Science

 

A couple scientists from the Scripps Institute released a paper about a month ago that puts even money on Lake Mead being dry by 2021. Just as bad, really, is that they also put a 50% chance that by 2017 the lake will be too low for the Hoover Dam to generate power. The authors give three main reasons: drought, water demand/use, and human-induced climate change.

 

Apparently Lake Mead is currently at so low a point (around 50% of its capacity) that the main water supply 'tube' for Las Vegas is in danger of rising above the surface. The Hoover Dam generates around 2 gigawatts of electricity and serves about 1.3 million people - not sure how it would be replaced if that generating capacity were lost.

A great summary article on 10 issues in the realm of energy policy. Lots of hype and bluster and this list hits a bunch of nails on the head.

 

I've been to some remote places: the southwestern tip of Costa Rica, the Andes of Peru. Seeing a dark sky, filled with stars and other celestial bodies is awe-inspiring, to say the least. David Owen has written a good article in the New Yorker about the problem of light pollution - the how outdoor artificial light is making it harder to find a dark place to see the beauty of the night sky. The article also mentions some interesting issues with the prevalence of bright outdoor lighting for 'security' purposes:

"Marcus Felson, a professor at the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University, has concluded that lighting is effective in preventing crime mainly if it enables people to notice criminal activity as it’s taking place, and if it doesn’t help criminals to see what they’re doing. Bright, unshielded floodlights—one of the most common types of outdoor security lighting in the country—often fail on both counts, as do all-night lights installed on isolated structures or on parts of buildings that can’t be observed by passersby (such as back doors). A burglar who is forced to use a flashlight, or whose movement triggers a security light controlled by an infrared motion sensor, is much more likely to be spotted than one whose presence is masked by the blinding glare of a poorly placed [flood light]."

Kudos the the International Dark-Sky Association for trying to keep our night skies visible and helping us to use less energy in the process. Another interesting proposal comes from the group Civil Twilight, who won a Metropolis Magazine Next Generation Award for their design concept: streetlights that respond to ambient moonlight, dimming and brightening each month as the moon cycles through its phases.

People hear about children being abducted on the news what seems like very often these days. So they assume the streets aren't very safe, and as a result, kids don't get the freedom to roam the way that I did when I was young. But are things really the way that they seem - or are people just more paranoid because of their perceptions?

I guess it really is true - if you think that you can do something, then you probably can. Or, maybe, if you haven't been told that you can't - if you have the correct mindset that you have the ability to do whatever you set yourself to, regardless of your "innate" talents, then you can. Psychology professor Carol Dweck has a book out about this, and some good research (and lots of people who would probably say that it's true and they don't need research to convince them) to back her up.

An interesting aspect of this, and the lead to the story is how knowing you're smart can supposedly hold you back. If you're told that you're smart, then you lose the incentive to develop your brain, and you just attempt to "act" smart. Seems like she should write a book for parents on how to motivate their kids, how to give them the proper mindset.

I recommend reading the short article about the chemicals the English terrorists were planning to bring on the plane (theoretically) and the seriously low probability they would have had in doing any damage.

When global warming really kicks in and the polar ice caps start melting, causing flooding along coastal areas world-wide, how bad will it really be? Check out this handy interactive map.

Going through some old pictures I found one of a salt water eel that I used to own. Very interesting creatures.

I came across this graphic in an article on genetic research in population distribution in Iceland for some research I am doing be in (of all things) transportation. If you are a fan of Edward Tufte, this is for you:

Creationism? Intelligent design? Evolution? There is only one supreme being, and it is the Flying Spaghetti Monster.