|
|
Wood you like a drink? Japan team invents 'wood alcohol'![]() Tokyo (AFP) May 1, 2018 Discerning drinkers may soon be able to branch out after Japanese researchers said Tuesday they have invented a way of producing an alcoholic drink made from wood. The researchers at Japan's Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute say the bark-based beverages have woody qualities similar to alcohol which is aged in wood barrels. They hope to have their "wood alcohol" on shelves within three years. The method involves pulverising wood into a creamy paste and then adding yeast and an enzym ... read more |
Physics of a glacial 'slushy' reveal granular forces on a massive scaleAtlanta, GA (SPX) May 01, 2018 The laws for how granular materials flow apply even at the giant, geophysical scale of icebergs piling up in the ocean at the outlet of a glacier, scientists have shown. The Proceedings of the ... more
Fish farming can help relieve pressures on land resources, study showsWashington (UPI) Apr 30, 2018 As population growth accelerates in much of the world, demands for meat are putting added pressure on natural resources. New research suggests some of the pressure can be relieved by fish farming. ... more
EU to ban bee-killing pesticidesBrussels (AFP) April 27, 2018 EU countries voted on Friday for a near-total ban on insecticides blamed for killing off bee populations, in what campaigners called a "beacon of hope" for the winged insects. ... more
As water crisis bites, Venezuela governor outraged over empty poolCaracas (AFP) April 26, 2018 The chronic water shortage in Venezuela which has left millions struggling to cope sparked fresh headlines this week after a state governor expressed outrage that his swimming pool was empty. ... more |
Philippines vows arrests over bogus flood control projects
Philippines digs out from Typhoon Fung-wong as death toll climbs Philippines digs out from Typhoon Fung-wong as death toll climbs to 18 Three Vietnam men survive 40 hours at sea after typhoon Typhoon Fung-wong floods Philippine towns, leaves 5 dead in its wake Typhoon Fung-wong leaves flooded Philippine towns in its wake Typhoon exposes centuries-old shipwreck off Vietnam port Weakening Typhoon Fung-wong exits Philippines after displacing 1.4 million Super Typhoon Fung-wong makes landfall in Philippines Over 1 million evacuate as deadly Super Typhoon Fung-wong nears Philippines |
|
|

| Previous Issues | May 01 | Apr 30 | Apr 27 | Apr 26 | Apr 25 |
|
California to 'whiplash' between drought, floods: studyParis (AFP) April 23, 2018 California will zigzag between droughts and floods which will become more intense and more frequent in the coming decades unless global emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases are checked, researchers said Monday. ... more
Nuggets of contention: Chinese mine gold in CameroonLonga Mali, Cameroun (AFP) April 22, 2018 Killings, land grabs, corruption... tensions and violence are rising in eastern Cameroon as Chinese firms take advantage of a regulatory twilight zone to mine gold. ... more
How NASA and John Deere Helped Tractors Drive ThemselvesWashington DC (SPX) Apr 19, 2018 There has been a lot of talk lately of self-driving cars, but farmers have already been making good use of self-driving tractors for more than a decade-in part due to a partnership between John Deer ... more
UTA expands efforts to develop water recycling technologiesArlington TX (SPX) Apr 19, 2018 The Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation at The University of Texas at Arlington has expanded its partnership with oil field equipment supplier Challenger Water Solu ... more
US treaty with Native Americans put to test in Supreme Court salmon caseWashington (AFP) April 18, 2018 The US Supreme Court was transported to the American West and another century on Wednesday as it heard a case involving Native Americans and salmon fishing rights. ... more |
![]() Nanoporous membrane centrifuge enables reverse osmosis without fouling
China hits US sorghum with anti-dumping measureBeijing (AFP) April 17, 2018 China announced Tuesday that it was slapping provisional anti-dumping duties on sorghum imported from the United States amid heightened trade tensions between the world's two top economies. ... more |
|
Monoculture farming is harming bees' microbiomeWashington (UPI) Apr 17, 2018 Honeybees aren't getting enough good bacteria as a result of harmful land management, including monoculture farming and commercial forestry. ... more
Fishing 'nomads': corralling carp on China's Thousand Island LakeQiandaohu, China (AFP) April 11, 2018 On a clear sunny morning in eastern China, the surface of Qiandao Lake boils with tens of thousands of thrashing carp as they are swept into the nets of fisherman like Ye Zhiqing. ... more
Large wildfires bring increases in annual river flowCorvallis OR (SPX) Apr 16, 2018 Large wildfires cause increases in stream flow that can last for years or even decades, according to a new analysis of 30 years of data from across the continental United States. Enhanced rive ... more
Mississippi River diversions will produce new land, but slowly, Tulane study saysNew Orleans LA (SPX) Apr 16, 2018 Although river diversions that bring land building sediment to shrinking coastlands are the best solution to sustaining portions of the Mississippi Delta, a new Tulane University study concludes tha ... more
Scientists use carbon nanotube technology to develop robust water desalination membranesNagano, Japan (SPX) Apr 16, 2018 A research team of Shinshu University, Japan, has developed robust reverse osmosis membranes that can endure large-scale water desalination. The team published their results in early February in Sci ... more |
|
|
|
|
China to launch new Earth observation satellite in May Harbin, China (XNA) Apr 26, 2018
China is to launch Gaofen-5, a hyperspectral imaging satellite for Earth observation, at the beginning of May.
The new satellite, capable of obtaining spectral information from ultraviolet to long-wave infrared radiation, can be used to survey inland waters and mineral resources, said Tong Xudong, director of the Earth Observation System and Data Center, China National Space Administration ... more |
Brexit prompts UK to probe developing satellite navigation system London (AFP) May 1, 2018 Britain will explore developing and launching its own satellite navigation system, Downing Street announced on Tuesday, amid doubt over its future inclusion in a key European project after Brexit.
Prime Minister Theresa May has created a taskforce of engineering and aerospace experts led by the UK Space Agency "to develop options for a British Global Navigation Satellite System that would gu ... more |
|
|
Tribal protesters march on Brazil congress over land threats Brasilia (AFP) April 26, 2018
About 2,000 members of Brazil's indigenous tribes, decked out in traditional feathers and body paint, marched Thursday on Congress to demand protection for ancestral lands from ever expanding farm businesses.
The activists were part of a week-long, annual indigenous protest camp that drew around 3,500 representatives from around 100 tribes, organizers said.
The marchers, some carrying bo ... more |
New catalyst turns ammonia into an innovative clean fuel Kumamoto, Japan (SPX) Apr 30, 2018
Taking measures against climate change and converting into societies that use significant amounts of renewable energy for power are two of the most important issues common to developed countries today. One promising technology in those efforts uses hydrogen (H2) as a renewable energy source.
Although it is a primary candidate for clean secondary energy, large amounts of H2 must be converte ... more |
|
|
Bright future for solar cell technology Onna, Japan (SPX) Apr 30, 2018 Harnessing energy from the sun, which emits immensely powerful energy from the center of the solar system, is one of the key targets for achieving a sustainable energy supply.
Light energy can be converted directly into electricity using electrical devices called solar cells. To date, most solar cells are made of silicon, a material that is very good at absorbing light. But silicon panels ... more |
US renewables firm takes Poland to court over U-turn on windmills Warsaw (AFP) April 24, 2018
A US renewable energy group Invenergy said on Tuesday it had begun international arbitration against Poland, claiming it stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars (euros) after the EU country reneged on its commitments to build wind farms.
Between 2005 and 2015, Invenergy built 11 wind farms in Poland, investing "hundreds of millions of dollars of equity capital to develop and construc ... more |
|
|
U.N.: Coal still has a short-term future Washington (UPI) Apr 25, 2018
There's no certain long-term future for coal as a power source given the shift toward low-carbon options, but that's not the case near-term, a U.N. agency said.
Coal accounts for about 30 percent of total energy used globally and about 40 percent of total electricity generation. Among fossil fuels, natural gas is a cleaner option when compared to oil or coal.
The International En ... more |
Out for the count? Hong Kong's battered independence movement Hong Kong (AFP) May 2, 2018
It was only two years ago that thousands gathered near government headquarters in the heart of Hong Kong for an energetic rally in support of independence from China.
Today such scenes are unthinkable in the semi-autonomous city as Beijing ramps up pressure on any challenge to its sovereignty.
The crackdown on independence campaigners has seen activists barred from standing for office an ... more |
|
|
NASA's swarmathon improves student skills in robotics, computer science Kennedy Space Center FL (SPX) May 01, 2018
Students from universities and community colleges across the nation recently participated in third annual Swarmathon. The robotic programming competition took place at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex April 17-19. Their developments may lead to technology that could help astronauts find needed resources while exploring the Moon or Mars.
In her welcoming remarks, Deputy Center Di ... more |
After the gold rush: Mining boom in Cameroon leaves 'open tombs' Betare Oya, Cameroon (AFP) April 30, 2018
For a time, the land around the village of Longa Mali in eastern Cameroon was one of the most prized in Africa, and powerful machines gnawed greedily into its soil to extract precious gold.
Today, abandoned with almost the same speed as it was coveted, the landscape is as dangerous as it is damaged, say campaigners.
Around 100 deep holes lie around the village. Many of them are filled wi ... more |
|
|
Earlier humans used dried fungi as tinder for fires during the Neolithic period Washington (UPI) Apr 26, 2018
Some 7,300 years ago in what's now Spain, humans collected and dried fungi for use as tinder to start fires. It's the earliest evidence of technological use of fungi, according to researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Archaeologists discovered remains of the novel fire-starting material among the artifacts left behind by the people of la Draga, a Neolithic community loc ... more |
U.S. offers funding for marine energy development Washington (UPI) May 1, 2018
More than $20 million could be available to help make marine energy technology cheaper to develop and quicker to deploy, the U.S. government said.
The U.S. Energy Department's renewables division said up to $23 million in funding is available for marine energy devices.
"Marine energy is the newest frontier where we can unleash American innovation to produce more energy more affor ... more |
|
|
Winter wave heights and extreme storms on the rise in Western Europe Plymouth UK (SPX) Apr 25, 2018
Average winter wave heights along the Atlantic coast of Western Europe have been rising for almost seven decades, according to new research.
The coastlines of Scotland and Ireland have seen the largest increases, with the average height of winter waves more than 10mm/year (more than 0.7metres in total) higher than in 1948.
That has also led to increased wave heights during extreme we ... more |
China warns US against causing 'damage' to trade in Huawei probe Beijing (AFP) April 26, 2018
China warned the United States on Thursday against harming trade after a report that US authorities had opened an investigation into suspected violations of Iran sanctions by China's Huawei Technologies.
A US Justice Department probe would come on the back of subpoenas issued to the company by the US Commerce and Treasury Departments over sanctions-related issues, according to the Wall Stree ... more |
|
|
Key Parker Solar Probe sensor bests sun simulator-last launch hurdle Ann Arbor MI (SPX) May 01, 2018
You don't get to swim in the sun's atmosphere unless you can prove you belong there. And the Parker Solar Probe's Faraday cup, a key sensor aboard the $1.5 billion NASA mission launching this summer, earned its stripes last week by enduring testing in a homemade contraption designed to simulate the sun.
The cup will scoop up and examine the solar wind as the probe passes closer to the sun ... more |
Extreme mobility of mantis shrimp eyes Bristol UK (SPX) May 02, 2018
New research, led by biologists from the University of Bristol, has uncovered fresh findings about the most mobile eyes in the animal kingdom - the eyes of the mantis shrimp.
Mantis shrimp vision is extraordinary, both in terms of their colour vision and their ability to see the polarisation of light.
Not only this, but they have extremely mobile eyes that never seem to stop moving. ... more |
|
| Buy Advertising | Media Advertising Kit | Editorial & Other Enquiries | Privacy statement |
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement |