%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fdouglas-anthony-cooper%2Fpit-bulls-montreals-hero-_b_12030348.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Pit Bulls? Hero Mayor Affirms: I'm With Stupid  
In the debate over whether pit bulls should be banned, Montreal's mayor has demonstrated rare grit. It takes backbone to stand firmly against every professional organization on the continent, and to embrace heroic ignorance. I stress: Mayor Denis Coderre is not rejecting "some" expert groups. He's not sneering at "the majority." He's rejecting every single one. Every. Single. One.

Bravo, mayor. Short may you prosper.

Ah, but the mayor laughs -- Ha! Je ris! -- at specialists who have studied the matter, and who have concluded that Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) does absolutely nothing to reduce dog bites, and means the slaughter of thousands of innocent pets.

When local citizens oppose these worthless measures, they too are treated with royal contempt. I urge you to watch the video below. It's disgraceful. An animal behavior consultant, Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, stands at an open hearing to confront the mayor with the proven fact that breed bans have worked literally nowhere in the world. Coderre's democratic response (midway through the argument) is: "Coupe le micro."



If you're français-deprived, that means: "Cut the mic." And the mic is duly cut. Thank you, Mayor. You're a peach. May your silenced constituents vote you into oblivion.

Sure, but what kind of mayor listens to mere citizens? That's hardly his job. So let's revisit those expert organizations, shall we. By "experts," I don't mean pompous pseudo-scientists who hate pit bulls, but qualified professionals who rely on peer-reviewed articles written by actual scientists and published in major international journals. Perhaps you require names? Well, I've written about this recently, but to recap and expand, the legislation Mayor Coderre is forcing down the collective throat of his city has been scorned by the following (and this is by no means a complete list):

1. Ordre des médecins vétérinaires du Québec
2, Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
3. SPCA Montréal
4. Humane Society International/Canada
5. Ontario Health and Safety Board
6. Toronto Humane Society
7. Canadian Kennel Club
8. National Animal Control Association
9. National Animal Interest Alliance
10. National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors
11. International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
12. International Association of Canine Professionals
13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
14. Best Friends Animal Society
15. Humane Society of the United States
16. American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
17. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
18. Association of Pet Dog Trainers
19. Animal Behavior Society
20. American Kennel Club
21. American Humane
22. American Bar Association
23. American Dog Owners Association
24. American Veterinary Medical Association
25. American Working Dog Federation
26. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
27. The, uh, White House

Eyes glazed yet? Sorry, but sometimes ennui is instructive. Note that I'm restricting myself to a select group of North Americans here -- I'd hate to bore you even further with a more comprehensive list, but you're welcome to Google the entire civilized world.

Oh, come on: isn't there even one prominent group in Canada or the U.S. in favor of banning pit bulls? Not one? Okay, it's only fair to note that there is one. Not a professional organization, by any stretch, but famous. In the way that Kim Kardashian is famous. This would be PETA: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

PETA's argument isn't based upon anything remotely scientific, of course, but it's deeply felt. And that's what matters. Their caring founder goes further in the way of Breed Specific Legislation than most: she has called for every living pit bull taking refuge in a shelter to leave that safe haven in a body bag. (She's big on animals leaving shelters in body bags. It's more than just a hobby for her; you might say that it's a calling.) So, if you're the kind of person -- a sterling, Coderre-like type -- who stands firm with the vile, the confused, and the famous, you might wish to take this into account: PETA's on your side.

Don't get me wrong. I have a great vat of admiration for this mayor. A brimming trough, even. Let's face it: there's an unprincipled bias, worldwide, in favor of science. Far too many people have kneejerk respect for intelligence and rigor. It takes fortitude to lift the executive schnozz in disdain at those "science whores," and to insist that the city swallow mayor-approved medicine, even if it won't make constituents any safer, will seize and kill many of their pets, and will put a significant dent in the municipal budget. Hey, who cares about mere dollars? Or dogs? Or humans? What matters is to be stout, unwavering, righteously deaf, and benthically ignorant.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fsteve-horn%2Fdid-a-front-group-use-pro_b_12032484.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Did a Front Group Use Pro-Dakota Access Pipeline Fake Accounts on Twitter, Led by GOP-Tied Firm?  

Cross-Posted from DeSmogBlog

Image Credit: Twitter

A DeSmog investigation has revealed the possibility that a front group supporting the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) — the Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now (MAIN) — may have created fake Twitter profiles, known by some as "sock puppets," to convey a pro-pipeline message over social media. And MAIN may be employing the PR services of the firm DCI Group, which has connections to the Republican Party, in order to do so. 

DeSmog tracked down at least 16 different questionable Twitter accounts which used the #NoDAPL hashtag employed by protesters, in order to claim that opposition to the pipeline kills jobs, that those protesting the pipeline at the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's encampment use violence, and that the pipeline does not pose a risk to water sources or cross over tribal land.

On September 13, people began to suspect these accounts were fake, calling them out on Twitter, and by September 14, most of the accounts no longer existed.

The Dakota Access Pipeline is set to carry oil obtained via hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") from the Bakken Shale basin in North Dakota across the Dakotas, Iowa, and Illinois. Its owner, Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), says it plans to talk to the Obama administration and "reiterate [its] commitment to bring the Dakota Access Pipeline into operation." It will do so despite the administration requesting that the company halt construction "voluntarily — particularly around the contested sacred tribal sites located 20 miles east and west of Lake Oahe and the Missouri River — until further notice."

In his memorandum announcing his company's plans to do so, ETP CEO Kelcy Warren espoused many of the same arguments that were deployed by the Twitter sock puppets, which calls into question whether his company helped spearhead the social media campaign behind the scenes in order to create the appearance of grassroots support, a technique known as "astroturfing."

In that memo, Warren said his company plans to engage more aggressively in the PR sphere.

"It has not been my preference to engage in a media/PR battle," wrote Warren. "However, misinformation has dominated the news, so we will work to communicate with the government and media more clearly in the days to come."

Vicki Granado, a spokesperson for the company, did not respond to a request for comment. 

In the meantime, as all stakeholders in the debate await a definitive next move from the Obama administration, protests both on-site and nationwide have continued, with a militarized police presence at the Sacred Stone Camp intensifying. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) spoke at a September 13 Washington, DC protest against the pipeline, while U.S. Representatives Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) that same day called for a congressional oversight investigation of the hotly contested permitting issues which have arisen in the ongoing saga over the pipeline's future. 

With that backdrop, in came the "sock puppets" for their own September 13 day of action on Twitter — and with MAIN likely pulling the strings. 

The Sock Puppets

The sock puppet profiles had names such as Ashley Lovinggood, Garnett Vreeken, Yong Fetner, and Ying Baars, and all of the profile pictures featured women. Besides tweets promoting the Dakota Access Pipeline, what links all of the bogus profiles together is that they all "follow" (similar to "liking" a page on Facebook) the company Hootsuite.

Image Credit: Twitter

Hootsuite serves as a social media platform management tool which allows an administrator for many different social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter, to toggle quickly between accounts and send out posts in the form of tweets and other status updates. One of those accounts, that of Angla Dullea, formerly followed MAIN — and like all of the other pages — also followed Hootsuite; that is, until the account became suspended.

Dullea's profile photo bore an identical resemblance to the Twitter profile for Palma Mackerl, another bare-bones Twitter account.

 

Image Credit: Twitter

Dullea also retweeted a tweet from a group called Standing Rock Fact Checker, which on its website describes itself as a project of MAIN. The website also states it is "dedicated to promoting the truth" and battling "misinformation about the approved — and nearly complete — Dakota Access project." Five other suspicious Twitter profiles also shared Fact Checker tweets.

MAIN members include the South Dakota Petroleum and Propane Marketers Association, North Dakota Petroleum Council, Petroleum Marketers, Convenience Stores of Iowa, and others.

Reverse photo searches on Google revealed that the pictures used for other sock puppet profiles also appeared on a dermatologist website, a mail order bride website, and a hairstyle website featuring a photo of Eva Longoria, as well as images of Chinese model Crystal Wang Xi Ran, singer Keri Hilson, and the late singer Amy Winehouse.

Eva Longoria doppelgänger; Photo Credit: Twitter | Oliver Keyes

The use of political bots and sock puppets is nothing new and in fact, has become normalized by political factions worldwide, explained Norah Abokhodair of the Political Bots research program based at the University of Washington and Oxford University. 

"There are many ways in which social bots can disrupt or influence online discourse, such as, spamming, phishing, distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS), or other nefarious activities," Abokhodair explained, pointing to examples such as the Syrian Civil War bots and bots used in Turkey. "They can also be deployed for sophisticated activities like astroturfing, misdirection (botnet that tries to get the audience to attend to other content by spamming the hashtag) and smoke screening (serves to hide or provide cover for or obscure some type of activity)."

MAIN and DCI Group

MAIN was the only industry group to issue a press release in response to the Obama administration's September 9 announcement halting construction on a portion of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Its press release contained a statement attributed to spokesperson Craig Stevens. Stevens also recently did an interview with KVLY-TV, the NBC and CBS affiliate for Fargo, North Dakota. When on TV, however, he was billed as the "spokesperson for a pipeline sort of group, if you will" by segment host Chris Berg.

Despite the lack of disclosure by KVLY and Berg, it turns out that Craig Stevens actually works as Media Affairs and Crisis Management Lead for DCI Group. His DCI Group contact information is listed for MAIN's profile page on the website PR Newswire.

Image Credit: PR Newswire

DCI is a PR firm tied to the GOP and with roots in creating front groups on behalf of Big Tobacco, spearheading the modern Tea Party movement, and representing oppressive dictatorial regimes such as that of Burma and oil- and gas-soaked Azerbaijan. Stevens formerly worked for the George W. Bush presidential campaign, served as spokesperson for U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman for the George W. Bush Administration, and also worked on Mitt Romney's 2012 Republican Party presidential campaign.

Jim Murphy, the political director for Donald Trump's Republican Party presidential campaign, formerly served as President and Managing Partner for DCI Group. Beyond the DCI Group connection, Continental Resources — whose founder and CEO Harold Hamm is one of Donald Trump's top energy advisers and a potential candidate for U.S. Secretary of Energy under a Trump presidency — said in a recent investor statement that a significant chunk of the company's Bakken oil will flow through Dakota Access. 

Before DCI Group began working on Standing Rock-related projects for MAIN, it appears the PR firm LS2Group maintained the PR account for Dakota Access. A MAIN press release from November 2015 lists LS2's Kayla Day as the contact person and her LS2 work number is also listed, while metadata for the press release's PDF shows the document was last saved by former LS2 staffer Alex Shaner.

DCI's Role

As DeSmog has previously revealed, LS2 also did PR work in support of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline. The group Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement published emails from 2014 (obtained via a public records request) showing LS2 also doing advocacy work in support of Dakota Access.

LS2's Day told DeSmog that LS2 still does some work on behalf of MAIN, but declined to comment further on how the work is divvied up between LS2 and DCI Group. Stevens was first listed as a spokesperson for MAIN in a September 6 press release, two days after the now-infamous dog biting incident took place at the protesting Standing Rock Siuox Tribe's Sacred Stone Camp. The Standing Rock Fact Checker website was registered the day before, and it also sent out its first tweet that same day.

Image Credit: WhoIs.net

Stevens declined to comment on who funds MAIN, referring to the membership list and confirming he was brought on in the past couple weeks to do PR work on behalf of the coalition, "as the whole public discussion has increased and been elevated" surrounding the pipeline. He also confirmed he runs the Fact Checker portal.

Asked about whether his firm or MAIN had anything to do with the sock-puppet tweets, Stevens denied he or MAIN had any involvement. 

"It's frustrating to me because we're working to be respectful in tone and fact-based and any tactics like these are a distraction for what we're trying to do and that's to bring facts and contexts to this discussion," Stevens said. "I don't know about the tactics themselves and I don't know who or what is behind it, but as someone who's trying to get facts out and trying to be respectful in tone, it was incredibly frustrating that this was going on. As far as I know, and think I know, the MAIN Coalition had nothing to do with them."

However, noted environmental advocate and co-founder of climate group 350.org, Bill McKibben, doubts the authenticity of such claims from PR firms with a record like DCI, saying: 

"There's a word for this kind of thing, and that word is: lying. The invention of fake people to make fake arguments perfectly exemplifies the tactics Big Oil has been reduced to. They can't win an argument on the merits, so they've given up trying. Instead, they literally make things up. The contrast with the steadfast straightforwardness of the tribes, and of the climate scientists, couldn't be more stark."

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencedaily.com%2Freleases%2F2016%2F09%2F160915085717.htm&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
For 20 million years, the diversity of large terrestrial mammals depended on plant growth  
For more than 20 million years, the ups and downs of diversity in terrestrial large mammals were determined by primary production, i.e. net production of plant biomass. This pattern changed with the onset of the ice ages. The reason for this is likely the beginning of human impact on nature, according to a new research. Based on 14,000 fossils, the scientists reconstructed the diversity of terrestrial large mammals and compared it with data on the biomass production of plants during the same time period.  
gaia  

%mail  
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-37378007  
 

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2F64999554%40N02%2F29076763154%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
A View of Tower Bridge  

Joe Sale posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2F64999554%40N02%2F29076773364%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
By the River - Tower Bridge  

Joe Sale posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fbrad-friedman-and-desi-doyen%2Fgreen-news-report---septe_b_12032130.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
'Green News Report' - September 15, 2016  
The Green News Report is also available via...





IN TODAY'S RADIO REPORT: New analysis finds Dakota Access pipeline fails Obama's climate test; U.S. House Science Committee chair investigating states who are investigating Exxon Mobil; Lead paint manufacturers got legal immunity in Wisconsin after big campaign donations; PLUS: Louisiana floods now the third costliest disaster in U.S. history... All that and more in today's Green News Report!

Listen online here, or Download MP3 (6 mins)...

Link:
Embed:

Got comments, tips, love letters, hate mail? Drop us a line at GreenNews@BradBlog.com or right here at the comments link below. All GNRs are always archived at GreenNews.BradBlog.com.

IN 'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (see links below): Wind, solar and electric cars are booming. Too bad that's not enough to stop climate change; Wind, solar and electric cars are booming. Too bad that's not enough to stop climate change; Bayer and Monsanto to merge in mega-deal that could reshape world's food supply; Reducing runoff pollution by making spray droplets less bouncy; What the sixth extinction will look like in the oceans; Obama designates the first-ever marine monument off the East Coast, in New England; New Research Documents That Sugar Industry's Playbook Goes Way Back... PLUS: Reducing runoff pollution by making spray droplets less bouncy... and much, MUCH more! ...

'Green News Report' is heard on many fine radio stations around the country. For additional info on stories we covered today, plus today's 'Green News Extra', please click right here to listen!

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fsandrine-biziaux%2F29592136722%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Native bird on native plant.  

sandranne2 posted a photo:

California Gnatcatcher on Buckwheat at UCI Eco Preserve this morning.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fmariel-vilella%2Fzero-waste-cities-at-the_b_12029704.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Zero Waste Cities: At The Forefront Of The Sustainable Development Goals Agenda  
A call to rethink our relationship with the stuff that we use and discard is fundamental to the sustainability agenda.


Making "cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable" will prove to be one of the most critically important SDGs of this century. In particular, SDG 11.6 commits us all "by 2030, [to] reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality, municipal and other waste management".

In the context of an unprecedentedly rapid pace of urban population growth - not only does most of the global population now live in cities, it is foreseen that by 2050, 70% of the population will live in the urban context, effective management of municipal solid waste poses one of the biggest challenges.

Badly managed municipal solid waste contributes to resource depletion, economic lock-in, air pollution, and public health impacts such as diarrhoea, asthma, dengue fever, and other serious health effects such as cancer. Moreover, cities account for 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions if a consumption-based method is used (that is, accounting for all goods consumed by residents, irrespective from their origin), so a call to rethink our relationship with the stuff that we use and discard is, clearly, fundamental to the sustainability agenda.

Facing up to the waste challenge can hold the key to the transformation of our relationship with resources and provide practical, bottom-up and decentralised strategies for reducing climate pollution, conserving energy and natural resources, and present enormous opportunities for the development of local economies.

Fortunately, the transition towards a more resource-efficient society has already begun: Zero Waste strategies currently implemented around the world by visionary local leaders, recyclers cooperatives, and innovative practitioners, provide some of the necessary building blocks for a 'sustainable city'.

In Europe, the Zero Waste Municipalities network has grown rapidly and it now counts on more than 350 members and municipalities in more than 7 EU countries. The keys for success have proven to be a combination of strong political will, community leadership and engagement, and a locally-adapted strategy.






Zero waste is both a goal and a plan of action. The goal is to ensure resource recovery and protect scarce natural resources by progressively minimising and ultimately ending waste disposal in incinerators, cement plants, dumps, and landfills. Experience shows that these costly end-of-pipe options do not address the underlying problems with the throw-away society, lead to the destruction of resources, and create issues regarding the disposal of the considerable and often highly toxic ash that remains, air pollution, and the destruction of livelihoods in local recycling economies.

The plan encompasses people-led programs for waste reduction, reuse and repair programs, composting, recycling, changes in consumption habits, redesign and toxic-free production. Being rooted in community participation, zero waste policies are both far-sighted and inclusive, they pave the way toward sustainable waste management systems that work for both communities and the environment. Ultimately, zero waste is a revolution in the relationship between waste and people, a new way of thinking that aims to safeguard the health and improve the lives of everyone who produces, handles, works with, or is affected by waste--in other words, all of us.





Cities engaging in raising their mark on sustainability can look at the innovative experiences around the world that today are already making real progress towards compliance with the SDGs for urban sustainability:

• A door-to-door collection service operated by a cooperative of almost 2,000 grassroots recyclers in Pune, India, has been integrated into the city's waste management system and diverts enough waste to avoid 640,000 tons of GHG emissions annually.
• 
  
  
• A zero waste movement in the Basque country province of Gipuzkoa led to the adoption of a door-to-door waste collection service in more than 30 small cities that have reduced their amount of waste going to landfills by 80 percent.
• 
  
  
• In Italy, the Contarina district in Treviso has not only managed to reach more than 85 percent diversion in its cities but it has actually achieved the most impressive residual waste reduction rates in Europe, down to 56Kg/pp/year, which is more than 4 times lower than the German average. Moreover, they aim at going below 10Kg/pp/year by 2022. Italy now has 232 cities working toward Zero Waste, totalling more than 4.8 million inhabitants.
• 
  
  
• In 2015 Ljubljana, Slovenia, became the first 'Zero Waste Capital' in Europe implementing a wide range of zero waste practices into the fabric of the city. Also in Slovenia, 5 other municipalities, among which the very touristic town of Bled have taken the path toward Zero Waste, with now 1 in 5 inhabitants of the country living in a Zero Waste city.
• 
  
  
• Through incentives and extensive public outreach, San Francisco has reduced its waste to landfill by more than 80 percent--the highest diversion rate in the United States and one of the best well-known cases.

These experiences show that solving the waste problem in line with the creation of sustainable cities requires more than technical fixes: it is part of a larger web of decisions about health, equity, power, poverty, and development, including policy decisions and governance.

At its heart, how cities deal with the stuff its residents make, use and discard, will determine the effectiveness of strategies for climate mitigation, clean air, clean water, clean energy, healthy food, healthy people, healthy wildlife, and the availability of resources for future generations.

These are the kind of commitments that we need to be making for a truly sustainable city to be achieved. That is, zero waste strategies are essential if we are serious about the creation and development of sustainable cities.


This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post to mark the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, or, officially, "Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development"). The SDGs represent an historic agreement -- a wide-ranging roadmap to sustainability covering 17 goals and 169 targets -- but stakeholders must also be held accountable for their commitments. To see all the posts in the series, visit here.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fbrad-friedman-and-desi-doyen%2Fgreen-news-report---septe_b_12032130.html&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Brad Friedman and Desi Doyen: 'Green News Report' - September 15, 2016  
The Green News Report is also available via...

IN TODAY'S RADIO REPORT: New analysis finds Dakota Access pipeline fails Obama's climate test; U.S...

Read more: Carbon Emissions, Climate Change, Climate Change Denial, Dakota Access Pipeline, Energy, Environment, Extreme Weather, Fossil Fuels, Global Warming, Global Warming Deniers, Green, Green News, Green News Report, Infrastructure, Interior Department, Public Lands, Renewable Energy, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Video, Wisconsin, Scott Walker, Lead Poisoning, Campaign Finance, Dark Money, Lamar Smith, Republicans, House Science Committee, Exxon Mobil, Louisiana, Floods, Natural Disasters, Congress, Fema, Noaa, Green News

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fstevemoorevale%2F29412272680%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Westminster Sunset  

Steve Moore-Vale posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fsinister-pictures%2F29702705575%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
 

sinister pictures posted a photo:

Sunset

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172787795%2F22-jpg-by-abhraneel-malakar&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
22.jpg by Abhraneel Malakar  

22.jpg by Abhraneel Malakar

Shades of Colours

Abhraneel Malakar: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftheatlantic%2Finfocus%2F%7E3%2Fc0S35eB14Ps%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Building a 13th-Century Castle in the 21st Century (21 photos)  

Guedelon Castle is a project started in 1997 by Michel Guyot and Maryline Martin in the Burgundy region of France. The castle is styled on typical French medieval chateau-fort, modeled on designs from the 13th century, and is being built using techniques and materials available to masons and builders 800 years ago. The Guedelon project has now become a tourist destination, and employs dozens of workers. The castle is due to be completed in 2023.

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172745621%2Funtitled-by-mario-ledesma-martinez&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Untitled by Mario Ledesma - Martinez  

Untitled by Mario Ledesma - Martinez

Mario Ledesma - Martinez: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172649939%2Funtitled-by-mikel-sajeras-perez-moreno&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Untitled by Mikel Sajeras Perez Moreno  

Untitled by Mikel Sajeras Perez Moreno

Mikel Sajeras Perez Moreno: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fconservation-x-labs%2Fwho-are-tomorrows-leaders_b_12031010.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Who Are Tomorrow's Leaders in Ocean Conservation?  
By Julia Luthringer, Conservation Innovation Fellow at Conservation X Labs


Photo: Alex Dehgan

On World Oceans Day 2014, Nancy Knowlton and Elin Kelsey launched #OceanOptimism, a hashtag used by researchers and practitioners to share marine conservation successes globally. 60 million tweets later, there's a lot to be hopeful about. I spent the past few weeks "catching" hope at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii. President Obama drastically expanded the Papahānaumokuākea National Monument to 582,578 square miles to serve as a sanctuary for endangered and imperiled marine species. The Russian Arctic National Park now protects Franz Josef Land, a group of 190 extremely biodiverse, northern islands. The pacific reef Coral Castles, once thought dead, is showing signs of new and revived life even despite 2016's record-breaking heat. The UK government plans to ban microbeads in all products by 2017 to stop the plastics from entering the oceans and potentially entering the marine foodweb.

While these solutions pinpoint awe-inspiring success, they are usually local in scope. Where are today's global-scale, transformative ocean solutions?

"Our Problems are exponential, but our solutions have been linear. We need to increase the speed, scale, efficacy, and sustainability of our conservation interventions," explains Alex Dehgan, the co-founder and CEO of the DC-based tech startup Conservation X Labs. "Conservation science must continue its shift from being a descriptive, discovery-based science to a transdisciplinary field that seeks to also engineer solutions. While conservation science can help define the problems, it alone does not possess the solutions. However, powerful new tools for conservation exist and offer hope." Dehgan previously worked as the chief scientist for USAID, where he created the Global Development Lab, a space for social-based innovators and entrepreneurs to create and scale solutions in public health. Realizing a need for similar, transformative solutions in conservation, Dehgan, along with Paul Bunje of Xprize, created Conservation X Labs.

The organization aims to create and utilize technologies to transform the field of conservation in a number of ways, focusing on "revolutionary solutions rather than evolutionary ones." Conservation X Labs is building their own technologies, like the world's first DNA Barcode Scanner, a tool that can be used to slow illegal wildlife and timber trafficking and trade.

Australia's innovationXchange within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is funding an AU$3 million global challenge, The Blue Economy Challenge, to source new solutions and engage new solvers to rethink the future of aquaculture to improve both food security and enhance sustainability. Conservation X Labs partnered with the innovationXchange as well as SecondMuse and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to implement the challenge, as it is a great opportunity to source transformative solutions for ocean conservation. The Blue Economy Challenge seeks innovative solutions that will reduce the burden on the environment and improve food security in developing countries of the Indian Ocean for three issues in aquaculture: highly nutritional fish-free aquaculture feed replacements; new ocean products; and, new technology and practices for aquaculture farmers to improve the efficiency and environmental and economic sustainability of aquaculture farms. The winners of the Challenge will be announced at Our Ocean, and the top 20 innovators are featured in this blog post, From Sea Cucumbers to Spirulina: Meet the 20 Finalists.

This fall, Conservation X Labs and WWF will launch Ocean X Labs: an accelerator that will bring transformative, ocean-based conservation innovations to scale. Oceans X Labs will provide entrepreneurs, innovators, problem-solvers, and scientists access to lessons in business and finance, guidance and mentorship from industry leaders, and time and resources to continue building and prototyping their products. The program is also building a web platform to be used as a virtual co-working space, so that people from many disciplines and backgrounds can collaborate to solve the wicked problems our oceans face today.

Enter our ocean heroines and heroes: ordinary people with big ideas for conservation.

Small, start-up companies have already begun to pepper the market. A number of them submitted their ideas in The Blue Economy Challenge. New Wave Foods has created shrimp-free, kosher, and vegan shrimp that is made from algae in an effort to stop mangrove forest degradation associated with shrimp farming. Coral Vita farms corals to rebuild reefs that are resilient and hearty for both ecotourism and habitat restoration. MicroSynbiotiX is growing algae for fish feeds containing vaccinations for common diseases in aquaculture to reduce fish mortality.

#OceanOptimism lies with these unique thinkers and dreamers who have the capacity to revolutionize ocean conservation by drawing on their own, diverse experiences and knowledge. It's an exciting time for conservation--there is great potential for creative, positive and transformational change.


Julia Luthringer is a Conservation Innovation Fellow at Conservation X Labs and a 2017 NOAA Knauss Finalist. She's a recent and proud graduate of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, where she studied marine policy and sustainable fisheries management.


This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post in partnership with Secretary of State John Kerry's Our Oceanconference and Ocean Unite, an initiative to unite and activate powerful voices for ocean-conservation action. The series is being produced to coincide with the Our Ocean Conference (September 15th, 16th) as part of HuffPost's "What's Working" initiative, putting a spotlight on initiatives around the world that are solutions oriented. To read all the posts in the series, read here. The State Department does not endorse the content of this blog. Follow the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #OurOcean #MakeASplash. 

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdotearth.blogs.nytimes.com%2F2016%2F09%2F15%2Fhow-digital-tracking-of-rogue-fishing-can-safeguard-vast-ocean-reserves%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
How Digital Tracking of Rogue Fishing Can Safeguard Vast Ocean Reserves  
It's one thing to expand marine reserves and another to protect them. Now an online tool for tracking global fishing fleets is on the case.  
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fvoices.nationalgeographic.com%2F2016%2F09%2F15%2Funiting-against-organized-wildlife-crime%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Uniting Against Organized Wildlife Crime  

Law enforcement agencies, NGOs, and business leaders gathered from across the world in Washington this week to share information and expertise and organize a concerted strategy to combat the global scourge of wildlife trafficking.

The unprecedented collaboration was heralded at the National Geographic Society's headquarters on Tuesday, at an event held against the backdrop of recent news of a catastrophic plunge in the last wild populations of African elephants and other species. The meeting also set the stage for CITES CoP17, a world wildlife conference in Johannesburg at the end of this month that will bring more than a hundred governments together to review the planet's biggest wildlife challenges and opportunities.

Stories From the Front Line: Exploring Global Law Enforcement in the New Age of Wildlife Trafficking —  the title of the event hosted by the National Geographic Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) was attended also by officials and conservation experts from 11 African nations on the frontline of poaching of elephants, rhinos, and other iconic species.

The National Geographic/FWS event coincided with the publication of the October 2016 issue of National Geographic magazine, which features a report on the rhino horn trade and rhino farming in South Africa, written by Bryan Christy, the Society's wildlife crimes investigator.

Human-Wildlife Conflict Likely to Grow

The human population is expected to grow to nine billion people by 2050, one billion more in Africa alone in the next 35 years, said National Geographic Society President and CEO Gary E. Knell, at the opening of the event. “The chances of human-wildlife conflict are going to grow, whether we like it or not. We've got to come up with solutions, whether they're in Yellowstone National Park ecosystems, or whether it's in Gorongosa [National Park in Mozambique], or in Kenya or Cameroon. We have to find ways to find a balance and figure out ways to protect the natural habitats of wildlife, and at the same time protect the human needs for survival, food, housing, education, energy, and for all the things which we deserve in human rights.”

Bryan Christy's work on wildlife crime has been cited as one of ten ways National Geographic is changing the world, Knell said. Christy, head of the Society's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) team and 2014 NG Explorer of the Year, is an award-winning journalist and a true champion for wildlife and wild places, he added. “With dedication, courage and conviction [Christy] has already produced astounding results, exposing the criminals of wildlife trafficking and sharing these stories in print, television, digital media, Facebook. That's how we can make his work amplified. That work has put elephants and the illegal trade in elephants on the priority list of many countries, including our own, and has led to numerous Internet petitions and campaigns to stop the illegal ivory trade.”

Enforcement Is Key — But not Enough

David J. Hayes, Chair of the U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Alliance and Vice Chair of the President's Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking, said enforcement was key, both domestically in the U.S. and in Africa. “It is so fantastic that the FWS is training you all together to have an effective force,” he told the dozens of wildlife protection and law enforcement officers at the event. “But enforcement is not enough; we have to reduce the demand. As long as there are tremendous dollars chasing illegal products, it's going to be impossible for you guys to completely win,” he said.

Hayes said there was a need to develop international cooperation and public-private partnerships. “The government can't reduce demand by itself. We need all of civil society to come together. We need all of the big nonprofits in this space to not compete against each other, but to work together. And we need to recruit the corporate sector. We need new voices in this debate. We need companies that are being abused by traffickers, to step up, make sure that their supply chains are not being polluted by trafficked goods, and use their communications channels to deliver a broad message to consumers [to] ‘Watch out, don't buy this stuff. You may be the unwitting purchaser of it.'”

Hayes said the Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking went first to National Geographic to form a broad organization, “and with National Geographic, the World Wildlife Fund, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the African Wildlife Foundation…we brought them under the U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Alliance banner. Then we went to the corporate world and said, we need your help…we're a nongovernmental temporary coalition bringing together the nonprofit community with the corporate community. We looked at leading companies in important sectors that traffickers were using. The e-commerce sector for example.”

Secret Sauce

The broad coalition of companies and NGOs under one umbrella speaks with one voice to help American consumers make better decisions, Hayes said.

But there's a secret sauce in this, he added. “You might say, why are you spending so much time in the U.S. consumer world when we know that the largest demand is coming from Southeast Asia. If we get global big name companies like Google, E-bay, Ralph Lauren, and others taking up this cause, communicating with their customers about the importance of this issue, that's going to affect international commerce, too. We're already seeing it happening. If we can get it done in the U.S., we think it will take fire globally as well.”

“All of society needs to help you do your job,” Hayes told the law enforcement gathering. “And with National Geographic's voice, with the impetus of companies and NGOs working together, we can address this issue and we must.”

Engagement Key to Success

“National Geographic's work gives us inspiration and helps us see what's possible in a world of challenge that often seems impossible,” Daniel M. Ashe, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, told the meeting. “If we are going to solve this crisis, this epidemic of wildlife trafficking, engaging people is the key ingredient in success.”

Photo Ark: A Reminder of What's at Stake

“Things like [the National Geographic project] Photo Ark with its 6,000 images, all of them a reminder of what's at stake,” was an example of engagement, Ashe said. “Iconic creatures like African elephant and black rhino and Sumatran tiger, but also the thousands of less charismatic creatures that form the foundation and the sinews that connect this global ecosystem on which we depend. The decline of all of these species, the great and small, the loved and obscure, is an ominous sign for the health of the planet and the billions of people that it sustains — and there will more people in the future, which reminds us that we need to do more and better.”

As we think about the future of prosecuting this effort, we can't just catch the poachers and the middlemen, Hayes added. “We have to go after the people who are making the money, so that we take wildlife trafficking from a high-profit, low-risk endeavor toward a lower profit, higher risk endeavor.”

Operation Crash

The success of Operation Crash [an ongoing nationwide criminal investigation led by the FWS Office of Law Enforcement, focusing on the illegal trade in rhinoceros horn and elephant ivory in response to international poaching and smuggling syndicates] was a key reason why the FWS was working to position senior agents around the globe to facilitate these efforts, Ashe said. The agency had recently selected a special agent to serve in Libreville, Gabon, joining five other attaches stationed in embassies in China, Thailand, Tanzania, Botswana, and Peru. “Hopefully before the end of the year, we will have attaches placed in three more key embassies around the world, because we've seen the tremendous value that these agents provide in improving our collaboration and information-sharing. They are dramatically expanding the reach and effectiveness of our law enforcement efforts and communication among law enforcement agencies across the globe,” Ashe said.

Long Time Coming

Introducing a panel discussion, Bryan Christy noted that the gathering of an international group of law enforcement officials had been a long time coming.

“Wildlife crime is organized crime…something that funds terrorist organizations operating in central Africa. It is violent…militarized…mechanized. And one of the advantages that it has is that law enforcement is not violent most of the time, not as well-funded, and, from the international perspective, not historically organized.

“You as law enforcement officers have restrictions that criminals don't; you have diplomatic restrictions on the ability cross borders, you have funding limitations, and you are outfitted with outdated technology occasionally. Criminals are not. Organized criminals are not, especially. So what's exciting to me about tonight is that this represents organized crime fighters.”

Christy noted that he had created the National Geographic Special Investigations Unit with specific goals: “To allow me to work on long investigations, give voice to the work that you do, have a platform for law-enforcement, and to profile endangered species and species we don't hear enough about — and then to empower communities on the ground, talk to journalists in developing countries where wildlife exists, and to law enforcement in those places.”

Following the Story No One Else Can Tell

“I tell law enforcement, if you share your story with me I will follow it,” Christy said. “I know you can't follow it…because of funding and so on. We have had great success doing that. And the success comes from sharing that story, sharing the work that you're doing, the work being done in other countries, pulling that together. And the impact can be pretty impressive.”

Panel Discussion

Five panelists joining Christy on the podium were Curtis Brown (Director of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission), Julius Kamwendwit Cheptei (Assistant Director, Kenya Wildlife Service Parks and Preserves), Mike Cenci (Deputy Chief, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement Program), Christopher Fominyam Njoh Tangi (Director, Kimbi-Fungom National Park, Cameroon), and Timothy J. Santel (Resident Agent in Charge, Special Investigations Unit, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service-Office of Law Enforcement).

 

Highlights of the Discussion

Curtis Brown: “It takes a lot of work, money and patience to allow for conservation work to happen, especially undercover work. It takes a long time for these cases to actually develop. And it costs a lot of money. So we appreciate everyone's support in that endeavor.

At a national association of conservation law enforcement chiefs meeting we will be trying to collaborate better, share information better, have better intelligence. We are going to get together and do a better job of sharing trafficking intelligence and work better together as investigators. Talking across borders is critical. Any time you share data it's always hard, but if you sit down and share information in conversation, that is valuable information.

Julius Kamwendwit Cheptei: Kenya is divided into eight conservation areas. One of those is the area I am responsible for, in the southern part of the country, 31,000 square kilometers, the equivalent of Israel. I have about 600 foot soldiers charged with the responsibility to ensure the survival of elephants, rhinos, and all other species. A big challenge is conflict between wildlife and community, but our primary responsibility is to ensure that wildlife survives.

Mike Cenci: We have 130 very dedicated Fish and Wildlife police officers and a small cadre of detectives that focus on trafficking and crimes related to natural resources. Some of you may be wondering what does this state agency have to do with the trafficking of species, particularly at the international level. Well, as a state, we've experienced our own natural resources being trafficked on a global scale. We're often the source…there's a lot of diversity in the Pacific Northwest…and our resources that are in relative abundance are highly valued worldwide, so we understand what some of these other nations are facing. If we are going to be concerned about our challenges, we have to show a lot of concern for their challenges. We know that wildlife trafficking is global and it requires a global response, and that requires that it be coordinated worldwide.

Chrstopher Fominyam Njoh Tangi: Responsible for the latest national park created in Cameroon (2015). We have a problem of bush meat, and our greatest problem is cross-border poaching from Nigeria. We also have a problem with the small trophy that comes out of our park, the buffalo horn, which is used as a drinking cup in our tradition. One of our greatest ways of handling wildlife crime is working with our local people. We have a lot of wildlife, but we need to do research to know what we have in the park. The park is enclaved, with no roads, so we have to work with the local people.

The wildlife criminals from Nigeria use the local people as their accomplices to get to what they want. We educate the local people to not be accomplices. In our culture, local people may take a little bush meat for their cultural use, but they may not sell it. But they always abuse this, so we have to discipline them. We have to work with them, get their support to track and find Nigerian trans-boundary poachers.

We don't have the technology, manpower, money, but we work with the local population. But what we hear from them is, “What is the alternative, if we don't work with these people who are paying us to show them where to get these animals, what are we going to do?” The challenge is to find partners who can come into these communities and help with alternative livelihoods, so they can have a better life and turn away from these poachers.

We must look at habitat to improve it. If the animals have a place to hide, they will outsmart the poachers by using the camouflage of the forest. Where we have deforested, the animals are exposed and can be shot from a long distance away. The restored forest is not friendly to poachers; more friendly to animals that can hide there. That's the planned aspect of our work…give animals places to hide and better security.

Tim Santel: We kicked off Operation Crash in 2011 with a team of special agents. I can say five years later, I  am very proud of the results that our team put together. [Operation Crash is the centerpiece of Bryan Christy's rhino story in the October 2016 issue of National Geographic.] It is an extraordinary case that shows at multiple level the challenges for law enforcement and the impact of the U.S. Government.

John Webb, Member of the Federal Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking, and U.S. Department of Justice prosecutor (retired): We need well trained, well prepared investigators, and to be effective across borders requires those same investigators to cooperate among themselves. Two other important players in effective interdiction and enforcement: prosecutors and judges. How do we get that group of dedicated prosecutors that will take our effective investigations and turn them into successful prosecutions? How do we ensure that we have judges that take our cases seriously and are not corrupt? We have a trilogy of players, all of who must be on the same page for us to have effective wildlife crime fighting.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fjorge-madrid%2Feastside-sol-celebrates-c_b_12030484.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
VIDEO: Eastside Sol Celebrates Community, Culture, and Clean Energy in Los Angeles  

EAST SIDE SOL 2016 from Youth Speak Media Solutions on Vimeo.

By: Luis Gutierrez, Senior Associate, Leadership for Urban Renewal Network (LURN) and Jorge Madrid, CA Campaign Director, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

It's a warm, sunny day in August at the iconic Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights, California. More than 400 local residents have come together to dance to the classic tunes of Selenamos and the cumbia-rock fusion of El Conjunto Nueva Ola - the entire stage powered by solar. They're enjoying delicious vegan treats, participating in a live mural art project, and screen printing their own reusable tote bags. Many are collecting free shade trees to plant at home, learning about bicycle safety and receiving free helmets, and discovering information about a new vehicle trade-in program that allows Californians to swap out their older vehicles for a new or used electric car. So what exactly is this celebration of music, art, culture, and clean energy? It's Eastside Sol.

Event organizers Jorge Madrid and Luis Gutierrez reflect on the origins of Eastside Sol, its driving principles, and what's in store for the future.

How did the idea for Eastside Sol come about?

Jorge: I started working in clean energy policy during the peak of the economic recession, around 2008. Many advocates, myself included, believed clean energy could combat climate change, reduce local air pollution, and alleviate some of the economic malaise that hit low-income communities of color first and worst. Problem was, very few of these new clean energy technologies and programs were showing up in neighborhoods like the one I grew up in, on the Eastside of Los Angeles. This needed to change. I knew I wanted to do something to celebrate the culture and community where I grew up and introduce new technologies and programs that could help folks save money, access jobs and resources, and breathe cleaner air. But I had no idea how to pull it off until I met the folks at REPOWER LA and LURN.

Luis: LURN was working on several projects related to land use and local economic development, including a citywide effort to legalize street vending, a project to reimagine vacant lots throughout South Los Angeles, a healthy foods purchasing-cooperative for small businesses, and a campaign to utilize art in combatting gentrification and displacement in Boyle Heights. When Jorge approached us with this wild idea, we thought it fit perfectly with our style of projects.

How has this event evolved since the first Eastside Sol last year?

Jorge: The first Eastside Sol focused on solar access and equity issues. It was a great success, only because of the amazing community partners and residents who came to support. This year, we wanted to expand the scope of the event and provide residents with more, because we know there are complex challenges facing our neighborhood. Intersectional challenges need intersectional solutions.

Boyle Heights ranks among the top 5 percent most environmentally burdened neighborhoods in the state. Simultaneously, the community is dealing with a lead contamination disaster and major pollution from freeways and heavy industry. The neighborhood is 70 percent renters and the median income is $33,000. Boyle Heights is also on the front lines of gentrification and displacement, a growing concern in Los Angeles and many major U.S. cities.

We believe clean energy, like solar power and electric vehicles, can help families in Boyle Heights and similar neighborhoods. It can create local, well-paying jobs, lower energy bills, reduce pollution impacts and health costs like asthma, and create more affordable mobility options. California, and cities like Los Angeles, are rolling out programs that can help residents access these technologies and make them more affordable.

Clean energy is not a silver bullet to address all the challenges facing the Eastside, but we are confident it can be part of the solution.

What have you learned from Eastside Sol about community building?

Luis: To pull off the delicate balance between entertainment, information, and engagement, we discovered five values while planning our 2015 event and refined them this year:

• Fun - If people aren't having a good time, they're not going to grab onto the ideas we're sharing and they're certainly not going to share their opinions and advice. So, to get people to see the entire event, we turned it into a game of "loteria." Visiting different stations allowed you to collect stamps on a card. Once attendees reached a certain number, they traded in their cards for a food ticket. The awesome music during the event helped keep people happy and moving!
• Culture - We worked closely with community organizations and members to ensure the event was an extension of local culture and values. Everything - from the food to the messaging and music - was planned and coordinated collectively. We wanted folks in the neighborhood to feel like it was their space.
• Local leadership - This event was a success because we worked closely with community leaders and organizations. We asked for their help in leading the planning and identifying the themes for the event.
• Tradition and history - We started Eastside Sol knowing the community was already doing a lot for the environment - re-using plastic containers, repurposing water for gardens, etc. Knowing this, we sought to introduce residents to services and resources that would help augment those existing practices.
• Accountability - Large agencies, such as LA Metro and utility companies, were critical in the development and execution of Eastside Sol. However, very early in the process we opened consistent and clear lines of communication to ensure their participation served community needs and the spirit of Eastside Sol. We also knew we had to hold ourselves accountable to community needs and concerns.


What's next for Eastside Sol?

Luis: We want to return to Mariachi Plaza next year and produce an even bigger event with more resources for the community. Additionally, we may replicate our model in other neighborhoods and cities throughout Los Angeles and California. We want to work with as many impacted communities as possible to ensure they are at the table where important environmental, transportation, and land-use decisions happen. This, to us, is one of the best ways of engaging underrepresented communities - through fun, art and culture, and collaborative community spaces.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fandrew-sharpless%2Foceana-unveils-global-fis_b_12030462.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Oceana unveils Global Fishing Watch  

At Oceana, we fight for national policies in key countries around the world. We win key victories for the oceans that stop overfishing, reduce bycatch, limit pollution, preserve habitat and protect wildlife. But responsible policies like those we advocate for depend upon effective monitoring and enforcement to be successful. Today, at the 2016 Our Ocean Conference, Oceana helped unveil a powerful new tool that will make these prerequisites easier to achieve: Global Fishing Watch.

Global Fishing Watch is the result of a partnership between Oceana, SkyTruth and Google. It is the first-ever technology platform that enables anyone with an internet connection to see global fishing activity and track commercial fishing vessels in near real-time - for free.

With Global Fishing Watch, users can visualize the global fishing fleet in space and time to reveal the intensity of fishing activity around the world. Users can track and measure both near real-time and historical commercial fishing activity using the Global Fishing Watch heat map. They can also view individual vessel tracks, exclusive economic zones, marine protected areas and other features.

Hundreds of millions of people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods and approximately 3 billion rely on it as a primary food source. However, the world's oceans are threatened by global overfishing, illegal fishing and habitat destruction. These threats could undermine the many benefits the oceans provide us with. Governments face a challenge in managing oceans sustainably. Sharing information more transparently on how our oceans are being used is essential to keeping our oceans healthy and bringing back abundance.

Global Fishing Watch can drive science and innovation, and improve decision-making about the effective management of the world's fisheries and oceans. It will harness the power of citizen engagement to help rebuild and maintain abundant oceans and provide a powerful tool to show consumers where and by whom their fish are being caught.

Together, the uses of Global Fishing Watch will promote healthier oceans and more effective policymaking around the world.

This exciting new tool is live and available now. Try it out for yourself at www.globalfishingwatch.org.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fjorge-madrid%2Feastside-sol-celebrates-c_b_12030484.html&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Jorge Madrid: VIDEO: Eastside Sol Celebrates Community, Culture, and Clean Energy in Los Angeles  
EAST SIDE SOL 2016 from Youth Speak Media Solutions on Vimeo.

By: Luis Gutierrez, Senior Associate, Leadership for Urban Renewal Network (LURN) and ...

Read more: Los Angeles, Environment, Solar Power, Green Living, Art, Music, Kids, Community, Latinos, Boyle Heights, Green News

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fandrew-sharpless%2Foceana-unveils-global-fis_b_12030462.html&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Andrew Sharpless: Oceana unveils Global Fishing Watch  
At Oceana, we fight for national policies in key countries around the world. We win key victories for the oceans that stop overfishing, reduce bycatch...

Read more: Global Fishing Watch, Oceans, Fishing, Overfishing, Conservation, Environment, Green News

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fjim_wilson_photos%2F29075143704%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Thames Barrier at dusk.  

jim_2wilson posted a photo:

The Thames Barrier spans 520 metres across the River Thames near Woolwich, and it protects 125 square kilometres of central London from flooding caused by tidal surges. It has 10 steel gates that can be raised into position across the River Thames. When raised, the main gates stand as high as a 5-storey building and as wide as the opening of Tower Bridge. Each main gate weighs 3,300 tonnes.
The barrier is closed under storm surge conditions to protect London from flooding from the sea. It may also be closed during periods of high flow over Teddington Weir to reduce the risk of river flooding in some areas of west London including Richmond and Twickenham.
The Thames Barrier will then remain closed over high water until the water level downstream of the Thames Barrier has reduced to the same level as upstream. This is a managed process to provide for different circumstances, and takes about 5 hours. The Thames Barrier is then opened, allowing the water upstream to flow out to sea with the outward-bound tide.

Information taken from gov.uk website.

HDR image made by tone-mapping 3 exposures at -2EV, 0EV and +2EV.

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdailyoverview.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F150452329924&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
I'm heading to San Francisco for DigitalGlobe's...  

I'm heading to San Francisco for DigitalGlobe's WorldView-4 satellite launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Friday! Here's a shot from their most advanced satellite currently in orbit, WorldView-3. The satellite was a remarkable 800 miles away over the Pacific Ocean when this Overview of Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, and downtown San Francisco was captured. As you may have noticed, DigitalGlobe provides the raw imagery that makes Daily Overview possible, so we're super excited to see their constellation expanding!

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2cyDgUi

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fmattcattell%2F29619608211%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Red Deer beneath a Sycamore  

www.matthewcattellphotography.com posted a photo:

A red deer stag resting peacefully beneath the spreading bough of a sycamore tree.

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2F28971254%40N05%2F29695037535%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Tower Silhouette  

Iranon posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fyacqueline-montecinos%2Fblue-whale-and-salmon-far_b_12029230.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Blue Whale And Salmon Farm In Southern Chile  
With its wealth of temperate rain forest, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, Southern Chile is a global conservation priority place that stands out for its high levels of endemism and marine biodiversity. Chile has one of the world's longest coastlines, stretching close to 4,300 km along the Pacific Ocean, and close to 80,000 km of shoreline around channels, fjords and coastal islands. It is home to unique species, including the endangered blue whale. However, a range of pressures on natural marine resources, including unsustainable exploitation, habitat degradation and other human induced impacts continue to be considerable threats to the marine biodiversity along the Pacific coast of southern Chile.



The blue whale is the world´s largest animal on the planet and moves around Northern Chilean Patagonia during their feeding season in Austral waters, every summer. This area is also heavily used for salmon aquaculture, and this sharing of habitat is the crux of the problem. In order to contribute to the long-term protection of this important marine species, WWF Chile's Marine Program launched a campaign to create a positive change in the salmon industry, to work with producers and aid the industry in improving their approach to environmental and social issues.

During the last Our Ocean Conference celebrated in Chile, a partnership was developed among the Environmental Ministry, Consejo Nacional de Producción Limpia, WWF Chile, Blue Whale Center (BWC), Universidad Austral de Chile, Los Fiordos, Aquachile, Blumar, Pesquera Camanchaca, Ventisquero and Multiexport commited to evaluate and mitigate the potential impact of the salmon industry on the blue whale habitat. Since then, a number of activities have been taking place according to the time table developed. These activities included one day navigation for blue whale sighting and tagging procedures observations in charge of the BWC experts and cetaceans sighting training courses. The identification of salmon farm installation that would be involved in the impact evaluation, allowed the development of whales and dolphin sighting training courses for all salmon farm workers. With the aim of making them part of a cetacean sighting network. During a blue whale tagging expedition, 3 animals were tagged in Chiloé inner waters. As result of this, it has been possible to see the whales mainly moving up north area in the Gulf of Ancud. Area highly used with salmon farm installations.

Saving this iconic species is essential as it will be used as umbrella, flagship, and environmental species for promoting general conservation and management actions for the entire marine biodiversity. This specific partnership is part of a holistic approach for marine conservation, which includes effective implementation of Marine Protected Areas, science and stakeholder involvement, keeping at the same time sustainable development options open for local inhabitants, and the implementation of better practices from the private productive sector, such as aquaculture.

This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post in partnership with Secretary of State John Kerry's Our Oceanconference and Ocean Unite, an initiative to unite and activate powerful voices for ocean-conservation action. The series is being produced to coincide with the Our Ocean Conference (September 15th, 16th) as part of HuffPost's "What's Working" initiative, putting a spotlight on initiatives around the world that are solutions oriented. To read all the posts in the series, read here. The State Department does not endorse the content of this blog. Follow the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #OurOcean #MakeASplash.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fsilvia-camporesi%2Fshortage-of-organs-for-tr_b_11978456.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dscience%26ir%3DScience&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Shortage Of Organs For Transplantation -- Is More Research on Human-Animal Chimeras the Right Approach?  
This piece was originally published on Bionews and co-authored with Giulia Cavaliere. You can read the original piece here.

It is time to discuss, once again, the lifting of a moratorium on research. We are not talking about the CRISPR genome-editing moratorium, but about the 20 August announcement by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to lift the moratorium on research involving chimeric human/non-human embryos. The use of federal funds for this kind of research had been previously banned by the NIH in September 2015.

Although it does not state it explicitly, the NIH announcement seems to have been triggered by Harvard professor George Church's research on growing humanised organ models in non-human animals, namely pigs.

Insoo Hyun, a bioethicist at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, followed with a perspective piece in PLOS Biology, stating that the benefits of this kind of research are so great that we should no longer hesitate to fund it.

The piece by Hyun addresses traditional concerns in animal ethics, such as safety, the moral status of the non-human animal (in this case, the human/non-human chimera) and the exploitation of non-human animals in research.
We agree with his precautionary stance which, is consistent with the existent ethical standards for chimera research developed by the Internal Society for Stem Cell Research in 2007, and with more emphasis on animal welfare than on speculative concerns about moral humanization of the human/non-human animal chimera.
Ultimately, we find that Hyun's conclusions that 'most, if not all, of these [traditional] concerns can be reasonably addressed' are plausible.

However, Hyun fails to address the elephant in the room: why should we invest significant resources in the creation of humanised animal models in the first place?

Let's take a look at the two main assumptions in Hyun's piece.

First assumption:

'The shortage of human organs for donation is a pressing problem worldwide.' (Hyun 2016, 2)

He adds: 'The humanitarian importance of this research is both apparent and urgent. There is currently a dire shortage of organs for transplantation in the United States, leading to approximately 22 deaths per day among patients waiting for organs.' (Hyun 2016, 2).

Hyun is right about the numbers, but we believe that the urgency of the research is not by any means self-evident. What he fails to examine is whether the creation of humanised animal models is the best way to address this pressing matter, and he fails to acknowledge the existence of viable alternatives, such as opt-out policies to increase organ donation from human to human, (one example notable is Austria with an organ donation rate higher than 90 %; and in the UK a similar law was approved in Wales in December 2015.

Second assumption:

'Given the noble aims of this research, it is puzzling to some why the NIH is so nervous about providing federal funds to researchers with a track record of success in this area.' (Hyun, p. 2)

When put in this way, it is difficult to object to research that aims to save lives and relieve suffering. The argument goes - We have the opportunity to save lives and we should do that. If we fail to do that, we are equally morally responsible (acts and omissions are morally equivalent). Such beneficence-based arguments are common patterns of moral argumentation about new and emerging science and technologies, but they risk to uncritically accept scientists' assumptions. In this case, the assumption being that the research has the noble aim of solving the shortage of human organs, and as along as precautionary measures are taken to ensure safety, and respect for the welfare the animals, then research should be allowed to go ahead.

In the UK, any research of this kind would need a specific licence granted on a case-by-case basis from the HFEA. In 2007, two research groups in the UK (the Stem Cell Biology Laboratory directed by Dr Stephen Minger at King's College London, and the group headed by Dr Lyle Armstrong at Newcastle) applied independently for a license to the HFEA to carry out interspecies somatic cellular nuclear transfer for the creation of 'cybrids', which were eventually granted after a period of deliberation and public consultation.

These applications, and the research itself, were motivated by the need to create to develop patient-specific stem embryonic stem-cell lines through interspecies somatic cellular transfer using oocytes derived from non-human animals (rabbits or cows), to avoid the scarcity of human oocytes. According to HFEA rules, research on 'human admixed embryos' can only be conducted in vitro, and these embryos cannot be placed in non-human animals or humans. In spite of the high hopes, and of the HFEA approval, however, the cybrid experiments did not yield the expected results, in part because of lack of funding, and in part because another more promising technology came about - namely, induced pluripotent stem cells, discovered by Nobel-prize winner Japanese Shinya Yamanaka in 2007.

It remains to be seen how much funding research groups working on humanised animal models for organ transplants will be able to attract. But at these early stages of deliberation, it is important to reflect that investing in this research is a deliberate choice that will shape our collective future. By choosing to invest in this kind of research, we are actively deciding how to allocate scarce resources to address the social problem of shortage of human organs for transplants.

While we do not necessarily believe that the existence of viable alternatives should be used to ban humanised animal models outright, it is certainly a matter that deserves ethical attention. We need reflect on the fact that, by ignoring other potential solutions - or at least prematurely supporting one solution over another - we are actively privileging a medical/scientific solution over a political solution of devising and implementing policies to facilitate human-to-human transplants.

Historical reasons to be skeptical of scientific/medical solutions to a social problem abound. The appealing trend of using technology to fix a social problem, (e.g. sterilization of parts of populations considered a burden to society instead of investing of disability accommodations; the widespread use of Ritalin and Adderall to manage unruly children in schools instead of investing more resources in education; the use of high-income countries pharmaceutical solutions to epidemics in low-income countries which could be solved with basic public health measures) is problematic and needs further critical reflection. Technical feasibility alone should never be driving a change in law and policy.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
science  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.seattletimes.com%2Fnation-world%2Fphotos-of-the-day-sept-15-2016%2F%3Futm_source%3DRSS%26utm_medium%3DReferral%26utm_campaign%3DRSS_photos-of-the-day&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Photos of the Day: Sept. 15, 2016  

Explore the news of the day with these images from around the world.  
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172764397%2Frobinson-by-sofi-buzakova&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Robinson by Sofi Buzakova  

Robinson by Sofi Buzakova

Sofi Buzakova: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fgay-browne%2Fwomen-living-with-green-h_b_12029144.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Women Living With Green Hearts  

I had the privilege of attending the first Women in Green Forum in 2010. This conference is the brainchild of Jamie Nack, the President of Three Squares, Inc, a consulting firm specializing in developing sustainability plans, the mission of the conference has been to promote women's leadership across green industry and develop future solutions to the environmental crises facing our planet. Jamie's team does this by curating fabulous speakers, informative workshops and break-out sessions that always leave me inspired and is the reason why I try and attend every year. This year she might have outdone herself.

The theme was "Business as (Un)Usual: Where Purpose Meets Profit" and included an assembly of renowned female professionals from the energy, technology, transportation, consumer products, professional services, and nonprofit sectors. We heard from leaders including Luanna Huber, Director, Environment & Conservation, TDM & Environmentality Integration at The Walt Disney Company, Rose Mckinney-James, Board Member at MGM Resorts International, Michelle Moore, CEO at Groundswell and Dr. Lisa Dyson, CEO at Kiverdi as to how they are addressing sustainability within their organizations. We even learned some practical feng shui tips from Lori Tierney, President and CEO of Tierney Management on how to keep the energy in your environment in balance.

There were several awards presented including the Women in Green Forum Trailblazer Award which went to Dolores Huerta, Activist and President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation for her work. And since there are no coincidences in my life, it was my friend Lora O'Connor who presented the clip of a documentary film on Dolores's life that has been submitted to Sundance.

But what stood out the most for me was listening to what Natalie Mindrum, Director of Environmental Strategy at United Airlines had to say about their Eco-Skies commitment to protect the environment.

You might be surprised to know that a global airline has a strategy, much less a person to direct it, but increasingly companies are adding titles as high as Chief Sustainability Officer to their hierarchy. What really got my attention is that in addition to having a four-pillar commitment to the environment, which includes fuel efficiency and carbon management, sustainable travel products and services, alternative fuels, and partners in sustainability, United is the first airline to use biofuels - fuels produced directly or indirectly from organic material including plant and animal waste - to power their flights out of LAX.

They've partnered with AltAir Fuels, who took an idle commercial oil refinery in Paramount, California and retrofitted it to produce biofuel. Not only is the 30/70 blend of biofuel with traditional jet fuel expected to reduce carbon emissions by 60%, but it also created over fifty new jobs! I found it very impressive that an airline in a difficult economic period, would continue to make the environment a priority.

There has been so much progress made in sustainability since the Women's Green Forum started in 2010 and since I launched Greenopia in 2006, but there is also so much more to do. As always happens when I find myself in a room full of smart women passionate about building and creating sustainable businesses I leave with fresh, new ideas. The first is to work with Jaime Nack to help take this event to the global stage.

The second is to make everyone aware that green initiatives don't need the budget of a United Airlines behind them to make a difference. Changes can be made, no matter how small your business, to make green thinking a part of your company's culture. They include choosing LED lighting over incandescent and fluorescent which contain mercury and other toxic gases, installing a water infiltration system to eliminate the use of plastic bottles and save money in the long run, using recycled paper, stocking non-toxic cleaning supplies, choosing green vendors to do business with (Greenopia has great listings!) and serving healthy and organic food at meetings.

What's so wonderful about taking these small steps is that in addition to helping the greater good, you are creating a safer work environment, which means healthier employees, greater mental alertness, and more productivity - what Jaime called purpose with profit at the Women's Green Forum- and what I call living with a green heart.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theatlantic.com%2Fvideo%2Findex%2F500048%2Fegg-freezing-superspecialization%2F%3Futm_source%3Dfeed&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
A Clinic That Only Freezes Eggs  

While Facebook, Google, and a few other companies have agreed to cover the costs of egg freezing for employees, the $10,000 to $15,000 cost isn't practical for most people. A new fertility clinic in New York City is promising to cut the cost by focusing solely on egg freezing. They promise a $4,990 “all-inclusive” price (though this does not include the costs of hormone treatments and egg storage, which are a few thousand more). Can specialization and competition actually drive down the price of this procedurewithout compromising safety? And should it? In this episode of If Our Bodies Could Talk, senior editor James Hamblin visits Extend Fertility to learn more about the idea.

 
general  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spiegel.de%2Finternational%2Fworld%2Fuprising-in-kashmir-india-criticized-for-use-of-pellet-guns-a-1112282.html%23ref%3Drss&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Uprising in Kashmir: 'If We Protest, the Soldiers Will Shoot at Us'  
The killing by Indian security forces of a 15-year-old boy in Kashmir has become a rallying point for human rights groups over India's controversial use of pellet guns. The recent death is only the latest in a long-brewing independence battle in the contested region.  
general  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spiegel.de%2Finternational%2Feurope%2Feu-parliament-president-trump-a-problem-for-the-whole-world-a-1112505.html%23ref%3Drss&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
EU Parliament President: 'Trump Is a Problem for the Whole World'  
With Europe falling ever-deeper into crisis, European Parliament President Martin Schulz is warning of the further advance of right-wing populism. In an interview, he also says he fears the possibility of a President Trump.  
general  

%feed  
http://twitter.com/PLSDE/status/776451201500057600 
CITES was established in 1973 to regulate the international trade in endangered species. At present, more than 183 countries are members! 
http://ifttt.com/missing_link?1473955484 

%feed  
http://twitter.com/ALDEgroup/status/776451064690249729 
#CITES: EP adopts ambitious proposals to counter illegal trade in endangered species. More: https://t.co/Ak7Le5m4n8 https://t.co/Qk2kWKBEjE 
https://t.co/Ak7Le5m4n8 

%feed  
http://twitter.com/PLSDE/status/776450596501065729 
CITES wildlife conference: European Parliament adopts ambitious proposals to counter illegal trade in endangered species:excesiva ambigüedad 
http://ifttt.com/missing_link?1473955484 

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.npr.org%2Fsections%2Fhealth-shots%2F2016%2F09%2F15%2F493920785%2Fdont-kiss-that-kitty-cat-scratch-fever-is-making-people-sicker%3Futm_medium%3DRSS%26utm_campaign%3Dresearchnews&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Don't Kiss That Kitty: Cat-Scratch Fever Is Making People Sicker  

Doctors have long thought that cat-scratch fever is no big deal, but an analysis finds that more people are getting sicker from it. Small children are especially at risk, as are people in the South.

 
science  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPhysicsWorld%2F%7E3%2FP38YKrd_7qk%2Fflash-physics-superfluid-helium-dark-matter-detector-hinkley-c-will-go-ahead-why-nanotubes-are-different&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Flash Physics: Superfluid helium dark-matter detector, Hinkley C will go ahead, why nanotubes are different  
Today's selection of need-to-know updates from the world of physics  
science  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPhysicsWorld%2F%7E3%2FPIZSBFK1Llk%2Fthe-risks-and-rewards-of-radiation&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
The risks and rewards of radiation  
Timothy Jorgensen's book greatly contributes to removing the mystery and misunderstanding that surrounds radiation, writes reviewer Jun Deng  
science  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPhysicsWorld%2F%7E3%2FAGIuMsR4nQ8%2Fthe-risks-and-rewards-of-radiation&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
The risks and rewards of radiation  
Timothy Jorgensen's book greatly contributes to removing the mystery and misunderstanding that surrounds radiation, writes reviewer Jun Deng  
science  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPhysicsWorld%2F%7E3%2FFt6ltuZM2nw%2Ffighting-science-denial&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Fighting science denial  
Robert P Crease on how to fight “science denial” in light of the upcoming US election  
science  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPhysicsWorld%2F%7E3%2FOs4D1uYUlHE%2Ffighting-science-denial&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Fighting science denial  
Robert P Crease on how to fight “science denial” in light of the upcoming US election  
science  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172731231%2F%25D0%25A0%25D0%25B0%25D0%25B7%25D0%25BC%25D0%25B0%25D0%25B6%25D1%258C-%25D1%2581%25D0%25BF%25D0%25B5%25D1%2580%25D0%25BC%25D1%2583-%25D0%25BF%25D0%25BE-%25D0%25B6%25D0%25B8%25D0%25B2%25D0%25BE%25D1%2582%25D1%2583-%25D0%25B2%25D1%2581%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BB%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BD%25D0%25BD%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B9-by-marat-safin&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Размажь сперму по животу вселенной by Marat Safin  

Размажь сперму по животу вселенной by Marat Safin

Я на других ресурсах: Flickr | VK | Facebook | Instagram

Marat Safin: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172724025%2Fvalle-de-lago-ii-by-carlos-f-turienzo&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Valle de Lago II by Carlos F Turienzo  

Valle de Lago II by Carlos F Turienzo

Another one from that beautiful place of Asturias called Valle de Lago. In this case leaving the confort zone with the ultra wide lens and using a 50mm prime lens to capture that sun rays appearing in the clouds. More works at https://carlosfturienzo.com Learn how to edit photos like this one with my online workshop https://carlosfturienzo.com/en/workshop
Aprende a editar fotos como esta con mi formación online https://carlosfturienzo.com/taller

Carlos F Turienzo: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172720929%2Fvestrahorn-by-rune-askeland&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Vestrahorn by Rune Askeland  

Vestrahorn by Rune Askeland

Rune Askeland: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172706265%2Fthe-boy-with-painted-nails-by-felicia-simion&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
The boy with painted nails by Felicia Simion  

The boy with painted nails by Felicia Simion

www.feliciasimionphotography.com

Felicia Simion: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172677099%2Fng-by-nikolay-tikhomirov&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
NG by Nikolay Tikhomirov  

NG by Nikolay Tikhomirov

Nikolay Tikhomirov: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172639167%2Flayin-by-sollena-photography-sandra-&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
layin. by Sollena - Photography (Sandra)  

layin. by Sollena - Photography (Sandra)

Model: Yvonne photo & edit: sollena photography http://fb.com/sollena.fotografie Instagram: @sollenaphotography

Sollena - Photography (Sandra): Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172630819%2Fsan-manuel-by-mike-olbinski&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
San Manuel by Mike Olbinski  

San Manuel by Mike Olbinski

What a fantastic chase on Monday. I hung around the Marana area for a lot of the afternoon, but when a new cluster of storms blew up southwest of Casa Grande, I raced up there hoping they would do something great. And wow they did. I'll post more pictures later, but when I arrived south of Picacho, I time-lapsed a gorgeous storm as it slowly grew in strength and became weakly supercellular. The dusty outflow was intense and I cannot wait to get those time-lapses edited! I raced back ahead of it and by this time the storm was picking up speed and it was tough to stay in front. As I neared Oracle Junction, a new cell blew up and essentially merged with the old one and now a shelf cloud was rapidly forming. A slow truck kept me from racing as far ahead as I wanted, but by the time I got to the San Manuel Airport, the shelf cloud had turned into easily one of the top 3 I've seen here in Arizona. It was stunning, moving fast and behind it, golf ball sized hail was falling in places. Such a blast of a day...so rare here to chase a long-track storm. This guy essentially blew up near Chuichu and died east of San Manuel. Almost 80 miles. Wow.

Mike Olbinski: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172619983%2Ffushimi-inari-taisha-by-nikk-la&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Fushimi Inari-Taisha by Nikk La  

Fushimi Inari-Taisha by Nikk La

Portraits at Fushimi Inari-Taisha with Karl.

Nikk La: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fjavier-goyeneche%2Fupcycling-the-oceans--wit_b_12027178.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Upcycling the Oceans - With Style!  
Ecoalf was founded in 2010 by Javier Goyeneche, whose idea was to create a fashion brand that is truly sustainable.

The concept arose out of his frustration at the excessive use of the world's natural resources and the amount of waste produced by industrialized countries, especially by the fashion industry. He embarked on a mission to create an entirely new concept that would combine his design sensibility and understanding of the fashion consumer with the latest in recycled materials. In 2012 he launched Ecoalf, named after his son Alfredo. The goal was to create the first generation of recycled products with the same quality, design and technical properties as the best non-recycled products. That way, Javier could demonstrate that there is no need to use natural resources in a careless way.

©Javier Goyeneche

The small amount of recycled fabrics that Javier found on the market at that time were not fashionable, were of poor quality, and had only a small recycled %, so first he partnered up with manufacturers to develop suitable fabrics. It is for this reason that Ecoalf still designs and develops its own fabrics every season: it currently has 14 joint ventures around the world (Korea, Japan, Portugal, Taiwan, Spain...) where it recycles all different types of waste (such as discarded fishing nets, PET bottles, used tyres, coffee, post-industrial cotton and wool) to create yarn to produce all kind of fabrics, linings, straps, outsoles, etc.

Working with fishermen to clean-up the oceans
In 2016, Ecoalf embarked upon its most ambitious project to date: UPCYCLING THE OCEANS, an unprecedented worldwide adventure that is helping remove waste from the oceans thanks to the support of fishermen. The main objective of this revolutionary project, which Ecoalf aims to replicate in other parts of the world, is to recover the trash that is destroying the Mediterranean Sea and transform it into top-quality yarn to produce fabrics to tailor clothes and accessories.

Through the Ecoalf Foundation, funded by HAPfoundation, Ecoalf has begun to remove waste from the seabed with the participation of the fishermen of the Spanish Levante Coast. To be rolled-out in different phases, this great project intends to prove that not only is ocean clean-up possible but that part of the recovered waste can, indeed, be converted into pellets, yarn, fabrics and products - where others see trash, Ecoalf sees raw, premium-quality materials.

©Javier Goyeneche

However, this project faces a great challenge because of the low and inconsistent quality of the debris recovered by the fishermen as a consequence of its exposure to sun light, salt and water. Now, more than ever, investment in R&D is crucial to the attainment of a quality of product in line with Ecoalf's standards. Once again, its goal is to succeed in obtaining 100% recycled products of high technical quality and textures and in tune with current trends but without using more of the planet's natural resources.

Currently 160 trawler boats from the 10 main ports of Levante are collaborating with Upcycling the Oceans. Every day each boat recovers approximately 4 kg of waste from the Mediterranean seabed. Ecoalf has enabled the necessary infrastructure (non-existent until now) for trash collection by installing specific containers on ships and harbours. All the marine waste collected (PET bottles, glass, cans, etc) is deposited each day in the special containers placed in each port, which are collected every week and transported to a treatment plant where the debris is cleaned with water and separated. The material is then sent to the various specific recycling channels, leaving just the PET plastic bottles, which are separated, stocked and transformed into flakes and pellets through sophisticated technological processes.

As mentioned above, due to the inequality and low quality of the waste that has been recovered from the oceans, Ecoalf's great innovation challenge is to obtain pellets with the required purity conditions so it can use them to achieve a thread yarn that meets its high quality standards.
After the success of its Spanish trial, the Ecoalf Foundation is working hard to expand and replicate the project all around the Mediterranean coast. It will also start a trial test in the US thanks to the support of the Henry Pincus Foundation. Furthermore, the Thailand government has just signed a contract with Ecoalf Foundation to start replicating Upcycling the Oceans in the south (Phuket), starting October 2016.



This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post in partnership with Secretary of State John Kerry's Our Oceanconference and Ocean Unite, an initiative to unite and activate powerful voices for ocean-conservation action. The series is being produced to coincide with the Our Ocean Conference (September 15th, 16th) as part of HuffPost's "What's Working" initiative, putting a spotlight on initiatives around the world that are solutions oriented. To read all the posts in the series, read here. The State Department does not endorse the content of this blog. Follow the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #OurOcean #MakeASplash.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Ftom-engelhardt%2Fdonald-trump-climate-change-golf_b_12026804.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
The Donald's Climate Change Exception: Golf  
Cross-posted with TomDispatch.com

The man who might be president insists that climate change is an elaborate, "very expensive hoax," even possibly a "Chinese" one meant to undermine the American economy. It's "bullshit" and "pseudoscience" (on which, it seems, he's an expert). He's said this sort of thing numerous times, always mockingly, always dismissively. Only recently in his Phoenix speech on immigration, on his love of Mexicans, and on what suckers they'll be when it comes to paying for his future wall, he put it this way: "Only the out-of-touch media elites think the biggest problems facing America... it's not nuclear, and it's not ISIS, it's not Russia, it's not China, it's global warming." Those fools! They know nothing. They don't even know that there's a crucial footnote, a lone exception, to The Donald's climate change position: golf.

Though the heating of the planet via fossil fuels couldn't be more of a fantasy, while saving the coal industry, building pipelines, and reversing anything Barack Obama did in the White House to promote alternative energy systems will be the order of the day, it turns out that climate change does threaten one thing. And it's something crucial to human life as we know it: playing 18 holes on a coastal golf course. For that, protection is obviously in order. This is undoubtedly why the man with no fears about drowning coastal communities has, through his company Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland, applied for permission to build "a coastal protection works to prevent erosion at his seaside golf resort in County Clare," based on... yep... the danger of rising sea levels. We're talking about "200,000 tons of rock distributed along two miles of beach." And if permission is finally granted, the result will surely be a "great wall," a "beautiful wall" that will not let a drop of sea water emigrate onto Irish soil.

One small hint for Mr. Trump, should he become president. From the Oval Office, he might consider granting similar wall-building exemptions to key parts of coastal Florida already experiencing a serious rise in what's called "sunny-day flooding." Such walls would protect crucial coastal properties like Mar-a-Lago, his top-of-the-line private club in Palm Beach, which could otherwise find itself "under at least a foot of water for 210 days a year because of tidal flooding" within three decades. It's that or develop a sport called aquatic golf.

As for the rest of us for whom such walls assumedly won't be built, there's always flight inland where we might become... gulp... climate refugees. (In that case, you know what Trump is likely to say about the necessity for our extreme vetting). And while you're waiting for the floodwaters, I suggest that you consider what TomDispatch's invaluable energy expert Michael Klare has to say about the rise of versions of The Donald globally and what that means for the health of our world in "Will Trumpism, Brexit, and Geopolitical Exceptionalism Sink the Planet?"

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fmichael-t-klare%2Ftrump-brexit-climate-change_b_12026586.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Will Trumpism, Brexit, And Geopolitical Exceptionalism Sink The Planet?  
The Mounting Threat to Climate Progress

Cross-posted with TomDispatch.com

In a year of record-setting heat on a blistered globe, with fast-warming oceans, fast-melting ice caps, and fast-rising sea levels, ratification of the December 2015 Paris climate summit agreement -- already endorsed by most nations -- should be a complete no-brainer.  That it isn't tells you a great deal about our world.  Global geopolitics and the possible rightward lurch of many countries (including a potential deal-breaking election in the United States that could put a climate denier in the White House) spell bad news for the fate of the Earth. It's worth exploring how this might come to be.

The delegates to that 2015 climate summit were in general accord about the science of climate change and the need to cap global warming at 1.5 to 2.0 degrees Celsius (or 2.6 to 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit) before a planetary catastrophe ensues.  They disagreed, however, about much else. Some key countries were in outright conflict with other states (Russia with Ukraine, for example) or deeply hostile to each other (as with India and Pakistan or the U.S. and Iran). In recognition of such tensions and schisms, the assembled countries crafted a final document that replaced legally binding commitments with the obligation of each signatory state to adopt its own unique plan, or “nationally determined contribution” (NDC), for curbing climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions.

As a result, the fate of the planet rests on the questionable willingness of each of those countries to abide by that obligation, however sour or bellicose its relations with other signatories may be.  As it happens, that part of the agreement has already been buffeted by geopolitical headwinds and is likely to face increasing turbulence in the years to come.

That geopolitics will play a decisive role in determining the success or failure of the Paris Agreement has become self-evident in the short time since its promulgation. While some progress has been made toward its formal adoption -- the agreement will enter into force only after no fewer than 55 countries, accounting for at least 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions, have ratified it -- it has also encountered unexpected political hurdles, signaling trouble to come.

On the bright side, in a stunning diplomatic coup, President Obama persuaded Chinese President Xi Jinping to sign the accord with him during a recent meeting of the G-20 group of leading economies in Hangzhou. Together, the two countries are responsible for a striking 40% of global emissions.  “Despite our differences on other issues,” Obama noted during the signing ceremony, “we hope our willingness to work together on this issue will inspire further ambition and further action around the world.”

Brazil, the planet's seventh largest emitter, just signed on as well, and a number of states, including Japan and New Zealand, have announced their intention to ratify the agreement soon.  Many others are expected to do so before the next major U.N. climate summit in Marrakesh, Morocco, this November.

On the dark side, however, Great Britain's astonishing Brexit vote has complicated the task of ensuring the European Union's approval of the agreement, as European solidarity on the climate issue -- a major factor in the success of the Paris negotiations -- can no longer be assured. “There is a risk that this could kick EU ratification of the Paris Agreement into the long grass,” suggests Jonathan Grant, director of sustainability at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The Brexit campaign itself was spearheaded by politicians who were also major critics of climate science and strong opponents of efforts to promote a transition from carbon-based fuels to green sources of energy. For example, the chair of the Vote Leave campaign, former Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson, is also chairman of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, a think-tank devoted to sabotaging government efforts to speed the transition to green energy. Many other top Leave campaigners, including former Conservative ministers John Redwood and Owen Paterson, were also vigorous climate deniers.

In explaining the strong link between these two camps, analysts at the Economist noted that both oppose British submission to international laws and norms: “Brexiteers dislike EU regulations and know that any effective action to tackle climate change will require some kind of global cooperation: carbon taxes or binding targets on emissions. The latter would be the EU writ large and Britain would have even less say in any global agreement, involving some 200 nations, than in an EU regime involving 28.”

Keep in mind as well that Angela Merkel and François Hollande, the leaders of the other two anchors of the European Union, Germany and France, are both embattled by right-wing anti-immigrant parties likely to be similarly unfriendly to such an agreement.  And in what could be the deal-breaker of history, this same strain of thought, combining unbridled nationalism, climate denialism, fierce hostility to immigration, and unwavering support for domestic fossil fuel production, also animates Donald Trump's campaign for the American presidency.

In his first major speech on energy, delivered in May, Trump -- who has called global warming a Chinese hoax -- pledged to “cancel the Paris climate agreement” and scrap the various measures announced by President Obama to ensure U.S. compliance with its provisions. Echoing the views of his Brexit counterparts, he complained that “this agreement gives foreign bureaucrats control over how much energy we use on our land, in our country. No way.” He also vowed to revive construction of the Keystone XL pipeline (which would bring carbon-heavy Canadian tar sands oil to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast), to reverse any climate-friendly Obama administration acts, and to promote the coal industry.  “Regulations that shut down hundreds of coal-fired power plants and block the construction of new ones -- how stupid is that?” he said, mockingly.

In Europe, ultra-nationalist parties on the right are riding a wave of Islamaphobia, anti-immigrant sentiment, and disgust with the European Union. In France, for instance, former president Nicolas Sarkozy announced his intention to run for that post again, promising even more stringent controls on migrants and Muslims and a greater focus on French “identity.” Even further to the right, the rabidly anti-Muslim Marine Le Pen is also in the race at the head of her National Front Party.  Like-minded candidates have already made gains in national elections in Austria and most recently in a state election in Germany that stunned Merkel's ruling party.  In each case, they surged by disavowing relatively timid efforts by the European Union to resettle refugees from Syria and other war-torn countries. Although climate change is not a defining issue in these contests as it is in the U.S. and Britain, the growing opposition to anything associated with the EU and its regulatory system poses an obvious threat to future continent-wide efforts to cap greenhouse gas emissions.

Elsewhere in the world, similar strands of thinking are spreading, raising serious questions about the ability of governments to ratify the Paris Agreement or, more importantly, to implement its provisions.  Take India, for example.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has indeed voiced support for the Paris accord and promised a vast expansion of solar power.  He has also made no secret of his determination to promote economic growth at any cost, including greatly increased reliance on coal-powered electricity. That spells trouble.  According to the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy, India is likely to double its coal consumption over the next 25 years, making it the world's second largest coal consumer after China. Combined with an increase in oil and natural gas consumption, such a surge in coal use could result in a tripling of India's carbon dioxide emissions at a time when most countries (including the U.S. and China) are expected to experience a peak or decline in theirs.

Prime Minister Modi is well aware that his devotion to coal has generated resentment among environmentalists in India and elsewhere who seek to slow the growth of carbon emissions. He nonetheless insists that, as a major developing nation, India should enjoy a special right to achieve economic growth in any way it can, even if this means endangering the environment. “The desire to improve one's lot has been the primary driving force behind human progress,” his government affirmed in its emissions-reduction pledge to the Paris climate summit. “Nations that are now striving to fulfill this ‘right to grow' of their teeming millions cannot be made to feel guilty [about] their development agenda as they attempt to fulfill this legitimate aspiration.”

Russia is similarly likely to put domestic economic needs (and the desire to remain a great power, militarily and otherwise) ahead of its global climate obligations. Although President Vladimir Putin attended the Paris summit and assured the gathered nations of Russian compliance with its outcome, he has also made it crystal clear that his country has no intention of giving up its reliance on oil and natural gas exports for a large share of its national income. According to the Energy Information Administration, Russia's government relies on such exports for a staggering 50% of its operating revenue, a share it dare not jeopardize at a time when its economy -- already buffeted by European Union and U.S. sanctions -- is in deep recession. To ensure the continued flow of hydrocarbon income, in fact, Moscow has announced multibillion dollar plans to develop new oil and gas fields in Siberia and the Arctic, even if such efforts fly in the face of commitments to reduce future carbon emissions.

From Reform and Renewal to Rivalry

Such nationalistic exceptionalism could become something of the norm if Donald Trump wins in November, or other nations join those already eager to put the needs of a fossil fuel-based domestic growth agenda ahead of global climate commitments. With that in mind, consider the assessment of future energy trends that the Norwegian energy giant Statoil recently produced.  In it is a chilling scenario focused on just this sort of dystopian future.

The second-biggest producer of natural gas in Europe after Russia's Gazprom, Statoil annually issues Energy Perspectives, a report that explores possible future energy trends. Previous editions included scenarios labeled “reform” (predicated on coordinated but gradual international efforts to shift from carbon fuels to green energy technology) and “renewal” (positing a more rapid transition). The 2016 edition, however, added a grim new twist: “rivalry.” It depicts a realistically downbeat future in which international strife and geopolitical competition discourage significant cooperation in the climate field.

According to the document, the new section is “driven” by real-world developments -- by, that is, “a series of political crises, growing protectionism, and a general fragmentation of the state system, resulting in a multipolar world developing in different directions.  In this scenario, there is growing disagreement about the rules of the game and a decreasing ability to manage crises in the political, economic, and environmental arenas.”

In such a future, Statoil suggests, the major powers would prove to be far more concerned with satisfying their own economic and energy requirements than pursuing collaborative efforts aimed at slowing the pace of climate change. For many of them, this would mean maximizing the cheapest and most accessible fuel options available -- often domestic supplies of fossil fuels. Under such circumstances, the report suggests, the use of coal would rise, not fall, and its share of global energy consumption would actually increase from 29% to 32%.

In such a world, forget about those “nationally determined contributions” agreed to in Paris and think instead about a planet whose environment will grow ever less friendly to life as we know it.  In its rivalry scenario, writes Statoil, “the climate issue has low priority on the regulatory agenda. While local pollution issues are attended to, large-scale international climate agreements are not the chosen way forward. As a consequence, the current NDCs are only partly implemented. Climate finance ambitions are not met, and carbon pricing to stimulate cost-efficient reductions in countries and across national borders are limited.”

Coming from a major fossil fuel company, this vision of how events might play out on an increasingly tumultuous planet makes for peculiar reading: more akin to Eaarth -- Bill McKibben's dystopian portrait of a climate-ravaged world -- than the usual industry-generated visions of future world health and prosperity. And while “rivalry” is only one of several scenarios Statoil's authors considered, they clearly found it unnervingly convincing. Hence, in a briefing on the report, the company's chief economist Eirik Wærness indicated that Great Britain's looming exit from the EU was exactly the sort of event that would fit the proposed model and might multiply in the future.

Climate Change in a World of Geopolitical Exceptionalism

Indeed, the future pace of climate change will be determined as much by geopolitical factors as technological developments in the energy sector. While it is evident that immense progress is being made in bringing down the price of wind and solar power in particular -- far more so than all but a few analysts anticipated until recently -- the political will to turn such developments into meaningful global change and so bring carbon emissions to heel before the planet is unalterably transformed may, as the Statoil authors suggest, be dematerializing before our eyes. If so, make no mistake about it: we will be condemning Earth's future inhabitants, our own children and grandchildren, to unmitigated disaster.

As President Obama's largely unheralded success in Hangzhou indicates, such a fate is not etched in stone. If he could persuade the fiercely nationalistic leader of a country worried about its economic future to join him in signing the climate agreement, more such successes are possible. His ability to achieve such outcomes is, however, diminishing by the week, and few other leaders of his stature and determination appear to be waiting in the wings.

To avoid an Eaarth (as both Bill McKibben and the Statoil authors imagine it) and preserve the welcoming planet in which humanity grew and thrived, climate activists will have to devote at least as much of their energy and attention to the international political arena as to the technology sector. At this point, electing green-minded leaders, stopping climate deniers (or ignorers) from capturing high office, and opposing fossil-fueled ultra-nationalism is the only realistic path to a habitable planet.

Michael T. Klare, a TomDispatch regular, is a professor of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College and the author, most recently, of The Race for What's Left. A documentary movie version of his book Blood and Oil is available from the Media Education Foundation. Follow him on Twitter at @mklare1.

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, Nick Turse's Next Time They'll Come to Count the Dead, and Tom Engelhardt's latest book, Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/09/14/493916062/the-troubled-galaxy-note-7-leaves-some-samsung-customers-frustrated?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=technology  
The Troubled Galaxy Note 7 Leaves Some Samsung Customers Frustrated  

U.S. users trying to take part in Samsung's unofficial recall find themselves winding through a network of stores and unclear guidelines. The government has yet to announce a formal recall.

 
technology  

%feed  
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/09/14/493919532/trying-to-get-the-kids-to-put-down-those-phones-heres-help?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=technology  
Trying To Get The Kids To Put Down Those Phones? Here's Help  

You can nudge your kids' relationship with digital technology in a more healthful direction, but warning: It's going to require parents to change, too.

 
technology  

%feed  
http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/09/14/493823483/self-driving-cars-take-to-the-streets-of-pittsburgh-courtesy-of-uber?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=technology  
What It's Like To Ride In A (Nearly) Self-Driving Uber  

Uber is deploying a fleet of self-driving cars Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Employees will be in the front seats, but they will try to let technology do the driving. We went for a ride.

 
technology  

%feed  
http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/09/14/493881325/video-gamers-head-to-the-gym-to-enhance-competitive-edge?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=technology  
Video Gamers Head To The Gym To Enhance Competitive Edge  

Video games are big business with high stakes for pro players. To help perform better, personal trainers are tailoring their services for gamers. Routines including yoga, weight lifting and cardio.

 
technology  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Flindahall.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F150444353676&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Joannes Jonston Scientist of the Day Joannes Jonston,...  

http://lhldigital.lindahall.org/cdm/ref/collection/nat_hist/id/35701


http://lhldigital.lindahall.org/cdm/ref/collection/nat_hist/id/35723


http://lhldigital.lindahall.org/cdm/ref/collection/nat_hist/id/35717


http://lhldigital.lindahall.org/cdm/ref/collection/nat_hist/id/35686


http://lhldigital.lindahall.org/cdm/ref/collection/nat_hist/id/35701


http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/files/original/KC%20Library.jpg

Joannes Jonston Scientist of the Day

Joannes Jonston, a Polish naturalist descended from a noble Scottish family, was born Sep. 15, 1603.

read more…

 
science  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FScience360NewsServiceBreakingStory%2F%7E3%2FmCKvEbiqmgk%2Fchemists-offer-enhanced-3-d-look-inside-batteries&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Chemists offer enhanced 3-D look inside batteries  

Full Text:

A team of chemists has developed a method to yield highly detailed, 3-D images of the insides of batteries. The technique, based on magnetic resonance imaging, offers an enhanced approach to monitor the condition of these power sources in real time.

Image credit: Andrew J. Ilott and Alexej Jerschow, Chemistry Department, New York University

 
science  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fmarco18678%2F29072421823%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Life is too short to drive boring cars  

marco18678 posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fkhan_photography%2F29070626904%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Big business.  

KhanTM posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172714503%2Fdon-quixote-by-irina-dzhul&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Don Quixote by Irina Dzhul  

Don Quixote by Irina Dzhul

Irina Dzhul: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172672771%2Fhayley-stewart-by-rodrigo-daguerre&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Hayley Stewart by Rodrigo Daguerre  

Hayley Stewart by Rodrigo Daguerre

Rodrigo Daguerre: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://twitter.com/louisa1000/status/776408349806034944 
MEPs' priorities for safeguarding endangered species - https://t.co/IOdFBeHpsI #CoP17 #citescop17 CITES, Johannesburg, 24 Sept5 Oct 
https://t.co/IOdFBeHpsI 

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fbradley-campbell%2Fa-historic-moment-for-new_b_12013350.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
A Historic Moment for New England: A Marine National Monument in the Atlantic!  


With Marine National Monument designation in the Atlantic, President Obama seals environmental legacy

President Obama is making history today, announcing the designation of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, which will become the only fully protected large marine area in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean. Until today, zero miles of the U.S. Atlantic were fully protected from the imminent threats of climate change and increasing industrial activity.

The announcement comes just as the third annual Our Ocean Conference is held in Washington, DC, hosted by the U.S. State Department. Thanks to the president's use of the century-old Antiquities Act, ancient coral formations will no longer face potential ruin from commercial fishing activity, and diverse and pristine habitats will allow an abundance of marine life to thrive.

It is a good day to be a New Englander. So much of our region's history is rooted in the ocean; so much of our economic success depends on a healthy ocean off our coast. Unlike our impressive conservation efforts on land, however, the ocean's critical ecosystems beneath the surface have been overlooked. With the impacts of climate change already upon us, little action has been taken to protect these ecosystems and allow them to build resilience to changing conditions. With President Obama's two recent marine monument designations, that may no longer be the case.

Monument Momentum

Today's announcement comes on the heels of the President's expansion of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii, creating the largest marine preserve in the world. And a week prior, President Obama designated the Katahdin Woods and Waters Monument, safeguarding pristine forested wilderness right in our own backyard in the North Woods of Maine.

The canyons and seamounts marine monument designation is especially timely and important for New England, where the ocean has the compounding threats of climate change, overfishing, and proposed extraction of oil, gas, and other resources. The Gulf of Maine is warming at a rate faster than almost any other ocean area in the world, and this monument will provide areas where biodiversity and marine life can continue to thrive; it will also provide an area for scientists to study climate change and possible strategies to better protect the ocean's living resources against climate impacts.

With the announcement made surrounding the third annual Our Ocean Conference - a gathering of international leaders on ocean issues - President Obama sets a high global and local precedent; he has now protected more acres of lands and waters than any president in U.S. history.

Conservation Law Foundation is proud to have been a leader among a coalition of groups in the campaign to permanently protect the canyons and seamounts, helping to translate compelling science into a broad public advocacy to bring about permanent protection of the resource.

Working with the New England Aquarium, leading marine scientists presented a body of research in March that made it emphatically clear that the New England Canyons and Seamounts, along with the Gulf of Maine's Cashes Ledge, deserve and require permanent protection.



More than 300 scientists and 300,000 supporters signed petitions urging a marine monument in the Atlantic, and a summer poll showed that an incredible 80 percent of New England residents want permanent protection of important ocean areas.

Then, Senator Richard Blumenthal led the entire Connecticut congressional delegation in calling upon President Obama to designate the Canyons and Seamounts as a Marine National Monument, introducing a formal proposal for consideration by the Administration. Regional congressional leaders like Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, Rhode Island Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed, and Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo then helped the White House shape the final proposal, including thoughtful efforts by Senator Markey to strike a balance between the conservation imperative and the need to sustain New England's iconic commercial fisheries. The designation just announced serves both, because research has shown that fully protected marine areas are more resilient to the negative effects of climate change.

President Obama's designation of the Atlantic's first marine monument has cemented his legacy on both conservation and climate change, while demonstrating the continued importance of the venerable Antiquities Act, first used by President Theodore Roosevelt, in protecting natural resources at risk.

Celebrate with us: Send a message to President Obama to say "Thank You!" for designating the Coral Canyons and Seamounts as a Marine National Monument!

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fcarey-gillam%2Ffda-finds-monsantos-weed_b_12008680.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
FDA Finds Monsanto's Weed Killer in U.S. Honey  


The Food and Drug Administration, under public pressure to start testing samples of U.S. food for the presence of a pesticide that has been linked to cancer, has some early findings that are not so sweet.

In examining honey samples from various locations in the United States, the FDA has found fresh evidence that residues of the weed killer called glyphosate can be pervasive - found even in a food that is not produced with the use of glyphosate. All of the samples the FDA tested in a recent examination contained glyphosate residues, and some of the honey showed residue levels double the limit allowed in the European Union, according to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. There is no legal tolerance level for glyphosate in honey in the United States.

Glyphosate, which is the key ingredient in Monsanto Co.'s Roundup herbicide, is the most widely used weed killer in the world, and concerns about glyphosate residues in food spiked after the World Health Organization in 2015 said its cancer experts determined glyphosate is a probable human carcinogen. Other international scientists have raised concerns about how heavy use of glyphosate is impacting human health and the environment.

Records obtained from the FDA, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, detail a range of revelations about the federal government's efforts to get a handle on these rising concerns. In addition to honey, the records show government residue experts discussing glyphosate found in soybean and wheat samples, "glyphosate controversies," and the belief that there could be "a lot of violation for glyphosate" residues in U.S. crops.

Even though the FDA annually examines foods for residues of many pesticides, it has skipped testing for glyphosate residues for decades. It was only in February of this year that the agency said it would start some glyphosate residues analysis. That came after many independent researchers started conducting their own testing and found glyphosate in an array of food products, including flour, cereal, and oatmeal. The government and Monsanto have maintained that any glyphosate residues in food would be minimal enough to be safe. But critics say without robust testing, glyphosate levels in food are not known. And they say that even trace amounts may be harmful because they are likely consumed so regularly in many foods.

The residue issues are coming into the spotlight at the same time that the EPA is completing a risk assessment to determine if use of this top-selling herbicide should be limited. The agency has scheduled public meetings on the matter Oct. 18-21 in Washington. The EPA's risk assessment report was initially due out in 2015, but still has not been finalized. The agency now says it will be completed in "spring 2017."

In the records released by the FDA, one internal email describes trouble locating honey that doesn't contain glyphosate: "It is difficult to find blank honey that does not contain residue. I collect about 10 samples of honey in the market and they all contain glyphosate," states an FDA researcher. Even "organic mountain honey" contained low concentrations of glyphosate, the FDA documents show.

According to the FDA records, samples tested by FDA chemist Narong Chamkasem showed residue levels at 107 ppb in samples the FDA associated with Louisiana-based Carmichael's Honey; 22 ppb in honey the FDA linked to Leighton's Orange Blossom Honey in Florida and residues at 41 ppb in samples the FDA associated with Iowa-based Sue Bee Honey, which is marketed by a cooperative of American beekeepers as "pure, all-natural" and "America's Honey." Customers "can be assured that Sue Bee Honey is 100% pure, 100% all-natural and 100% American," the Sioux Honey Association states.

In a Jan. 8, 2016 email Chamkasem pointed out to fellow FDA scientists that the EU tolerance level is 50 ppb and there is no amount of glyphosate allowed at all in honey in the United States. But Chris Sack, an FDA chemist who oversees the agency's pesticide residue testing, responded by reassuring Chamkasem and the others that the glyphosate residues discovered are only "technically a violation."

"The bee farmers are not breaking any laws; rather glyphosate is being introduced by the bees," Sack wrote in response. "While the presence of glyphosate in honey is technically a violation, it is not a safety issue."

Sack said the EPA had been "made aware of the problem" and was expected to set tolerance levels for honey. Once tolerance levels are set by EPA - if they are set high enough - the residues would no longer be a violation. When contacted this week, the EPA said there are currently no pending requests to set tolerance levels for glyphosate in honey. But, the agency also said: "there is no dietary risk concern from exposure to glyphosate residues in honey at this time."

Sioux Honey Vice President Bill Huser said glyphosate is commonly used on farm fields frequented by bees, and the pesticide travels back with the bees to the hives where the honey is produced.

"The industry doesn't have any control over environmental impacts like this," Huser said. Most of Sue Bee's honey comes from bees located near clover and alfalfa in the upper Midwest, he said. Beekeepers located in the South would have honeybees close to cotton and soybean fields. Alfalfa, soybeans and cotton are all genetically engineered to be sprayed directly with glyphosate.

The FDA results are not the first to find glyphosate in honey. Sampling done in early 2015 by the scientific research company Abraxis found glyphosate residues in 41 of 69 honey samples with glyphosate levels between 17 and 163 ppb, with the mean average being 64 ppb.

Bee keepers say they are innocent victims who see their honey products contaminated simply because they might be located within a few miles of farms where glyphosate is used.

"I don't understand how I'm supposed to control the level of glyphosate in my honey when I'm not the one using Roundup," one honey company operator said. "It's all around me. It's unfair."

The FDA did not respond to a question about the extent of its communications with Monsanto regarding residue testing, but the records released show that Monsanto has had at least some interaction with the FDA on this issue. In April of this year, Monsanto's international regulatory affairs manager Amelia Jackson-Gheissari emailed FDA asking to set up a time to talk about "enforcement of residue levels in the USA, particularly glyphosate."

The FDA routinely looks for residues of a number of commonly used pesticides but not glyphosate. The look for glyphosate this year is considered a "special assignment" and came after the agency was criticized by the U.S. Government Accountability Office in 2014 for failing to test for glyphosate.

The FDA has not released formal results of its testing plans or the findings, but Sack made a presentation in June to the California Specialty Crops Council that said the agency was analyzing 300 samples of corn; 300 samples of soy; and 120 samples each of milk and eggs. He described some partial results achieved through April that showed glyphosate levels found in 52 samples of corn and 44 samples of soybeans but not above legally allowed levels. The presentation did not mention honey. The presentation also stated that glyphosate testing at the FDA will be expanded to "routine screening."

The USDA also will start testing for glyphosate, but not until next year, according to information the agency gave to the nonprofit group Beyond Pesticides in a meeting in Washington in January. Documents obtained through FOIA show a plan to test in syrups and oils in 2017.

Soybeans and Wheat

Like the FDA, the USDA has dragged its feet on testing. Only one time, in 2011, has the USDA tested for glyphosate residues despite the fact that the agency does widespread testing for residues of other less-used pesticides. In what the USDA called a "special project" the agency tested 300 soybean samples for glyphosate and found more than 90 percent - 271 of the samples - carried the weed killer residues. The agency said then that further testing for glyphosate was "not a high priority" because glyphosate is considered so safe. It also said that while residues levels in some samples came close to the very high levels of glyphosate "tolerance" established by EPA, they did not exceed those levels.

Both the USDA and the FDA have long said it is too expensive and is unnecessary to test for glyphosate residues. Yet the division within the USDA known as the Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) has been testing wheat for glyphosate residues for years because many foreign buyers have strong concerns about glyphosate residues. GIPSA's testing is part of an "export cargo sampling program," documents obtained from GIPSA show. Those tests showed glyphosate residues detected in more than 40 percent of hundreds of wheat samples examined in fiscal 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The levels vary, the data shows. GIPSA has also been helping FDA access soybeans to test. In a May 2015 email, GIPSA chemist Gary Hinshaw told an FDA food safety official that "it isn't difficult to find soybeans containing glyphosate." In a December 7, 2015 email from FDA chemist Terry Councell to Lauren Robin, also a chemist and an FDA consumer safety officer, Councell said that glyphosate was present even in processed commodities, though "way below tolerance."

The fact that the government is aware of glyphosate residues in food, but has dragged its feet on testing for so long, frustrates many who are concerned about the pesticide.

"There is no sense of urgency around these exposures that we live with day in and day out," said Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Frss.sciam.com%2F%7Er%2Fsciam%2Fglobal-videos%2F%7E3%2FbUvuh0jY-RA%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
5 Things You Didn't Know about H. G. Wells  
H. G. Wells is one of the most influential science fiction writers in history. In this Nature Video, we present five surprising facts about the man behind War of the Worlds. This is part of a...

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com  
science  

%feed  
http://twitter.com/TheEWT/status/776391378263826433 
We're counting down to the CITES CoP! The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna... https://t.co/qgr8k7KQJd 
https://t.co/qgr8k7KQJd 

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newscientist.com%2Farticle%2F2105968-uk-approves-controversial-hinkley-c-nuclear-power-plant%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
UK approves controversial Hinkley C nuclear power plant  
A controversial £18 billion nuclear power plant has been given the government go-ahead after much delay and criticism of its high costs and delays  
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spiegel.de%2Finternational%2Fzeitgeist%2Finterrail-in-2016-a-trip-through-europe-of-today-a-1112222.html%23ref%3Drss&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Interrail Journey: Europe Through the Eyes of the Next Generation  
A quarter million young Europeans spent this summer rolling through the Continent on an Interrail ticket. Conversations with the travelers reveal a younger generation that understands the EU better than their elders might think.  
general  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.npr.org%2Fsections%2Fthesalt%2F2016%2F09%2F15%2F493974504%2Fskipping-meals-joining-gangs-how-teens-cope-with-food-insecurity%3Futm_medium%3DRSS%26utm_campaign%3Dresearchnews&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Skipping Meals, Joining Gangs: How Teens Cope With Food Insecurity  

Many kids rely on school for food their families can't afford. Two reports suggest one group is falling through the cracks: teens. Dogged by hunger, teens may try a wide range of strategies to get by.

 
science  

%feed  
http://twitter.com/EP_Environment/status/776373547723792384 
Ahead of @CITES #CoP17, #MEPs set out their priorities for safeguarding endangered species https://t.co/U1MgrRjZzO 
https://t.co/U1MgrRjZzO 

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.npr.org%2F2016%2F09%2F15%2F492260099%2Foutdated-fema-flood-maps-dont-account-for-climate-change%3Futm_medium%3DRSS%26utm_campaign%3Dresearchnews&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Outdated FEMA Flood Maps Don't Account For Climate Change  

Flood managers suspect August's big rainstorms and floods in Louisiana are becoming more common there and elsewhere because of climate change. One clue: Much of the damage was beyond the flood plain.

 
science  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FScience360NewsServicePictureOfTheDay%2F%7E3%2FWXHADYhGwWQ%2Fvampire-bat&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Vampire bat  

Full Text:

This is a vampire bat, named for its meals of blood. Scientists are discovering new links between vampire bats and rabies. Rabies will likely reach the Pacific Coast of Peru -- where the virus currently does not occur -- within four years. Researchers reported that the vector-borne virus, which is moving at a rate of 10 miles per year, is likely being carried by infected male vampire bats, and could arrive at the Peruvian coast by June 2020. Additional analyses showed that male bats, which leave their colonies upon reaching maturity, are using Andes Mountain corridors to carry the virus westward.

Image credit: D. Streicker

 
science  

%feed  
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/15/science/pluto-moon-charon.html?partner=rss&emc=rss  
Why Pluto's Moon Charon Wears a Red Cap  
The dwarf planet releases gases that cause its moon Charon's atmosphere to fill with rust-colored organic macromolecules.  
astronomy  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2F100162031%40N03%2F29401851380%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Flutter  

Kieran Williams Photography posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fgo.theregister.com%2Ffeed%2Fwww.theregister.co.uk%2F2016%2F09%2F15%2Fbake_off_new_duo_poll%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Great British Great Bake off gets new judge  

Madeira cake, Madeira cake, Madeira cake!

Long weekends cooped up in a cramped sweaty workplace, grappling with unstable materials, your work critiqued by an harsh and judgemental boss.…

 
general  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fenvironment%2F2016%2Fsep%2F15%2Fspain-could-be-first-eu-country-with-national-park-listed-as-in-danger&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Spain could be first EU country with national park listed as 'in danger'  

Doñana wetlands in Andalusia is home to thousands of species but has lost most of its natural water due to industry and faces ‘danger' listing by Unesco

A Spanish wetland home to 2,000 species of wildlife including around 6 million migratory birds is on track to join a Unesco world heritage danger list, according to a new report.

Doñana is an Andalusian reserve of sand dunes, shallow streams and lagoons, stretching for 540 square kilometres (209 square miles) where flamingoes feed and wild horses and Iberian lynx still roam.

Continue reading...  
gaia  

%feed  
http://twitter.com/mariettawa/status/776320569017065472 
CITES= oxymoron! If a species is ENDANGERED why the trade? https://t.co/Ei7zruLZnN 
https://t.co/Ei7zruLZnN 

%feed  
http://twitter.com/mariettawa/status/776319191318159360 
CITES= heaven for trophy hunters&traders. If a species is ENDANGERED you should not touch it! Reform or get lost! https://t.co/iu7aaJ16rb 
https://t.co/iu7aaJ16rb 

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fbunny-mcdiarmid%2Fwill-this-be-the-decade-o_b_12021302.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Will this be the decade of ocean protection?  


I am attending the Our Ocean, One Future conference organized by the US State Department under the leadership of US Secretary of State, John Kerry. A number of major announcements are anticipated as States are expected to come to the table with specific ocean initiatives and achievements to share with their peers and the world.

Only a few days ago, some of the world's largest carbon emitters, including the United States China and Brazil, announced they will formally join the Paris Agreement, bringing the crucial climate deal a step closer to commencement. This should trigger far more ambitious action for the climate both nationally and internationally; action that will have a direct impact on the future of our oceans.

According to an IUCN's (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) report on ocean warming published last week at the World Conservation Congress, we have only seen a small fraction of the likely impacts of ocean warming on key marine and coastal organisms and ecosystems. And while the cost of the ocean crisis is being felt by those people in coastal nations and communities who rely on the oceans for food and their livelihoods, the impacts are starting to become evident on a global scale.

Many of us have seen the heartbreaking images of beautiful coral reefs turning white and dying after temperature driven bleaching episodes. What is less well known is that in addition to urgent action on climate change and ocean acidification, protecting coral reefs from other stressors, such as overfishing, destructive fishing and pollution, can have a huge effect on their ability to cope with increasing ocean temperatures.

Creating large scale networks of ocean sanctuaries - "no-take" havens for marine life - increases ocean resilience against the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification, protects vital ecosystems and supports food security by rebuilding fish stocks. Ocean sanctuaries can also help to preserve important carbon sinks.

Greenpeace has supported the scientific community's call for a global network of ocean sanctuaries covering 40% of the oceans. At one time this target was seen as too ambitious, but today more and more scientists and governments are calling for at least 30% of the ocean to be set aside as no-take areas. Just last week, a resolution at the IUCN World Conservation Congress called for governments to protect at least 30% of the world's oceans by 2030. This was adopted by a landslide vote.

The sooner we change the way we treat our Blue Planet the greater chance we have to safeguard key habitats and species, along with the livelihoods of the millions of people who depend on healthy oceans. There is much the governments attending the Our Ocean, One Future conference must do to kick-start this change.

Last week, U.S. President Obama announced the expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea sanctuary around Hawaii, now the largest no-take area in the world. A number of other countries including the UK, France and Palau have taken similar initiatives. However, only 2.1% of the world's oceans are under some form of protection - and far less than 1% of the high seas is protected. This is far below existing global targets, and sensitive and pristine marine environments such as the High Arctic and the Ross Sea are currently left open for business.

We will never achieve the protection levels science tells us are needed if the high seas, which cover two thirds of the ocean, are left unprotected. We will never secure a sustainable future for all if governments and corporations simply continue exploiting the ocean to meet short term economic interests.

"There are no more natural ocean sanctuaries. It is up to us to create them," said Oscar- winning actor, writer and activist Emma Thompson. Her plea was delivered from the Arctic where she joined Greenpeace Canada and the Inuit community of Clyde River in pushing back against destructive seismic blasting (prospecting for oil and gas) in their home, to the nations represented at the plenary. Outside the conference room it reached more than four million people online who have united their voices for ocean protection.

Since 2014 the US has become a more constructive player in the UN negotiations. Today the need to take action is no less urgent and we are asking the US and other leaders currently gathered in Washington DC to show strong leadership in moving 'our ocean', including waters beyond national boundaries, to the top of the global political agenda.


We need bold political action now to avoid tipping points that will cause ecological, economic and humanitarian devastation.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ozy.com%2Frising-stars%2Fswedens-beloved-syrian-comic%2F71564&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Sweden's Beloved Syrian Comic  
This Syrian YouTube star and refugee is taking to Sweden's airwaves.  
general  

%feed  
http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/sept-14-1966-view-from-gemini-xi-850-miles-above-the-earth  
Sept. 14, 1966 - View From Gemini XI, 850 Miles Above the Earth  
The western half of Australia, looking west, as seen from the Gemini XI spacecraft, 850 miles above the Earth on Sept. 14, 1966. Reaching this record-shattering altitude was a highlight of a demanding, three-day mission for Gemini XI command pilot Charles "Pete" Conrad and pilot Dick Gordon.  
astronomy  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2F14546264%40N02%2F29688666425%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Snail Camouflage  

umijin posted a photo:

Rare fragile tree snail (Samoana fragilis) on dead coconut leaf.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPhysicsWorld%2F%7E3%2FPpDgzSVzT8U%2Fus-facing-medical-isotope-shortage-when-production-ceases-in-canada&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
US facing medical-isotope shortage when production ceases in Canada  
Ailing NRU reactor will stop making molybdenum-99 in October  
science  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPhysicsWorld%2F%7E3%2FiEmwGSX2xKg%2Fwhy-should-scientists-communicate-their-work-to-the-public&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Why should scientists communicate their work to the public?  
Quantum physicist Andrea Morello on the responsibility of scientists to share the findings of their research  
science  

%feed  
https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/12-18-september-2016/london-design-festival-preview-london-design-fair/  
London Design Festival preview: London Design Fair  

To coincide with its tenth anniversary, this year Tent London and Super Brands London have been brought together under the new umbrella brand, London Design Fair.

It has also taken on an additional 3,500m² space on the third floor of the Old Truman Brewery in east London, and will continue to run alongside London Design Festival as one of its design destinations.

One of several large trade shows to be found at London Design Festival, what is now London Design Fair will host the work of hundreds of product and furniture designers, with big brands and small outfits displaying side-by-side at the same venue. There are also some special projects and launches to be found…

Installations

Kit Miles and Moooi Carpets have designed the entrance to the foyer of the Old Truman Brewery this year, which will feature a colourful 150m² carpet.

The carpet design is based on the “interplay of shadows and light”, and inspired by both Mediterranean and London architecture, according to the designers.

Tent London

At 10 at Tent, ten now-established designers will show the pieces they originally debuted at Tent London, alongside their latest collections.

“This is a chance to take a moment and appreciate how far we've all come. Both the designers and the fair itself we've grown up together,' says London Design Fair founder and director, Jimmy MacDonald.

For another of this year's most promising new installations, the fair was invited to propose a project by the trade commission of the Trentino region of Italy. The result is Trentino Collaborations, which matches four British designers with Trentino-based manufacturers to create new retail products.

Max Lamb is working with a quarry company to produce granite furniture, Sebastian Cox is using a weaving technique from Trentino, Lucy Kurrein is designing leather upholstery and Giles Miller is making his first foray into natural stone tiles.

Guest country pavilion

This year, India has been selected to host the first annual guest country pavilion. Co-curated by MacDonald, alongside London-based consultancy Tiipoi's founder, Spandana Gopal, This is India is designed to showcase a “renewed but intimate perspective on established and emerging design practices from India today”, according to the event organisers.

On the lineup are textile designers Leah Singh, Injiri and Safomasi, as well as industrial studio and manufacturers, Taama.

Look out for exhibition designer, Kangan Arora's installation too, featuring more than 500 hand-painted terracotta pots stacked into various colonnades and towers.

Other countries

100% Norway will be returning to the London Design Fair for its 13th edition, curated by Max Fraser. It will include projects from a number of Norwegian designers, including Anderssen & Voll, Andreas Bergsaker and Vera & Kyte.

Other confirmed countries showing this year are China, Scotland Craft & Design, Swedish Design Pavilion, Nordic Design Collective, Portugal, Galicia and the Crafts Council of Italy.

London Design Fair takes place in the Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL from 22-25 September. For more information, head here.

The post London Design Festival preview: London Design Fair appeared first on Design Week.

 
design  

%feed  
https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/12-18-september-2016/natural-history-museum-google-launch-virtual-gallery-app-website/  
Natural History Museum and Google launch virtual gallery app  

The Natural History Museum has worked with Google to create an online visitor experience allowing people to virtually walk round galleries and see exhibits.

The new online platform is available at g.co/naturalhistory and uses Google indoor street view to enable virtual visitors to “walk through” galleries such as Hintze Hall, the Treasures gallery, Dinosaurs and others.

The project has been brought to life by the Google Cultural institute, a sub-organisation of Google which has so far created online archival resources for more than 1000 museums worldwide.

Nine virtual exhibitions and 300,000 specimens

Amit Sood, director of the Google Cultural Institute, says: “Technology can be used not only to make museums' treasures accessible to people around the world, but also to create new experiences for museum-goers.”

The National History Museum platform contains nine virtual exhibitions, and more than 300,000 digital specimens such as the first T-Rex fossil ever found, a narwhal's skull and visuals of extinct mammoths.

High resolution images and 360° video

It also includes an interactive timeline spanning natural history, and more than 80 million living creatures.

The street view uses gigapixel technology which allows for high resolution photography and video, and also incorporates Google Cardboard and YouTube 360 to provide viewers with virtual reality and 360° video experiences.

The platform also has a learning resource for teachers and students: Google Expeditions uses 360° panorama and 3D images to create interactive imagery, with annotations and descriptions for educational use.

The new online exhibition < g.co/naturalhistory > can be viewed for free on the web, and through the new Google Arts & Culture mobile app available on iOS and Android.

The post Natural History Museum and Google launch virtual gallery app appeared first on Design Week.

 
design  

%feed  
https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/12-18-september-2016/looking-forward-seeing-london-design-festival/  
What are you most looking forward to seeing at London Design Festival?  

“The London Design Festival has grown so much in its international importance; it is now one of the most important design events globally.

This year I am happy that my own area, south east London is represented with South East Makers club where I'm particularly looking forward to Ben Chatfield's talk on Saturday 24 September.

Tord Boontje, our neighbour on Charlotte Road and also at home in Brockley has organised Electro Craft. Made up of new and existing work, this show is about the craft of electronics and electronics made as craft.”

---

“19 Greek Street was the highlight of my London Design Festival last year, so I am really looking forward to this year's exhibition. In the midst of what can feel like a tsunami of consumerism, a gallery that champions the role of art and design to create a more ethical and sustainable future is a breath of fresh air.

From 24 September until 1 October 2016, this Soho townhouse will host “a multisensory experience [that] explores our connection with nature, with ourselves and our surroundings.” Events include design, art, books, tea, meditation and talks. I wouldn't miss it for the world.”

---

“LDF is a brilliant goad to exploring London, in particular seeing familiar spaces in a fresh guise. The one project currently on my list is the RIBA Regent Street Windows where artists, designers and visionaries transform the windows of iconic Regent Street shops.

It's not a part of London I'd regularly visit, but the promise of Design Haus Liberty's elegantly dangling light installations at Kate Spade is more than enough to get me there.

Their beads of light have the curious effect of being so sensual and luxurious that the formal architecture of Regent Street now provokes an erotic response!”

The post What are you most looking forward to seeing at London Design Festival? appeared first on Design Week.

 
design  

%feed  
https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/12-18-september-2016/book-designing-life/  
Book: Designing Your Life  

Bill Burnett and Dave Evans introduced the Designing for Life course to Standford University in the US 15 years ago. Those that enrolled were younger students, mid-career professionals and retirees, who were all taught to “think like a designer.”

The basic idea is to encourage people to design a career and a life that is “meaningful, joyful and fulfilling” to help them reduce anxieties and reach clear goals. 

The course has now been translated into a new book…

Choosing Happiness

Designing a career and a life requires not only that you have lots of options and good alternatives; it also requires the ability to make good choices and live into those choices with confidence, which means you accept them and don't second-guess yourself. Regardless of where you've started, what stage of life and career you are in, how great or dire you perceive your circumstances to be, we would bet our last dollar that there is one goal you all have in this life you are designing:

Happiness

Who doesn't want to be happy? We want to be happy, and we want our students to be happy, and we want you to be happy.

In life design, being happy means you choose happiness.

Choosing happiness doesn't mean you should click your heels together three times while wishing to go to your happy place. The secret to happiness in life design isn't making the right choice; it's learning to choose well.

You can do all the work of life design ideating and prototyping and taking action all leading to some really cool alternative life design plans, but this doesn't guarantee you will be happy and get what you want. Maybe you'll end up happy and getting what you want, and maybe you won't. We say “maybe” because being happy and getting what you want are not about future risks and unknowns or whether you picked the right alternatives; it's about how you choose and how you live your choices once they're made.

All of your hard work can be undone by poor choosing. Not so much by making the wrong choice (that's a risk, but, frankly, not a big one, and usually one you can recover from) as by thinking wrongly about your choosing. Adopting a good, healthy, smart life design choosing process is critical to a happy outcome. Many people are using a choosing model that cuts themselves off from their most important insights and actually prevents them from being happy with their choices after they've been made. We see it all the time, and studies agree: many people guarantee an unhappy outcome by how they approach this all-important design step of choosing.

On the flip side, choosing well almost guarantees a happy and life-giving outcome, while setting you up for more options and a better future.

The Life Design Choosing Process

In life design, the choosing process has four steps. First you gather and create some options, then you narrow down your list to your top alternatives, then finally you choose, and then, last but not least, you… agonise over that choice. Agonise over whether you've done the right thing. In fact, we encourage you to spend countless hours, days, months, or even decades agonising.

Just kidding. People can waste years agonising over the choices they've made, but agonising is a time suck. Of course we don't want you to agonise, and that is not the fourth step in the life design choosing process.

The fourth step in the process is to let go of our unnecessary options and move on, embracing our choice fully so that we can get the most from it.

We need to understand each of these choosing steps to appreciate the important difference between good choosing, which results in reliably happy outcomes and more future prospects, and bad choosing, which preconditions us for an unhappy experience.

Designing Your Life: Build a Life That Works for You, by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans is published by Penguin Random House on 15 September and is priced £14.99  

The post Book: Designing Your Life appeared first on Design Week.

 
design  

%feed  
https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/12-18-september-2016/london-design-festival-2016-5-must-see-exhibitions/  
London Design Festival 2016 5 must-see exhibitions  

A Smile in the Mind, by The Partners

Futurecity, an initiative to regenerate urban spaces through art and culture, has curated an exhibition looking at the use of wit in design and branding.

Created by The Partners, and based on an updated version of Beryl McAlhone and David Stuart's celebrated graphic design book, A Smile in the Mind, the exhibition will explore how wit powers creative thinking among some of the world's biggest brands.

It is set to include original works from designers and artists including Noma Bar, Robert Brownjohn and Dominic Wilcox.

A Smile in the Mind will be go on display at The Gallery at Foyles, 107 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0DT. For more information, head here.

---

25 Years of Editions, by Sebastian Bergne

Industrial designer Sebastian Bergne will be opening the doors of his Battersea studio to the public for this year's festival, showcasing some of his most famous designs from over the last 25 years in the place they were first created.

Highlights include the relaunched ring soap and lamp shade, as well as new products such as the Drop jug and Cubit beer glass.

25 Years of Editions will run Mon-Fri at 2 Ingate Place, SW8 3NS during LDF. For more information, head here.

---

Toilet Break, by Dirty Furniture and The Shit Museum

Independent design magazine, Dirty Furniture and Italy-based The Shit Museum have teamed up to create an event exploring the potential of arguably our most primordial activity: poo.

Toilet Break features two exhibitions, including one called On the Go, featuring a new commission by Lukas Franciszkiewicz of London-Tokyo design studio Takram.

There will also be a series of talks, including one that will discuss whether gender-neutral toilets are the answer.

Toilet Break will take place at the Basement, 1 North Terrace, SW3 2BA from 17-25 September. For more information, head here.

---

Silhouettes and Shadows, by Photofusion and Rockarchive

Photography collective Rockarchive is collaborating with Brixton-based photo studio and gallery, Photofusion in an exhibition dedicated to the memory of one of the area's most famous residents: the late David Bowie.

As a visual celebration of Bowie's life and career, visitors can expect prints and images by music photographers including Ray Stevenson, Fernando Aceves, Mark Mawston and Steve Rapport, some of which are being shown in the UK for the first time.

Silhouettes and Shadows is running From 17-25 September at 17a Electric Lane, SW9 8LA. For more information, head here.

---

Below Stairs, by Sir John Soane's Museum

Coinciding with the Sir John Soane's Museum's seven-year restoration project, this year's festival will see the Regency kitchens open to the public for the first time

In a nod to the original use of the kitchens by Sir John Soane's servants, Below Stairs will showcase new or recent work from the likes of Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, Jasper Morrison, Martino Gamper, and Paul Cocksedge in the reinstated space.

Each of the designers has been selected for their association with culinary and domestic design; Barber & Osgerby has designed ranges of tableware, day-to-day objects and a number of dining tables, while Martino Gamper considers himself part-chef, and part-designer.

Below Stairs will run from 13 September 2016 4 March 2017 at the Sir John Soane's Museum, 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, WC2A 3BP. For more information, head here.

---

Be sure to check out these other exhibitions as well:

Blend, by Raw Colour

Show 13: Bare Minimum, by Viaduct

Designersblock London 2016, by Designersblock

London Design Festival at the V&A Engineering Season

---

All photos courtesy of London Design Festival 2016 supported by British Land.

The London Design Festival runs 17 25 September across various venues in London. For more information, head here.

The post London Design Festival 2016 5 must-see exhibitions appeared first on Design Week.

 
design  

%feed  
https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/12-18-september-2016/just-eat-reveals-rebrand/  
Just Eat reveals colourful rebrand  

Online food delivery service Just Eat has rebranded, with the aim of adding “discovery” and “excitement” to the company.

The relaunch includes a new logo, app and marketing campaign, an updated website, and a new Chatbot function that can be used with Facebook Messenger.

New spectrum of colours

The new visual identity aims to add a “burst of colour” to the brand, says Michael Zur-Szpiro, co-founder at venturethree.

It sees the old version of the logo italicised, and the clicking cursor icon has been removed from the centre of the “A” in “Eat”.

The red colour is retained, but used for the logotype itself, rather than the background.

A spectrum of colours has also been added underneath the logo, which will be used across delivery bikes, the website and the app. Delivery scooters will also carry lit-up delivery boxes.

Chatbot interacts with customers

The new Chatbot aims to “bring food discovery to life by engaging with customers to coach and inspire their food choices”, says Venturethree.

The feature will offer customers a selection of different restaurants they haven't previously ordered from, or help them order their regular choice.

An advertising campaign created by studio Karmarama accompanies the rebrand.

The new branding is being applied to online platforms, packaging, marketing material and to delivery staff apparel.

The new brand will be rolled out globally over the next 12 months.

The post Just Eat reveals colourful rebrand appeared first on Design Week.

 
design  

%feed  
http://movieposteroftheday.tumblr.com/post/150404495247  
German poster for LA NOTTE (Michelangelo Antonioni, Italy,...  

German poster for LA NOTTE (Michelangelo Antonioni, Italy, 1961)

Artist: Rolf Goetze

Poster source: Kinoart.net

A new restoration of LA NOTTE opens at Film Forum in New York today.

 
culture  

%feed  
http://insider.si.edu/2016/09/gorillas-arent-tricked-faux-sugary-fruit-thanks-mutation/  
Gorillas Aren't Tricked By a Faux Sugary Fruit Thanks to a Mutation  

During the course of a year, a western gorilla in the Lossi Forest of Northern Congo stuffs its face with a profusion of fruit, including figs, mulberries, and the sour-sweet monkey fruit. It's a win-win situation for both animal and plant. The gorilla gets the energy from the sugar, and the plant gets its seeds dispersed—either dropped or ahm, dropped.

But there's one fruit you won't catch a western gorilla eating: Pentadiplantra brazzeana, a bean-sized berry that resembles a red plum, nicknamed l'oubli, meaning forgetfulness, because, as the story goes, the fruit tastes so sweet that in seeking it out, children may forget their mothers. So why don't these gorillas ingest what—judging by their sweetness—seem to be sugar-filled energy bombs?

New research suggests an answer: Because of two genetic mutations, both western gorillas and the closely related eastern gorillas don't taste the P. brazzeana fruit as sweet. The research was reported in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.

It has been known since 1994 that the sweet component of P. brazzeana isn't sugar at all, but rather a sweet-tasting protein known as brazzein. It seems the plant has evolved to entice animals to eat its fruit, which packs the sweetness of a much larger, sugary fruit through only a bit of protein, while the gorillas appear to have evolved to not fall for the trick.

“From an evolutionary standpoint, if the gorillas were eating a lot of the fruit but not obtaining the caloric benefit from it, it would give them a disadvantage over time because they wouldn't be getting the nutrition that they need. So by not eating it and eating other things, they're benefiting from [the mutations],” says Kristin Saltonstall, a co-author of the study from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.

The researchers, including co-authors Brenda Bradley from George Washington University and her graduate student Elaine Guevara from GWU and Yale University, happened upon these findings while conducting a survey of variation in taste receptors for 57 primates and other animals. By looking at a particular protein called T1R3 found in taste buds and essential for tasting sweetness, the researchers saw that the T1R3 of many old world monkeys and apes is composed of the same amino acids, the protein's building blocks. These animals also are known to taste brazzein as sweet.

But since mice, who don't taste brazzein as sweet, have been shown in a 2004 study by a team at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine to have two different amino acids in key spots along the protein, Bradley and her team took note when they saw that western gorillas also have two different amino acids in the same spots. Eastern gorillas, who share ancestry with western gorillas 25-30 million years back, have the same swapped-out amino acids as western gorillas.

“You see these multiple mutations in gorillas, and they just happen to be (I'm using air quotes here) at those sites that would prevent them from being deceived. I think this is really interesting,” Bradley says.

Paulo Guimarães Jr., a coevolution researcher who was not involved in this study,
is fascinated by this “molecular evidence of potential coevolution,” he writes in an email. He has a few misgivings, though. “I missed some experimental manipulation exploring if and how gorillas avoid brazzein-rich fruits. Also, it is not clear to me why the ‘taster' phenotype was fixed in old world monkeys,” he continues.

Another way to think about the latter point is to ask, why haven't other old world monkeys and apes developed mutations in the same amino acids as eastern and western gorillas have? There certainly has been plenty of time—35 million years—for this to have happened.

“That's a question, perhaps, of historical contingency. Mutation is a random process. So it might be that mutations haven't happened,” Bradley says. Or it could be possible, she continues, that these other species get some benefit from the fruit, and so there wouldn't be strong selection for this particular mutation.

To say for sure, though, that the mutations indicate coevolutionary adaptations in response to brazzein's trickery, more work needs to be done on the natural ecology of flowering plants and their interaction with animal seed dispersers.

“We're not proving absolutely that it's an adaptation—it's really hard to prove that any trait is an adaptation that evolved via natural selection. The best we can do at this stage is say that it's a really interesting coincidence and something worth following up on,” Bradley says.

The post Gorillas Aren't Tricked By a Faux Sugary Fruit Thanks to a Mutation appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

 
culture  

%feed  
http://borrachas.tumblr.com/post/150410971474  
383  

383

 
gifs  

%feed  
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/281543706663852/  
Columnar basalt ston  
Columnar basalt stone in the Umpqua National Forest, Oregon (© Jaynes Gallery/Danita Delimont) 2016-09-14 [www.bing.com/search]  
pin-images  

%feed  
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDailyGalaxyNewsFromPlanetEarthBeyond/~3/MqgHMETuzxs/the-new-cancer-detector-nasa-space-technology-used-to-analyze-galaxies.html  
"The New Cancer Detector" --NASA Space Technology Used to Analyze Galaxies  
 
astronomy  

%feed  
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/29571274742/  
Asteroid Redirect Mission Update  

NASA Goddard Photo and Video posted a photo:

Dr. Holdren (left), Administrator Bolden (center) and Dr. Michele Gates (right) discuss the ARM mission during a live NASA TV briefing. Behind them is a mockup of robotic capture module for the Asteroid Redirect Mission.

More info: Asteroid Redirect Mission Update On Sept. 14, 2016, NASA provided an update on the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) and how it contributes to the agency's journey to Mars and protection of Earth. The presentation took place in the Robotic Operations Center at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Assistant to the President for Science and Technology Dr. John P. Holdren, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and NASA's ARM Program Director, Dr. Michele Gates discussed the latest update regarding the mission. They explained the mission's scientific and technological benefits and how ARM will demonstrate technology for defending Earth from potentially hazardous asteroids. The briefing aired live on NASA TV and the agency's website. For more information about ARM go to www.nasa.gov/arm.

Credit: NASA/Goddard/Debbie Mccallum

NASA image use policy.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA's mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA's accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency's mission.

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook

Find us on Instagram

 
astronomy  

%feed  
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDailyGalaxyNewsFromPlanetEarthBeyond/~3/aig6eH7nhpk/-pluto-is-a-graffiti-artist-spray-paints-its-moon-charon-with-a-reddish-stain.html  
"Pluto is a Graffiti Artist" --Spray-Paints its Moon Charon with a Reddish Stain  
 
astronomy  

%feed  
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDailyGalaxyNewsFromPlanetEarthBeyond/~3/ViTxzXmzbYU/when-the-lights-came-on-in-the-universe-a-pivotal-epoch-in-our-cosmic-history.html  
"When the Lights Came On In the Cosmos" --New Radio Telescope Array Probes a Pivotal Epoch  
 
astronomy  

%feed  
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDailyGalaxyNewsFromPlanetEarthBeyond/~3/36r1YpEbWXU/nasa-auroras-electric-dance-choreographed-by-solar-winds-and-earths-magnetic-field.html  
NASA: Auroras' Electric Dance Created by Solar Winds and Earth's Magnetic Field  
 
astronomy  

%feed  
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDailyGalaxyNewsFromPlanetEarthBeyond/~3/pTrVxnDdbHY/esas-gaia-satellite-unveils-a-stunning-3-d-map-of-our-milky-way-galaxy.html  
ESA's Gaia Satellite --Unveils a Stunning 3-D Map of Our Milky Way Galaxy  
 
astronomy  

%feed  
http://www.flickr.com/photos/europeanspaceagency/29639661406/  
Gaia GDR1 Sky Map  

europeanspaceagency posted a photo:

An all-sky view of stars in our Galaxy the Milky Way and neighbouring galaxies, based on the first year of observations from ESA's Gaia satellite, from July 2014 to September 2015.
This map shows the density of stars observed by Gaia in each portion of the sky. Brighter regions indicate denser concentrations of stars, while darker regions correspond to patches of the sky where fewer stars are observed.

The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy, with most of its stars residing in a disc about 100 000 light-years across and about 1000 light-years thick. This structure is visible in the sky as the Galactic Plane the brightest portion of this image which runs horizontally and is especially bright at the centre.
Darker regions across the Galactic Plane correspond to dense clouds of interstellar gas and dust that absorb starlight along the line of sight.
Many globular and open clusters groupings of stars held together by their mutual gravity are also sprinkled across the image.

Globular clusters, large assemblies of hundreds of thousands to millions of old stars, are mainly found in the halo of the Milky Way, a roughly spherical structure with a radius of about 100 000 light-years, and so are visible across the image.

Open clusters are smaller assemblies of hundreds to thousands of stars and are found mainly in the Galactic Plane.

The two bright objects in the lower right of the image are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, two dwarf galaxies orbiting the Milky Way. Other nearby galaxies are also visible, most notably Andromeda (also known as M31), the largest galactic neighbour to the Milky Way, in the lower left of the image. Below Andromeda is its satellite, the Triangulum galaxy (M33).

A number of artefacts are also visible on the image. These curved features and darker stripes are not of astronomical origin but rather reflect Gaia's scanning procedure. As this map is based on observations performed during the mission's first year, the survey is not yet uniform across the sky.

These artefacts will gradually disappear as more data are gathered during the five-year mission.

High resolution versions of the Gaia map, with transparent background, are available to download from: sci.esa.int/gaia/58209

An annotated version of this image is available here.

Credit: ESA/Gaia/DPAC
Acknowledgement: A. Moitinho & M. Barros (CENTRA University of Lisbon), on behalf of DPAC

 
astronomy  

%feed  
https://medium.com/kickstarter/the-bureau-of-creative-works-835d5221f803?source=rss----b48742a6a63d---4  
The Bureau of Creative Works  
 
technology  

%feed  
https://medium.com/kickstarter/links-we-like-leonard-nimoy-and-the-immortal-legacy-of-mr-spock-9f151e53a652?source=rss----b48742a6a63d---4  
Links We Like: Leonard Nimoy and the Immortal Legacy of Mr. Spock  
 
technology  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fmary-ellen-harte%2Fclimate-change-this-week_b_12019194.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Climate Change This Week: Environmental Sin, Clean Jobs Zoom, and More!  
Today, the Earth got a little hotter, and a little more crowded.




It's Pretty Black and White: Saving BUB, Beautiful Unique Biodiversity, as in this Amazon treehopper and its child, is another reason to preserve carbon storing forests. Source Pinterest

Forests: the cheapest way to store carbon




Credit Mario Tama at Getty Images

OO More Diversity Helps Amazon Forests adapt to climate change a new study indicates - BUT overall adaptation remains low - there is low recovery in most scenarios.





Cutting Down A Rainforest Stops The Rain - and ultimately has caused drought in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and elsewhere. Source Greenpeace

OO Watersheds Lost Up To 22% Of Their Forests In 14 Years -
Here's How It Affects Your Water Supply - Forest degradation has caused:

• Drought in Sao Paulo, Brazil:
• 
  
• Flooding in the Himalayas;
• 
  
• Pollution in Sumatra.

Credit jarO at flickr

Because upstream forests, wetlands and other "natural infrastructure" play critical roles in:

• supplying clean water downstream;
• 
  
• stabilizing soil, reducing erosion;
• 
  
• regulating water flow to mitigate floods and droughts;
• 
  
• purifying water.

OO Burning Paradise: Conglomerate Accused Of Destroying Indonesia's Last Forests - one of Indonesia's few remaining expanses of pristine rainforest is at imminent risk of destruction by Korean-Indonesian conglomerate Korindo, says a new report.







The Beginning of a Beautiful Relationship if climate change doesn't spoil the fungal communication between these two infant trees, imbedded in the furry fungal networks surrounding their roots. Source www.nature.com

OO Clearcutting, Climate Change Can Disrupt
Critical Networks Among Forest Trees - trees use a network of soil fungi to communicate their needs and aid neighboring plants. A network vulnerable to disruption. Among trees, these fungal networks:

• transfer resources;
• 
  
• provide aid when needed;
• 
  
• communicate environmental dangers;
• 
  
• allow searches for kin trees;
• 
  
• enable dying trees to transfer resources to healthy ones.

Soil fungi are underground traders, exploring and harvesting nutrients and water that they trade with plants for sugar or other photosynthetic products.


When we harm forests, we harm ourselves.

*
*

HOT NEWS




OO Hottest Temperature Ever Measured In September For Europe - with a record high of 114.3 F in Spain, and amazingly hot Kuwait recently clocked in at 124.2 F, which would be the second hottest September temperature ever recorded worldwide.


*
*

CONNECTING THE DOTS



@@ Weather, or Climate Change? An excellent short on the intersection of climate change with the weather, from the best experts in the field today.






Follow the Dotted Line ... go to the webpage for the full sequence, a looong timeline scroll. Credit xkcd.com (Randall Munroe)

Love how the comment "[After setting your car on fire], Listen, your car's temperature has changed before." follows my cursor as it explores the timeline. And then comes the very real punchline:




@@ A Timeline of Earth's Average Temperature - love it, love it, LOVE IT! Gives you a great sense of where we've been, and headed, temperature-wise, touched with humor along the way.

If you're a stickler for prehistory and nitty gritty analytical details, you might get miffed, but he's nailed the general picture. No room for the entire scroll here, so check it out!


*
*

FIXING CLIMATE CHANGE



@@ A Simple And Smart Way To Fix Climate Change given by Dan Miller in 2014 at a Ted talk suggests a way to profit as we tackle climate change, by finally charging those who sell and use fossil fuels - and distributing the revenues back to all of us.

The strategy is sure to speed transition to clean renewable energy. What's not to like? Check it out!

*
*

SOCIAL REPERCUSSIONS




OO Smoke Signals: Teasing Out Adverse Health Effects Of Wildfire Emissions that can include a range of smoky harmful pollutants.


OO New York City: Flooding Of Coast, Caused By Global Warming, Has Already Begun - huge vertical rulers are sprouting beside low spots in the streets here, so people can judge if the tidal floods that increasingly inundate their roads are too deep to drive through.





OO Connecticut Fishermen Struggle To Hang On - As climate changes, so do fish populations, but not the rules for catching them.


OO Africa: Climate Change Threatens
To Double Malaria Risk From Dams say researchers.

*
*

SPEAKING OUT




Her Land, Her Future

OO North Dakota Oil Pipeline Protesters Stand Their Ground:
'This Is Sacred Land' - it could also endanger community drinking water.

Related Headline:

OO Dakota Pipeline Was Approved By Army Corps
Over Objections Of 3 Fed Agencies including the EPA, which echoed Sioux tribe's concerns.


OO Insurers Call On Top 20 Global Economies
To Phase Out Fossil Fuel Subsidies By 2020 - at the recent G20 meeting. The insurers have $1.2 trillion under management.




OO Pope Francis Says Destroying The Environment Is A Sin - He:

• calls for urgent action to stop climate change;
• 
  
• proposes that caring for the environment be added to traditional Christian works of mercy.*

*such as feeding the hungry and visiting the sick.


Related Headline:

OO Pope Urges Christians To Save Planet From 'Debris, Desolation And Filth' with concerted action against environmental degradation and climate change. Consumerism and financial greed, he said, were threatening the planet. How about too many people?


*
*

GOOD IDEAS



Source www.mthome.com

OO How Three-Day Weekends Could Help To Save The World By:

• Reducing levels of energy consumption,
• 
  
• Due to commuting and workplace maintenance.
• 
  
• This has been demonstrated in Utah.

• It also improves mental and physical health,
• 
  
• And is demonstrated to improve productivity.

OO Baltimore, MD: Green Jobs Helping Ex-Cons Turn Over A New Leaf - the city is quietly hiring formerly incarcerated men to work on environmental restoration projects.







OO Experts Call For A Unified National Conservation Network say agency scientists and conservation leaders.


OO Nature Conservancy Touts Conserving Ecosystems As Best Climate Change Solution says the director of carbon finance with the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

BUT...

OO Protected Areas - Effective Conservation Tools, But Useless Against Rising Temperatures - while great for curbing deforestation and preserving Earth's biodiversity, how much will heating limit their effectiveness?







Green Grow The Drones - a new aid to reforestation. Credit DroneSeed

OO Tree-Planting Robots Could Save Northwest Forests - an Oregon startup is developing drones for planting, caretaking and monitoring trees on a large scale.





OO After The Flood: Feds Should Support Mitigation, Not Rebuilding - the U.S. National Flood Insurance Program, insuring 5+ million homes, is $23 billion in debt after a string of natural disasters this century. Analysts say it is time to shift from rebuilding to mitigating risk.


OO Maryland Fines Coal Power Plants $1 Million For Polluting Rivers - one of the largest penalties state environmental regulators have levied in years.


OO Australia: Big Sydney Project Aims To Recycle More Water Than It Uses - As rainfall drops, the Australian government is releasing billions of dollars to help fund building the water infrastructure required.


*
*

NATURAL REPERCUSSIONS




OO Montana: Fish Deaths In Yellowstone River Tied To Warming Waters - as parasite that is killing tens of thousands of fish is blamed on low stream flow and warming waters, both impacts of climate change in the West.


OO Melting Antarctic Sea Ice
Might Speed Sea Level Rise, Disrupt Fisheries as the melt water decreases saltiness, which can create currents that speed up melt and suppress the deep sea mixing vital to supplying nutrients to important ecosystems and fisheries.





Feeling Feverish Yet? Ticks can carry some pretty serious diseases.

OO Alaska: Exotic Ticks Appear To Be Establishing Themselves

*
*

GOOD CLEAN NEWS




Solar Is Powering a Job Revolution - creating 1 out of every 80 US jobs since the Great Recession. Photo Source www.solsystems.com

OO US Clean Energy Jobs Are Exploding:
Why Don't Mainstream Reporters Know? Some are still pushing a false narrative on this. For the record:

• solar industry creates 1 out of every 80 new US jobs since 2008;
• 
  
• most of these new, blue collar, solar jobs pay an average21/hr;

The solar industry has:

• hired more veterans than anyone else;
• 
  
• retrained coal workers;
• 
  
• provided a soft landing for unemployed oil and gas workers;
• 
  
• almost all are trained within 6 months, because their skills are transferrable.

• Wind technician is the fastest growing US job;
• 
  
• Solar & wind manufacturing arms employ 10,000s of US jobs - and are expanding rapidly.

Credit Dennis Schroeder, NREL

OO Iowa: New $3.6 Billion Project Could Be One Of Many 'Mega' Wind Orders - MidAmerican Energy will leverage federal incentives to build 2 gigawatts of wind power by 2019. Others may follow suit.



OO Which State Is A Big Renewable Energy Pioneer? Texas - it has added more wind-based capacity than any other, as part of an aggressive energy diversification that seeks to skirt ideology.





Credit Tom Tole at the Washington Post

OO We've Only Just Begun: More Climate Fights Are Coming - the Paris climate agreement is likely to start this year, but is clearly inadequate. What else is cooking? Takeaways:


Fossil fuel subsidies:

• Cost global economy160 Million to5+ Trillion, depending on definition;
• 
  
• The "inefficient" ones will be eliminated by the top 7 global economies by 2025;
• 
  
• Maybe not the top 20 economies, but several African countries and India have stopped federal subsidies.

Source www.huffingtonpost.com

The US election:

• Tougher CO2 targets need a Clinton win;
• 
  
• This could spur other countries to further action.

There's also some movement to:

• Regulate aviation emissions;
• 
  
• Cut back on super climate changing HFC coolant emissions;
• 
  
• Increase the flow of wealth from rich to poorer nations.

• A funded International Solar Alliance to spread solar power now exists.
• 
  
• A High Level Panel on Water is working to assure universal access to clean water.

OO 3,500+ UK Churches Now Put Their Faith In Green Energy - rejecting fossil fuels and embracing the power of green energy.


OO The Eastern US Could Get A Third Of Its Power From Renewables Within 10 Years Theoretically. The political, social, and institutional changes are more difficult than the technological challenge.


OO The Eastern US Grid Can Handle A 30% Penetration Of Wind, Solar Power




OO France: Energy Giant Leads $20 Million Investment
In Off-Grid Solar Startup for expansion in Africa. Energy giants are diversifying into distributed energy in developing markets.


OO Sweden Diverts 99 % Of Its Waste From Landfills - already leading environmentally with its electric roads and 100% fossil fuel-free by 2050 plan, it also:

• recycles much of its waste;
• 
  
• generates electricity from about 50% of the country's garbage.

*
*

FOSSIL FUEL FOLLIES



Source www.oilandgasjobsadvice.com

Coming Up Dry?

OO Oil Discoveries At 70-Year Low Signal Supply Shortfall Ahead - with 2015 explorers discovering only 10% as much oil as they have annually on average since 1960. This year, they'll probably find even less.

Daily Climate Editor Pete Myers: "Cheap fossil fuels have driven GDP growth for two centuries. The trend reported here does not bode well for continued growth."


OO Biofuels Could Be Bad For Bees research says, as more and more fields of corn and soybean are planted, which beekeepers prefer to avoid.


OO As Coal Companies Go Bankrupt, Who Will Pay To Clean Up Their Old Mines?
Good question - likely taxpayers, in many cases.


*
*

CLIMATE LEADERSHIP




The Clean Energy President Credit AP photo, Julie Jacobson

OO Obama Legacy:
Quiet But Big Changes In Energy, Pollution - with a quiet US transformation in how and where it gets its energy during Barack Obama's presidency, slicing the nation's output of polluting gases that are warming Earth.


OO Climate Change Looms Large In Obama's Final Trip To Asia


*
*

ELECTION YEAR:




If You Don't Vote For Climate Action, You Can Forget The Rest - in a climate-changing world of famine, drought, rising seas, giant storms and heat waves, there will be no security in jobs, health, wealth, or national safety. There will be chaos ensuing from increasing crises and disasters. Vote.

OO Global Warming Policies We Set Today Will Determine The Next 10,000 Years - of global warming, a new study shows -- and whether our civilization survives or not: history shows that harmful climate change has destroyed civilizations before.

This time, it could be worldwide. Let's keep "The Hunger Games" in the realm of fiction.

*
*



If we do not grow sustainably,
Our children will die inhumanely.




@@ How Parents Can Help Prevent Teen Pregnancy

Teen childbearing cost US taxpayers $9+ Billion in 2010
And the costs of raising a child usually ensures decades, if not a life, of poverty for its mother.
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Help prevent unintended pregnancies in your community:
publicize where women can access affordable contraception.



They can go here to find locations:




And there are many more actions you can do, right here.

*
*
*

SOLAR KEEPS SURFING



OO US Vets Find A Home In The Solar Industry which employs them at above average rates, and are expected to grow in the overall solar workforce.




Check it out here, right now!

*
*
*

WHY WE SHOULD ACT NOW: RISING RISKS




Daily Climate Change: Global Map of Unusual Temperatures, Sept 14, 2016

How unusual has the weather been? No one event is "caused" by climate change, but global warming, which is predicted to increase unusual, extreme weather, is having a daily effect on weather, worldwide.

Looking above at recent temperature anomalies, much of the US and the waters surrounding it are experiencing warmer than normal temperatures: the eastern Pacific warm spot continues and so does the drought in California. Meanwhile, Spetember heat records were broken in Europe, and the Mideast got very hot.

Much of the areas surrounding the North Pole are experiencing much warmer than normal temperatures - not good news for our Arctic thermal shield of ice. Hotter than usual temperatures continue to dominate human habitats.


*
*
*



There is, of course, much more news on the consequences and solutions to climate change. To get it, check out this annotated resource list I've compiled, "Climate Change News Resources," at Wordpress.com here. For more information on the science of climate change, its consequences and solutions you can view my annotated list of online information resources here.

To help you understand just what science does and does NOT do, check this out!

Every day is Earth Day, folks, as I was reminded by this wild flower I photographed one spring. Making the U.S. a global clean energy leader will ensure a heck of a lot more jobs, and a clean, safe future. If you'd like to join the increasing numbers of people who want to TELL Congress that they will vote for clean energy candidates you can do so here. It's our way of letting Congress know there's a strong clean energy voting bloc out there. For more detailed summaries of the above and other climate change items, audio podcasts and texts are freely available.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fnancy-brown%2Fbig-soda-again-prioritize_b_12015876.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Big Soda Again Prioritizes Profits Over Your Health  


Big Soda is playing games with your health. Again.

Three months after public health organizations -- including mine, the American Heart Association -- and advocates for health and early childhood development applauded the Philadelphia City Council for approving a 1.5 cent per ounce tax on regular and diet soda drinks, the beverage industry fought back Wednesday with a lawsuit to try blocking the law from taking effect.

The industry's motives aren't steeped in concern about the law. Or medicine. It's about business, of course, and their business is selling sugary drinks, the very item many nutritionists point to first when talking about problems with the typical American diet and this nation's growing obesity epidemic.

This lawsuit was somewhat expected. After all, Big Soda spent $10 million trying to defeat the vote, and dangled another $10 million as a gift to fund Philadelphia's pre-K program for an entire year merely to try delaying the vote on this measure. Since those strategies failed, the industry is looking for another way to delay or prevent the Jan. 1 enactment of the tax.

In the 1990s, the AHA played a strong role in fighting Big Tobacco. So we have an idea of what we're up against. Lawsuits are just part of the drill. This won't be the last, but it is significant because it is the first in this new grassroots approach to controlling our nation's consumption of sugary beverages.

Please understand, the AHA and fellow advocates supporting this tax are not trying to eliminate sugary drinks. Unlike the fight against tobacco, where we continue to recommend zero tolerance, our science shows that some sugary drinks are OK. That science also shows that too many sugary drinks are a problem, and we know that many Americans consume too many sugary drinks. While these beverages are far from the only cause of our obesity epidemic, they are a strong part of the problem. And we know that Big Soda markets its products disproportionately to kids and communities of greatest need. The average child drinks their age in sugary beverages each week.

Just last month, the AHA released its first-ever scientific statement on how much added sugars belong in the diets of anyone 18 or younger. (The answer: 25 grams or less per day; the current average among that age group is 75 grams per day.) In discussing the statement with one of its co-authors -- Dr. Rachel K. Johnson, a former chair of the AHA's Nutrition Committee and a professor of nutrition and pediatrics at the University of Vermont in Burlington -- I was struck by her advice on the best way parents can help get their kids' sugar consumption under control.

"Start with beverages!" she said. "That is No. 1. They are the No. 1 source of added sugars in the diets of children -- and adults!"

In November 2014, Berkeley, California, became the first U.S. city to pass a sugary beverage tax. Voters overwhelmingly supported it despite the $2.4 million Big Soda spent trying to take it down.

The Berkeley breakthrough is great because it's a win-win. The tax offers a reason for people to buy water or other, less-sweet drinks. And if someone does buy a soda and pay the tax, that money goes to good use. As of March, it's generated $1.5 million for Berkeley's health and nutrition programs, including one that plants fruits and vegetables at schools. (In Philadelphia, the money will support expanding pre-K, community schools and renovations for parks, recreation centers and libraries.)

Chicago also taxes retail soft drink sales, although it's rolled into the sales tax and thus handled differently from Berkeley and the Philadelphia proposal as that money doesn't boomerang back to funding health initiatives.

The American Beverage Association -- the trade group representing companies like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Dr Pepper -- also has helped defeat so-called "soda tax" proposals in more than 30 states.

Other countries are moving more aggressively to curb this problem.

Mexico already has a successful tax on sugary beverages and the United Kingdom will implement one in 2018.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., we're patching together a quilt that stretches from coast to coast. And just when it looked like we were building a border in the East to complement our success in the West, in comes the news of this lawsuit.

I'm confident this will be a bump in the road, one that may even be smoothed over in time to keep the Jan. 1 launch. At the same time, we're also supporting campaigns that are being waged in California, Colorado, Alabama and Illinois.

In every case, it comes down to this. What do you value more: The health of our families and our communities, or beverage industry profits?

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/112027109461146746/  
Megafauna (Mini Vers  
Megafauna (Mini Version) by SameerPrehistoric... on @deviantART  
pin-gaia  

%feed  
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/354095589436413236/  
Chalcid wasp (Aprost  

Chalcid wasp (Aprostocetus sp.) collected in Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, Quebec, Canada, and photographed at the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (sample ID: BIOUG12652-A10; specimen record: http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Public_RecordView?processid=CNMIH1932-14 BIN: http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Public_BarcodeCluster?clusteruri=BOLD:ACW3983)

 
pin-gaia  

%feed  
http://heptagram.co/post/150419893164  
thewomb: MIREIA DONAT MELÚS  

thewomb:

MIREIA DONAT MELÚS

 
art  

%feed  
http://www.designboom.com/art/ai-weiwei-florence-palazzo-strozzi-rubber-life-boats-libero-reframe-exhibition-09-14-2016/  
ai weiwei to wrap the façade of florence's palazzo strozzi in rubber life boats  

the large orange life rafts, anchored to the palace's windows, aim to draw attention to the fate of refugees who risk their lives daily.

The post ai weiwei to wrap the façade of florence's palazzo strozzi in rubber life boats appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

 
art  

%feed  
https://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2016/sep/14/european-space-agency-release-highly-detailed-map-of-milky-way-video-report  
European Space Agency release highly detailed map of Milky Way  video report  

The European Space Agency [ESA] have released the most detailed map of the Milky Way galaxy to date, based on the first delivery of data from the ESA's Gaia probe, which was launched in 2013. The map represents 1% of the Milky Way's stars, but this map is at least 20 times more complete than any previous representations

• Astronomers unveil most detailed map of the Milky Way to date
  

Continue reading...  
astronomy  

%feed  
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/sep/14/astronomers-milky-way  
Astronomers unveil most detailed map of the Milky Way to date  

The map, based on observations from the European Space Agency's Gaia probe, will transform what we know about the galaxy, say scientists

Astronomers have unveiled the most detailed map to date of the Milky Way, after charting the positions of more than 1bn stars with stunning precision.

The map, based on observations from the European Space Agency's Gaia probe, still only represents about 1% of the Milky Way's stars, but is already 20 times more complete than any previous observations of the night sky.

Continue reading...  
astronomy  

%feed  
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160914085800.htm  
Astronomers shed light on different galaxy types  
Scientists have taken a critical step towards understanding why different types of galaxies exist throughout the Universe. The research, made possible by cutting-edge instrumentation, means that astronomers can now classify galaxies according to their physical properties rather than human interpretation of a galaxy's appearance.  
astronomy  

%feed  
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2016/09/15/piracy-in-the-uk-could-earn-you-a-decade-in-jail/  
Piracy in the UK could earn you a decade in jail  

In an effort to stamp out online piracy, the United Kingdom could soon impose a maximum 10 year sentence for file sharers. The Digital Economy bill, now on its second reading in Parliament and inching ever closer to becoming law, seeks to jail online pirates with sentences that would normally be reserved for hardened criminals. Due to UK copyright law ‘only' allowing two year custodial sentences under current guidelines, anti-piracy groups such as the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) have often chosen to seek harsher sentences intended for those committing fraud, rather than the appropriate charge of copyright infringement. Under the new…

This story continues at The Next Web  
technology  

%feed  
http://thenextweb.com/security/2016/09/15/fbi-director-says-cover-webcams-tape/  
FBI director says we should all cover our webcams with tape  

It sounds next-level paranoid, but covering your webcam with tape might not be a bad idea. Mark Zuckerberg does it. FBI Director James Comey does too. In fact, he came out today in defense of previous statements about using tape to cover his devices. “Do you still have a piece of tape over your cameras at home?”an interviewer at the Center for Strategic and International Studies conference asked FBI Director James Comey earlier today. Comey responded: “Heck yeah, heck yeah. And also, I get mocked for a lot of things… much mocked for that… but I hope people lock their cars […] lock…

This story continues at The Next Web  
technology  

%feed  
http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2016/09/14/month-old-windows-10-anniversary-update-wont-reach-everyone-november/  
Month-old Windows 10 anniversary update won't reach everyone until November  

More than a month after August 2, my media center still doesn't have the Windows 10 anniversary update. I'm not alone, and it's not a bug. Microsoft says the release may not roll out to everyone until November. ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley noticed a little bit of text, hidden in the bottom of an email blast, that admits this extremely slow rollout is intentional. The Anniversary Update will download and install via Windows Update. The download is automatically available to you. It will begin rolling out on 2 August 2016 and may take up to 3 months to reach all…

This story continues at The Next Web  
technology  

%feed  
http://thenextweb.com/security/2016/09/14/united-kingdom-getting-great-british-firewall/  
The United Kingdom could be getting its own ‘Great British Firewall'  

The National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) is exploring the creation of a national internet filter, according to Ciaran Martin, the head of Britain's newly-formed cybersecurity agency. While the plan is to use the filter to weed out malicious websites and software, for some citizens the mere existence of a government-controlled firewall raises serious questions. According to Martin: Because we know automated defenses work on the Internet. It's possible to filter unwanted content or spam. It's possible to filter offensive content. It's possible to block malicious content. So why aren't we doing more of it? At its surface, a firewall to block internet bad guys…

This story continues at The Next Web  
technology  

%feed  
http://thenextweb.com/google/2016/09/14/the-first-phone-to-use-googles-tango-ar-technology-just-got-delayed/  
The first phone to use Google's ‘Tango' AR technology just got delayed  

If you were waiting for Lenovo's Phab 2 Pro, the first phone to include Google's revolutionary augmented reality platform ‘Tango,' you'll just have to keep waiting. The official launch page, which once said “coming this summer” has since changed to “fall,” leaving augmented reality enthusiasts to shed virtual tears. TNW reported the launch of the Project Tango/Lenovo partnership at CES and were in awe of the early beta. At Google I/O (part two), we saw another demo of just how far it had come. Both instances left us with the feeling that this was a legitimate game-changer in the AR space. Tango…

This story continues at The Next Web  
technology  

%feed  
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2016/09/14/facebook-twitter-join-forces-stop-spread-bogus-news/  
Facebook and Twitter join forces to stop the spread of bogus news  

Facebook and Twitter have joined likes of the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN and others to improve the quality of information on social media. The group hopes to target fake news and misinformation, although it stops short of saying what steps it would take or how it'd react once it's found. First Draft Coalition, an Alphabet-backed venture, said it'd create a voluntary code of practice, attempt to increase news literacy among social media users and launch a platform intended to verify questionable sources of information. For both Facebook and Twitter, bogus news has been a growing problem. Just last month, a Facebook…

This story continues at The Next Web  
technology  

%feed  
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/sep/14/north-of-england-has-seven-of-britains-top-10-endangered-buildings  
North of England has seven of Britain's top 10 endangered buildings  

Victorian Society says 2016 list, featuring no structures in London or south-east, may reflect ‘vastly different financial climate'

From the former home of explorer Gertrude Bell to a landmark of the Grimsby skyline, seven of Britain's 10 most endangered historic buildings are in the north of England.

The annual list of once-celebrated structures, compiled by the Victorian Society, is dominated by “at-risk” buildings in the north and for the first time features none in London or the south-east.

Related: Lost in the Great Fire: which London buildings disappeared in the 1666 blaze?

Continue reading...  
design  

%feed  
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture-design-blog/2016/sep/14/soak-steam-dream-sauna-london-design-festival  
Sweatbox heaven: welcome to the sauna and steam of your dreams  

From steamrooms suspended under remote Czech bridges to the Swedish robot sauna straight out of Star Wars, the spa experience is getting a guerilla makeover

An awkward grey creature stands on the edge of Frihamnen harbour in Gothenburg. It looks like a homemade robot elephant, cobbled together from industrial remains strewn around the dock. Clad in rusty sheets of corrugated steel, its truncated body stands on gawky little legs, lurching this way and that with cartoonish wonkiness.

“We wanted people to be curious about what this thing could be,” says Francesco Apuzzo of Raumlabor, the Berlin-based architectural collective behind this mysterious structure. It could be the chubby cousin of one of the laser-wielding AT-AT killing machines from Star Wars, but it has a more benign purpose. “People have to climb up the steps and only then do they discover the soft wooden interior of the sauna within.”

Related: Carnival of design

We're not sauna obsessives … but with everyone stripped of clothing, the sauna is ultimately a democratic space

Related: The naked truth about saunas | Andy Symington

Continue reading...  
design  

%feed  
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2016/sep/14/steve-bell-on-david-camerons-intervention-in-libya-cartoon  
Steve Bell on David Cameron's intervention in Libya cartoon  
Continue reading...  
culture  

%feed  
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nybooks/~3/fUcISmzoRcI/  
The Heights of Charm  
Needing to remove Vice President Henry Wallace from the Democrats' 1944 election ticket, President Roosevelt sent him on one of those foreign junkets contrived to refresh sagging egos in the warming balm of publicity. This one took Wallace to China, Mongolia, and Siberia. At his departure, the president said, “I think you ought to see a lot of Siberia.”  
culture  

%feed  
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2016/sep/14/steve-bells-if-on-watson-d2-miracle-worker  
Steve Bell's If ... on Watson-D2, miracle worker  
Continue reading...  
culture  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2F500px.com%2Fphoto%2F172635409%2Funtitled-by-amelie-satzger&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Untitled by Amelie Satzger  

Untitled by Amelie Satzger

Amelie Satzger: Photos

 
images  

%feed  
http://twitter.com/MarkGKirshner/status/776225137343561729 
John Scanlon is Secretary-General oWildlife,Endangered Species, trafficking, Extinctf the (CITES). https://t.co/t9aRxXsabj 
https://t.co/t9aRxXsabj 

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fstevenkemp%2F29061284003%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
St Pauls at sunset  

steven.kemp posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fvgallova%2F29058961914%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Alexandra Palace  

vgallova posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fvgallova%2F29394584110%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Alexandra Palace  

vgallova posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fvgallova%2F29394604140%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Alexandra Palace  

vgallova posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fvgallova%2F29060729943%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Alexandra Palace  

vgallova posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fvgallova%2F29058892954%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Alexandra Palace  

vgallova posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fvgallova%2F29685444815%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Alexandra Palace  

vgallova posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fvgallova%2F29058887544%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Alexandra Palace  

vgallova posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fvgallova%2F29060672673%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Alexandra Palace  

vgallova posted a photo:

 
images  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fearth%2Fstory%2F20160908-the-country-with-too-many-elephants&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
The One Country With Too Many Elephants  
While Africa as a continent struggles to protect the elephant species from extinct ion, Malawi has too many.  
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fjamie-henn%2Fits-exxonmobil-and-the-go_b_12016986.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
It's ExxonMobil And The GOP Who Are 'Chilling' Scientific Inquiry  


Jesse Bragg, Media Director for Corporate Accountability International, at an ExxonKnew campaign press conference at the Capitol today


As the campaign to hold ExxonMobil accountable for hiding what they knew about climate change gains momentum, Exxon's defenders have fallen back on a bizarre strategy to try and protect the company: claiming that environmental groups and attorneys general are colluding to "silence" scientists and "chill" scientific inquiry.

"These investigations have had a chilling effect," said Texas Republican Representative Lamar Smith, the Chair of the House Science Committee, who hosted a hearing on the Exxon issue this afternoon in Washington. Other Republicans on the committee echoed him. "If government was put in charge of science, we'd still think the Earth was flat," said one member. "Scientists are being bullied," thundered another.

This Republican committee's eagerness to defend science was rather ironic considering the committee's own track record. The committee is perhaps best known not for its support for science (Republicans consistently vote to defund federal science agencies), but for subpoenaing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for, wait for it, conducting climate science. "The hypocrisy from the majority members defending scientific freedom given their previous actions towards NOAA+Tom Karl is breathtaking," tweeted Gavin Schmidt, himself a scientist and director of the NASA Goddard Space Institute at Columbia Institute.

The hypocrisy from the majority members defending scientific freedom given their previous actions towards NOAA+Tom Karl is breathtaking

— Gavin Schmidt (@ClimateOfGavin) September 14, 2016

The only science that took place at the committee hearing this afternoon came courtesy of Democratic Representative Bill Foster, the only Member of Congress with a PhD in science, who lamented Chairman Smith's abuse of his position to subpoena various officials and organizations. "At some point I'd like to return to science on this committee," said Foster. He then proceeded to grill one of the Republican's "expert" witnesses, Professor Ronald Rotunda, about some outlandish statements Rotunda had made about how the melting of the entire Greenland ice sheet wouldn't cause sea levels to rise. "This hearing is an example of just another rearguard action by a group of people who deny climate change," concluded Foster, shaking his head.

The claim that the groups behind the #ExxonKnew campaign are silencing or chilling scientific inquiry is especially strange because of our shared focus on, well, science. 350.org is named after the safe level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, 350 parts per million -- that's about as scientifically wonky as it gets. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), another group supposedly having a chilling effect, is, as the name suggests, largely made of scientists. UCS released a letter earlier this week with over 2,000 scientists weighing in on their behalf to say it was the committee, not environmental groups, that was chilling scientific inquiry. Greenpeace, another subpoenaed group, is best known for its bold campaigns and actions, but it too has a deep track record of supporting scientific inquiry, often transporting scientists up to the Arctic or other remote areas to conduct research.


350.org Executive Director May Boeve

Our complaint with Exxon has never had anything to do with the science they did or are doing. In fact, we'd like to see them do more climate science. Environmentalists have long urged the fossil fuel industry to do a more thorough study of the impact of their business on the planet. We fully support any scientific research into climate change, renewable energy, or zero carbon fuels. Many have made this case to Exxon directly. At the company's annual shareholder meeting this year, advocates continued to lobby for the company to do a full climate assessment of its business and appoint a climate expert to its board. Exxon shot down both proposals. We also applaud the scientists at ExxonMobil, who as early as the 1970s discovered that their product causes global warming.

Our problem isn't with the science, our problem is with the coverup. When Exxon executives heard from their scientists about climate change, instead of warning the public, or urging Congress to fund more research into solutions to the crisis, Exxon spent millions on a vast misinformation campaign. They donated millions more to climate denying politicians, including many of the Republicans at the commitee hearing today (Rep. Smith, the Chairman, has received over $24,000 from Exxon over his career, for example). Instead of supporting science, Exxon funded front groups who published false studies about global warming, lambasted scientists on television, and went after the reputations and careers of individual scientists. Watch the documentary Merchants of Doubt and you'll see PR hacks like Marc Morano, a former Republican politico aid, laugh gleefully about his own personal track record of intimidating scientists. As he says in the preview below, "I'm not a scientist...but I play one on TV occasionally. Ok, hell, more than occasionally."



If Representative Smith is so worried about the chilling of scientific inquiry in this country, he should be subpoenaing the executives over at ExxonMobil to see what role they had in their company's own scientific coverup. He could even go a step further and subpoena the records of his own committee--we'd like to know, for example, what conversations his staff have had with Exxon or any industry front groups. As Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said at a press conference before the hearing this afternoon, the public deserves to know "how far the hand of the fossil fuel industry is into the glove of this committee."


Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

Today's hearing was designed to distract the public from the real issue at hand: whether Exxon lied about their knowledge that their product caused climate change. Instead, it just reaffirmed why this case is so important. As 350.org's Executive Director May Boeve said at this morning's press conference, "This hearing is Exhibit A in the case study of Big Oil's stranglehold on Congress."

Our hope is that the ExxonKnew campaign can play some role in breaking that stranglehold, because if we don't, Congress and its committees will continue to be run by politicians who deny the basic facts of climate change, let alone are supporting scientific research to help solve it. Now that is a chilling thought.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2016%2F09%2F14%2Fstanding-rock-sioux-tribe-rally-white-house_n_12015892.html&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Brings Pipeline Protest To The White House  
WASHINGTON ― Just hours after 22 more people were arrested for protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota on Tuesday, the Standing Rock S...

Read more: Bernie Sanders, Climate Change, Obama, Environment, Native Americans, Activism, Oil and Gas, Green Energy, Dakota Access Pipeline, Politics News

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fchris-wood%2Fthis-land-is-your-land_b_12015894.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dgreen%26ir%3DGreen&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
This Land Is Your Land  

In September, TU will be feeding you a heavy dose of stories about public lands. From the Golden Trout wilderness in California to the Green Mountains of Vermont, public lands are hugely important to wild and native fish. In most Western states, public lands comprise more than 70 percent of the available habitat for trout, and virtually all of the strongholds for native trout.  

My father is the sixth generation of our family to grow up in Newark, NJ. Growing up, the closest public land we had was a local county park called Tuers, where I shot countless hours of hoop. Except for visiting family in Ireland, I didn't leave the Garden State until college in Vermont, and there discovered the Green Mountain National Forest. I spent many hours in that forest catching native brook trout. 

After graduation I took a long, slow trip across the country with my dog, Gus, and a big box filled with Dinty Moore beef stew. Gus and I walked the Natchez Trace in Mississippi. We hiked the Smokies in Tennessee. We took pictures of fields of Black-eyed Susans in the Shenandoah. Swam in hot springs in Idaho and clamored over red rocks in Utah. Camped among the aspen in Colorado. Hiked old growth forests in Oregon, marveled at the coastal redwoods of California.

All those places share one thing. They are public lands that belong to us all. For now. In recent years, more than 50 short-sighted bills have been introduced in state legislatures to transfer, sell, or otherwise take away your birthright—the public lands that are managed for us by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Not to be outdone, Congress has entertained similar proposals. Presidential candidates have campaigned on the issue. As much as we'd all like to think “that can't happen,” the fact is that there are well-heeled special interests dedicated to seeing that it does.

Those who seek this so called “transfer”—county supremacists, sagebrush rebels and their contemporary cicadian progeny—neglect an important fact. At no time did the Western federally managed public lands belong to the states. They were either ceded to the Union by Eastern states or acquired through treaty, conquest or purchase by the federal government acting on behalf of the citizens of the United States.

Public lands are the best idea America ever had. For those of us who want to fish and hunt, camp and hike without having to beg or buy permission, they are a godsend. The ham-handed dialogue about transferring or divesting public lands that drives the debate today is unhelpful and unproductive. To suggest that our land legacy—a legacy that a kid from New Jersey shares with a rancher in New Mexico—should be transferred or sold for a pittance is extreme and offensive.

For the next 30 days, tune into TU for a steady diet of stores about why public lands matter. Share the stories, video, and photos with your friends. Raise your voice and let your member of Congress and elected leaders in your state know that the public lands are a birthright that belongs to all of us, and we are not willing sellers.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
gaia  

%feed  
http://twitter.com/fishconserve/status/776181541559013380 
17th meeting of COP to CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). https://t.co/TqJSRxIxw9 https://t.co/0iqNEfwXF1 
https://t.co/TqJSRxIxw9 

%feed  
http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Ffootnote%2Fwhy-humans-are-hardwired-_b_11984748.html%3Futm_hp_ref%3Dscience%26ir%3DScience&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8  
Why Humans Are Hard-Wired For Curiosity  
By Vivian Hemmelder and Tommy Blanchard, Harvard University

This post was originally published on Footnote, a website that brings academic research and ideas to a broader audience.

Humans are deeply curious beings. Our lives, economy, and society are shaped so strongly by a drive to obtain information that we are sometimes called informavores: creatures that search for and digest information, just like carnivores hunt and eat meat.¹ What is it that drives our hunger for information?

From an evolutionary perspective, there is a clear reason why animals would seek out information: it can be vital to their survival and reproduction. A bird that spent its whole life eating berries from a single bush and never explored its environment could be missing out on a much better food source nearby. Thus it is not surprising that exploration is common in the animal world. For example, monkeys will push a button at high rates for a chance to peek out of the window,² and roundworms do not crawl to a food source directly, but rather circle towards it in a way that gives them the most information about their environment.³

What drives animals' information-seeking behaviors? One possibility is that each individual animal learns over the course of its life that a greater knowledge of its environment leads to rewards like food or other essential resources. However, while this is something we can imagine humans or monkeys learning, it is probably beyond the capacity of roundworms. Furthermore, we see curiosity-driven behaviors in very young animals, before they have had enough experience to learn the association between knowledge and rewards. For example, human newborns look at new visual scenes for much longer than at known visual scenes.⁴

Another possibility is that evolutionary pressures have made information intrinsically rewarding. The reason so-called "primary rewards" like food and sex are pleasurable is because animals that enjoy eating and reproducing are more likely to survive and produce offspring.^(a) Evolution has therefore built up a reward system in the brain that drives behaviors that help animals acquire essential resources. Could this same reward system be prompting information-seeking behavior by making animals find new information intrinsically rewarding?

If learning is intrinsically rewarding, the brain should respond to new information in a way similar to how it responds to primary rewards like food and sex. Indeed, neuroimaging studies show that when people are curious about the answers to trivia questions or watch a blurry picture become clear, reward-related structures in their brains are activated.⁵ However, since the resolution of neuroimaging is still quite rough, these studies cannot show whether the reward-related structures in the brain actually respond in the same way to information as they do to primary rewards like food. For this we need to study the behavior of single neurons.

Neuroscientist Ethan Bromberg-Martin and his colleague Okihide Hikosaka were the first to find signatures of reward responses to information within single neurons.6 They designed a task in which monkeys saw two pictures and had to choose one. Then, after a short delay, the monkeys would receive either a large or a small reward. If the monkey chose one of the pictures (the informative picture), it would get a cue that indicated whether the delay would be followed by a small or large reward. If it chose the other picture (the uninformative picture), it would see a cue that gave no information about the upcoming reward. Even though the choice of picture did not affect the size of the reward, the monkeys almost always chose the informative picture, presumably because they were curious and found it rewarding to get a hint about the outcome.

While the monkeys performed this task, Bromberg-Martin recorded activity in their dopamine neurons, which play a crucial role in primary reward processing and in motivating behavior. By increasing their activity in the face of both rewards and cues that predict rewards, dopamine neurons flag rewarding situations and experiences for the rest of the brain. Bromberg-Martin and Hikosaka looked at how the monkeys' dopamine neurons responded to the pictures and found that activity increased in response to the informative picture and decreased in response to the uninformative picture. The reward-predicting dopamine neurons responded to information in the same way they respond to other primary rewards like food and sex.

Bromberg-Martin and Hikosaka's study indicates that a core component of the brain's reward processing system can motivate animals to seek out information as well as primary rewards. Since both food and information can drive behavior that promotes survival, it makes sense that somewhere in the brain they are processed similarly. However, we would also expect that they be represented differently in other parts of the brain. A good book and a candy bar are both rewarding, but in distinct ways - and if you're hungry, you are not going to be satisfied by reading the latest bestseller.

With this distinction in mind, neuroscientist Tommy Blanchard teamed up with Bromberg-Martin and colleague Ben Hayden to investigate how information and primary rewards are represented in the orbital frontal cortex, an area of the brain involved in many complex cognitive behaviors, including evaluating rewards.⁷ By again recording the monkeys, he found that neurons in this area responded to both information and primary rewards, but, unlike dopamine neurons, did not treat these two variables in the same way. For example, an individual neuron in the orbital frontal cortex might increase its activity in response to a primary reward, but decrease its activity in response to information (or vice versa).

Blanchard's research indicates that primary rewards and information are represented differently in the orbital frontal cortex, in contrast to the midbrain (the home of dopamine neurons), where they are integrated into a single representation. Processing these rewards differently in the more advanced part of the brain may allow for behavioral flexibility - the ability to seek out information in some contexts, but focus on primary rewards in other situations.^(b)

What this body of research demonstrates is that primates really are informavores - information stimulates our brains the same way food and sex do. Yet there are also parts of our brains that differentiate between information and other rewards, allowing for behavioral flexibility and complex decision making.

Many questions still remain about humanity's innate curiosity. For example, how do reward circuits in different parts of the brain interact with each other? Why are some types of information more interesting to us than others, and why are different people interested in such different things? Let's hope our curiosity will continue to lead us to a further understanding of curiosity itself!

Sidenotes

• 
  
• (a) Primary rewards are resources or activities that are necessary for the survival of a species. Without a reward system encouraging it to seek out food, water, and sex, for example, a species would go extinct. Secondary rewards are those that can indirectly result in primary rewards, money being a good example.
• 
  

 

• 
  
• (b) Over the course of evolution, the orbital frontal cortex, together with other parts of the frontal cortex, has increased dramatically in size in primates compared to other animals. Perhaps the behavioral flexibility and intelligence we see in primates is facilitated by more complex and differentiated representations of the world, such as those that Blanchard observed.
• 
  

Endnotes

1. 
   
2. Miller, G.A. 1983. "Informavores." Pp. 111-113 in The Study of Information: Interdisciplinary Messages, edited by F. Machlup and U. Mansfield. New York, NY: Wiley.
   
3. Butler, R.A. 1957. "The influence of deprivation of visual incentives on visual exploration motivation in monkeys." Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology 50: 177-179.
   
4. Calhoun, A.J., S.H. Chalasani, and T. O Sharpee. 2014. "Maximally informative foraging by Caenorhabditis Elegans." ELife 3: e04220.
   
5. Friedman, S., A.N. Nagy, and G.C. Carpenter. 1970. "Newborn attention: differential response decrement to visual stimuli." Journal of Experimental Child Psychology 10(1): 44-51.
   
6. Kang, M.J., M. Hsu, I.M. Krajbich, G. Loewenstein, S.M. McClure, J.T.-Y. Wang, and C.F. Camerer. 2009. "The wick in the candle of learning: epistemic curiosity activates reward circuitry and enhances memory." Psychological Science 20: 963-973. Jepma, M., R.G. Verdonschot, H. van Steenbergen, S.A.R.B. Rombouts, S. Nieuwenhuis. 2012. "Neural mechanisms underlying the induction and relief of perceptual curiosity." Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 6(5). Gruber, M.J., B.D. Gelman, and C. Ranganath. 2014. "States of Curiosity Modulate Hippocampus-Dependent Learning via the Dopaminergic Circuit." Neuron 84(2): 486-496.
   
7. Bromberg-Martin, E.S. and O. Hikosaka. 2009. "Midbrain dopamine neurons signal preference for advance information about upcoming rewards." Neuron 63(1): 119-126.
   
8. Blanchard, T.C., B.Y. Hayden, and E.S. Bromberg-Martin. 2015. "Orbitofrontal cortex uses distinct codes for different choice attributes in decisions motivated by curiosity." Neuron 85(3): 602-614.
   

Follow Footnote on Twitter: www.twitter.com/footnotemedia

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

 
science