Rust promises hydrogen power boost

8 July 2013 Last updated at 13:27 ET By Simon Redfern BBC News

Rust could help boost the efficiency of hydrogen production from sunlight - a potentially green source of energy.

Tiny (nano-sized) particles of haematite (crystalline iron oxide, or rust) have been shown to split water into hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of solar energy.

The result could bring the goal of generating cheap hydrogen from sunlight and water a step closer to reality.

Details are published in the journal Nature Materials.

Researchers from Switzerland, the US and Israel identified what they termed "champion nanoparticles" of haematite, which are a few billionths of a metre in size.

Bubbles of hydrogen gas appear spontaneously when the tiny grains of haematite are put into water under sunlight as part of a photoelectrochemical cell (PEC).

The nanostructures look like miniscule cauliflowers, and they are grown as a layer on top of an electrode.

The key to the improvement lies in understanding how electrons inside the haematite crystals interact with the edges of grains within these "champions"

Where the particle is correctly oriented and contains no grain boundaries, electrons pass along efficiently.

This allows water splitting to take place that leads to the capture of about 15% of the energy in the incident sunlight - that which falls on a set area for a set length of time. This energy can then be stored in the form of hydrogen.

Identifying the champion nanoparticles allowed Scott Warren and Michael Graetzel from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, to master the methods for increasing the effectiveness of their prototype cell.

Iron oxide is cheap, and the electrodes used to create abundant, environmentally-friendly hydrogen from water in this photochemical method should be inexpensive and relatively efficient.

The hydrogen made from water and sunlight in this way could then be stored, transported, and sold on for subsequent energy needs in fuel cells or simply by burning.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23226798#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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White bean and olive salad with fresh herbs

White beans are a cheap, versatile ingredient for the beginners out there.

By France Morissette and Joshua Sprague,?Beyond the Peel / July 7, 2013

A quick, tasty and filling salad for the summer.

Beyond the Peel

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I put on a batch of beans recently on a stormy night (sounds scary, right?). I made a triple batch so that I could freeze the extra portions. Having them on hand is a huge time saver and it doesn?t take any more time to cook two cups as it does to?cook one.

Skip to next paragraph France Morissette and Joshua Sprague

Beyond The Peel

Cookbook author, France Morissette, and her husband Joshua Sprague believe that healthy food should be uncompromising when it comes to flavor. They creatively explore the world of natural, whole foods, leaving no stone unturned in their quest to create mouth watering, flavor packed, whole food meals. Through stories, photos, recipes and their online show Beyond The Peel TV, they're on a mission to help you eat healthy and enjoy every last bite in the process.

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You can always use white beans in a jar or even canned beans, if you?re just?getting started?with whole foods and are working your way up to making them yourself. If you?re interested in learning how, here?s an?easy video?on how to make them at home for pennies in comparison to the precooked ones.

The first time I served this salad it was on a bed of thinly sliced zucchini (I used a carrot peeler, but for more than 1 person a?mandoline?would be faster) drizzled in olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice and?fresh?ground?pepper. Today I enjoyed it on a bed of freshly picked spinach from the garden toasted in a Tuscan Herbed Olive Oil and Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic (thanks Tina for the lovely present). Or try it on sliced tomatoes or with steamed?green?beans?even. And if you?re into bread, it would make an exceptional topping of toasted sourdough as an appetizer?

White bean?and olive salad with fresh herbs
Serves 2-3 (depending on size of appetite) Double as required.

1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, navy or cannellini beans

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced

1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Salt and pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients in a medium sized?bowl. Mix to combine. Season with any additional salt and pepper to taste.

Optional Additions:

1 tablespoon lemon juice, tomatoes, red peppers, zucchini, spinach or?arugula.

Related post on Beyond the Peel: What to do with Radishes and Fresh Fennel

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of food bloggers. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by The Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own and they are responsible for the content of their blogs and their recipes. All readers are free to make ingredient substitutions to satisfy their dietary preferences, including not using wine (or substituting cooking wine) when a recipe calls for it. To contact us about a blogger, click here.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/WVsh8wp83rI/White-bean-and-olive-salad-with-fresh-herbs

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Study Links IVF to Small Risk of Mental Disability - Health Care ...

The research in the Journal of the American Medical Association is
described as the largest of its kind and was based on the records of 2.5
million children born in Sweden from 1982 to 2007.


Researchers in Britain and the United States focused on 30,959 (1.2 percent) of those children who were born following an IVF procedure, and looked at diagnoses of autism and intellectual disability.

Overall, when compared to children born from spontaneous conception, children born from any IVF treatment were at no higher risk of autism and an 18 percent higher risk of intellectual disability, their analysis found.

This risk however disappeared when researchers factored in the potential problems associated with multiple births, which are common in IVF.

Researchers also compared six different types of IVF procedures available in Sweden and whether fresh or frozen embryos were used.

The only procedure that stood out was called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a technique to remedy male infertility that involves injecting a single sperm into an egg.

Children born after that procedure, whether via fresh or frozen embryos, were at a 51 percent higher risk for intellectual disability than those born after other types of IVF, or a rise from 62 cases to 93 cases per 100,000.

ICSI was developed in 1992 and is used in about half of all IVF treatments, the researchers said.
"When we separated the different IVF treatments, we found that 'traditional' IVF is safe," said Sven Sandin, co-author of the study from King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry.

"But that IVF involving ICSI, which is specifically recommended for paternal infertility is associated with an increased risk of both intellectual disability and autism in children," Sandin said.

The study noted that "the prevalence of these disorders was low, and the increase in absolute risk associated with IVF was small," and further research should be done to test associations in other populations.

Developed in 1992, ICSI is recommended for male infertility and is now used in about half of all IVF treatments.

About five million children have been born as a result of IVF worldwide between 1978 and 2012.
Marcelle Cedars, a doctor at the University of California-San Francisco, said in an accompanying editorial that the "data are reassuring regarding the absence of risk of autistic disorder and the small absolute risk of mental retardation."

However, he urged more study of the implications of IVF.

"The number of children born as a result of IVF will continue to increase and much remains to be learned about the long-term implications. Understanding and eliminating even a small risk of neurodevelopmental impairment are important goals."

Source: http://planehealth.blogspot.com/2013/07/study-links-ivf-to-small-risk-of-mental.html

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Severe storms bring tornado warning, lightning, but no relief

Severe storms brought little relief to the first five-day heat wave in three years Sunday.

The National Weather Service issued a brief tornado warning in the area of Pelham, Mass., and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for areas south and west of Worcester during the afternoon.

Another day of blistering temperatures prompted the National Weather Service to issue another heat advisory.

Track storms with interactive radar

Heat indexes reached around 100 degrees.?While conditions were slightly less stressful than the past four days, temperatures reached into the 90s for the fifth day in a row.

Several lightning strikes were reported across the state including Northbridge and Palmer.

Kingston firefighters responded to a house fire on Round Hill Road for an initial report of a lightning strike, but they were still investigating the exact cause.

Marine warnings were also issued for the waters east of Plymouth.

Storm Team 5 meteorologist Mike Wankum said it is our second official heat wave of the summer of 2013.

?The pace of 90-plus days is very similar to the summer of 2010. That year we ended with a near record-setting 25 days above 90,? Wankum said.

Source: http://www.wcvb.com/weather/day-5-of-heat-wave-may-bring-thunderstorms-to-massachusetts/-/9850416/20867188/-/fkmsp2/-/index.html?absolute=true

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California brothers Bob and Mike wrap up the 'Bryan Slam' at Wimbledon

Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan of the United States celebrate after beating Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Marcelo Melo Brazil to win the Men's doubles final match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Saturday, July 6, 2013.

Anja Niedringhaus, Associated Press

LONDON ? The Bryan Slam is complete. Twin brothers Mike and Bob Bryan captured their fourth straight major Saturday at Wimbledon with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo.

The Americans won their 15th Grand Slam tournament and became the first men's team in Open-era tennis to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time. They're also the first to hold all the slams and an Olympic gold medal.

If they win the U.S. Open, they'll join Ken McGregor and Frank Sedgman as the second men's team to complete a calendar Grand Slam. The Aussie duo did it in 1951, 17 years before the Open era began.

The Bryans fell behind 5-0 in dropping the first set but rallied for their 24th straight victory.

Source: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765633492/California-brothers-Bob-and-Mike-wrap-up-the-Bryan-Slam-at-Wimbledon.html

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The UCC to divest fossil fuels stocks. Should the Episcopal Church?

The United Church of Christ has decided to divest itself of fossil fuels stocks or else retain those that meet certain standards.

The New York Times reports:

The United Church of Christ has become the first American religious body to vote to divest its pension funds and investments from fossil fuel companies because of climate change concerns. The Protestant denomination, which traces its origins to the Pilgrims in 1620 and has about 1.1 million members, voted on Monday to divest in stages over the next five years. But it left open the possibility of keeping some investments if the fossil fuel companies meet certain standards. The Rev. Jim Antal, who is president of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ and who helped lead the divestment campaign, said it was motivated by the 350.org climate change campaign, which is also urging colleges and universities to divest from fossil fuel companies.

Nurya Love Parish asks on the blog churchwork if the time has come for the Episcopal Church to follow suit.

I thought that was an excellent question, and I didn?t know the answer, so I started poking around the internet. I discovered just enough to make me think that a roundup of resources was in order.

Here?s what I found:

GreenFaith has a new program called Divest and Reinvest, and just recorded an hour-long webinar on June 20 introducing it. Their Executive Director, the Rev. Fletcher Harper, is on Twitter.

The Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts is definitely considering divestment; its trustees have published a statement about their reasons and process. According to this article, the Diocese of Massachusetts is also being pushed to consider divesting. The Rev. Bob Massie, an Episcopal priest, is a leader in the fossil fuel divestment movement and brings the lessons he learned as a leader of the South Africa divestment movement. I can?t tell from Google whether the Episcopal Church has called on him, but Google has its limits. The University of the South (Sewanee), an Episcopal college, has a divestment movement on campus. The Episcopal Church already has the Episcopal Climate Justice Network which would logically be part of a conversation about divestment. That conversation would also likely need to include the Episcopal Ecological Network and other Eco-Justice ministries.

The Episcopal Church?s General Convention Resolution B023 passed in 2012. It states that

The 77th General Convention calls on congregations, institutions, dioceses, and the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of The Episcopal Church, to work for the just transformation of the world?s energy beyond and away from fossil fuels (including all forms of oil, coal, and natural gas) and toward safe, sustainable, renewable, community controlled energy?

What do you think? Is this a sensible strategy to address climate change?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/episcopalcafe/~3/vajhzdWhk9M/the_ucc_to_divest_fossil_fuels.html

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Solar Impulse Ends Cross-Country Flight With Tiny Little 8-Ft Wing Gash

It took two months for Solar Impulse, the little solar-powered plane that could, to make it from Washington state to New York's JFK airport. Two months of 45mph speeds, multiple stopovers, and cursing at clouds. But after surviving all that time and distance, the flight's triumphant finale was cut short by a torn wing.

Late night, an eight-foot tear in the underside of the Solar Impulse prompted the plane to land at 11 pm last night, instead of the originally scheduled Sunday morning touchdown. The only casualty was a planned Statue of Liberty photo op. And getting there a little earlier didn't change the fact that Solar Impulse is now the first solar-powered plane had made it all the way across the US.

Fueled by approximate 12,000 solar cells installed on its wings, and 800 pounds' worth of batteries to store the excess power, the sun-soaked Swiss sailor will be seeking even bigger fish in the future; its next planned flight will take it around the globe in 2015. Hopefully they'll be packing plenty of duct tape.

Image credit: Solar Impulse

Source: http://gizmodo.com/solar-impulse-ends-cross-country-flight-with-tiny-littl-692622047

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