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
Archive for the ‘ Environment ’ Category
What Is Acid Rain?
Friday, November 6th, 2009 - By Ask Deb
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
Why Is the Cash for Clunkers Program Controversial?
Monday, August 3rd, 2009 - By Ask Deb
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
Where Will this Month’s Solar Eclipse Be Visible?
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 - By Ask Deb
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
Bill Gates: Hurricane Killer?
Thursday, July 16th, 2009 - By Ask Deb
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
What Is the “Cash for Clunkers” Program?
Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 - By Ask Deb
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
What Is Freecycle.org?
Thursday, May 21st, 2009 - By Ask Deb
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
What Is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
Tuesday, May 12th, 2009 - By Ask Deb
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
The World’s Best Places to Live in 2009
Friday, May 1st, 2009 - By Ask Deb
The Worlds Best Places to Live 2009 As the world economy continues to slump and health scares such as the swine flu terrify millions, many people are becoming increasingly interested in the world’s best places to live in 2009. Fortunately, Mercer Consultings releases a yearly list ranking the world’s best places to live out of 420 global cities. A score is given to each city on the
Is 2012 the Apocalypse?
Thursday, April 30th, 2009 - By Ask Deb
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