When it comes to the threat of extinction, size matters
Animals in the Goldilocks zone -- neither too big, nor too small, but just the right size -- face a lower risk of extinction than do those on both ends of the scaleRead Article: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170918132732.htm Opponents of legalizing marijuana have long claimed that it is a “gateway drug” that leads to use of other substances. But one of the country’s most famous physicians says the opposite might be true.
“The real story is the hypocrisy around medical marijuana,” Mehmet Oz — better known as Dr. Oz — said in an appearance on Fox News on Tuesday morning. “People think it’s a gateway drug to narcotics. It may be the exit drug to get us out of the narcotic epidemic.” Read Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2017/09/19/dr-oz-says-medical-marijuana-could-help-solve-opioid-addiction/#438b597e4219 HURRICANES HARVEY AND Irma left a hell of a mess—millions of tons of debris, much of it toxic. Houston officials said this week it will cost at least $200 million to dispose of 8 million cubic yards of storm debris. More than 100,000 homes in Houston are damaged. Irma caused billions of dollars of damage across the Caribbean and southeastern United States.
Wood, plaster, drywall, metal, oil, electronics—all of it waterlogged. Put it into unlined landfills and it can contaminate groundwater. The gypsum in drywall decomposes into hydrogen sulfide gas. And it might all get thrown away together anyway. “No one is interested in separating garbage after a hurricane,” says Elena Craft, a senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund in Austin. “But there are real threats that exist from this process. Read Article: https://www.wired.com/story/where-do-they-put-all-that-toxic-hurricane-debris/ Although 29 states and the District of Columbia allow marijuana use for medical purposes, few medical students are being trained how to prescribe the drug. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis surveyed medical school deans, residents and fellows, and examined a curriculum database maintained by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), learning that medical marijuana is not being addressed in medical education.
Read Article: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20170915/Medical-marijuana-rarely-addressed-in-medical-education.aspx Researchers have developed a flexible organic battery made from organic composites using “natural feedstock” for use in medical devices. The battery biodegrades safely and may have applications in consumer electronics within 5 years.
Read Article: https://futurism.com/new-flexible-organic-battery-could-revolutionize-medical-implants/ In a surprising move, US Sen. Orrin Hatch, a conservative Utah Republican and longtime cannabis prohibitionist, today introduced a bill to encourage more research into the effectiveness of medical cannabis.
Hatch didn’t just quietly introduce the bill, though. Rather, he took to the Senate floor and gave a passionate speech in defense of the use of medical marijuana, saying the plant “has the potential to help millions of Americans,” and “can truly change people’s lives for the better.” Read Article: https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/senate-stunner-orrin-hatch-passionately-defends-medical-marijuana In the 1880s, a fascinating grave was discovered in the Swedish town of Birka. Chock full of weapons, gaming equipment, and two horses, the 10th century AD burial was assumed to be that of a powerful male Viking warrior. But the skeleton had some traits that suggested the person was female. A new study has revealed through DNA analysis that this powerful warrior was indeed a Viking woman.
The idea of a female Viking warrior is not new. Historical records from the early Middle Ages mention women fighting alongside men and artistic works depict this as well. But for the most part, these ideas have been dismissed as mythological, not based in reality. With thousands of known Viking warrior graves around Europe, though, it is now possible to test this idea through the study of skeletons. Read Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2017/09/08/first-female-viking-warrior-proved-through-dna/#53627f1872c8 Researchers have created an original music composition for Monday's eclipse. They used drums, synthesized tones, and other sounds to symbolize the movements of the sun and moon and the gradual darkness they will produce during the August 21 event.
Read Article: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170821105747.htm Read Article: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170821105747.htm With scientists unwilling to toss cats off buildings for experimental observation, science has been unable systematically to study the rate at which they live after crashing to the ground.
In a 1987 study of 132 cats brought to a New York City emergency veterinary clinic after falls from high-rise buildings, 90% of treated cats survived and only 37% needed emergency treatment to keep them alive. One that fell 32 stories onto concrete suffered only a chipped tooth and a collapsed lung and was released after 48 hours. From the moment they're in the air to the instant after they hit the ground, cats' bodies are built to survive high falls, scientists say. Read Article: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17492802 A fascinating article about "rotor sails", a new, more efficient way to power ocean-going ships.9/6/2017
Early next year, a tanker vessel owned by Maersk, the Danish transportation conglomerate, and a passenger ship owned by Viking Cruises will be outfitted with spinning cylinders on their decks. Mounted vertically and up to 10 stories tall, these “rotor sails” could slash fuel consumption up to 10%, saving transportation companies hundreds of thousands of dollars and cutting soot-causing carbon emissions by thousands of tons per trip.
Read Article: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/09/spinning-metal-sails-could-slash-fuel-consumption-emissions-cargo-ships |
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