lands big orders for printed solar cells

Thin-film solar company Nanosolar said today it has secured sizable customer orders and it expects to match solar industry cost leaders in a few years.

Nanosolar, one of dozens of companies founded last decade to use thin-film cells to lower the cost of solar, said it has customer orders that could be as much as 1 gigawatt worth of solar panels over six years if the company meets technical milestones and ramps up volume as it projects. The panels are designed for utility-scale solar projects over 1 megawatt in size.

Source: CNET News

The Great Green Wall in Arica - La Grande Muraille Verte

The Great Green Wall is a project adopted in 2007 by the African Union, in response to the problem of desertification,degradation of the soil and poverty in the Sahel-Saharan region. It envisage a strip of forest about 9 miles wide on average that would link Dakar on the Atlantic coast with Djibouti on the Red Sea in the east. The wall would be more than 4,400 miles long.

The 11 countries involved in the project are Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan.

TEDxUSC: The Next Generation Internet by Aram Sinnreich

Sinnreich envisions a new internet that uses mesh networking to produce a stable, ad hoc, global wireless network in which each user is a router, server and client combined, and in which no single state or organization can effectively censor or surveil the population on a broad scale.

To date, Sinnreich and his team have developed a set of "social specifications" describing the functionalities required of MondoNet, and are in the process of mapping these specifications to open technological platforms. Their present aim is to develop a fully open, global development process akin to the collaborative environments surrounding Linux and Wikimedia.

Stories from the Gulf Official Trailer

Stories from the Gulf is a half-hour film produced by NRDC and presented by Robert Redford about Gulf Coast residents living in the aftermath of the oil disaster.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Most Amazing Time Lapse Video of Milky Way Ever Made by Terje Sorgjerd

This was filmed between 4th and 11th April 2011. The goal was to capture the beautiful Milky Way galaxy along with one of the most amazing mountains I know El Teide. I have to say this was one of the most exhausting trips I have done. There was a lot of hiking at high altitudes and probably less than 10 hours of sleep in total for the whole week. Having been here 10-11 times before I had a long list of must-see locations I wanted to capture for this movie, but I am still not 100% used to carrying around so much gear required for time-lapse movies.

A large sandstorm hit the Sahara Desert on the 9th April (bit.ly/​g3tsDW) and at approx 3am in the night the sandstorm hit me, making it nearly impossible to see the sky with my own eyes. Interestingly enough my camera was set for a 5 hour sequence of the milky way during this time and I was sure my whole scene was ruined. To my surprise, my camera had managed to capture the sandstorm which was backlit by Grand Canary Island making it look like golden clouds. The Milky Way was shining through the clouds, making the stars sparkle in an interesting way. So if you ever wondered how the Milky Way would look through a Sahara sandstorm, look at 00:32.

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

From Facebook to Farm Hand: How Crop Mobs Grow Agricultural Social Networks Video

The Perennial Plate Episode 30: Crop Mob from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.



Source: TreeHugger

10-Year-Old Pressures KFC to Stop Destroying U.S. Forests

In March 2011, elementary student Cole and three of his friends traveled from North Carolina to the KFC headquarters in Louisville, KY to deliver over 6000 hand-drawn postcards from youth across the South asking the company to be an environmental leader for change. Watch this inspiring story and share it with your friends, children, grandchildren, and join Cole in taking action!

Foster + Partners Break Ground on Naturally Cooled CITIC Skyscraper In China

Foster + Partners just announced that they have broken ground on the energy-efficient CITIC Bank Headquarters in Hangzhou Qian Jiang New City, China. The angular faceted tower could be the offspring of the Hearst Tower, although it is even more pronounced in its use of angular geometry.

Framed by a crisscross exoskeleton of bronzed structural elements, the narrow base expands as the tower rises up. An atrium will scale the tower’s full interior, delivering light deep into the floor plate and providing a column for natural cooling when ambient outdoor temperatures permit. Source: Inhabitat

Microsoft unites with former exec in building a 'smart city' in Portugal

If you want better cities, goes the theory herein, you'll have to start at their very foundations. Steve Lewis, ex-Microsoftie and current CEO of Living PlanIT, has a vision for how to make our cities smarter and more sustainable, and it starts literally at ground level, with the installation of smart sensors into buildings as they're being built. The appeal of his company's ideas has already attracted some tech luminaries as partners, Cisco being among them, and now Microsoft has also been signed up -- to provide the cloud framework required to keep all those sensors talking with its Azure platform. Paredes, a Portuguese municipality, will play host to one of the first such projects, eventually providing homes for nearly a quarter of a million people and costing a staggering €10 billion ($14.1b) to complete. To understand the synergistic benefits of having your life monitored by an omniscient Urban Operating System sentinel, skip past the break for a press release and explanatory video.



Source: Engadget

Leonardo DiCaprio urges California voters to support Proposition 87

Leonardo DiCaprio urged California voters to vote "Yes" on Proposition 87, the "Clean Alternative Energy" initiative at a get-out-the-vote rally in Los Angeles on November 5, 2006

Sören Hermansen on The 'Energy Positive' Island

Denmark's energy policy has been remarkably successful. When the first oil crisis struck in 1973 Denmark was almost entirely dependent on imported fossil fuels. Modern Denmark has been transformed into a leader in renewables and the most efficient user of energy in Europe. A new clean energy industrial cluster has emerged and Denmark is now a key player in energy technology, a sector which more than tripled its exports between 1998 and 2008.

The IIEA is delighted to welcome two of Denmark's thought leaders in the energy world, one of whom will provide a broad strategic overview of these developments and plans, and another who will provide a fascinating case study with clear implications for Ireland.

Professor Henrik Lund, from the Department of Development and Planning, in Aalborg spoke on the topic of Danish sustainable energy policy past and future: how to engage society? He was followed by Søren Hermansen, Director of Samsø Energy Academy & Adjunct Professor at Aalborg University, who spoke on the topic of Using Sustainable Energy for Regional Development, the case of Samsø, the 'Energy Positive' Island.

Nuclear Nightmare: Japan in Crisis - Nuclear Meltdown on Discovery Channel

Nuclear Nightmare: Japan in Crisis premieres Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 10pm ET/PT only on Discovery Channel. As fresh water evaporates, hydrogen gas begins to build inside the reactors at the Fukushima power plant, which could lead to overheating.

Fears Japan Fukushima crisis will worsen as world remembers Chernobyl

While TEPCO is removing contaminated water from reactor 2 of the troubled Fukushima-1 nuclear plant and after successful tests has started spraying resin to prevent the spread of radioactive dust, experts fear deterioration of the crisis. ­With Chernobyl's 25th anniversary reminding the world of the terrifying consequences of nuclear safety negligence, many eyes have turned to the continuing crisis in Japan. Dr. Robert Jacobs, an associate professor at the Hiroshima Peace Institute, says that the crisis at Fukushima-1 nuclear plant is far from being resolved.

The plant, which was hit by a powerful earthquake and tsunami on March 11, and several aftershocks, was not designed to withstand such massive disasters, according to Dr. Jacobs. The plant now is only relatively stable, given that the roofs over the reactors are holding but could collapse at any time.
Dr. Jacobs is critical of the Japanese government saying it withheld important information about the state of affairs at Fukushima-1. "There was just recently an assessment of the situation at Fukushima by a group of international nuclear experts. The picture they painted was far grimmer than the picture that is painted by TEPCO or by the Japanese government. Both the Japanese government and TEPCO have strong interest in downplaying the problem, downplaying the threat and downplaying the impact. There is no doubt that we will need an independent inquiry," says Dr. Jacobs.

TEPCO Says Water 'May' Be Leaking From Fukushima Spent Fuel Pool. What A...

Water may be leaking from No. 4 reactor fuel pool. The operator of the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says water may be leaking from the spent fuel pool of the No. 4 reactor. More than 1,500 spent fuel rods are stored in the pool, the largest number at the site.

Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, has been injecting water daily into the pool to make up for the loss of cooling function and prevent the fuel rods from being exposed and further damaged. TEPCO has poured in 140 to 210 tons of water over each of the last few days. The company found that water levels in the pool were 10 to 40 centimeters lower than expected despite the water injections.

The walls of the reactor building supporting the pool were severely damaged by a hydrogen explosion last month. TEPCO says the pool may have been damaged by the blast as well. According to a schedule announced earlier on containing the ongoing emergency, TEPCO plans to install concrete pillars to support the fuel pool by around July to increase its earthquake resistance.

Fukushima, nuclear reactor 3,MOX atomic explosion not hydrogen blast

TEPCO Revises Fukushima Reactor Meltdown Guesstimates

TEPCO revises nuclear fuel damage ratios. The operator of the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northeastern Japan has reassessed its estimates of fuel damage in reactors No.1 to No.3. Tokyo Electric Power Company on Wednesday announced new estimates of damage after the country's nuclear safety agency questioned the accuracy of the initial assessments. The utility has revised the estimated fuel damage in the No.1 reactor from 70 percent to 55 percent, saying radiation levels were not correct.

TEPCO also says that it acted inappropriately in excluding fuel damage of less than 5 percent in calculating total damage ratios for the No.2 and No.3 reactors. As a result, the utility revised upward its estimates of damaged fuel in the No.2 and No.3 reactors by 5 percentage points each to 35 percent and 30 percent respectively. The company released its initial estimates as of March 15th, based on radiation levels in the reactors and their containment vessels.

Earlier this month, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency raised the crisis level at the Fukushima plant to the highest 7 on the international scale, based on its estimate of the volume of released radioactive substances. TEPCO says the corrected estimates will not affect the agency's crisis rating.

'Fukushima - gross miscarriage of radiation science'

With Chernobyl's 25th anniversary reminding the world of the terrifying consequences of nuclear safety negligence, many eyes have turned to the continuing crisis in Japan. RT talks to Arnold Gundersen, Energy Adviser at Fairewinds Associates, from Vermont in the US.

Angela Belcher: Using nature to grow batteries

Inspired by an abalone shell, Angela Belcher programs viruses to make elegant nanoscale structures that humans can use. Selecting for high-performing genes through directed evolution, she's produced viruses that can construct powerful new batteries, clean hydrogen fuels and record-breaking solar cells. At TEDxCaltech, she shows us how it's done.

Most U.S. Consumers Want to Buy an Electric Vehicle

Plug-in electric vehicles may just be entering the market, but most U.S. consumers are ready to buy them. E Source recently analyzed data from the Nielsen Energy Survey and found that 85 percent of U.S. consumers say they would purchase a battery-driven car either right away (3 percent), when their current car needed replacement (57 percent), or when the technology is proven and it becomes more mainstream (25 percent). The caveat is that consumers strongly prefer (58 percent) plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) versions such as the Chevrolet Volt.

PHEVs have greater range than electric-only cars like the Nissan Leaf and only 8 percent of consumers prefer them. E Source also reports that younger drivers are more willing than older drivers to purchase the electric-only cars, and people who describe themselves as liberals are similarly more inclined to desire the all-electric cars than those classified as conservatives.

Source: Electric Vehicle News

Toyota Ideas for Good: Building a Hybrid Roller Coaster

Toyota has teamed up with Pittsburgh-based engineering crew Deeplocal to build a roller coaster that uses the Hybrid Synergy Drive® from a Prius. Watch as engineers create a coaster with the potential to harness the energy it creates for good.



More at: Roller Coaster Prototype Information

From beer to biogas

Breweries’ wastewater biogas could be turned into renewable energy for the breweries, according to environmental solutions company Talbot & Talbot. The biogas produced from the wastewater treatment could contribute 10-15% of a brewery’s steam requirements.

Source: Renewable Energy Focus

The Ten Least Green States in U.S.

These are the 10 least green states in the United States based on energy consumption, pollution problems and state energy policies.

You can find the full list here: http://tinyurl.com/3gsd5kl

Synthetic Trees Capture Carbon: Video

Scientists at New York's Columbia University are developing a synthetic tree that removes CO2 from the atmosphere. The researchers say the tree, if mass produced, could make a significant difference to the quality of the air we breathe.

Most powerful millimeter-scale energy harvester generates electricity from vibrations

A new energy harvester developed by University of Michigan researchers can harness energy from vibrations and convert it to electricity with five to ten times greater efficiency and power than other devices in its class.

This new vibration energy harvester is specifically designed to turn the cyclic motions of factory machines into energy to power wireless sensor networks. These sensor networks monitor machines' performance and let operators know about any malfunctions.

The sensors that do this today get their power from a plug or a battery. They're considered "wireless" because they can transmit information without wires. Being tethered to a power source drastically increases their installation and maintenance costs, said Erkan Aktakka, one of the system's developers and a doctoral student in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Long-lasting power is the greatest hurdle to large-scale use of pervasive information-gathering sensor networks, the researchers say.

Source: PhysOrg

Kathryn Schulz: On being wrong

Most of us will do anything to avoid being wrong. But what if we're wrong about that? "Wrongologist" Kathryn Schulz makes a compelling case for not just admitting but embracing our fallibility.

Coca Cola Sustainable Headquarters in Spain

New Coca-Cola Headquarters in Spain opens in Madrid. A sustainable building is already an example of environmentally responsible architecture. Located near the M40, on the street Ribera del Loira 20 in Madrid, the New Coca-Cola Headquarters has over 7,500 square meters and four floors.

The building has a double skin facade acts as a permanent solar canopy, the new offices of Coca-Cola have used to build approximately 20% recycled material, organic materials and low in organic compounds. Among all these materials, Valero has participated with its range of disposable formwork Tubotec elected by the contractor and the project management for its recognized quality and image, according to the requirements required for this iconic work.

By design and orientation, the new building in Ribera del Loira optimizes natural light into offices through solar tubes and optical fiber sensors, in addition to energy saving lamps and more than 500 LEDs. Regarding renewable energy, solar thermal has for 70% of hot water consumption and 140 photovoltaic panels to generate electricity from solar energy. 100% reuse of gray water and rainwater for services and irrigation, and building a garden with native species in the region that require low water consumption, assist in reducing up to 40% in water consumption.

Source: Solar Energy

NEED TO KNOW: Designing the city of the future on PBS

A group of budding city planners in Detroit competes against students from more affluent suburbs to design the city of the future. A report from Detroit Public Television. Need to Know airs Fridays on PBS.

John Hunter on the World Peace Game

John Hunter puts all the problems of the world on a 4'x5' plywood board -- and lets his 4th-graders solve them. At TED2011, he explains how his World Peace Game engages schoolkids, and why the complex lessons it teaches -- spontaneous, and always surprising -- go further than classroom lectures can.

Green Choices for Lawn and Garden

Fresh water is important to everyone. But sometimes, our water is polluted through excess nutrients -- nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers running off farm fields and suburban lawns. There are plenty of things that the average person can do to help keep our freshwater clean. Jeff Opperman, a senior freshwater scientist for The Nature Conservancy, offers some tips.

Anil Ananthaswamy: What it takes to do extreme astrophysics

All over the planet, giant telescopes and detectors are looking (and listening) for clues to the workings of the universe. At the INK Conference, science writer Anil Ananthaswamy tours us around these amazing installations, taking us to some of the most remote and silent places on Earth.

You won't hear this on any mainstream news!!! (Nuclear Fallout)

Nuclear Facts A very clued in professional who will not be bought or intimidated into silence: Dr Helen Caldicott, true to style, tells it as it is. As she sees it, you wont usually hear the truth so listen up.. Nuclear fallout from Japan and Canada, You won't hear this on the news!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Wadi Rum, Jordan Primitive Lodges – design by Oppenheim Architecture + Design

International “green” architect Chad Oppenheim sets a new benchmark for design and ecological sensitivity with the Wadi Resort—located in Wadi Rum, Jordan, set for completion in 2014. Oppenheim Architecture + Design (OAD) beat out a global competition and will execute an unprecedented project comprised of 47 desert lodges, setting forth a future primitive experience for the avid globetrotter, an hour and a half outside of Petra, the ancient city of the Nebataeans carved into the desert rock.

Oppenheim’s winning proposal set out to reinterpret the way society deals with surrounding nature by taking full advantage of the mystical valley where desert sand meets desert stone. The project merges silently with its wondrous setting, exploiting and enhancing the natural beauty of the desert to establish accommodations that are uniquely elemental and luxurious. Dramatically situated, the lodges and villas in their various incarnations; are all about a visceral connection to culture and place. The resulting experience is a revolutionary notion of opulence that is intentionally reduced to what is essential.

The structure of the lodges will be carved into the sandstone cliffs, utilizing the existing geological geometries of the rock to devise the form. Other structures are comprised of rammed earth and cement mixed with the local red sand. The minimal yet powerful gestures of the architecture, both built and carved serves to create harmony, and balance while framing and amplifying the surroundings. The interior and exterior are deliberately blurred establishing maximum impact with minimum effort. Inspired by the primordial, Oppenheim used his expertise in sustainable design to create passive means of cross ventilation, taking full advantage of the natural cooling effect of the rocks, and proper positioning allowing the project to minimize energy consumption and maximize comfortable healthy living.

Source and more pictures: m i l i m e t d e s i g n

LAVA Architects Win Masdar Eco City Center Competition: The Oasis of the Future

German-Australian practice Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA) recently won the first prize in the Masdar Eco City Center Competition for Masdar, United Arab Emirates.

LAVA sees Masdar Plaza as “The Oasis of the Future”: a living, breathing, active, adaptive environment; stimulated by the social interaction of people, and spotlighting the use and benefits of sustainable technology. Hence, their design proposal focuses on the delivery of three key issues:
1.Performance – to demonstrate the use and benefits of sustainable technology in a modern, dynamic, iconic architectural environment. 2.Activation – to activate or operate the sustainable technology in accordance with the functional needs of this environment, 24 hours a day, and 365 days of the year. 3.Interaction – to encourage and stimulate a social dynamic where the life, values, ideals, and vision of the population of Masdar evolve.

The “Oasis of the Future” is conceived as an open spatial experience, whereby all features; whether hotel, conference, shopping, or leisure, offer the highest quality of indoor and outdoor comfort and interaction. As in the case of an oasis, the Plaza is the social epicenter of Masdar; opening 24-hour access to all public facilities. Interactive, heat sensitive technology activates low intensity lighting in response to pedestrian traffic and mobile phone usage. The Plaza is able to change into an outdoor cinema for international events and national celebrations. Buildings’ surrounding the Plaza form gorges, evoking mystical comparisons with the Grand Canyon and the entrance to Petra.

The “Oasis of the Future” demonstrates sustainable technology in a user-friendly architectural environment – flexible use of space, outdoor and indoor comfort, and optimum performance. The user experience is the heart of the “Oasis of the Future”. By analyzing the potential pedestrian flows throughout the Plaza and surrounding facilities, the design seeks to accentuate this ‘loop’ of indoor and outdoor user-experiences This ‘loop’ marries the lowest possible energy expenditure to the highest levels of user comfort in correlation to pedestrian flows.

The following environmental and engineering design concepts will be utilized to minimize energy consumption:
Radiant surfaces
Air movement that supplements natural wind patterns
Evaporating cooling mist
Thermal mass and PCM
Slab cooling and Luna Panels
Shading of external facades surrounding the Plaza
Our sustainable design and engineering philosophy balances the ‘vision of the future’ with ‘scientific fact and availability’. Our aim is to provide the Abu Dhabi Energy Company with the lowest possible carbon footprint, whilst maintaining the highest level of user experience within the practical viability of affordable architecture.

Our engineering specialists have analyzed each component of potential energy expenditure and investigated individual efficiencies in order to reduce the carbon footprint. Even the façade of the buildings surrounding the Plaza will incorporate long-life, loose-fit structural design to enable flexible future planning and reconfiguration opportunities. Switching and sensors will activate and deactivate features and functions in correlation with usage and pedestrian flow. All front and back of house functions within the Hotel and Convention Center will capture sustainability of water, waste, materials, indoor and outdoor environmental quality.

In fact, our proposal strives to exceed those of the Masterplan and is, in addition, benchmarked against Estidama and LEED (Platinum). Adaptive cooling provides all facilities with extended usability during peak heat loads. Our ‘Petals from Heaven’ feature interactive umbrellas that open, provide shade, and capture energy during daylight hours; folding at night to release stored heat. Solar analysis provides insight into the tuning of facades in order to incorporate an ability to respond to varying sun angles and levels of solar intensity.

The Oasis of the Future is a living, breathing habitat. The ability to control ambient temperature at all times of the day is the key to making the Plaza a compulsive destination. The gorges pull inhabitants into the loop. The ‘Petals from Heaven’ open and close; protect pedestrians from the sun; capture, store, and release heat; adjust the angle of shade based on the position of the sun. The heat sensitive lamps adjust the level of lighting to the proximity of pedestrians. The water features ebb and flow based on the intensity of ground temperatures. The promenades lure pedestrians into the shopping and leisure facilities. Similarly, the public are seduced into the Plaza during cooler night hours and cooler months of the year.

Source: m i l i m e t d e s i g n

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