Lis Sines of Hermosa Beach loves watching her electric meter run backward.When that happens, she knows that the 20 solar panels on her roof are producing more power than she needs to run her 3,800-square-foot home. The excess electricity flows to the electric company's grid, and she gets its full retail value credited to her utility bill.
Sines' electric bill has plunged since she and her husband, William, installed a photovoltaic system on their roof three months ago. In June the bill totaled just $1.26, compared to about $100 a year earlier.But the Sineses' subsidy may not be available to future solar-power users for long.The state's $3.3-billion solar subsidy program has become so popular that the state utilities are approaching the legal limit for how much power they can buy from customers.
The limit could be reached in parts of northern and central California served by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. by the end of this year. The state's other two investor-owned utilities, Southern California Edison Co. and San Diego Gas & Electric Co., are proceeding somewhat more slowly. Eager to keep the program growing, the solar industry is pushing for approval of legislation in Sacramento that would quadruple the amount allowed. The state's for-profit utilities oppose the higher cap in the bill AB 560 by Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley).A key Senate utilities committee vote on the measure is expected this week. Currently, utilities are limited by state law from buying from its customers more than 2.5% of a utility's maximum generating capacity. Skinner's bill would lift the cap to 10%. All three companies oppose Skinner's bill. They do not want lawmakers to raise the limit until next year at the earliest, after the California Public Utilities Commission tallies up the program's costs and benefits.Utilities say they strongly support solar power but want more information about whether it's fair to further increase financial incentives for solar-panel ownership. Such incentives, they point out, would come at the expense of most of the utilities' other customers, who don't want or can't afford to invest in the costly panels."We want to make sure there isn't an unfair level of cost-shifting," said Jennifer Briscoe, a spokeswoman for San Diego Gas & Electric.Fairness issues were also raised in a report on Skinner's bill by the staff of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee, which will review the bill this week. The report pointed out that California solar-panel owners already benefit from a variety of subsidies approved in recent years -- even without this "net metering" program, which allows people to sell power to the utilities.Solar power users get a state subsidy of about 20% of the purchase and installation cost and a federal income tax credit of 30%. Adding more incentives could be going too far, the committee staff analysis suggested. The staff report also takes issue with the amount of credit that solar users get when they sell power to the utilities. "By compensating the solar or wind customer at the full retail rate" for energy sold to the grid, "the utility is using ratepayer funds to pay the solar or wind customer at a rate well above the value of the generated power, which is about one-third of the total cost of a typical residential customer's bill," it said. The other two-thirds of the bill covers utilities' fixed expenses for building power plants and transmission lines, buying electricity from independent generators and meeting a variety of state mandates, including the cost of subsidizing low-income customers and solar-power system owners.Supporters of solar-power systems say the net metering program and other subsidies are essential. And many would like to see no caps at all. "Without net metering we're not going to see a lot more people" buy expensive solar systems, said Adam Browning, executive director of the Vote Solar Initiative, a San Francisco advocacy group. "If we hit the net metering cap, the California solar industry grinds to a halt."Caps are an impediment to fully developing solar power's potential and its ability to provide clean energy that can be tapped in urban areas, where it is most needed, during peak demand on hot summer afternoons, Browning said. Eighteen states allow net metering without any caps, he noted.The appeal of lower electric bills appears to be persuading more people to go solar. Legislation, approved in 2007 and known as the Million Solar Roofs program, has spurred the production of solar-generated electricity to rise 78%. That's equivalent to the power generated by a modern power plant, the Public Utilities Commission reported last week. Consumer demand continues to grow despite the recession. Applications for state subsidies hit a record high in May, the commission said.The commission's first solar program assessment recommends raising the net metering cap "to prevent a stall in the solar market," and the commission endorses the Skinner bill. One solar booster is Harry Pope, a retired Edison executive who bought a large system for his Long Beach home after the energy crisis of 2000-01. He said he needs the state's incentives to make his investment pay off."I probably put in $30,000 and got half back. Maybe over 15 years I might achieve total payback," he said. Without people like him, Pope said, the state will have to build more power plants. "I'm preventing the utilities from having to build that next-generation power plant . . . the most expensive power plant you ever saw."
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Colorado town's wildfire law called intrusive
Until its trees started dying, the Colorado ski resort town of Breckenridge stayed out of the business of telling residents how to defend their homes against wildfire.But with trees ravaged by a mountain pine beetle epidemic that has left large rust-tinged swaths of forest vulnerable to a catastrophic fire, town officials decided this year they had to act.
Breckenridge, with a population of 3,500, recently passed an ordinance requiring residents to thin vegetation around their homes -- creating "defensible space" in firefighting lingo -- a move authorities say could help stanch a spreading blaze and aid firefighters in protecting homes.But the new law has infuriated many residents, who call it an encroachment on their rights and demand its repeal."This country has always been based on the idea of private property ownership. It's a sacred thing. The town's ordinance pretty well tramples on that," said Ed Nolan, 65, whose home is surrounded by 37 trees that firefighters say should go.
"If cutting these trees saves my life or my wife's life or a firefighter's life, then it's worth it," countered John Quigley, 59, who has hired a crew to thin some of the 185 trees on his land.California long has required residents in wildfire-prone areas to trim vegetation, and Nevada lawmakers recently approved a similar law for homes in the Tahoe Basin, but other Western states have generally skirted such directives, instead employing public education campaigns to coax residents into doing so. In recent years, many Colorado counties began requiring homeowners in new developments to create defensible space before building permits are issued. But there's nothing authorities can do to compel them to maintain the clearance after they receive their permits, said Kevin Klein, director of the Colorado Division of Fire Safety.Breckenridge's tactic could signal a newly aggressive approach, he said, one that other communities may adopt as Colorado grapples with an infestation that has destroyed thousands of acres of trees and that fire officials fear will contribute to a conflagration."It's a pretty dramatic shift from what we've been doing," said Breckenridge Councilman Jeffrey Bergeron.Surrounded by the White River National Forest, Breckenridge for years has focused more on making hillside homes blend in with their environs by encouraging landscaping around homes, Councilman Dave Rossi said.Then came the beetles. When the town passed a law requiring residents to cut down infected trees, Rossi said few residents objected. But fire officials thought such measures weren't enough. Too many homes were surrounded by brush and trees, said Gary Green, chief of the Red, White and Blue Fire District.Some residents regarded the proposal to require defensible space as necessary to protect the community. Relying on volunteers isn't enough, Quigley said. "If you do it and your three adjoining neighbors don't do it, you haven't accomplished anything," he said.But others have objected to the mandate, citing the expense of removing healthy trees and shrubs and lowered property values."I now have trees that protect the master bedroom from a view of road," Nolan said. "I'm going to pay to lessen the value of my property by taking out these trees."Opponents are circulating a petition seeking to compel the council to repeal the ordinance or put the matter on the ballot. They say they've collected more than the 330 signatures needed to qualify such a measure.The opponents also contend there's scant evidence that the town's approach would be effective against a massive blaze, a criticism the fire chief disputes.They have found a sympathetic ear in Rossi, one of two council members who voted against the ordinance.Though Rossi believes residents should trim vegetation, he questions how effective the strategy can be in one town if neighboring communities don't take the same approach."I'm not sure it gets us where we need to be," said Rossi, noting that the town has not taken other important steps, such as requiring fire-resistant roofing materials.But Bergeron, who was among five council members who supported the ordinance, rejects the argument that the town has overstepped its bounds."I sympathize with people who don't want to cut trees. I'm a tree hugger," he said. "But what I don't buy is the argument that the government can't tell me what to do on my property even if it saves lives and the property of my neighbors.".
Breckenridge, with a population of 3,500, recently passed an ordinance requiring residents to thin vegetation around their homes -- creating "defensible space" in firefighting lingo -- a move authorities say could help stanch a spreading blaze and aid firefighters in protecting homes.But the new law has infuriated many residents, who call it an encroachment on their rights and demand its repeal."This country has always been based on the idea of private property ownership. It's a sacred thing. The town's ordinance pretty well tramples on that," said Ed Nolan, 65, whose home is surrounded by 37 trees that firefighters say should go.
"If cutting these trees saves my life or my wife's life or a firefighter's life, then it's worth it," countered John Quigley, 59, who has hired a crew to thin some of the 185 trees on his land.California long has required residents in wildfire-prone areas to trim vegetation, and Nevada lawmakers recently approved a similar law for homes in the Tahoe Basin, but other Western states have generally skirted such directives, instead employing public education campaigns to coax residents into doing so. In recent years, many Colorado counties began requiring homeowners in new developments to create defensible space before building permits are issued. But there's nothing authorities can do to compel them to maintain the clearance after they receive their permits, said Kevin Klein, director of the Colorado Division of Fire Safety.Breckenridge's tactic could signal a newly aggressive approach, he said, one that other communities may adopt as Colorado grapples with an infestation that has destroyed thousands of acres of trees and that fire officials fear will contribute to a conflagration."It's a pretty dramatic shift from what we've been doing," said Breckenridge Councilman Jeffrey Bergeron.Surrounded by the White River National Forest, Breckenridge for years has focused more on making hillside homes blend in with their environs by encouraging landscaping around homes, Councilman Dave Rossi said.Then came the beetles. When the town passed a law requiring residents to cut down infected trees, Rossi said few residents objected. But fire officials thought such measures weren't enough. Too many homes were surrounded by brush and trees, said Gary Green, chief of the Red, White and Blue Fire District.Some residents regarded the proposal to require defensible space as necessary to protect the community. Relying on volunteers isn't enough, Quigley said. "If you do it and your three adjoining neighbors don't do it, you haven't accomplished anything," he said.But others have objected to the mandate, citing the expense of removing healthy trees and shrubs and lowered property values."I now have trees that protect the master bedroom from a view of road," Nolan said. "I'm going to pay to lessen the value of my property by taking out these trees."Opponents are circulating a petition seeking to compel the council to repeal the ordinance or put the matter on the ballot. They say they've collected more than the 330 signatures needed to qualify such a measure.The opponents also contend there's scant evidence that the town's approach would be effective against a massive blaze, a criticism the fire chief disputes.They have found a sympathetic ear in Rossi, one of two council members who voted against the ordinance.Though Rossi believes residents should trim vegetation, he questions how effective the strategy can be in one town if neighboring communities don't take the same approach."I'm not sure it gets us where we need to be," said Rossi, noting that the town has not taken other important steps, such as requiring fire-resistant roofing materials.But Bergeron, who was among five council members who supported the ordinance, rejects the argument that the town has overstepped its bounds."I sympathize with people who don't want to cut trees. I'm a tree hugger," he said. "But what I don't buy is the argument that the government can't tell me what to do on my property even if it saves lives and the property of my neighbors.".
EPA makes move to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a finding today that six greenhouse gases cause air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare. The finding also found that emissions from motor vehicles contribute to the concentration of three of those gases, which contributes to climate change.
Air pollution is regulated under the federal Clean Air Act, so this finding is a step toward the EPA implementing regulation of carbon dioxide, which it the primary gas responsible for global warming.
This is a big deal for New Mexico, as the proposed Desert Rock coal-fired power plant in the Four Corners region received an air quality permit from the EPA under the Bush administration, despite protests by the state of New Mexico, environmental organizations and local citizens of the Navajo Nation that the EPA had not considered the impact of carbon dioxide released from the plant into the atmosphere. The the leadership of the greater Navajo Nation itself strongly supports the project.
That air quality permit is currently being appealed by the state of New Mexico.
The six gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride.
According to the EPA news release, science “clearly shows” that these gases are at unprecedented concentration levels as the result of human emissions, and that these levels are “very likely” the cause of increased climate temperatures.
The finding states that “In both magnitude and probability, climate change is an enormous problem. The greenhouse gases that are responsible for it endanger public health and welfare within the meaning of the Clean Air Act.”
The EPA statement also said science shows a link between climate change and negative effects on human health. These impacts included higher concentrations of ground-level ozone; increased drought; more heavy downpours and flooding; more frequent and intense heat waves and wildfires; greater sea level rise; more intense storms; and harm to water resources, agriculture, wildlife and ecosystems.
Additionally, the statement said, new EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson took into account the disproportionate impact of these impacts on the health of certain groups of people, “…such as the poor, the very young, the elderly, those already in poor health, the disabled, those living alone and/or indigenous populations dependent on one or a few resources.”
The EPA also stated that global warming is a national security issue as resources like water become more scare forcing mass migrations into more stabilized regions.
This announcement results from a review by the Obama administration of the findings from a prior EPA scientific review ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007, looking at whether or not greenhouse gases harm the environment. EPA scientists said they did, but the Bush administration suppressed those results, and never acted to regulate the greenhouse gases.
Obama ordered the review shortly after taking office, which was widely expected.
The finding will now be placed in the federal register, and the public has 60 days from that point to provide comments to the EPA. A final rule will be made after that.
Air pollution is regulated under the federal Clean Air Act, so this finding is a step toward the EPA implementing regulation of carbon dioxide, which it the primary gas responsible for global warming.
This is a big deal for New Mexico, as the proposed Desert Rock coal-fired power plant in the Four Corners region received an air quality permit from the EPA under the Bush administration, despite protests by the state of New Mexico, environmental organizations and local citizens of the Navajo Nation that the EPA had not considered the impact of carbon dioxide released from the plant into the atmosphere. The the leadership of the greater Navajo Nation itself strongly supports the project.
That air quality permit is currently being appealed by the state of New Mexico.
The six gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride.
According to the EPA news release, science “clearly shows” that these gases are at unprecedented concentration levels as the result of human emissions, and that these levels are “very likely” the cause of increased climate temperatures.
The finding states that “In both magnitude and probability, climate change is an enormous problem. The greenhouse gases that are responsible for it endanger public health and welfare within the meaning of the Clean Air Act.”
The EPA statement also said science shows a link between climate change and negative effects on human health. These impacts included higher concentrations of ground-level ozone; increased drought; more heavy downpours and flooding; more frequent and intense heat waves and wildfires; greater sea level rise; more intense storms; and harm to water resources, agriculture, wildlife and ecosystems.
Additionally, the statement said, new EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson took into account the disproportionate impact of these impacts on the health of certain groups of people, “…such as the poor, the very young, the elderly, those already in poor health, the disabled, those living alone and/or indigenous populations dependent on one or a few resources.”
The EPA also stated that global warming is a national security issue as resources like water become more scare forcing mass migrations into more stabilized regions.
This announcement results from a review by the Obama administration of the findings from a prior EPA scientific review ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007, looking at whether or not greenhouse gases harm the environment. EPA scientists said they did, but the Bush administration suppressed those results, and never acted to regulate the greenhouse gases.
Obama ordered the review shortly after taking office, which was widely expected.
The finding will now be placed in the federal register, and the public has 60 days from that point to provide comments to the EPA. A final rule will be made after that.
Greenpeace: New Mexico belches more greenhouse gases than 137 countries
According to a report by Greenpeace, New Mexico emitted more global warming pollution from fossil fuel consumption since 1960 than the emissions of 137 of the 184 countries with comprehensive data available.The study looked at each state in the United States compared to the rest of the country. New Mexico had the 11th most per capita carbon emissions from 1960-2005. Wyoming had the most per capita.
In overall emissions, however, New Mexico ranked 19th 33rd among all U.S. states, while Vermont had the least carbon emissions in both counts.
The United States as a whole had 26 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions according to the Greenepeace report. The United States ranked third in per capita carbon dioxide emissions behind just Luxembourg and Estonia.
“Here in New Mexico we are already seeing the effects of climate change on our community,” Greenpeace field organizer Joe Smyth said.
In 2007, New Mexico joined the Western Climate Action Initiative (WCI) along with Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington. The WCI sets a regional global warming emissions reduction goal.
Also, in 2005, New Mexico “established a statewide goal to reduce global warming emissions to 2000 levels by 2012, 10 percent below 2000 levels by 2020, and 75 percent below 2000 levels by 2050.”
“If we want to reduce global warming’s impacts and kick-start a clean energy future we must think not as New Mexicans but as citizens of the world,” Smyth said. “If we let our government get it wrong on global warming, instead of being the planet’s best hope, we will remain its biggest obstacle to progress.”
In overall emissions, however, New Mexico ranked 19th 33rd among all U.S. states, while Vermont had the least carbon emissions in both counts.
The United States as a whole had 26 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions according to the Greenepeace report. The United States ranked third in per capita carbon dioxide emissions behind just Luxembourg and Estonia.
“Here in New Mexico we are already seeing the effects of climate change on our community,” Greenpeace field organizer Joe Smyth said.
In 2007, New Mexico joined the Western Climate Action Initiative (WCI) along with Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington. The WCI sets a regional global warming emissions reduction goal.
Also, in 2005, New Mexico “established a statewide goal to reduce global warming emissions to 2000 levels by 2012, 10 percent below 2000 levels by 2020, and 75 percent below 2000 levels by 2050.”
“If we want to reduce global warming’s impacts and kick-start a clean energy future we must think not as New Mexicans but as citizens of the world,” Smyth said. “If we let our government get it wrong on global warming, instead of being the planet’s best hope, we will remain its biggest obstacle to progress.”
Climate change already changing New Mexico
According to an article in today’s edition of the Albuquerque Journal, a report says that “the effects of human-caused climate change” are already being felt in New Mexico. The effects come in the form of “rising temperatures and dwindling snowpacks.”There looks to be plenty of reason to be concerned. Albuquerque Journal science writer John Fleck tells of some of the effects that man-made climate change will have on New Mexico:
The website for the “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States” report says, “Recent warming in the Southwest has been among the most rapid in the nation.”
The effects will be felt not only in areas like the agriculture of our region, but also in the “unique tourism and recreation opportunities.”
“Rising temperatures will adversely affect winter activities such as downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling,” the Southwest area of the website on the report states.
The website for the “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States” report says, “Recent warming in the Southwest has been among the most rapid in the nation.”
The effects will be felt not only in areas like the agriculture of our region, but also in the “unique tourism and recreation opportunities.”
“Rising temperatures will adversely affect winter activities such as downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling,” the Southwest area of the website on the report states.
Feds allow New Mexico and 13 other states to reduce vehicle greenhouse gas emissions
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted a waiver on Tuesday that allows California and 13 other states, including New Mexico, to create regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in new automobiles, according the governor’s office late Tuesday afternoon.
Gov. Bill Richardson immediately lauded the development.
“This decision gives us the best of both worlds – it validates the leadership of states like New Mexico that have adopted clean vehicle emission standards while demonstrating strong federal leadership to address transportation-related climate pollution in the future,” the governor said in a news release issued by his office.
The federal government’s reversal is a 180-degree turn away from a Bush administration decision to not let states adopt stiffer vehicle emissions standards than the federal government.
New Mexico has been involved in the fight to regulate vehicle emissions for the past year and a half.
The Land of Enchantment in late 2007 adopted the so-called California clean car emissions standards, meaning that it would impose stricter emission standards than the federal government’s on vehicles sold in New Mexico. A month later, however, in December 2007, the then-EPA administrator denied California the waiver to institute the tougher emission standards. No waiver for California getting meant the other states, including New Mexico, couldn’t adopt the tougher standards either.
New Mexico and other states then sued EPA over the denial.
But President Obama asked EPA to reconsider this decision earlier this year.
Transportation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico, the state has said in the past. The tougher vehicle emission standards would apply to model year 2011 vehicles and beyond.
“By adopting and defending these standards, states like New Mexico have effected federal action on climate change,” New Mexico’s Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry said in the news release issued by the governor’s office. “The greenhouse gas vehicle standard started in the states and is now becoming a national program. I think we will see a similar trend with the passage of an economy-wide greenhouse gas reduction bill in Congress.”
Gov. Bill Richardson immediately lauded the development.
“This decision gives us the best of both worlds – it validates the leadership of states like New Mexico that have adopted clean vehicle emission standards while demonstrating strong federal leadership to address transportation-related climate pollution in the future,” the governor said in a news release issued by his office.
The federal government’s reversal is a 180-degree turn away from a Bush administration decision to not let states adopt stiffer vehicle emissions standards than the federal government.
New Mexico has been involved in the fight to regulate vehicle emissions for the past year and a half.
The Land of Enchantment in late 2007 adopted the so-called California clean car emissions standards, meaning that it would impose stricter emission standards than the federal government’s on vehicles sold in New Mexico. A month later, however, in December 2007, the then-EPA administrator denied California the waiver to institute the tougher emission standards. No waiver for California getting meant the other states, including New Mexico, couldn’t adopt the tougher standards either.
New Mexico and other states then sued EPA over the denial.
But President Obama asked EPA to reconsider this decision earlier this year.
Transportation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico, the state has said in the past. The tougher vehicle emission standards would apply to model year 2011 vehicles and beyond.
“By adopting and defending these standards, states like New Mexico have effected federal action on climate change,” New Mexico’s Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry said in the news release issued by the governor’s office. “The greenhouse gas vehicle standard started in the states and is now becoming a national program. I think we will see a similar trend with the passage of an economy-wide greenhouse gas reduction bill in Congress.”
Honeybee mobs overpower hornets
Honeybee hordes use two weapons - heat and carbon dioxide - to kill their natural enemies, giant hornets.
Japanese honeybees form "bee balls" - mobbing and smothering the predators.
This has previously been referred to as "heat-balling", but a study has now shown that carbon dioxide also plays a role in its lethal effectiveness.
In the journal Naturwissenschaften, the scientists describe how hornets are killed within 10 minutes when they are trapped inside a ball of bees.
Japanese giant hornets, which can be up to 5cm long, are voracious predators that can devastate bees' nests and consume their larvae.
But, if the bees spot their attacker in time, they mount a powerful defence in the form of a bee ball. This study found that the heat inside the bee ball alone was not enough to reliably kill the hornets
"They can survive for 10 minutes at a temperature up to 47C, and the temperature inside the bee balls does not rise higher than 46C," said Fumio Sakamoto, a researcher from Kyoto Gakuen University in Japan, and one of the authors of the study.
His team recreated experimental bee balls and took direct measurements from inside them.
They anaesthetised giant hornets and fixed them to the tip either of a thermometer probe, or the inlet of a gas detector.
Once the hornets recovered from their anaesthesia, the probes were touched to the bees' nest.
"The bee ball formed (around the hornet) immediately," said Dr Sakamoto.
After 10 minutes the bees were packed solidly enough around the probe to be removed from the nest in a distinct ball.
As the temperature inside the ball increased to more than 45C, the carbon dioxide level also rose sharply.
In a parallel experiment, the scientists found that in an atmosphere relatively high in carbon dioxide, the temperature at which hornets could survive for 10 minutes was lowered.
"So we concluded that carbon dioxide produced inside the bee ball by the honeybees is a major factor, together with temperature, involved in the bees' defence."
Dr Sakamoto is not sure, at this point, whether the bees were effectively "gassing" the hornets, or simply depriving them of oxygen.
"Either way, the carbon dioxide increase and/or the oxygen decrease lowered the temperature that was lethal to the hornets, " he told BBC News.
"We are going to do the additional experiments about this point using mixed air of various oxygen and carbon dioxide (concentrations)."
The mob of bees also appeared to operate in "two phases".
"The hornet may be killed during the first 0-5 minute period, in which the highest level of heat production and carbon dioxide emissions take place," said Dr Sakamoto.
This might suggest that the bees are aware of what physiological state the hornet is in.
Dr Sakamoto said: "The latter 5-10 min period may be free running to ensure their victim's death."
Japanese honeybees form "bee balls" - mobbing and smothering the predators.
This has previously been referred to as "heat-balling", but a study has now shown that carbon dioxide also plays a role in its lethal effectiveness.
In the journal Naturwissenschaften, the scientists describe how hornets are killed within 10 minutes when they are trapped inside a ball of bees.
Japanese giant hornets, which can be up to 5cm long, are voracious predators that can devastate bees' nests and consume their larvae.
But, if the bees spot their attacker in time, they mount a powerful defence in the form of a bee ball. This study found that the heat inside the bee ball alone was not enough to reliably kill the hornets
"They can survive for 10 minutes at a temperature up to 47C, and the temperature inside the bee balls does not rise higher than 46C," said Fumio Sakamoto, a researcher from Kyoto Gakuen University in Japan, and one of the authors of the study.
His team recreated experimental bee balls and took direct measurements from inside them.
They anaesthetised giant hornets and fixed them to the tip either of a thermometer probe, or the inlet of a gas detector.
Once the hornets recovered from their anaesthesia, the probes were touched to the bees' nest.
"The bee ball formed (around the hornet) immediately," said Dr Sakamoto.
After 10 minutes the bees were packed solidly enough around the probe to be removed from the nest in a distinct ball.
As the temperature inside the ball increased to more than 45C, the carbon dioxide level also rose sharply.
In a parallel experiment, the scientists found that in an atmosphere relatively high in carbon dioxide, the temperature at which hornets could survive for 10 minutes was lowered.
"So we concluded that carbon dioxide produced inside the bee ball by the honeybees is a major factor, together with temperature, involved in the bees' defence."
Dr Sakamoto is not sure, at this point, whether the bees were effectively "gassing" the hornets, or simply depriving them of oxygen.
"Either way, the carbon dioxide increase and/or the oxygen decrease lowered the temperature that was lethal to the hornets, " he told BBC News.
"We are going to do the additional experiments about this point using mixed air of various oxygen and carbon dioxide (concentrations)."
The mob of bees also appeared to operate in "two phases".
"The hornet may be killed during the first 0-5 minute period, in which the highest level of heat production and carbon dioxide emissions take place," said Dr Sakamoto.
This might suggest that the bees are aware of what physiological state the hornet is in.
Dr Sakamoto said: "The latter 5-10 min period may be free running to ensure their victim's death."
Aquatic deer and ancient whales
If you startled a deer, you might not expect it to jump into the nearest pond and submerge itself for minutes.
But that is exactly what two species of mouse-deer in Asia do when confronted by predators, scientists have found.
One other African mouse-deer species is known to do the same thing, but the new discovery suggests all ruminants may once have had an affinity with water.
It also lends support to the idea that whales evolved from water-loving creatures that looked like small deer.
There are around 10 species of mouse-deer, which are also called 'chevrotains'.
All belong to the ancient ruminant family Tragulidae, which split some 50 million years ago from other ruminants, the group that went on to evolve into cattle, goats, sheep, deer and antelope.
Deer are supposed to walk on land and graze not swim underwater
Zoologist Erik Meijaard
Each are small, deer-like creatures that unusually don't have antlers or horns. Instead they have large upper canine teeth, which in the males project down either side of the lower jaw.
The largest species, which stands no more than 80cm tall, lives in Africa and is thought to be the most primitive of all mouse-deer. Known as the water-chevrotain, this animal likes to live in swampy habitats. When alarmed, it dashes for the nearest river where it submerges and swims underwater to safety.
All of the other species of mouse-deer, which live in southeast Asia and India and Sri Lanka were thought to be dry-land animals.
Diving deer
That was until researchers witnessed some remarkable behaviour during two separate incidents.
The first occurred in June 2008 during a biodiversity survey in northern Central Kalimantan Province in Borneo, Indonesia.
During the survey, observers saw a mouse-deer swimming in a forest stream. When the animal noticed the observers it submerged. Over the next hour, they saw it come to the surface four or five times, and maybe more unseen. But it often remained submerged for more than five minutes at a time.
Eventually the observers caught the animal, which they identified as a pregnant female, then released it unharmed.
Among the survey team was the wife of Erik Meijaard, a senior ecologist working with the Nature Conservancy in Balikpapan, Indonesia.
Meijaard knew of anecdotal reports by local people who described deer hiding in creeks and rivers when chased by their dogs. When he saw photos of the deer he identified it as a greater mouse-deer
The same year, Meijaard also heard reports of a mouse-deer in Sri Lanka that had also been seen swimming underwater.
Three observers saw a mountain mouse-deer (Moschiola spp) run into a pond and start to swim, hotly pursued by a brown mongoose. The mouse-deer submerged itself, and eventually the mongoose retreated. The deer left the water only to be chased straight back into it by the mongoose.
"It came running again and dived into the water and swam underwater. I photographed this clearly and it became clear to me at this stage that swimming was an established part of its escape repertoire," says Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, who saw the incident.
"Seeing it swim underwater was a shock. Many mammals can swim in water. But other than those which are adapted for an aquatic existence, swimming is clumsy. The mouse-deer seemed comfortable, it seemed adapted," he says.
Origins of whales
Meijaard, Wijeyeratne and Umilaela, who saw the submerged Bornean mouse-deer, describe both incidents in the journal Mammalian Biology.
"This is the first time that this behaviour has been described for Asian mouse-deer species," says Meijaard. "I was very excited when I heard the mouse-deer stories because it resolved one of those mysteries that local people had told me about but that had remained hidden to science."
"The behaviour is interesting because it is unexpected. Deer are supposed to walk on land and graze not swim underwater. But more interestingly for the zoologist are the evolutionary implications," he says.
The behaviour bolsters one leading theory regarding the origin of whales.
In 2007, scientists led by Hans Thewissen of the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Ohio published details of a remarkable fossil called Indohyus.
This fossil was of a ruminant animal that looked like a small deer, but also had morphological features that showed it could be an ancestor of early whales.
Although speculative, that suggests that all early ruminants may also have led a partially aquatic lifestyle.
The discovery that two Asian species of mouse-deer are comfortable underwater shows that at least three species of modern tragulid share an aquatic escape behaviour.
Because these species diverged at least 35 million years ago, their ancestor also likely behaved in the same way, again bolstering the the idea that a deer-like ruminant may have evolved to produce the modern cetacean group of whales and dolphins.
Hippos, the closest modern relative of whales, also dive for water when threatened, a behaviour that may have been lost over time by other modern species such as sheep and antelope.
But that is exactly what two species of mouse-deer in Asia do when confronted by predators, scientists have found.
One other African mouse-deer species is known to do the same thing, but the new discovery suggests all ruminants may once have had an affinity with water.
It also lends support to the idea that whales evolved from water-loving creatures that looked like small deer.
There are around 10 species of mouse-deer, which are also called 'chevrotains'.
All belong to the ancient ruminant family Tragulidae, which split some 50 million years ago from other ruminants, the group that went on to evolve into cattle, goats, sheep, deer and antelope.
Deer are supposed to walk on land and graze not swim underwater
Zoologist Erik Meijaard
Each are small, deer-like creatures that unusually don't have antlers or horns. Instead they have large upper canine teeth, which in the males project down either side of the lower jaw.
The largest species, which stands no more than 80cm tall, lives in Africa and is thought to be the most primitive of all mouse-deer. Known as the water-chevrotain, this animal likes to live in swampy habitats. When alarmed, it dashes for the nearest river where it submerges and swims underwater to safety.
All of the other species of mouse-deer, which live in southeast Asia and India and Sri Lanka were thought to be dry-land animals.
Diving deer
That was until researchers witnessed some remarkable behaviour during two separate incidents.
The first occurred in June 2008 during a biodiversity survey in northern Central Kalimantan Province in Borneo, Indonesia.
During the survey, observers saw a mouse-deer swimming in a forest stream. When the animal noticed the observers it submerged. Over the next hour, they saw it come to the surface four or five times, and maybe more unseen. But it often remained submerged for more than five minutes at a time.
Eventually the observers caught the animal, which they identified as a pregnant female, then released it unharmed.
Among the survey team was the wife of Erik Meijaard, a senior ecologist working with the Nature Conservancy in Balikpapan, Indonesia.
Meijaard knew of anecdotal reports by local people who described deer hiding in creeks and rivers when chased by their dogs. When he saw photos of the deer he identified it as a greater mouse-deer
The same year, Meijaard also heard reports of a mouse-deer in Sri Lanka that had also been seen swimming underwater.
Three observers saw a mountain mouse-deer (Moschiola spp) run into a pond and start to swim, hotly pursued by a brown mongoose. The mouse-deer submerged itself, and eventually the mongoose retreated. The deer left the water only to be chased straight back into it by the mongoose.
"It came running again and dived into the water and swam underwater. I photographed this clearly and it became clear to me at this stage that swimming was an established part of its escape repertoire," says Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, who saw the incident.
"Seeing it swim underwater was a shock. Many mammals can swim in water. But other than those which are adapted for an aquatic existence, swimming is clumsy. The mouse-deer seemed comfortable, it seemed adapted," he says.
Origins of whales
Meijaard, Wijeyeratne and Umilaela, who saw the submerged Bornean mouse-deer, describe both incidents in the journal Mammalian Biology.
"This is the first time that this behaviour has been described for Asian mouse-deer species," says Meijaard. "I was very excited when I heard the mouse-deer stories because it resolved one of those mysteries that local people had told me about but that had remained hidden to science."
"The behaviour is interesting because it is unexpected. Deer are supposed to walk on land and graze not swim underwater. But more interestingly for the zoologist are the evolutionary implications," he says.
The behaviour bolsters one leading theory regarding the origin of whales.
In 2007, scientists led by Hans Thewissen of the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Ohio published details of a remarkable fossil called Indohyus.
This fossil was of a ruminant animal that looked like a small deer, but also had morphological features that showed it could be an ancestor of early whales.
Although speculative, that suggests that all early ruminants may also have led a partially aquatic lifestyle.
The discovery that two Asian species of mouse-deer are comfortable underwater shows that at least three species of modern tragulid share an aquatic escape behaviour.
Because these species diverged at least 35 million years ago, their ancestor also likely behaved in the same way, again bolstering the the idea that a deer-like ruminant may have evolved to produce the modern cetacean group of whales and dolphins.
Hippos, the closest modern relative of whales, also dive for water when threatened, a behaviour that may have been lost over time by other modern species such as sheep and antelope.
Physical Reality Of String Theory Shown In Quantum-critical State Of Electrons
String theory has come under fire in recent years. Promises have been made that have not been lived up to. Leiden theoretical physicists have now for the first time used string theory to describe a physical phenomenon -- the quantum-critical state of electrons leading to high-temperature superconductivity. Their discovery has been reported recently in the journal Science
Electrons can form a special kind of state, a so-called quantum critical state, that plays a role in high-temperature superconductivity. Superconductivity at high temperatures has long been a 'hot issue' in physics. In superconductivity, discovered by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes in Leiden, electrons can zoom through a material without meeting any resistance. In the first instance, this only seemed possible at very low temperatures close to absolute zero, but more and more examples are coming up where it also occurs at higher temperatures. So far, nobody has managed to explain high temperature superconductivity.
Jan Zaanen makes no attempt to hide his enthusiasm. Together with Mihailo Cubrovic and Koenraad Schalm, he has successfully managed to shed light on a previously unexplained natural phenomenon using the mathematics of string theory.
Theory of everything
This is the first time that a calculation based on string theory has been published in Science, even though the theory is widely known. "There have always been a lot of expectations surrounding string theory," Zaanen explains, having himself studied the theory to satisfy his own curiosity. "String theory is often seen as a child of Einstein that aims to devise a revolutionary and comprehensive theory, a kind of 'theory of everything.' Ten years ago, researchers even said: 'Give us two weeks and we'll be able to tell you where the big bang came from.' The problem of string theory was that, in spite of its excellent maths, it was never able to make a concrete link with the physical reality -- the world around us."
Quantum soup
But now, Zaanen, together with his colleagues Cubrovic and Schalm, are trying to change this situation, by applying string theory to a phenomenon that physicists, including Zaanen, have for the past fifteen years been unable to explain: the quantum-critical state of electrons. This special state occurs in a material just before it becomes superconductive at high temperature. Zaanen describes the quantum-critical state as a 'quantum soup', whereby the electrons form a collective independent of distances, where the electrons exhibit the same behaviour at small quantum mechanical scale or at macroscopic human scale.
Bridge
Because of Zaanen's interest in string theory, he and string theorist Koenraad Schalm soon became acquainted after Schalm's arrival in Leiden. Zaanen had an unsolved problem and Schalm was an expert in the field of string theory. Their common interest brought them together, and they decided to work jointly on the research. They used the aspect of string theory known as AdS/CFT correspondence. This allows situations in a large relativistic world to be translated into a description at minuscule quantum physics level. This correspondence bridges the gap between these two different worlds. By applying the correspondence to the situation where a black hole vibrates when an electron falls into it, they arrived at the description of electrons that move in and out of a quantum-critical state.
Puzzle
After days and nights of hard grind, it was a puzzle that fitted. "We hadn't expected it to work so well," says a delighted Zaanen. "The maths was a perfect fit; it was superb. When we saw the calculations, at first we could hardly believe it, but it was right." Gateway to moreAlthough the mystery of high temperature superconductivity isn't fully resolved, the findings do show that major problems in physics can be addressed using string theory. And this is just the start, Zaanen believes. "AdS/CFT correspondence now explains things that colleagues who have been beavering away for ages were unable to resolve, in spite of their enormous efforts. There are a lot of things that can be done with it. We don't fully understand it yet, but I see it as a gateway to much more."
Electrons can form a special kind of state, a so-called quantum critical state, that plays a role in high-temperature superconductivity. Superconductivity at high temperatures has long been a 'hot issue' in physics. In superconductivity, discovered by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes in Leiden, electrons can zoom through a material without meeting any resistance. In the first instance, this only seemed possible at very low temperatures close to absolute zero, but more and more examples are coming up where it also occurs at higher temperatures. So far, nobody has managed to explain high temperature superconductivity.
Jan Zaanen makes no attempt to hide his enthusiasm. Together with Mihailo Cubrovic and Koenraad Schalm, he has successfully managed to shed light on a previously unexplained natural phenomenon using the mathematics of string theory.
Theory of everything
This is the first time that a calculation based on string theory has been published in Science, even though the theory is widely known. "There have always been a lot of expectations surrounding string theory," Zaanen explains, having himself studied the theory to satisfy his own curiosity. "String theory is often seen as a child of Einstein that aims to devise a revolutionary and comprehensive theory, a kind of 'theory of everything.' Ten years ago, researchers even said: 'Give us two weeks and we'll be able to tell you where the big bang came from.' The problem of string theory was that, in spite of its excellent maths, it was never able to make a concrete link with the physical reality -- the world around us."
Quantum soup
But now, Zaanen, together with his colleagues Cubrovic and Schalm, are trying to change this situation, by applying string theory to a phenomenon that physicists, including Zaanen, have for the past fifteen years been unable to explain: the quantum-critical state of electrons. This special state occurs in a material just before it becomes superconductive at high temperature. Zaanen describes the quantum-critical state as a 'quantum soup', whereby the electrons form a collective independent of distances, where the electrons exhibit the same behaviour at small quantum mechanical scale or at macroscopic human scale.
Bridge
Because of Zaanen's interest in string theory, he and string theorist Koenraad Schalm soon became acquainted after Schalm's arrival in Leiden. Zaanen had an unsolved problem and Schalm was an expert in the field of string theory. Their common interest brought them together, and they decided to work jointly on the research. They used the aspect of string theory known as AdS/CFT correspondence. This allows situations in a large relativistic world to be translated into a description at minuscule quantum physics level. This correspondence bridges the gap between these two different worlds. By applying the correspondence to the situation where a black hole vibrates when an electron falls into it, they arrived at the description of electrons that move in and out of a quantum-critical state.
Puzzle
After days and nights of hard grind, it was a puzzle that fitted. "We hadn't expected it to work so well," says a delighted Zaanen. "The maths was a perfect fit; it was superb. When we saw the calculations, at first we could hardly believe it, but it was right." Gateway to moreAlthough the mystery of high temperature superconductivity isn't fully resolved, the findings do show that major problems in physics can be addressed using string theory. And this is just the start, Zaanen believes. "AdS/CFT correspondence now explains things that colleagues who have been beavering away for ages were unable to resolve, in spite of their enormous efforts. There are a lot of things that can be done with it. We don't fully understand it yet, but I see it as a gateway to much more."
Engineer Designs More Efficient, Quieter Bus
An engineer has designed an electric bus that runs on battery power. Putting motors in each wheel makes a transmission and driveshaft unnecessary, and allows the bus to ride closer to the ground for ease of entry. Using stainless steel also reduces weight. The prototype increases fuel efficiency by four times over a more traditional city bus.
Most of us gladly ride in cars, airplanes, even trains -- but buses? There's a bit of a stigma attached to them. Now, one engineer has a built a new type of city bus he hopes will make people want to ride. Al Gore brought the issue of global warming to the big screen. One of the biggest offenders? Carbon dioxide. The latest international report says it's responsible for 60 percent of the greenhouse gases. So automotive engineer Bruce Emmons decided to do something about it. He created a 40 foot battery powered and electric city bus -- it's like a giant golf cart!
"Inside of the bus, we have what actually propels the bus," Emmons says. "This is what makes it go." Batteries and motor controllers drive electric motors in the wheels. And instead of the bus being made from regular steel, "Everything is built of this incredible high-strength stainless steel," Emmons explains.
The steel is as lightweight as aluminum, making the bus half the weight of a normal bus. Steel tubes also support the front bumper and are designed to turn inside out in a crash to absorb energy and soften the blow.
With no transmission, drive shafts or other bulky mechanics taking up space, the floor can be low, making it easier to get in and out of. And he promises a quieter, smoother ride.
"You can have a very efficient bus, but if nobody likes to ride on it, then it doesn't really help the fuel economy." Emmons' bus boasts four-times the fuel economy of a standard one. His next goal -- to get it from the lab to buses all over the city streets. Right now the bus is just a prototype. It has the potential to be different types of a hybrid -- such as a fuel cell or hydrogen bus.
show background -->
BACKGROUND: A hybrid electric bus that weighs half as much as conventional buses, boasts three times the fuel economy, and can carry 20% more passengers, could debut by the middle of 2008. The bus would also be quieter and would have less environmental impact than standard diesel-powered buses, resulting in significant cost savings. It is being developed by a collaboration between Autokinetics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Department of Energy's FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program.
LESS IS MORE: At the heart of the bus is an ultra-high-strength stainless steel body and chassis that would be up to 30% less expensive to build than the standard bus body. The lighter weight of the bus improves fuel efficiency by reducing drag. The weight (technically, the mass) of the vehicle determines how much energy is needed to get it moving, or to change direction. As the vehicle accelerates, it gains speed, but it also experiences an increase in drag, the friction from the air passing by. It takes extra energy to overcome that drag. A similar effect happens on a bicycle: it takes more exertion on the part of the rider while biking into a strong headwind, than when the wind is at the rider's back. So any decrease in drag that a vehicle experiences will result in better fuel economy.
WHAT ARE HYBRIDS: Gasoline-powered cars are the most common type, although there are some battery-powered electric cars available today. A hybrid vehicle is a combination of the two, attempting to reap the best of both approaches. Current hybrid engine systems have a single mode of operation, using a single gear set to split the engine's power into two systems -- routing it to drive the wheels or charge the battery -- for both city and highway driving. A hybrid engine also captures energy from braking that would otherwise be lost and shutting off the engine at a stop. The battery alone can power the vehicle at low speeds. The electric motor can double as a generator while braking and only has to run part of the time. One disadvantage is that the gasoline engine must therefore run at varying speeds, which reduces its energy efficiency.
CRASH TEST: Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have performed computer simulations of collision scenarios to ensure that the buses meet safety standards for reducing the impact of a collision. Every vehicle has what is known as a 'crumple zone,' that absorbs energy upon impact. It increases the amount of time it takes to come to a complete stop, spreading the force over a longer period of time. Because they yield during a collision, crumple zones change the energy of the impact into heat and sound, reducing the chance of injury to passengers
Most of us gladly ride in cars, airplanes, even trains -- but buses? There's a bit of a stigma attached to them. Now, one engineer has a built a new type of city bus he hopes will make people want to ride. Al Gore brought the issue of global warming to the big screen. One of the biggest offenders? Carbon dioxide. The latest international report says it's responsible for 60 percent of the greenhouse gases. So automotive engineer Bruce Emmons decided to do something about it. He created a 40 foot battery powered and electric city bus -- it's like a giant golf cart!
"Inside of the bus, we have what actually propels the bus," Emmons says. "This is what makes it go." Batteries and motor controllers drive electric motors in the wheels. And instead of the bus being made from regular steel, "Everything is built of this incredible high-strength stainless steel," Emmons explains.
The steel is as lightweight as aluminum, making the bus half the weight of a normal bus. Steel tubes also support the front bumper and are designed to turn inside out in a crash to absorb energy and soften the blow.
With no transmission, drive shafts or other bulky mechanics taking up space, the floor can be low, making it easier to get in and out of. And he promises a quieter, smoother ride.
"You can have a very efficient bus, but if nobody likes to ride on it, then it doesn't really help the fuel economy." Emmons' bus boasts four-times the fuel economy of a standard one. His next goal -- to get it from the lab to buses all over the city streets. Right now the bus is just a prototype. It has the potential to be different types of a hybrid -- such as a fuel cell or hydrogen bus.
show background -->
BACKGROUND: A hybrid electric bus that weighs half as much as conventional buses, boasts three times the fuel economy, and can carry 20% more passengers, could debut by the middle of 2008. The bus would also be quieter and would have less environmental impact than standard diesel-powered buses, resulting in significant cost savings. It is being developed by a collaboration between Autokinetics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Department of Energy's FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program.
LESS IS MORE: At the heart of the bus is an ultra-high-strength stainless steel body and chassis that would be up to 30% less expensive to build than the standard bus body. The lighter weight of the bus improves fuel efficiency by reducing drag. The weight (technically, the mass) of the vehicle determines how much energy is needed to get it moving, or to change direction. As the vehicle accelerates, it gains speed, but it also experiences an increase in drag, the friction from the air passing by. It takes extra energy to overcome that drag. A similar effect happens on a bicycle: it takes more exertion on the part of the rider while biking into a strong headwind, than when the wind is at the rider's back. So any decrease in drag that a vehicle experiences will result in better fuel economy.
WHAT ARE HYBRIDS: Gasoline-powered cars are the most common type, although there are some battery-powered electric cars available today. A hybrid vehicle is a combination of the two, attempting to reap the best of both approaches. Current hybrid engine systems have a single mode of operation, using a single gear set to split the engine's power into two systems -- routing it to drive the wheels or charge the battery -- for both city and highway driving. A hybrid engine also captures energy from braking that would otherwise be lost and shutting off the engine at a stop. The battery alone can power the vehicle at low speeds. The electric motor can double as a generator while braking and only has to run part of the time. One disadvantage is that the gasoline engine must therefore run at varying speeds, which reduces its energy efficiency.
CRASH TEST: Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have performed computer simulations of collision scenarios to ensure that the buses meet safety standards for reducing the impact of a collision. Every vehicle has what is known as a 'crumple zone,' that absorbs energy upon impact. It increases the amount of time it takes to come to a complete stop, spreading the force over a longer period of time. Because they yield during a collision, crumple zones change the energy of the impact into heat and sound, reducing the chance of injury to passengers
Orthodontists Diagnose Sleep Apnea More Easily with X-Rays
Diagnosing sleep apnea -- a chronic condition that causes teen-agers to stop breathing during sleep -- is difficult and often means staying at an overnight sleep lab. A new test can spot with problem with simple X-rays, by checking the position of the tongue and hyoid bone. If the bone sits lower, patients are more likely to have the condition. In a recent study, the X-rays correctly identified 70 percent of teens with sleep apnea.
Being a teenager is tough these days, but it's especially tough if you're always tired. Now a simple X-ray taken at your children's orthodontist could hold the key to helping them sleep better.
Sixteen-year-old Andrew Dudash would come home from school each day and go straight to bed. "I actually got a detention in school for sleeping during a class," he says.
Doctors diagnosed him with sleep apnea, a chronic condition that causes him to stop breathing during sleep. Diagnosing the condition is difficult and often means staying at an overnight sleep lab. But orthodontist Mark Hans wants to make that diagnosis easier. He's studying whether the same X-rays teens get before getting braces will help determine if they're at risk for sleep apnea.
"We're trying to give the sleep doctor a better chance of examining the right patients for this condition," says Dr. Hans, of Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine in Cleveland.
Dr. Hans looks at the position of the tongue and hyoid bone. If the bone sits higher, patients are not at risk for sleep apnea. If it falls lower, they are more likely to have the condition.
In a recent study, the X-rays correctly identified 70 percent of teens with sleep apnea. Dr. Hans says, "When you identify chronic illness early and treat it early, you really prevent more long-term problems."
Case School of Medicine pediatric pulmonologist and sleep specialist Carol Rosen, says the X-rays would help. "This would add another feature that we would look for in our evaluation." So teens like Dudash can get the treatment they need.
"There's definitely a difference in my sleep because I'm not waking up much during the night," Dudash says. And his sleep is not something he's willing to gamble on.
Dr. Hans says there's no disadvantage to performing the X-ray other than a minimal dose of radiation, which is equivalent to a day in the sun. He says most insurance covers the X-rays, which cost about $100. A sleep lab evaluation could cost thousands.
show background -->
BACKGROUND: Researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, have identified two key factors in sleep apnea in teenagers. They used radiography (an imaging technique used by orthodontists) to study a group of teens to determine if they were likely to suffer from the condition. The technique will be used for earlier diagnosis for sleep apnea in teens before they become adults.
THE STUDY: The investigators studied the case histories of 590 patients between 7 and 8 years of age attending the orthodontic clinic at Case Dental School. Sixty of these patients -- a group least at risk and a group most at risk for sleep apnea -- underwent unattended in-home sleep monitoring.
WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA: Sleep apnea is a temporary suspension of breathing during sleep, which can have potentially serious consequences. People with sleep apnea can stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a time, as many as 400 times a night. Most sleep apneas are the result of something blocking the passage of windpipe of the throat that brings air into the body. The tongue, tonsils, or uvula (the little piece of flesh that hangs down in the back of the throat) can all sometimes produce blockage, as can severe obesity: excess fat can block the airway. Some 12 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, but men and those over 40 years of age are more likely to have the condition. Risk factors include heavy snoring, excess weight, high blood pressure, and any physical abnormality in the nose or throat.
WHAT ARE X-RAYS: X-rays are light waves.
The only difference between X-rays and the light that we see is that the X-rays have a higher energy level, and a shorter wavelength, making them undetectable to the human eye. Because they have so much energy, the particles that make up light, called photons, in X-rays can pass through most materials. It all depends on the size of the atoms that make up the material; larger atoms absorb X-ray photons. But smaller atoms do not, and the X-rays pass right through.
The soft tissue in the body is made of smaller atoms and doesn't absorb X-rays very well, but calcium atoms in the bones are much larger and do absorb X-rays. A camera on the other side of the patient records the patterns of X-ray light passing through the patient's body.
It's the same basic technology as that used in an ordinary camera, but X-ray light, instead of visible light, sets off the chemical reaction on the photographic plate.
Being a teenager is tough these days, but it's especially tough if you're always tired. Now a simple X-ray taken at your children's orthodontist could hold the key to helping them sleep better.
Sixteen-year-old Andrew Dudash would come home from school each day and go straight to bed. "I actually got a detention in school for sleeping during a class," he says.
Doctors diagnosed him with sleep apnea, a chronic condition that causes him to stop breathing during sleep. Diagnosing the condition is difficult and often means staying at an overnight sleep lab. But orthodontist Mark Hans wants to make that diagnosis easier. He's studying whether the same X-rays teens get before getting braces will help determine if they're at risk for sleep apnea.
"We're trying to give the sleep doctor a better chance of examining the right patients for this condition," says Dr. Hans, of Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine in Cleveland.
Dr. Hans looks at the position of the tongue and hyoid bone. If the bone sits higher, patients are not at risk for sleep apnea. If it falls lower, they are more likely to have the condition.
In a recent study, the X-rays correctly identified 70 percent of teens with sleep apnea. Dr. Hans says, "When you identify chronic illness early and treat it early, you really prevent more long-term problems."
Case School of Medicine pediatric pulmonologist and sleep specialist Carol Rosen, says the X-rays would help. "This would add another feature that we would look for in our evaluation." So teens like Dudash can get the treatment they need.
"There's definitely a difference in my sleep because I'm not waking up much during the night," Dudash says. And his sleep is not something he's willing to gamble on.
Dr. Hans says there's no disadvantage to performing the X-ray other than a minimal dose of radiation, which is equivalent to a day in the sun. He says most insurance covers the X-rays, which cost about $100. A sleep lab evaluation could cost thousands.
show background -->
BACKGROUND: Researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, have identified two key factors in sleep apnea in teenagers. They used radiography (an imaging technique used by orthodontists) to study a group of teens to determine if they were likely to suffer from the condition. The technique will be used for earlier diagnosis for sleep apnea in teens before they become adults.
THE STUDY: The investigators studied the case histories of 590 patients between 7 and 8 years of age attending the orthodontic clinic at Case Dental School. Sixty of these patients -- a group least at risk and a group most at risk for sleep apnea -- underwent unattended in-home sleep monitoring.
WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA: Sleep apnea is a temporary suspension of breathing during sleep, which can have potentially serious consequences. People with sleep apnea can stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a time, as many as 400 times a night. Most sleep apneas are the result of something blocking the passage of windpipe of the throat that brings air into the body. The tongue, tonsils, or uvula (the little piece of flesh that hangs down in the back of the throat) can all sometimes produce blockage, as can severe obesity: excess fat can block the airway. Some 12 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, but men and those over 40 years of age are more likely to have the condition. Risk factors include heavy snoring, excess weight, high blood pressure, and any physical abnormality in the nose or throat.
WHAT ARE X-RAYS: X-rays are light waves.
The only difference between X-rays and the light that we see is that the X-rays have a higher energy level, and a shorter wavelength, making them undetectable to the human eye. Because they have so much energy, the particles that make up light, called photons, in X-rays can pass through most materials. It all depends on the size of the atoms that make up the material; larger atoms absorb X-ray photons. But smaller atoms do not, and the X-rays pass right through.
The soft tissue in the body is made of smaller atoms and doesn't absorb X-rays very well, but calcium atoms in the bones are much larger and do absorb X-rays. A camera on the other side of the patient records the patterns of X-ray light passing through the patient's body.
It's the same basic technology as that used in an ordinary camera, but X-ray light, instead of visible light, sets off the chemical reaction on the photographic plate.
How Can The World's Fisheries Be Sustainable?
According to the most recent report on the status of the world's fisheries by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, fisheries supply at least 15% of the animal protein consumed by humans, provide direct and indirect employment for nearly 200 million people worldwide and generate $US85 billion annually. This same report indicates that 28% of the world's fisheries stocks are currently being overexploited or have collapsed and 52% are fully exploited.
A new study published in PLoS Biology provides the first global evaluation of how management practices influence fisheries' sustainability. The study assessed the effectiveness of the world's fisheries management regimes using evaluations from nearly 1,200 fisheries experts, analyzing these in combination with data on the sustainability of fisheries catches. The results indicate that most fisheries management regimes are lagging far behind standards set by international organizations, and that the conversion of scientific advice into policy, through a participatory and transparent process, plays the most critical role in determining the sustainability of fisheries.
"The world's fisheries are one of the most important natural assets to humankind," says lead author Camilo Mora, a Colombian researcher at Dalhousie University and the University of California San Diego. "Unfortunately, our use of the world's fisheries has been excessive and has led to the decline or collapse of many stocks."
"The consequences of overexploiting the world's fisheries are a concern not only for food security and socio-economic development but for ocean ecosystems," says Boris Worm, a professor at Dalhousie University and co-author of the paper. "We now recognize that overfishing can also lead to the erosion of biodiversity and ecosystem productivity."
"The different socioeconomic and ecological consequences associated with declining fish stocks are an international concern and several initiatives have been put forward to ensure that countries improve the way they use their marine resources," explains Mora. "Some of these initiatives include the United Nations Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Although these initiatives have been endorsed by most governments, a global assessment on the extent to which these ideals are actually implemented and effective remains lacking."
Mora and his colleagues analyzed a set of attributes upon which country-level fisheries could be evaluated. They pinpointed six parameters, including the scientific quality of management recommendations, the transparency of converting recommendations into policy, the enforcement of policies, the influence of subsidies, fishing effort, and the extent of fishing by foreign entities.
To quantify those attributes the researchers developed a questionnaire designed to elicit worst- to best-case answers. The survey was translated into five languages and distributed to over 13,000 fisheries experts around the world. Nearly 1,200 evaluations were used in the study. The responses of the surveyed experts were compared to, and found to be in accordance with, empirical data, supporting the validity of the data obtained in the study.
The results of this global survey showed that 7% of all coastal states carry out rigorous scientific assessment for the generation of management policies, 1.4% also have a participatory and transparent process to convert scientific recommendations into policy, and less than 1% also implement mechanisms to ensure the compliance with regulations. No one country was additionally free of the effects of excess fishing capacity, subsidies or access to foreign fishing.
"Perhaps the most striking result of our survey was that not a single country in the world was consistently good with respect to all these management attributes. So which countries are doing well and which are not is a question whose answer depends on the specific attribute you are looking at," says Mora.
The results of the study show that wealthier countries, though they have predominantly better science and enforcement capabilities, face the negative repercussions of excessive subsidies and larger fishing capacity, which have resulted largely from increased modernization of national fleets. In contrast, poorer countries largely lacked robust science and enforcement capabilities and although these nations have less fishing capacity nationally, they disproportionally sold fishing rights to nations that did. The study showed that in 33% of the coastal states classified as low-income (commonly countries in Africa and Oceania) most fishing is carried out by foreign fleets from either the European Union, South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan or the United States.
The only attribute in which poorer and wealthier countries overlapped significantly was their limited ability to convert scientific recommendations into policy. The mechanism for this pattern, however, was different. Poor countries reportedly struggle with the effects of corruption while wealthier countries often encounter more political or economical pressures.
For the second part of the study, Mora and his colleagues combined the database on management effectiveness with a recently developed index to assess the probability that the catch of a particular country is sustainable or not. This part of the study showed that out of several attributes analysed, the transparency with which scientific recommendations are turned into policy plays the strongest role in the fate of fisheries sustainability.
"Transparent policy-making is at the centre of the entire process," explains co-author Marta Coll, at the Institut de Ciènces del Mar in Spain. "If this is heavily influenced by political pressures or corruption, it is unlikely that good scientific advice will ever be translated into proper regulations. Similarly, authoritarianism in this process is likely to reduce compliance with the resulting policies."
"This study provided us with a look at both sides of the coin," says Andrew Rosenberg at the University of New Hampshire, who was not involved in the study. "On one hand, it reminds us of the difficult challenges facing fisheries management globally in protecting critical natural resources from overexploitation. On the other hand it delivers a message of hope that when policy-making is transparent, participatory, and based on science, things can improve."
Funding to CM, RAM, and BW was provided by the Sloan Foundation through the Future of Marine Animal Populations Project. KJG holds a Royal Society-Wolfson Research Merit Award. Funding to RUS was provided by the Pew Fellowship for Marine Conservation. Funding to DZ, RUS, and RW was provided by the Pew Charitable Trust, Philadelphia through the Sea Around Us Project. Funding to MC was provided by the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement #GA-2008-219265 for the implementation of ECOFUN Project. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
A new study published in PLoS Biology provides the first global evaluation of how management practices influence fisheries' sustainability. The study assessed the effectiveness of the world's fisheries management regimes using evaluations from nearly 1,200 fisheries experts, analyzing these in combination with data on the sustainability of fisheries catches. The results indicate that most fisheries management regimes are lagging far behind standards set by international organizations, and that the conversion of scientific advice into policy, through a participatory and transparent process, plays the most critical role in determining the sustainability of fisheries.
"The world's fisheries are one of the most important natural assets to humankind," says lead author Camilo Mora, a Colombian researcher at Dalhousie University and the University of California San Diego. "Unfortunately, our use of the world's fisheries has been excessive and has led to the decline or collapse of many stocks."
"The consequences of overexploiting the world's fisheries are a concern not only for food security and socio-economic development but for ocean ecosystems," says Boris Worm, a professor at Dalhousie University and co-author of the paper. "We now recognize that overfishing can also lead to the erosion of biodiversity and ecosystem productivity."
"The different socioeconomic and ecological consequences associated with declining fish stocks are an international concern and several initiatives have been put forward to ensure that countries improve the way they use their marine resources," explains Mora. "Some of these initiatives include the United Nations Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Although these initiatives have been endorsed by most governments, a global assessment on the extent to which these ideals are actually implemented and effective remains lacking."
Mora and his colleagues analyzed a set of attributes upon which country-level fisheries could be evaluated. They pinpointed six parameters, including the scientific quality of management recommendations, the transparency of converting recommendations into policy, the enforcement of policies, the influence of subsidies, fishing effort, and the extent of fishing by foreign entities.
To quantify those attributes the researchers developed a questionnaire designed to elicit worst- to best-case answers. The survey was translated into five languages and distributed to over 13,000 fisheries experts around the world. Nearly 1,200 evaluations were used in the study. The responses of the surveyed experts were compared to, and found to be in accordance with, empirical data, supporting the validity of the data obtained in the study.
The results of this global survey showed that 7% of all coastal states carry out rigorous scientific assessment for the generation of management policies, 1.4% also have a participatory and transparent process to convert scientific recommendations into policy, and less than 1% also implement mechanisms to ensure the compliance with regulations. No one country was additionally free of the effects of excess fishing capacity, subsidies or access to foreign fishing.
"Perhaps the most striking result of our survey was that not a single country in the world was consistently good with respect to all these management attributes. So which countries are doing well and which are not is a question whose answer depends on the specific attribute you are looking at," says Mora.
The results of the study show that wealthier countries, though they have predominantly better science and enforcement capabilities, face the negative repercussions of excessive subsidies and larger fishing capacity, which have resulted largely from increased modernization of national fleets. In contrast, poorer countries largely lacked robust science and enforcement capabilities and although these nations have less fishing capacity nationally, they disproportionally sold fishing rights to nations that did. The study showed that in 33% of the coastal states classified as low-income (commonly countries in Africa and Oceania) most fishing is carried out by foreign fleets from either the European Union, South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan or the United States.
The only attribute in which poorer and wealthier countries overlapped significantly was their limited ability to convert scientific recommendations into policy. The mechanism for this pattern, however, was different. Poor countries reportedly struggle with the effects of corruption while wealthier countries often encounter more political or economical pressures.
For the second part of the study, Mora and his colleagues combined the database on management effectiveness with a recently developed index to assess the probability that the catch of a particular country is sustainable or not. This part of the study showed that out of several attributes analysed, the transparency with which scientific recommendations are turned into policy plays the strongest role in the fate of fisheries sustainability.
"Transparent policy-making is at the centre of the entire process," explains co-author Marta Coll, at the Institut de Ciènces del Mar in Spain. "If this is heavily influenced by political pressures or corruption, it is unlikely that good scientific advice will ever be translated into proper regulations. Similarly, authoritarianism in this process is likely to reduce compliance with the resulting policies."
"This study provided us with a look at both sides of the coin," says Andrew Rosenberg at the University of New Hampshire, who was not involved in the study. "On one hand, it reminds us of the difficult challenges facing fisheries management globally in protecting critical natural resources from overexploitation. On the other hand it delivers a message of hope that when policy-making is transparent, participatory, and based on science, things can improve."
Funding to CM, RAM, and BW was provided by the Sloan Foundation through the Future of Marine Animal Populations Project. KJG holds a Royal Society-Wolfson Research Merit Award. Funding to RUS was provided by the Pew Fellowship for Marine Conservation. Funding to DZ, RUS, and RW was provided by the Pew Charitable Trust, Philadelphia through the Sea Around Us Project. Funding to MC was provided by the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement #GA-2008-219265 for the implementation of ECOFUN Project. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Close Relationship Between Past Warming And Sea-level Rise
A team from the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS), along with colleagues from Tübingen (Germany) and Bristol presents a novel continuous reconstruction of sea level fluctuations over the last 520 thousand years. Comparison of this record with data on global climate and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels from Antarctic ice cores suggests that even stabilisation at today's CO2 levels may commit us to sea-level rise over the next couple of millennia, to a level much higher than long-term projections from the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Little is known about the total amount of possible sea-level rise in equilibrium with a given amount of global warming. This is because the melting of ice sheets is slow, even when temperature rises rapidly. As a consequence, current predictions of sea-level rise for the next century consider only the amount of ice sheet melt that will occur until that time. The total amount of ice sheet melting that will occur over millennia, given the current climate trends, remains poorly understood.
The new record reveals a systematic equilibrium relationship between global temperature and CO2 concentrations and sea-level changes over the last five glacial cycles. Projection of this relationship to today's CO2 concentrations results in a sea-level at 25 (±5) metres above the present. This is in close agreement with independent sea-level data from the Middle Pliocene epoch, 3-3.5 million years ago, when atmospheric CO2 concentrations were similar to the present-day value. This suggests that the identified relationship accurately records the fundamental long-term equilibrium behaviour of the climate system over the last 3.5 Million years.
Lead author Professor Eelco Rohling of the University of Southampton's School of Ocean and Earth Science based at NOCS, said: "Let's assume that our observed natural relationship between CO2 and temperature, and sea level, offers a reasonable 'model' for a future with sustained global warming. Then our result gives a statistically sound expectation of a potential total long-term sea-level rise. Even if we would curb all CO2 emissions today, and stabilise at the modern level (387 parts per million by volume), then our natural relationship suggests that sea level would continue to rise to about 25 m above the present. That is, it would rise to a level similar to that measured for the Middle Pliocene."
Project partners Professor Michal Kucera (University of Tübingen) and Dr Mark Siddall (University of Bristol), add: "We emphasise that such equilibration of sea level would take several thousands of years. But one still has to worry about the large difference between the inferred high equilibrium sea level and the level where sea level actually stands today. Recent geological history shows that times with similarly strong disequilibria commonly saw pulses of very rapid sea-level adjustment, at rates of 1-2 metres per century or higher."
The new study's projection of long-term sea-level change, based on the natural relationship of the last 0.5 to 3.5 million years, differs considerably from the IPCC's model-based long-term projection of +7 m. The discrepancy cannot be easily explained, and new work is needed to ensure that the 'gap is closed'.
The observed relationships from the recent geological past can form a test-bed or reality-check for models, to help them achieve improved future projections.
Little is known about the total amount of possible sea-level rise in equilibrium with a given amount of global warming. This is because the melting of ice sheets is slow, even when temperature rises rapidly. As a consequence, current predictions of sea-level rise for the next century consider only the amount of ice sheet melt that will occur until that time. The total amount of ice sheet melting that will occur over millennia, given the current climate trends, remains poorly understood.
The new record reveals a systematic equilibrium relationship between global temperature and CO2 concentrations and sea-level changes over the last five glacial cycles. Projection of this relationship to today's CO2 concentrations results in a sea-level at 25 (±5) metres above the present. This is in close agreement with independent sea-level data from the Middle Pliocene epoch, 3-3.5 million years ago, when atmospheric CO2 concentrations were similar to the present-day value. This suggests that the identified relationship accurately records the fundamental long-term equilibrium behaviour of the climate system over the last 3.5 Million years.
Lead author Professor Eelco Rohling of the University of Southampton's School of Ocean and Earth Science based at NOCS, said: "Let's assume that our observed natural relationship between CO2 and temperature, and sea level, offers a reasonable 'model' for a future with sustained global warming. Then our result gives a statistically sound expectation of a potential total long-term sea-level rise. Even if we would curb all CO2 emissions today, and stabilise at the modern level (387 parts per million by volume), then our natural relationship suggests that sea level would continue to rise to about 25 m above the present. That is, it would rise to a level similar to that measured for the Middle Pliocene."
Project partners Professor Michal Kucera (University of Tübingen) and Dr Mark Siddall (University of Bristol), add: "We emphasise that such equilibration of sea level would take several thousands of years. But one still has to worry about the large difference between the inferred high equilibrium sea level and the level where sea level actually stands today. Recent geological history shows that times with similarly strong disequilibria commonly saw pulses of very rapid sea-level adjustment, at rates of 1-2 metres per century or higher."
The new study's projection of long-term sea-level change, based on the natural relationship of the last 0.5 to 3.5 million years, differs considerably from the IPCC's model-based long-term projection of +7 m. The discrepancy cannot be easily explained, and new work is needed to ensure that the 'gap is closed'.
The observed relationships from the recent geological past can form a test-bed or reality-check for models, to help them achieve improved future projections.
Biogeochemists Map Out Carbon Dioxide Emissions In The U.S.
Biogeochemists located where the most carbon dioxide emissions occur in the U.S. using a new mapping system. With this program-available to anyone on the Web-researchers were able to extract information about carbon dioxide emissions by transforming data on local air pollution and combining it with geographic information systems (GIS) data to layer the emissions onto infrastructures at the Earth's surface. The map helps us learn more about carbon emissions and gives scientists a way to check the accuracy of satellite images.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates emissions in the United States rose almost 15 percent between 1990 and 2006, and the number will continue to rise. Carbon dioxide is mainly responsible for the increase. A new high-tech map reveals the areas in the country most responsible for the carbon dioxide problem.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most abundant greenhouse gas in our atmosphere. Its sources can be found almost everywhere -- from cars, to cows, to power plants -- but scientists are still trying to figure out which parts of the country are pumping out the most CO2.
In the past, CO2 levels have been calculated based on population, putting the Northeast at the top of the list. Now, a new map called Vulcan reveals for the first time where the top carbon dioxide producers are in the country. The answer surprised Kevin Gurney, Ph.D., a biogeochemist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
"There are a lot more emissions in the Southeast than we previously thought, and a lot of that is because it's not necessarily associated with where people live directly, but actually where industry and activities are," said Dr. Gurney.
The high-resolution map shows 100 times more detail than ever before and zooms in to show greenhouse gas sources right down to factories, power plants and even roadways. An animated version of Vulcan reveals huge amounts of greenhouse gas gets blown toward the North Atlantic region.
"We've never had a map with this much detail and accuracy that everyone can view online," Dr. Gurney said.
The map helps scientists better visualize and target the areas where CO2 emissions are the highest and help those areas reduce their negative impact on Earth. It can be downloaded for free online from the Purdue University Vulcan Project Web site.
show background -->
ABOUT CARBON DIOXIDE: The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by about 30 percent since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the late 1800's. Most of this increase comes from using fossil fuel -- coal, oil and natural gas -- for energy, but approximately 25 percent of the carbon came from changes in land use, such as the clearing of forests and the cultivation of soils for food production. Natural sources of atmospheric carbon include gases emitted by volcanoes, and respiration of living things. We breathe in oxygen, and breathe out carbon dioxide.
ABOUT AIR POLLUTION: Air pollution is made up of many kinds of gases, droplets and particles that can remain suspended in the air. This makes the air dirty. The easiest way to visualize airborne particles (also called aerosols) is to exhale outside on a cold day and watch the fog come out of your mouth as water vapor forms into water droplets. The same thing happens in the atmosphere, but for different reasons. Under certain conditions individual molecules come together and form particles -- a chemical soup. In the city, air pollution may be caused by cars, buses and airplanes, as well as industry and construction. Ground-level ozone is created when engine and fuel gases already released into the air interact when sunlight hits them. Ozone levels increase in cities when the air is still, the sun is bright and the temperature is warm.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates emissions in the United States rose almost 15 percent between 1990 and 2006, and the number will continue to rise. Carbon dioxide is mainly responsible for the increase. A new high-tech map reveals the areas in the country most responsible for the carbon dioxide problem.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most abundant greenhouse gas in our atmosphere. Its sources can be found almost everywhere -- from cars, to cows, to power plants -- but scientists are still trying to figure out which parts of the country are pumping out the most CO2.
In the past, CO2 levels have been calculated based on population, putting the Northeast at the top of the list. Now, a new map called Vulcan reveals for the first time where the top carbon dioxide producers are in the country. The answer surprised Kevin Gurney, Ph.D., a biogeochemist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
"There are a lot more emissions in the Southeast than we previously thought, and a lot of that is because it's not necessarily associated with where people live directly, but actually where industry and activities are," said Dr. Gurney.
The high-resolution map shows 100 times more detail than ever before and zooms in to show greenhouse gas sources right down to factories, power plants and even roadways. An animated version of Vulcan reveals huge amounts of greenhouse gas gets blown toward the North Atlantic region.
"We've never had a map with this much detail and accuracy that everyone can view online," Dr. Gurney said.
The map helps scientists better visualize and target the areas where CO2 emissions are the highest and help those areas reduce their negative impact on Earth. It can be downloaded for free online from the Purdue University Vulcan Project Web site.
show background -->
ABOUT CARBON DIOXIDE: The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by about 30 percent since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the late 1800's. Most of this increase comes from using fossil fuel -- coal, oil and natural gas -- for energy, but approximately 25 percent of the carbon came from changes in land use, such as the clearing of forests and the cultivation of soils for food production. Natural sources of atmospheric carbon include gases emitted by volcanoes, and respiration of living things. We breathe in oxygen, and breathe out carbon dioxide.
ABOUT AIR POLLUTION: Air pollution is made up of many kinds of gases, droplets and particles that can remain suspended in the air. This makes the air dirty. The easiest way to visualize airborne particles (also called aerosols) is to exhale outside on a cold day and watch the fog come out of your mouth as water vapor forms into water droplets. The same thing happens in the atmosphere, but for different reasons. Under certain conditions individual molecules come together and form particles -- a chemical soup. In the city, air pollution may be caused by cars, buses and airplanes, as well as industry and construction. Ground-level ozone is created when engine and fuel gases already released into the air interact when sunlight hits them. Ozone levels increase in cities when the air is still, the sun is bright and the temperature is warm.
Super-size Deposits Of Frozen Carbon In Arctic Could Worsen Climate Change
The vast amount of carbon stored in the arctic and boreal regions of the world is more than double that previously estimated, according to a study published this week.
The amount of carbon in frozen soils, sediments and river deltas (permafrost) raises new concerns over the role of the northern regions as future sources of greenhouse gases.
"We now estimate the deposits contain over 1.5 trillion tons of frozen carbon, about twice as much carbon as contained in the atmosphere", said Dr. Charles Tarnocai, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, and lead author.
Dr. Pep Canadell, Executive Director of the Global Carbon Project at CSIRO, Australia, and co-author of the study says that the existence of these super-sized deposits of frozen carbon means that any thawing of permafrost due to global warming may lead to significant emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane.
Carbon deposits frozen thousands of years ago can easily break down when permafrost thaws releasing greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, according to another recent study by some of the same authors.
"Radioactive carbon dating shows that most of the carbon dioxide currently emitted by thawing soils in Alaska was formed and frozen thousands of years ago. The carbon dating demonstrates how easily carbon decomposes when soils thaw under warmer conditions," said Professor Ted Schuur, University of Florida and co-author of the paper.
The authors point out the large uncertainties surrounding the extent to which permafrost carbon thawing could further accelerate climate change.
"Permafrost carbon is a bit of a wildcard in the efforts to predict future climate change," said Dr Canadell. "All evidence to date shows that carbon in permafrost is likely to play a significant role in the 21st century climate given the large carbon deposits, the readiness of its organic matter to release greenhouse gases when thawed, and the fact that high latitudes will experience the largest increase in air temperature of all regions."
The amount of carbon in frozen soils, sediments and river deltas (permafrost) raises new concerns over the role of the northern regions as future sources of greenhouse gases.
"We now estimate the deposits contain over 1.5 trillion tons of frozen carbon, about twice as much carbon as contained in the atmosphere", said Dr. Charles Tarnocai, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, and lead author.
Dr. Pep Canadell, Executive Director of the Global Carbon Project at CSIRO, Australia, and co-author of the study says that the existence of these super-sized deposits of frozen carbon means that any thawing of permafrost due to global warming may lead to significant emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane.
Carbon deposits frozen thousands of years ago can easily break down when permafrost thaws releasing greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, according to another recent study by some of the same authors.
"Radioactive carbon dating shows that most of the carbon dioxide currently emitted by thawing soils in Alaska was formed and frozen thousands of years ago. The carbon dating demonstrates how easily carbon decomposes when soils thaw under warmer conditions," said Professor Ted Schuur, University of Florida and co-author of the paper.
The authors point out the large uncertainties surrounding the extent to which permafrost carbon thawing could further accelerate climate change.
"Permafrost carbon is a bit of a wildcard in the efforts to predict future climate change," said Dr Canadell. "All evidence to date shows that carbon in permafrost is likely to play a significant role in the 21st century climate given the large carbon deposits, the readiness of its organic matter to release greenhouse gases when thawed, and the fact that high latitudes will experience the largest increase in air temperature of all regions."
Shilpa Shetty fights global warming
Shilpa Shetty is doing her bit to fight global warming. She has joined hands with Freeplay Energy India, a company that produces hand crank lanterns that generate electricity without using fuel. The actress' foundation will distribute these solar power- generated lamps for free to villages in India.
oneindiain121:http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2009/shilpa-global-warming-070709.html
Buzz up!
Shilpa, who is currently in London, says, "The company has a patent technology called Crank. You don't need any kerosene or electricity or natural resources to light up these lamps. One just needs to wind up the crank system manually for one minute and you get 15 minutes of bright light. It's great for villages with no light. This way, we can save on pollution from burning fuels."The actress has tied up with the company to be her sole suppliers for these lamps, which cost roughly between Rs 1000-1500 each, "I have also incorporated solar power in some lamps which I will be giving out free through my organisation, the Shilpa Shetty Foundation to some villages that don't have electricity.”“It's been a cause that I feel for, besides it also promotes the cause of fighting global warming — by conserving energy. Since we are giving the lamps for free we are asking people to donate generously. Recently, I have given away my prize winnings from the show 10 Ka Dum show to the SSF. We need to do our bit for society as much as we can."
oneindiain121:http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2009/shilpa-global-warming-070709.html
Buzz up!
Shilpa, who is currently in London, says, "The company has a patent technology called Crank. You don't need any kerosene or electricity or natural resources to light up these lamps. One just needs to wind up the crank system manually for one minute and you get 15 minutes of bright light. It's great for villages with no light. This way, we can save on pollution from burning fuels."The actress has tied up with the company to be her sole suppliers for these lamps, which cost roughly between Rs 1000-1500 each, "I have also incorporated solar power in some lamps which I will be giving out free through my organisation, the Shilpa Shetty Foundation to some villages that don't have electricity.”“It's been a cause that I feel for, besides it also promotes the cause of fighting global warming — by conserving energy. Since we are giving the lamps for free we are asking people to donate generously. Recently, I have given away my prize winnings from the show 10 Ka Dum show to the SSF. We need to do our bit for society as much as we can."
Screwing up environment not so great for economy, studies find 2
Let’s take a look at a few studies that have come out recently and see if we can find a common thread.
A West Virginia University researcher found that “coal mining costs Appalachians five times more in early deaths as the industry provides to the region in jobs, taxes and other economic benefits,” reports the Charleston Gazette.
The Mountain Association for Community Economic Development found that “the coal industry takes $115 million more from Kentucky’s state government annually in services and programs than it contributes in taxes,” reports the Lexington Herald-Leader.
A recent peer-reviewed paper in the journal Science found that areas of Brazil that cut down their rainforests to sell the wood or plant crops “do see a short-term boost in per-capita income, life expectancy, and literacy rates,” reports The Vine. “But once the trees are gone, those gains disappear, leaving deforested municipalities just as poor as those that preserved their forests.”
The International Fund for Animal Welfare found that “in 2008 whale-watching generated $2.1 billion of tourism revenue worldwide ... more than double the estimated $one billion generated by the industry in 1998,” reports Agence France-Presse. Said Australia Environment Minister Peter Garrett, “Whales are worth much more alive than dead.”
The University of Michigan found that “the Detroit Three automakers can become more profitable and slow the growth of their Japanese rivals if they simply meet tougher new government-mandated fuel economy standards,” reports the Detroit Free Press.
These are disparate areas of study and disparate conclusions. One thing they all have in common: an environment-degrading practice often defended as necessary to economic health is revealed, upon closer inspection, to be uneconomic. I wonder how many other allegedly economic environment-degrading practices would also be revealed uneconomic if examined with a fresh eye?
It’s almost like the economy is embedded in an environment, and degrading the latter ultimately degrades the former.
A West Virginia University researcher found that “coal mining costs Appalachians five times more in early deaths as the industry provides to the region in jobs, taxes and other economic benefits,” reports the Charleston Gazette.
The Mountain Association for Community Economic Development found that “the coal industry takes $115 million more from Kentucky’s state government annually in services and programs than it contributes in taxes,” reports the Lexington Herald-Leader.
A recent peer-reviewed paper in the journal Science found that areas of Brazil that cut down their rainforests to sell the wood or plant crops “do see a short-term boost in per-capita income, life expectancy, and literacy rates,” reports The Vine. “But once the trees are gone, those gains disappear, leaving deforested municipalities just as poor as those that preserved their forests.”
The International Fund for Animal Welfare found that “in 2008 whale-watching generated $2.1 billion of tourism revenue worldwide ... more than double the estimated $one billion generated by the industry in 1998,” reports Agence France-Presse. Said Australia Environment Minister Peter Garrett, “Whales are worth much more alive than dead.”
The University of Michigan found that “the Detroit Three automakers can become more profitable and slow the growth of their Japanese rivals if they simply meet tougher new government-mandated fuel economy standards,” reports the Detroit Free Press.
These are disparate areas of study and disparate conclusions. One thing they all have in common: an environment-degrading practice often defended as necessary to economic health is revealed, upon closer inspection, to be uneconomic. I wonder how many other allegedly economic environment-degrading practices would also be revealed uneconomic if examined with a fresh eye?
It’s almost like the economy is embedded in an environment, and degrading the latter ultimately degrades the former.
NASA Research Could Help Policymakers Restrict Carbon Emissions
A senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Woods Hole, Mass., says new data retrieved from a NASA satellite could help scientists advise world governments on how to regulate carbon emissions. And one day, he says, it might even lead to a method of seeding iron into the oceans in order to suck carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere. “We can develop better models to tell policymakers how much carbon can be admitted into the atmosphere, because that amount will be removed by the oceans; or say, ‘You need to emit less carbon into the atmosphere, because the ocean won’t continue to remove carbon as it has been,’” geophysicist Scott Doney said. At a telephone news conference last week (Thursday), which was billed as “the first-ever view” on global marine plant life, NASA revealed that a research team has discovered that it can track the health of phytoplankton in the ocean from the satellite images it gets. Using an instrument called MODIS, or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer – a special lens on NASA’s Aqua satellite – scientists can determine the availability of iron, an essential nutrient for phytoplankton. “Phytoplankton are important (because) they’re responsible for about half of the net photosynthesis on earth. This photosynthesis helps take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,” Oregon State University scientist Michael Behrenfeld said at the news conference. By studying the availability of iron across the world’s oceans, then, scientists could better understand the amounts of carbon being absorbed by these microscopic marine plants. Past studies have led to the “iron hypothesis”-- the idea that by depositing iron in the oceans, scientists could produce large phytoplankton blooms capable of absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) – a “greenhouse gas” -- from the atmosphere. As Doney explained it to reporters: “By adding iron to an iron-poor region (of the ocean), the phytoplankton would grow stronger, you would pull carbon out of the water and eventually out of the atmosphere, and this could be used to slow the rise of atmospheric CO2.” This idea comes on the heels of a State Department proposal for a new “global warming” treaty under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). The proposal would place the United States under much stricter carbon emissions standards than nations with economies that the UNFCC considers “developing.” Finding estimates on how much carbon can be emitted --and therefore absorbed—by phytoplankton is probably “not a bad idea,” according to John Grasser of the Office of Fossil Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. “Certainly, the more information we have on carbon capture and storage is going to benefit the country,” Grasser told CNSNews.com. Already, a company “dedicated to removing carbon from the atmosphere,” Climos, has been formed. It initiated a scientific working group in summer 2008 to begin the process of testing iron fertilization in isolated areas. But some scientists warn that there could be a host of unintended consequences to sucking large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere into the world’s oceans. A spike in the acidity of the water near the fertilization sites is one concern, which could affect the health of coral reefs and other wildlife. Another potential problem: an eventual overabundance of phytoplankton, depriving the waters of oxygen that animals further up the food chain need to absorb from the water to breathe. In a 2001 article in Science magazine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology environmental engineering professor Sallie Chisholm co-wrote an article with other scientists warning that iron fertilization “would significantly alter oceanic food webs and biogeochemical cycles.” Grasser, meanwhile, said that iron fertilization is not currently a project of interest to U.S. researchers.“We have not looked at that recently,” he said. “All of our carbon capture and storage activities (involve) geologic storage.” Doney, when asked whether it was his aim to further develop the iron fertilization technique, Doney told CNSNews.com only that it is likely that companies or governments will try to experiment with iron deposits to see if the technique can work.“I want the (scientific) tool kit to be in place so that we can assess whether it is a valid strategy if somebody decides to go that way,” he added. NASA says it is unable to pinpoint how much it spent on the satellite project. However, the lens was only built to last five years, a date that has already come and gone. According to Doney, there is no guarantee how much longer the luminescence data will be transmitted. Once it is gone, he says, “We won’t be able to use that for a considerable amount of time. We’re going to have to depend upon raising our voices and trying to get this sensor put on future missions that are being planned now.”
D.C. Temperatures Plummeted as Soon as House Passed Global Warming Bill--And Left Town
No sooner did the House of Representatives pass legislation designed to fight global warming by cutting so-called greenhouse gas emissions than the temperature around the nation's Capitol, where the bill was enacted, plummeted below seasonal norms, according to National Weather Service data.At the same time, Congress adjourned and members left town, taking their red-hot rhetoric with them.The global warming bill itself is not yet law and will not become law unless it passes the Senate and is signed by President Obama.From June 27--the day the House passed the global warming bill--through July 5, the mean daily temperature in Washington D.C., averaged more than 4 degrees cooler than normal. “That period (June 27 to July 5) is 4.1 degrees (Fahrenheit) below the normal for that period. It’s just calculating those days compared to the average for those days,” Brian Lasorsa, spokesman for the National Weather Service (NWS), told CNSNews.com on Monday. “So the average for those days is 77.8 and the actual temperature averaged out for those days was 73.7, which gives you a difference of 4.1,” he added. According to National Weather Service historical data for the nation’s capital, the biggest variation from the mean daily temperature during the period in question took place on July 5. On that day, the mean actual temperature was 69 degrees Fahrenheit while the historical mean temperature was 78. That is a 9-degree difference. Alan Carlin, a 38-year research analyst at the Environmental Protection Agency, said the lower temperature readings constitute a “global temperature anomaly.” Temperatures of individual states or districts do not pinpoint what is going on globally, he said, but indicated the lower temperatures in D.C. do seem to parallel an overall global temperature drop for the month of June. “My view is that individual readings of individual cities or regions are not particularly indicative, but in the last few days there has been a release of data for June, this is satellite data on global temperature and it shows a drop,” Carlin told CNSNews.com. Carlin based his observations off data from a chart of satellite readings crafted by the University of Alabama in Huntsville. “Their data comes from satellites,” Carlin told CNSNews.com. “There are two general ways to gather this information--one is from satellites and one is from surface readings. It’s my view that the surface readings are extremely inaccurate.” The Center for American Progress (CAP), a Washington D.C. liberal think tank, however, told CNSNews.com that lower temperatures through much of the nation do not mean that “global warming” is not a problem. “NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) said that April was the fifth warmest April globally and it said that May was the fourth warmest May on record. So, I think the year to date, I think this is the fifth warmest January to May,” Joseph Romm, a scientist at CAP told CNSNews.com.As far as the drop in temperatures for June in the United States goes, Romm said: “The United States has certainly been warming in the past decade, but like any relatively small part of the world it can, its weather fluctuates even as the climate gets warmer. I think it’s pretty clear that we are headed towards much warmer temperatures in the near term globally.”Nevertheless, according to the chart from which Carlin made his observations, “June 2009 saw another--albeit small--drop in the global average temperature anomaly.” Carlin explained that right now we are at a “zero anomaly point” -- meaning there is little or no actual change currently compared to the period of 1979 to about 1996. Based on the chart, he predicts the trend in temperatures in the next few years will continue to go downward. In addition to the lower temperatures in Washington D.C., news reports indicate there were also cooler than normal temperatures recently in several regions in the U.S., as well as in places such as New Zealand and the Arctic. National Weather Service data reveals that New York City experienced the coldest June since 1958. The Associated Press reported that in Los Angeles, Calif., June temperatures were “below normal.” “June's average daily high in downtown Los Angeles was 74.5 degrees, five degrees below normal,” the AP reported on July 1. In Chicago, the July 1 high of 65-degrees marked the chilliest open to a July since 1930 and was one of the three coolest July 1 readings on the books in 139 years of weather records, the Chicago Tribune reported.In Cape Cod, Mass., the weather affected more than just beach losses.“The gloomy cold weather has affected more than just beach traffic. Farmers are facing thousands of dollars in losses following a Cape and Islands June that felt more like April,” The Cape Cod Times reported on July 6.In New Zealand, May was the coldest month with June trailing close. “May was the coldest recorded in many parts of New Zealand and June was not far behind, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) climate scientist Georgina Griffiths said yesterday,” The New Zealand Herald reported on July 3.Meanwhile, Joe D’Aleo, executive director and certified consultant meteorologist at the International Climate and Environmental Change Assessment Project revealed: “Arctic temperature is still not above 0°C-- the latest date in fifty years of record keeping.” Carlin, meanwhile, said he believes that the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 will not have much of an impact on the actual environment because there is not enough evidence that “warrants” it.“My view is that the current scientific evidence that we have does not warrant taking any action at this time other than possibly doing the homework and the background research which would allow us to rapidly influence global climate if that should become necessary,” Carlin told CNSNews.com.“It’s not necessary now and what’s being proposed would not have much effect in my opinion,” he added.CNSNews.com reported on June 30 that the EPA did not publicly release a March report by Carlin that had raised questions about the validity of the agency's conclusions on global warming.
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