Two years ago, I wrote about innovative processes to harness the power from the sea. Something we all should be doing. Siemens has convinced Ireland to use tidal currents- and Alstom is trying the same approach. Since China has more than 10,000 miles of coastline, it’s not surprising that it’s joining the fray, too.
I wrote about a ‘simple’ device that provides pure water for villages of a thousand or so in developing nations. But, now, instead of converting humidity in the air for water uses on land, solar technology has been adapted- and expanded- to make it relevant and critical to America… for our farms.
Continue reading Water, water everywhere, but not a drop…
Now, this is thinking outside the box. Dr. Adam Driks (Loyola, Illinois) is a microbiologist who has been studying spores for a while. A spore is a protective shell (actually, concentric shells) that some microbes form to keep themselves preserved during periods of environmental stress. It was originally thought to be like a walnut shell protecting the valuable components within. But, Driks has been studying Bacillus spores and found that when the relative humidity changes, so does the spore itself.
Eggs. Apples. Chocolate. Strawberries.
What do they have in common? They were the four things I was NOT allergic to as a child. Everything else- fuhgeddaboudit! Seriously. I had a forty-three page, three column booklet listing each and (almost) every item to which I had a +4 reaction.
Continue reading An apple a day?
Most of you know I live in Metropolitan DC. So, whatever happens in/to/from the Federal government is LOCAL. Like the shutdown- that cost the DC area more than $ 220 million each and every day in business. Since there are some 5 million folks living in the Metropolitan area, that’s $ 50 not spent by every man, woman, and child. OK, that doesn’t sound too bad. But, there are about 225,000 businesses in the area. Which means the average business took a hit $ 1000 a day. That is a significant number if you are a small business- even if you are a large one.
Continue reading R-I-S-K (don’t shudder- react!)
I’ve written beforeabout methods and processes to treat wastewater (here and here, for starters- you can find more by searching the index to the right for wastewater)- including methods that may be able to provide power to attenuate the costs of such treatment. Now, another concept to employ microbes to generate electricity has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (right now, it’s ahead of print) describing work being done by Dr. Craig Criddle’s group at Stanford.
Continue reading A Microbial Battery For Waste Treatment?
Many of you know that I have been working with water reuse systems for some four decades now. One of the first projects was the development (and sale) of a home wastewater recycling system. During it’s development, we found that certain high use conditions led to a buildup of ammonia in the returning (clean) wastewater to the toilet. Trust me, there are only so many times you can tell the homeowner that the ammonia smell means their toilet bowl is clean. (If you must know, once was about the limit!)
Continue reading Biofarming- with some great new twists!
You remember when we talked about wireless power? I was talking about its use in small devices, health care, and the like. Well, South Korea has much bigger plans in mind.
Continue reading This is one heck of a bus!
OK. It’s rant time. But, no, I have not lost power again- yet. Although, I must admit, having bought my house some 25 years ago, I have had the “opportunity” to experience a blackout- longer and more pervasive than the one that hit the Northeast when I was a young lad- enough times that I find it amazing that we consider ourselves to live in the “First World”.
Continue reading It’s way past time to bury these items