Archive for the ‘Environment’ Category
How Does Soap Work?
February 9th, 2010 | 4 Comments »How Does Soap Work?
There’s a complex chemical in our homes that we use daily with little regard to what it is or how it works — soap. This substance seems simple. Just rub it on your hands or pour it into a washing machine and instantly make something clean. But using soap can be important, for example, if you want to prevent boils.
The Basics of Soap
Soap is the name we give any blend of sodium or potassium-based “salts” of fatty acids. When you think of the word “salt”, don’t think of the stuff on the kitchen table…
What Is Acid Rain?
November 6th, 2009 | No Comments »Acid Rain Basics
Acid rain is a rainfall that is unnaturally acidic in nature, usually caused by the inclusion of nitric and sulfuric acids from the emissions of chemicals from industrial plants in the region.
When nitrous oxides and sulfur oxide are pumped into the atmosphere, those chemical compounds react with oxygen and water in the air, creating clouds that contain nitric acid and sulfuric acid. The next time it rains, the rain water will come down as “acid rain”.
Most acid rain is produced from gases released by the burning of fossil fuels. Roughly 2/3rds of the acid rain…
Why Is the Cash for Clunkers Program Controversial?
August 3rd, 2009 | No Comments »Why is the Cash for Clunkers program controversial?
After writing about the so called “Cash for Clunkers” program a few weeks ago when it was announced, I was stunned to find out that there was a contingent of people who were against the program. Some people are using it to make a case against the entire Obama administration and their economic policies — still others point to this piece of legislation as unneccessary government subsidizing. As usual, both sides have valid points.
You know about the “Cash for Clunkers” program if you’ve had the news on the past week…
Where Will this Month’s Solar Eclipse Be Visible?
July 21st, 2009 | No Comments »Where will this month’s solar eclipse be visible?
This Wednesday, June 22, 2009, a large portion of the population of Earth is in for quite a show.
The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century is about to take place — specifically, this Wednesday, with time around 2:35:21 UTC. This will be the longest totality event until June 13 2132, when none of us will be alive to view its beauty — hell, it is unlikely that any of our children will be around then.
There will be no other eclipse to rival its duration for over a…
Bill Gates: Hurricane Killer?
July 16th, 2009 | 3 Comments »Bill Gates: Hurricane Killer?
It may sound like the twisted plot of a comic book or the ramblings of a James Bond villain, but this week’s oddest tech story is based on a patent filed by Bill Gates himself — controlling the weather. Bill Gates and a litany of other inventors have come together to form a plan to “kill hurricanes” while they’re over open ocean and before they can hit land and wreak havoc.
Gates’ idea sounds simple enough — send barges to pull cold deep ocean water up to the surace to create a virtual road…
What Is the “Cash for Clunkers” Program?
June 10th, 2009 | No Comments »What is the “cash for clunkers” program?
Even though unemployment numbers are higher than they’ve been in over twenty years, and people are watching their investments lose value faster than ever before, consumers may just get a huge break from the US government when they go to buy their next car.
It may seem counterintuitive to offer consumers a break on an item that the media would have us believe no one is buying, but let’s be real. People will always have a need for a new vehicle. To spark that interest, the Obama administration has invented an incentive,…
What Is Freecycle.org?
May 21st, 2009 | No Comments »What is Freecycle.org?
The Freecycle Network is made up of nearly 5,000 member groups with over six and a half million members around the world. It is a grassroots nonprofit ecological movement made up of people who are giving and receiving free stuff right in their own communities. The purpose of freecycle.org is to encourage people to reuse things they may throw away — or as the website puts it, to “keep good stuff out of landfills”.
Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer. Membership is free.
To sign up, find your community on freecycle.org or browse…
What Is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
May 12th, 2009 | No Comments »What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific Trash Vortex or the Eastern Garbage Patch, is a massive amount of floating trash in the north central Pacific Ocean that is rumored to be twice the size of the state of Texas. Specifically, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is composed of mostly plastic waste that is held suspended near or on the surface of the Pacific Ocean by currents.
The Patch gained notoriety when it was “discovered” by Charles Moore, an ocean researcher and sea captain who may have been the first…
The World’s Best Places to Live in 2009
May 1st, 2009 | 3 Comments » Looking for a new place to live? Here are some of the best places in the world to live in 2009, along with some details on each city.Is 2012 the Apocalypse?
April 30th, 2009 | 1 Comment »Is 2012 the apocalypse?
As we get closer and closer to the year 2012, the spiritually minded and conspiracy theorists alike are growing increasingly paranoid. But why is so much noise being made about this particular year? You may have heard vague references to the “2012 apocalypse” in passing news reports or in films, but what is the basis for all this 2012 paranoia? Why do people think the apocalypse will be in 2012?
Turns out, there’s quite a few sources for the supposed coming apocalypse. From the Mayans, whose “Long Count” calendar indicates that the apocalypse will occur on…