Solar aviation is still in its infancy, but it’s getting better all the time. We might never see big passenger airplanes being solar powered, but there’s all kinds of other cool stuff that can be done with this technology. A good example is what Titan Aerospace is doing with its high-altitude solar-powered unmanned plane. As Spectrum writes: “The Solara is… Read More
Growers in colder climates often utilize various approaches to extend the growing season or to give their crops a boost, whether it’s coldframes, hoop houses or greenhouses. Greenhouses are usually glazed structures, but are typically expensive to construct and heat throughout the winter. A much more affordable and effective alternative to glass greenhouses is the walipini (an Aymara Indian word… Read More
Over the next five years, the U.S. Navy will conduct a series of training exercises in coastal waters throughout the country — and though these are merely ‘war games’ to improve military readiness in the event of a real conflict, the projected casualties are nevertheless staggeringly high. The Navy Times reports that training with live munitions is scheduled to… Read More
(CBSNEWS) Authorities have scooped up around 100,000 kilograms (220,000 pounds) of dead fish they say were poisoned by ammonia from a chemical plant, environmental officials and state media said Wednesday, in a reminder of the pollution plaguing the country. The Hubei province environmental protection department, notified of the piles of dead fish in central China’s… Read More
There is nothing more delightful than having a wild bird land on your hand. It’s unbelievable how light a chickadee is—they feel like a puff of air. And just being so close to a wild bird and having it trust you that much is wonderful! If you’ve never had the opportunity to hand-feed… Read More
A mouse has been given its freedom after it tackled a poisonous snake in a bid to save a fellow rodent at a zoo in China. The two mice were served up as a live dinner for the snake at Hangzhou Zoo in Zhejiang province, eastern China. Keeper Wen Shao said: “We always give… Read More
Indigenous Indonesians could soon win greater control over their traditional lands, following a court ruling revoking governmental administration of forests customarily used by aboriginal groups The country’s constitutional court ruled in May that traditional forests should be controlled directly by rural Indonesians, rather than treated as public forests subject to industrial logging… Read More
The National Institute on Drug Abuse is funding a nearly $2 million study in an attempt to find a link between cannabis consumption, and domestic violence: We have little doubt that it’s going to backfire, and conclude that cannabis reduces violence among partners. For the study, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is granting the University of Buffalo$1.86 million to conduct 4… Read More
The world’s largest solar boat is making London its final port of call on an epic voyage of scientific discovery along the Gulf stream. The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar has 512 square metres of photovoltaic cells made of up 809 solar panels or 29,124 solar cells. The eco-friendly boat is capable of crossing the Atlantic ocean in 22… Read More