Make your own biodiesel fuel and save a bundle. (Photo Credit: CC BY-ND/Chemistryland)

Gasoline prices are out of control, prompting more consumers to consider alternative fuels. For diesel vehicle owners, biodiesel is an environmentally conscious option that costs less than $1 per gallon. Biodiesel fuel can even be made at home. While there are pros and cons to the process, it’s hard to deny that running a diesel vehicle on biofuel is cheaper in the long run than gasoline.

Biodiesel requires a diesel car and production kit

Your vehicle must have a diesel engine in order to take advantage of biodiesel fuel, and you’ll need some equipment to make biodiesel. Bankrate writes that several companies offer do-it-yourself biodiesel kits, ranging in price from $400 to $5,000, depending upon the quantity of biodiesel you want to produce, pump and store at one time. Thankfully, the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit can make up for up to 30 percent of the cost of making biodiesel fuel at your primary residence. Remember that for your 2011 taxes.

Putting the bio in biodiesel

The time required to make the fuel can be as little as a few hours, depending upon the production kit used. The big question is what suitable organic substance you’ll use to make biodiesel fuel. Soybean oil is most commonly used in the U.S., although any old yellow grease taken from cooking oil will work. Get friendly with your local greasy spoon restaurants and they may let you haul away their grease for free.

The only caveat to this path is that restaurant grease may be too dirty to produce the highest-functioning biodiesel fuel. Impure biodiesel can also expose your gas tank to bacteria, mold and fungus and can end up costing thousands of dollars to repair. The more expensive production kits filter out impurities, but of course you have to pay more for the most efficient kits. The purest biodiesel is B100 or B99. That means the fuel is 100 or 99 percent biodiesel, with the rest being petroleum diesel, says Bankrate. However, an 80/20 mix may be less likely to clog your fuel injectors if you live in a colder climate. Consult with your automaker if you’re unsure of which mix to use.

Cost on percentage

How much you save using biodiesel fuel instead of standard petroleum diesel depends in part upon the mix. If you’re able to obtain free soybean or cooking grease, production costs should ideally average out to about 70 cents per gallon for the other required ingredients specified by your production kit. As stated above, equipment will cost extra. But it beats living with high gasoline prices.

Sources

Bankrate.com

How Stuff Works

Journey to Forever

More on making biodiesel fuel

Rising construction costs, plus the potential cost of a nuclear accident make clean energy alternatives more attractive to investors. Image: CC The G-tastic 7/Flickr

Before the Fukushima disaster, nuclear power appeared on the verge of a comeback. But in the aftermath of the Japan earthquake and tsunami, nuclear reactors worldwide have been shut down and construction of nuclear plants has been put on hold. Expensive new safety measures that may be required as a result of the Fukushima disaster could make the cost of nuclear power prohibitive to investors as a primary energy source in the future.

The financial truth about nuclear power

Increasing the use of nuclear power as a clean, reliable source of energy won the support of 62 percent of the public in a 2010 Gallup poll. The Obama administration announced plans to provide $54.2 billion in loan guarantees for the construction of nuclear power plants. But even before the Fukushima disaster, it was doubtful that new nuclear reactors would be under construction in the U.S. anytime soon, according to Mark Cooper of the Vermont Law School’s Institute for Energy and the Environment. In a presentation before the House of Commons in Ottawa, Canada, Cooper said the U.S. nuclear industry was a bubble about to burst. The bubble began to inflate in 2001 when the Bush administration started heavily promoting nuclear energy with billions in loan guarantees. By 2008 it became evident that the nuclear industry couldn’t deliver on costs. The recession, cheap natural gas and growing sources for clean energy alternatives effectively finished it off.

The rising cost of nuclear power

In the wake of the Fukushima disaster, building new reactors could become even more cost prohibitive. After the 1979 Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania, construction costs for nuclear reactors rose 95 percent, according to Cooper’s research. As a result, households paid 40 percent more for electricity. After the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine, construction costs rose another 89 percent, and electricity costs were 42 percent higher. Construction costs for nuclear reactors skyrocketed because of design changes required to address safety concerns. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has already assembled a task force to investigate the design changes required for planned nuclear plants in the U.S., based on lessons learned from Fukushima.

An unacceptable risk to investors

Going forward from Fukushima, investors will view clean energy alternatives such as natural gas, wind and solar as more attractive than nuclear plants. Utilities may also pass on assuming the risk of nuclear plants. Financially, nuclear energy is no longer a cheap alternative to other sources of energy. Before taking into account the cleanup costs of a nuclear accident, onshore wind farms, for example, are up to 35 percent cheaper than nuclear plants. In the future, alternative sources will become increasingly capable of helping meet the world’s energy needs without the financial and ecological costs of nuclear power. For savvy investors, clean energy alternatives promise more lucrative opportunities.

Sources

Reuters

Fast Company

The National

The sun will rise an hour earlier on March 13, 2011, but a study in Indiana found that daylight saving time increased energy costs. Image: CC Christine Matthews/Geograph

Daylight saving time 2011 begins Sunday, March 13. It will be the fifth year since Congress changed daylight saving time in the U.S. from the first Sunday in April to the second Sunday in March. The change was mandated by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, but extending daylight saving time has not proven to save energy.

Daylight saving time: winners and losers

Daylight saving time 2011 moves clocks forward one hour at 2 a.m. on March 13 everywhere in the U.S. except Arizona and Hawaii. Saving energy has been the rationale for daylight saving time since it was first implemented by Germany in World War I to save coal. In theory, extending daylight hours with daylight saving time saves energy by reducing the need for electric lighting. However, it has been argued that manipulating clocks to save energy is the equivalent of extending the length of a rope by cutting off one end and attaching it to the other. Daylight saving time is controversial because it benefits industries in retail and outdoor recreation, yet causes difficulties for such industries as farming and entertainment.

Energy saving benefits called into question

To promote energy savings, a provision in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended the period of daylight saving time by four weeks. The change amended the Uniform Time Act of 1966, and the earlier “spring forward” time was first enacted on March 11, 2007. Authors of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 claimed that extending daylight saving time would add up to a total energy savings in the U.S. of up to 1 percent. However, a study in Indiana after that state put all counties on daylight saving time in 2006 found a net decrease in energy savings. Converting the entire state to daylight saving time cost Indiana households an extra $8.6 million in utility bills due to higher heating costs in the morning and and higher air conditioning costs in the afternoon.

Daylight saving time pros and cons

Daylight saving time hasn’t been proven to save energy, but research has noted an increase of heart attacks during the first week of daylight saving time, attributed to sleep deprivation. On the positive side, research has found that daylight saving time reduces fatal car crashes and vehicle collisions with pedestrians.

Sources

U.S. News and World Report

Wall Street Journal

Wikipedia

Congressional committees are looking into government loan guarantees for solar energy companies. Image: Flickr / maleny_steve / CC-BY-SA

For the last two years, the Department of Energy has been offering a financial helping hand to clean-energy companies. Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the DOE guaranteed billions of dollars in loans. Some of those companies did not grow as expected, and Congress is now questioning the decisions of the DOE.

Clean energy loans

The Department of Energy has been selecting various clean-energy projects to support through loan guarantees. Rather than directly giving the projects loans, the DOE has been providing federal guarantees for bad credit loans to these companies. These agreements basically say that if the company goes under or cannot repay their loan obligations, the government will make sure the lender receives payment. These clean energy loans went to a variety of projects, including solar power in Reno, Nevada, and Solyndra Inc. in California.

Solyndra Inc investigated by Congress

One of these clean-energy bad credit loan guarantees did not go as the DOE planned. The DOE promised about $500 million in guarantee money to help Solyndra Inc. secure financing for expansion into a second plant and hiring of about 1,000 additional workers. Solyndra also planned on making an initial public offering within a few months of the loan going through to help raise capital to pay back the loan. After an auditor warned that company did not have the revenue necessary to support the IPO and revenue did not outpace costs, however, Solyndra had to roll back its plans for expansion. The company has not closed, and the government has not yet been asked to pay back any of the $500 million loan guarantee. However, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) has opened an investigation into the guarantee.

Wider investigation into stimulus money

The investigation into Solyndra Inc. is just the first in what the House Energy and Commerce committee expects to be a larger investigation into clean energy loans. Proponents of green-energy support from the government are pointing out that not every company that gets a loan guarantee can do well, just as every company that gets a traditional loan may not succeed. Opponents say that even though the government hasn’t yet had to put out any money, it should not be in the business of guaranteeing loans for green energy projects.

Sources

Reuters
The Hill

The 130-year old oak trees at Toomer's Corner have been deliberately poisoned. Image: Flickr / booleansplit / CC-BY

Auburn University’s Toomer’s Corner has long been the location of celebration for the school. The Auburn trees were poisoned by a vandal, however. The Toomer’s corner tree poisoning arrest has been made, but even Dow Chemical isn’t sure it can save the giant, 130-year-old oak trees.

Auburn trees poisoned

Toomer’s corner on the Auburn campus is a grove of 130-year-old oak trees that serves as the center of many celebrations. After the Auburn football team wins, it is tradition to cover the trees with toilet paper. After the Iron Bowl, a game Auburn won, a national radio show received a disturbing phone call. A man said he had poisoned the Auburn trees with 80DF, also known as tebuthiuron. The caller claimed he had done this because he did not approve of the Auburn students celebrating.

Toomer’s corner tree poisoning arrest made

The day after the Paul Finebaum Show aired the call claiming that the Auburn trees were poisoned, police began investigating. This morning, Harvey Almorn Updyke was arrested and held on $50,000 bond on a charge of criminal mischief. During the call-in show, the caller had identified himself as “Al from Dadeville.” If Updyke is convicted of the Auburn tree poisoning he could be facing between one and 10 years in prison and fines for his “prank.”

Dow chemical trying to help Toomer’s corner trees

The chemical used to poison the Toomer’s Corner oak trees was a Dow Chemical product. The herbicide is “very lethal” at .78 parts per million, and university labs found up to 65 times that amount in the soil around the trees. Trenches are being dug around the trees for activated charcoal to be placed in the soil, and Dow Chemical is trying to find ways to protect other plants in the park. The likelihood that the poisoned Auburn trees will be saved, however, is unfortunately low.

Sources

WSFA
Bleacher Report

Sure, solar flare 2011 may be shutting down communications across the world, but the Northern Lights are especially pretty. Image: Flickr / erlendaa / CC-BY-ND

The sun may be 93 million miles away, but when it has a bad day, Earth feels it. The first major 2011 solar flare storm is wreaking havoc across the world. Power grids, cell phone communications and GPS satellites are all at the mercy of this X-class solar flare.

The solar storm in 2011

The weather on the sun can get violent. On Feb. 13, 2011, there was a geomagnetic event — otherwise known as a solar storm — on sunspot 1158. The storm caused the magnetic fields around the sun to twist up so tightly that they snapped. This “snap” happened Feb. 14, when this storm caused the sun to release an X-class solar flare. X-class flares are the most powerful solar flares and contain radiation that covers most of the electromagnetic spectrum from radio waves to gamma rays. The wave of radiation, called a coronal mass ejection (CME) cloud, started hitting Earth on Feb. 15. This first solar flare of 2011, NASA estimates, will bathe the Earth in electromagnetic radiation for a week or more.

Problems caused by 2011 solar flare

As Washington state astronomy expert Jaspenelle Stewart explains, the electromagnetic waves from the solar flare travel through space at close to the speed of light and increase the ionization — the electrical charge — in the atmosphere. Any technology that relies on electricity or radio waves can be affected by this X-class solar flare. In China, short-wave radio communications have already been heavily affected. NASA and the U.S. National Weather Service estimate that this solar flare could interfere with navigation systems, including GPS. The solar storm 2011 will also interfere with satellites and even power grids. Very few power grids in the world are shielded from such an event; the only real protection is shutting down the generators.

Solar flare 2011 Northern Lights

The extra-heavy charge in the atmosphere does come with a small bright side. While anything electromagnetic is freaking out on the planet’s surface, the aurora borealis fill the sky. Better known as the Northern Lights, this X-class solar flare in 2011 is causing the Northern Lights to light up the sky across most of North America. Your best bet for watching the Northern Lights during the first 2011 solar storm is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., away from city lights, Thursday night and Friday.

Sources

Universe Today
Solar Dynamics Observatory at NASA

The National Academy of Sciences has found some flaws in the FBI's investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks. Image of anthrax infection from Wikimedia Commons.

Scientists and investigators have been unable to determine the source of the anthrax used in the 2001 anthrax attacks. The anthrax spores used in the attacks are similar to a strain grown in the laboratory of Bruce Ivins but not completely identical. Ivins committed suicide before he could be prosecuted.

National Academy of Sciences contradicts FBI anthrax findings

Though the official investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks is functionally over, the National Academy of Sciences has just released a report that calls findings of the Federal Bureau of Investigation into question, according to USA Today. The National Research Council conducted its own review of the FBI investigation and found some disparities that existed between what the FBI and the review panel concluded. In the initial investigation, some genetic similarities were discovered between the spores of anthrax used in the attacks and those at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Disease in a flask belonging to Dr. Bruce Ivins, a microbiologist who worked for the Army. However, the NAS concluded that despite similarities, it was not confirmed that the strain cultivated by Dr. Ivins was the same as the strain used.

Ivins not cleared

The National Academy of Sciences report did not address whether Dr. Ivins was the culprit and dealt only with the science, according to the New York Times. The NAS did conclude that the similarities were “consistent with and supports” the two strains being related. However, the panel took the FBI to task for failing to use newer and more accurate methods to identify the strain of anthrax. Dr. Bruce Ivins committed suicide in 2008 before he could be prosecuted, and the FBI closed its case.

Anthrax attacks remain a mystery

The investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks led to the founding of the new science of microbial forensics — tracing the origins of infectious agents. The report also applauds the use of vigorous scientific techniques by the FBI, according to the Washington Post. The anthrax attacks of 2001 killed five people and sickened 17 with Bacillus Anthracis spores, which causes the dangerous and often fatal disease anthrax.

Sources

USA Today

New York Times

Washington Post

A new study purports that pot causes mental illness symptoms to come on far sooner than in patients who don't use marijuana. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

New research has found a link between a greater likelihood of mental illness and using marijuana. A review of more than 80 studies found that pot use was linked to mental illness such as schizophrenia or other psychosis developing faster in patients prone to mental illnesses. It appears a new generation of “Reefer Madness” has emerged.

Marijuana users develop mental illness faster

Emerging research has found a link between marijuana use and faster onset mental illness for individuals predisposed to developing mental illness, according to WebMD. The study will be published in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, a psychiatric science journal. The research was compiled by a team of researchers led by Dr. Matthew Large from the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, Australia. Data from 83 individual studies involving more than 8,000 individuals were reviewed, and it was discovered that pot use was linked to an earlier emergence of mental health disorders, especially schizophrenia.

Marijuana and other drug use

The link suggested by the research is that people at risk for developing mental illness such as schizophrenia can develop symptoms earlier if they use marijuana. Subjects in the study that were marijuana users developed schizophrenia symptoms 2.7 years earlier than those who did not. People who used multiple substances, including marijuana, cocaine and other drugs, developed symptoms of mental illness two years earlier than those who did not use drugs. Alcohol was not found to accelerate the onset of symptoms of mental illness by itself, according to Time. Tobacco use is noted in the study as not having sufficient evidence to find any affect on mental illness.

Study warns those at risk of mental illness should not use drugs

It has been suggested many times that people at risk for mental illness should not use psychoactive substances. There has been more than one study suggesting a link between schizophrenia and other forms of psychosis and marijuana use. However, no link has ever been found suggesting that marijuana use causes schizophrenia, only that those at risk can have their symptoms made worse or brought about earlier by using marijuana.

Sources

WebMD

TIME

Archives of General Psychiatry (PDF – Requires Adobe Reader)

Shark attacks increased 25 percent worldwide, but the recession and BP oil spill may account for a reduction of shark attacks in Florida. Image: CC Jeff Kubina/Flickr

Shark attacks increased worldwide, according to an annual shark attack report released Monday. The trend reversed in Florida, which leads the U.S. in shark attacks, but recorded a decline in 2010. A recent shark study showing sharks are colorblind suggests that traditional black wet suits may increase the likelihood of a shark attack.

International shark attack statistics

The International Shark Attack File, an annual report compiled by the University of Florida, recorded 79 shark attacks in 2010, the most since 80 were documented in 1980. Six shark attacks were fatal. The latest total is a 25 percent increase from 63 shark attacks worldwide in 2009. The U.S. was the world leader in shark attacks with 36, considered an average year. Australia, a country famous for sharks, was runner up with 14. South Africa had eight, Vietnam and Egypt had six. In Egypt, four of five of the shark attacks happened in five days. The report attributed the Egypt attacks to an abnormally hot summer, a passing cargo ship that dumped dead sheep overboard and recreational divers feeding reef fishes and sharks.

Florida sees drop in shark attacks

Florida, normally the worldwide capital of shark attacks, showed a decline for the fourth straight year. Florida lead the U.S. in shark attacks with 13, but the 10-year Florida shark attack average is 23. Other states listed in the Shark Attack File include North Carolina (5), California (4), Hawaii (4) and South Carolina (4). Georgia, Maine, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington had one shark attack. The recession and the BP oil spill, which reduced the number of tourists coming to Florida, may have been a factor in Florida’s relatively low number of shark attacks in 2010.

Preventing shark attacks

Surfers accounted for more than half of the shark attack cases in 2010. A recent study showing that sharks are colorblind suggests ways to protect them. Sharks see in shades of gray and wet suits and surfboards with a lower visual contrast may be less attractive. Most sharks, rather than going after a meal, are thought to be merely curious when they attack. The black wetsuits often worn by surfers offer a high contrast sharks will notice. Sharks have also shown an attraction to yellow, which has been nicknamed “yum, yum yellow by the U.S. Navy. Blue or green wet suits with a lower contrast could prevent shark attacks.

Sources

MSNBC

Gainsville Sun

Los Angeles Times

Oysters may show up on your plate, but many oysters are extinct. Image: Flickr / of_guido / CC-BY-SA

The scientific journal BioScience released a scary finding this week: Oysters may be extinct. This declaration of extinct oysters has many worried. Oysters can be farmed, but wild oyster beds play an important part in their ecosystems.

Oysters extinct in many areas

Oyster reefs, the areas of the ocean where oysters tend to congregate and grow, used to fill many ocean bays. Many areas where oysters used to grow are now practically empty of oysters, leading BioScience to declare that oysters are functionally extinct. Of the remaining oysters, 75 percent are found in just five North American locations. Only the Gulf of Mexico has a healthy oyster population, and many oysters there died when the BP oil spill forced actions that reduced the salinity of the water.

Oysters extinct in the wild

Oysters, like many other sea-based foods, used to be a cheap source of protein. Over-harvesting has led to much of the extinct oyster areas, however, making them much more expensive. That does not, however, mean that demand has gone down. Oysters are extinct in many areas because wild oysters are easy to make money from and have therefore been over-harvested. Oysters are eaten by gulls, starfish, stingrays, crabs and many other ocean-based life forms.

Farmed oysters not extinct

In many areas, wild oysters are facing extinction, but farmed oysters are not. Oyster farming is a relatively ecologically neutral process that does not produce nearly the environmental effects of growing protein-based food sources on land. However, many oyster farms face disease and expensive start-up costs. Oyster farms can also spread disease to wild oyster populations. Aquaculture, however, appears to be the only solution that will allow humans to continue eating oysters without causing even deeper wild oyster extinction.

Sources

USC News
NY Times

Cyclone Yasi, pictured here, is expected to cost more than $2 billion in damages in Australia. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Australia was nearly paralyzed as Cyclone Yasi slammed into the northeast coast of Queensland recently. The Category Five storm devastated coastal areas of Queensland, already heavily damaged from heavy flooding. The damage from Cyclone Yasi is expected to be more than $2 billion.

Agricultural areas decimated by Cyclone Yasi

Just after the Australian state of Queensland had experienced the worst flooding in a century, Cyclone Yasi slammed into the region. The cyclone strengthened from a Category Four to a Category Five just before making landfall. Initially the size of Hurricane Katrina, the storm grew to nearly the size of the United States, according to the Christian Science Monitor. Queensland is one of the chief agricultural areas in Australia, and damage is thought to be near catastrophic. The agricultural losses are already thought to be at least $1 billion, with another billion in damaged property. An estimated 30 percent of the sugar cane crop in Australia is expected to be lost, which could cost as much as $500 million. The Australian banana crop has also been severely affected, with 75 percent thought to be lost.

World food prices skyrocket

As news of the pending cyclone and possible loss of crops spread, world food prices began to rise, according to Reuters. Losses of banana and sugar cane crops in Australia, combined with loss of wheat from the Midwest snow storms in the U.S. are likely to send the price of bread, sugar and bananas sky high. American wheat prices already have begun rising in the wake of the winter storm, which has been nicknamed “Stormageddon.” Nearly half of the United States is covered in snow and ice, with freezing temperatures setting in after the snow storm.

Heavy damage from La Nina

Weather this year has been chiefly attributed to the weather pattern known as “La Niña,” according to The Telegraph. The phenomenon results in lower ocean surface temperatures and atmospheric pressure, which is the opposite effect that an El Niño has. Results of La Niña periods are often wetter, colder winters in the United States and Canada along with milder summers. In the southern hemisphere, the rainy season usually has heavier rainfall and stronger cyclones.

Sources

Christian Science Monitor

Reuters

The Telegraph

Cutting out plastic in February means using metal, ceramic and glass instead. Image: Flickr / habeebclicks / CC-BY-ND

During the month of February, one group is issuing a challenge. Plastic Free in February is a challenge to go one month without the material. So far 18 bloggers are a part of the official movement, but hundreds are participating.

Plastic free in February challenge

Rodale is a blog that focuses on environmentalism and health. For February, the blog has enlisted the help of more than a dozen bloggers for the Plastic Free in February challenge. Everyone taking on the challenge agrees to three conditions. One, no buying or acquiring new plastic. Two, no cooking with or storing any food in plastic containers. Three, minimize all other plastic use as much as possible. It’s a basic challenge, but it is also a very difficult challenge because plastic is everywhere.

Why go plastic free in February?

Rodale has instituted the Plastic Free in February challenge to help reduce use of and bring attention to the downsides of plastic. Plastic is a petroleum product that requires toxic chemicals to process and manufacture. Often, plastic packaging and containers are thrown away after they are used. The plastic usually ends up in a landfill, where it does not break down. Some plastic also ends up in waterways and as litter that also does not break down completely. That half-broken down plastic can leach chemicals into groundwater and end up in drinking water.

Plastic Free in February challenge

Bloggers who are participating in the Plastic Free in February challenge are already trading tips on how to meet the goal. Fabric shopping and storage bags, glass cooking utensils and ceramic dishes are all suggested. Many are saying that they may end up eating many more whole foods or vegan-style dishes in because of the packaging processed foods and meats usually come in.

Source

Rodale

Drinking water -- bottled or tap -- is regulated by a wide variety of agencies. The EPA is regulating 17 new chemicals in 2011. Image: Flickr / brimelow / CC-BY

This morning, an announcement was made that EPA drinking water standards are getting an update to address rocket fuel tap water. This reverses a 2008 edict of the Bush administration disallowing these new regulations. Perchlorate and 16 other volatile organic compounds will be included in new regulations.

EPA drinking water standards

The Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for setting standards of allowable contaminants in drinking water. Almost all drinking water contains something other than pure hydrogen dioxide — minerals, dissolved solids and thousands of chemicals can be in water. The EPA regulates how much of a wide variety of chemicals and bacterial contaminants can be in water before further purification steps have to be taken.

The EPA drinking water standards for perchlorate

Perchlorate is a naturally occurring chemical, but it can also be manufactured for use in rocket fuel, bleach, fertilizers and fireworks. Perchlorate is not directly dangerous to human health, but may affect iodine uptake in the thyroid. A lack of iodine can lead to clinical depression, neurological disorders, preterm births and obesity. Several states already limit perchlorate, but up to 4 percent of municipal water, consumed by about 17 million people, could have heavy perchlorate contamination. That means about 4 percent of municipal taps are pouring out rocket fuel tap water.

EPA drinking water standards for VOC compounds

The new 2011 EPA regulations for drinking water contain limits on more than just perchlorate. Volatile organic compounds, otherwise known as VOC compounds, are also going to be regulated. A total of 17 individual chemicals, including perchlorate, will have new limits set. Volatile organic compounds are usually found in industrial manufacturing and solvents and can have a wide variety of detrimental effects. In general, VOC compounds are considered dangerous. The new EPA regulations are set to take effect this year.

Sources

CNN
Wikipedia – Thyroid Horomones

A recent study found a link between clowns and IVF success, or successful planting of an embryo through in-vitro fertilization. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

A recent study has found a link between clowns and IVF success, or a successful in-vitro fertilization. The study found that women undergoing IVF treatment were more likely to become pregnant if visited by a “medical clown” because the clowns reduce stress.

Link discovered between clowns and IVF success

A link was recently found between clowns and IVF treatment success during a study done at a research hospital in Israel, according to Reuters. Results of the study indicated that women undergoing in-vitro fertilization treatments had a higher rate of success and becoming pregnant when they were visited by a “medical clown” while recovering from an implantation procedure. The head of the study, Dr. Shevach Friedler, got the idea after reading about the positive effects of laughter as a natural stress reducer. To see if a reduced-stress environment after embryo implantation would increase the chances of successfully implanting a embryo, Dr. Friedler’s team at Harofeh Medical Center arranged for some patients to be visited by a clown in the recovery room.

Study was not just clowning around

Laughter, apparently seemed the best medicine. A greater percentage of women who received the “clown treatment” successfully became pregnant than those who went without a visit from a clown. The study was done using a total of 209 women that were undergoing in-vitro fertilization. Of those 209 women, the clown group had in-vitro fertilization success rates of 36 percent. The women who did not receive the clown treatment had a success rate of only 20 percent. The study is being published in “Fertility and Sterility,” a reproduction science medical journal. There is an actual medical clown college degree at the University of Haifa, in Israel, as clowns do help reduce stress among patients.

Clown may eventually cost extra

In-vitro fertilization is expensive, somewhat dangerous and does not always work. According to WebMD, the procedure results in a pregnancy in 32 percent of all cases, but only 25.6 percent of treatments resulted in a live birth. Success rates also vary by age group and wide range of factors. The average course of treatment costs $12,400 and is usually the last resort after artificial insemination and natural options have been exhausted.

Sources

Reuters

WebMD

Cyclone Yasi, a storm the size of Hurricane Katrina, is about to slam into Queensland, Australia. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

The northeast coast of Australia is bracing for the landfall of Cyclone Yasi. Yasi is a tropical storm heading for the already battered state of Queensland, which recently experienced some of the worst flooding on record. The storm has roughly the same force as Hurricane Katrina.

Cyclone Yasi about to batter coast of Queensland

The state of Queensland, which comprises the northeast corner of Australia, is bracing for flooding and rain in anticipation of the impact of Tropical Cyclone Yasi, according to The Telegraph. The storm will be making landfall sometime by Wednesday, Feb. 2, and bring with it winds of 175 miles per hour and deadly flash flooding. The area that could be affected by the storm is roughly the size of England, Scotland and Wales combined. The storm was recently upgraded to a Category Four storm and is so large that the it could take more than an hour for the eye of the storm to pass overhead. The last cyclone of similar size was Cyclone Larry in 1996, which caused more than $1.5 billion in damage.

Storm the size of Hurricane Katrina

The cyclone is roughly the size of Hurricane Katrina, which battered the Gulf Coast of the United States and wreaked havoc in the city of New Orleans in 2005. Yasi is almost 300 miles wide and could affect an area larger than 400 miles across and up to 600 miles inland from the Queensland coast, according to Reuters. Industrial centers, mines and schools have been closed. More than 9,000 people have been evacuated. Anna Bligh, the Premier of Queensland, has described the storm as “life threatening.” The storm is also expected to devastate the sugar cane and banana crops of Innisfail, a major agricultural center. Australia is currently the third largest exporter of sugar cane in the world.

Queensland still recovering from flooding

The state of Queensland is still recovering from December flooding that killed 35 people and left almost two-thirds of the area waterlogged. Those floods have already caused more than $5 billion in damage, according to the Christian Science Monitor, and were exacerbated by Tropical Cyclone Tasha, which came along with a far wetter than normal monsoon season that caused severe flash flooding throughout the state of Queensland.

Sources

The Telegraph

Reuters

Christian Science Monitor

Blizzard conditions are expected in the Midwest, as a massive winter storm system is threatening the region. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

A massive winter storm system is currently threatening the Midwest region. The city of Chicago could receive the worst of the storm with more than a foot of snow, and wind gusts of 50 miles per hour or more are anticipated. Whiteout conditions are possible.

Massive storm system bearing down on Midwest

The Midwest region is being threatened by a massive winter storm system that will bring blizzard conditions that could lead to near zero visibility and frigid conditions, according to Reuters. The storm system is developing over the eastern Rocky Mountains and will move over parts of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Heavy snowfall is anticipated in the lower areas of the Midwest, along with strong gusts of wind. The storm will bring sleet and ice, and thunderstorms and tornadoes are possible.

Chicago could receive brunt

The worst effects of the storm may hit the city of Chicago, according to the Chicago Sun Times. Chicago may receive more than 20 inches of snow and wind gusts of 40 to 50 miles per hour, which officials have described as “life threatening.” A blizzard warning is in effect for areas of northern and western Illinois and bordering areas of Indiana. Lake Michigan could potentially flood in Lake and Cook counties as a result of snowfall into the lake. At least 8 inches of snow is anticipated by Tuesday morning. The most recent storm of a similar potential magnitude was recorded in 1999 by the National Weather Service, when 19 inches of snow fell in the Chicago area.

Punxsutawney Phil could see nothing but white

It is possible that Punxsutawney Phil and Staten Island Chuck will see nothing but white, as the storm is expected to move to the East Coast after going through the Midwest. The storm will move from the Upper Midwest to the New England area by Wednesday, according to MSNBC. It should be arriving in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey close to Groundhog Day.

Sources

Reuters

Chicago Sun Times

MSNBC

Some wonder whether Earth will someday have two suns. Photo by NASA

There is yet another rumor floating around about the year 2012. This time, the rumor is that the Earth will have two suns thanks to a supernova. Betelgeuse, a large star more than 600 light years away, is starting to die out and will supernova when it does. However, because of its distance, Earth will only see a brighter star.

Possibility of Earth having two suns

The Daily Mail explains that there is a rumor that Earth will have two suns and 24 hours of daylight every day for two weeks. Signs of a supernova are being seen in a star in the Orion constellation. The star, called Betelgeuse (pronounced beetle juice) is a red super-giant and is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Australian astrophysicist Brad Carter, of the University of Southern Queensland, said in a recent interview that it could go supernova sometime in the near future, and the year 2012 got involved somehow.

Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse

If our sun were replaced with Betelgeuse, it would take up so much room that Jupiter would be close to its surface. Similar stars have too much mass and energy to simply blink out of existence and typically become supernova. Because of the mass and gravity involved, the core of a star in supernova will create a black hole with a perpetual state of collapse. CBS reports that there probably won’t be much of a chance that Earth will see Betelgeuse’s light when it goes supernova because it is 640 light years away.

It is all about 2012 now

Many are worried about 2012 because the Mayan Calendar ends that year. However, no serious Mayan scholars give any credence to the idea that the world will end in 2012. Betelgeuse can’t cause the end of the world in 2012 because a supernova 640 light years away won’t have any effect on Earth.

Sources

Daily Mail on twin suns

CBS News

A national clean energy policy would expand the market and make clean energy in the U.S. a more reliable long-term investment. Image: CC Iain Thompson/Geograph

Clean energy was a major theme of President Obama’s State of the Union address. In his speech the President proposed a clean energy goal of 80 percent of electricity in the U.S. by 2035.  But while Republicans talk about simply drilling for more oil, China’s national clean energy policy has been attracting twice the world’s investment in clean energy as patchwork U.S. efforts.

A comprehensive clean energy policy

The clean energy position outlined in the State of the Union address included solar and wind power, as well as clean coal and natural gas. The President made it clear that oil should not a part of any national clean energy policy. In fact, in the current political environment that holds federal spending in contempt, Obama proposed paying for government investment in clean energy by cutting off billions of dollars in oil company subsidies. According to the Center for American Progress, cutting off oil company subsidies would save the federal government $45 billion over 10 years.  Exxon alone exceeded that figure in 2009 profits.

Global investment in clean energy

Investment in clean energy worldwide has grown 230 percent since 2005, according to the Pew Environment Group Climate and Energy Program. Global investment in clean energy totaled $162 billion in 2009. China attracted $34.6 billion of that money. The U.S. attracted $18.6 billion. When the numbers come in for 2010, analysts expect worldwide investment in clean energy will have grown 25 percent to $200 billion. China’s percentage of the pie is also expected to increase. Countries like China and India have taken the lead in clean energy with national policies designed to reduce carbon emissions and provide clean energy incentives for businesses.

The payoff for a national clean energy policy

The President’s call for a national clean energy policy that includes nuclear power, clean coal and natural gas was a bipartisan gesture made to garner enough votes in Congress to move forward. Republicans dismissed Obama’s clean energy theme and chose to criticize him for the 2010 drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico. While the GOP fights to block a national clean energy policy on behalf of oil companies, 30 states currently require utilities to increase the power purchased from clean energy sources. Experts at the Pew group said a national standard would expand the clean energy market, level the playing field and make clean energy in the U.S. a more reliable long-term investment.

Sources

ABC News

CNET

Politco

Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion became necessary in the 1960s after most of the world converted to Celsius as the U.S. stood pat. Image: CC Hugh Chevallier/Creative Commons

Fahrenheit to Celsius temperature conversion is required for the rest of the world to comprehend temperature in the U.S., unless the thermometer hits 40 below zero. At 40 below zero, the Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales converge for one brief degree. On Jan. 21 the temperature at International Falls, Minn., fell well below the Fahrenheit to Celsius temperature convergence to minus 46, or minus 43 Celsius.

Fahrenheit to Celsius: bitter cold just the same

Fahrenheit to Celsius temperature conversion tables and tools are readily available on the Internet. But sometimes it gets so cold that temperature becomes as relevant as a one-sided blowout in a football game. “The Nation’s Icebox” is the claim to fame for International Falls, which hit the lowest temperature there since people started keeping track in 1897. The National Weather Service issued wind chill warnings from Maine through parts of New York and Pennsylvania and into Michigan. Wind chill warnings are issued when the combination of wind and temperature on bare skin makes it feel like minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-32 Celsius).

How Fahrenheit created his scale

Fahrenheit to Celsius temperature conversion became necessary in the 1960s. Until then, Fahrenheit was the standard temperature scale for the English-speaking world and many other countries. The Fahrenheit scale was created by German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit in 1724. In experiments he determined zero by placing a thermometer in chilled brine. By putting the thermometer in someones mouth, he determined 100 degrees. Other scientists noticed that the freezing point of 32 degrees and boiling point of water at 212 degrees were about 180 degrees apart. They tweaked the Fahrenheit scale to make the difference exactly 180 degrees, which made human body temperature 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 Celsius).

Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion formula

The Celsius scale is named after a Swedish astronomer who created it in 1742. Celsius originally set the boiling point of water at 0 degrees and the freezing point at 100 degrees. By 1744 the Celsius scale was reversed to match temperature values with human perception. For most of the world today, water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees. A degree of Fahrenheit is equal to 5/9 of a degree Celsius. Before simply typing in the numbers on the Internet, Fahrenheit to Celsius temperature conversion required a mathematical formula: (F -  32) x 5/9 = C. for example, (98.6 F – 32) x 5/9 = 37 C.

Sources

AFP

Bloomberg

Alternative Energy Blog

Wikipedia

Betelgeuse, a star in the constellation Orion, will eventually go nova and some think it will trigger the Mayan apocalypse. Image: Wikemedia Commons

A myth has been circulating for years that the world will end in 2012 because the Mayan calendar says so. An Australian news site added another appendage to the 2012 myth with a story that the star Betelgeuse could go nova in 2012. Scientists scoff at the notion, because Betelgeuse is more than 600 light years away.

Betelgeuse is about to explode, maybe

According to News.com.au, Betelgeuse is about to go nova, perhaps in 2012. When it does, the blast will be as bright as a second sun. Apparently this is the omen that believers in the Mayan apocalypse have been looking for. Betelgeuse, a red giant star in the constellation Orion, is indeed hinting that it may explode one day. The star is losing mass, which means the burning fuel in its core that supports its immense size is burning out. when that happens, Betelgeuse will collapse in on itself, explode and voila, supernova.

No hope for a Betelgeuse tan

When Betelgeuse goes nova, the blast would flash tens of millions of times brighter than the sun. However, Betelgeuse is more than 640 light years away. At that distance the supernova would not match the brightness of the full moon, but it would be brighter than Venus. The light would cast a shadow, but no one is going to get a Betelgeuse tan. A supernova would have to be within 25 light years of Earth to have an impact. Betelgeuse would have to be even closer than that to trigger Armageddon. About all we can expect is a shower of neutrinos, harmless cosmic particles that are constantly passing through our bodies and the Earth to no effect.

Betelgeuse supernova one heck of a show

The Mayan calendar allegedly predicts the end of the world in 2012, but the odds of Betelgeuse exploding next year are slim. Astronomers say it could be anywhere from 100,000 years to a million years or more. It’s impossible to know for sure. Perhaps Betelgeuse has already gone nova and we don’t know it yet. For a Betelgeuse supernova in 2012, it would have exploded in the fifth century. But when the light finally arrives, everyone on Earth will be able to see. Betelgeuse holds a position in the sky that is visible just about everywhere but the south pole. It should be a good show.

Sources

Fox News

TIME

CBS News