Exploring mechanics of spider silk to design materials with high strength and low density

 

Scientists at MIT have developed a systematic approach to research the structure of spider silk, blending computational modeling and mechanical analysis to 3D-print synthetic spider webs. Spider silk has long been noted for its graceful structure, as well as its advanced material properties: Ounce for ounce, it is stronger than steel. MIT research has explained some of the material's mysteries, which could help design synthetic resources that mimic the extraordinary properties of natural silk. Now, scientists at MIT have developed a systematic approach to research its structure, blending computational modeling and mechanical analysis to 3D-print synthetic spider webs. These models offer insight into how spiders optimize their own webs. "This is the first methodical exploration of its kind," says Professor Markus Buehler, head of MIT's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and the lead author of a paper appearing this week in Nature Communications. "We are looking to expand our knowledge of the function of natural webs in a systematic and repeatable manner." Coupling multiscale modeling with emerging microscale 3D-printing techniques, the team enabled a pathway to directly fabricate and test synthetic web structures by design. The lessons learned through this approach may help harness spider silk's strength for other uses, and ultimately inspire engineers to digitally design new structures and composites that are reliable and damage-resistant. The paper was written by Buehler, along with CEE research scientist Zhao Qin, Harvard University professor Jennifer Lewis, and former Harvard postdoc Brett Compton. Further unraveling the mysteries of spider silk The study unearths a significant relationship between spider web structure, loading points, and failure mechanisms. By adjusting the material distribution throughout an entire web, a spider is able to optimize the web's strength for its anticipated prey. The team, adopting an experimental setup, used metal structures to 3D-print synthetic webs, and directly integrate their data into models. "Ultimately we merged the physical with the computational in our experiments," Buehler says. According to Buehler, spider webs employ a limited amount of material to capture prey of different sizes. He and his colleagues hope to use this work to design real-world, damage-resistant materials of lower density. The 3D-printed models, Lewis says, open the door to studying the effects of web architecture on strength and damage tolerance -- a feat that would have been impossible to achieve using only natural spider webs. "Spider silk is an impressive and fascinating material," she says. "But before now, the role of the web architecture had not yet been fully explored." To investigate the geometric aspects of spider webs through the use of a similar material to silk that can be 3D-printed with uniform mechanical properties was Lewis' mission. Buehler's team used orb-weaver spider webs as the inspiration for their 3-D designs. In each of their samples, they controlled the diameter of the thread as a method of comparing homogeneous and heterogeneous thread thickness. In simulation, the team created "the ideal environment to test and optimize the web structures" under different loading conditions, and then use synthetic materials to print identical webs, Qin says. "We are on the way to quantifying the mechanism that makes the spider's web so strong," he says. The work revealed that spider webs consisting of uniform thread diameters are better suited to bear force applied at a single point, such as the impact coming from flies hitting webs; a nonuniform diameter can withstand more widespread pressure, such as from wind, rain, or gravity. The combination of computational modeling and 3D-printing makes it possible to test and optimize designs efficiently. Lewis says that the team now plans to examine the dynamic aspects of webs through controlled impact and vibration experiments. This, she says, will change the printed material's properties in real time, opening the door to printing optimized, multifunctional structures.

Photoshopping

 

Most beautiful minerals and stones in the World

 

Azurite

Bismuth

Fluorite

Luz Opal with Galaxy inside

Opal with the ocean inside

Realgar on Calcite

Rhodochrosite

Scolecite

Sunset Fire Opal

Titanium Quartz

Uvarovite

Watermelon Tourmaline

 

source : www.wherecoolthingshappen.com

Healthy Vision: Make It Last a Lifetime

 

To keep your eyes healthy, get a comprehensive dilated eye exam: if you haven't had a comprehensive dilated eye exam for some time, schedule one now. Taking care of your eyes is a priority just like eating well and being physically active. Healthy vision can help keep you safe and healthy. To keep your eyes healthy, get a comprehensive dilated eye exam: an eye care professional will use drops to widen the pupils to check for common vision problems and eye diseases. It's the best way to find out if you need glasses or contacts, or are in the early stages of an eye disease. Vision Health for All Ages You can have a dilated eye exam regularly to check for common eye problems. If you haven't had an exam for some time, schedule one this month. Don't forget to take care of your children's eyes as well. CDC's Vision Health Initiative encourages all Americans to make vision a health priority this Healthy Vision Month. Although older adults tend to have more vision problems, preschoolers may not see as well as they should. Know your family's eye health history. Practice workplace eye safety, and wear protective eye wear when playing sports or doing activities around the home. Although older adults tend to have more vision problems, preschoolers may also not see as well as they should. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends vision screening for all children aged 3 to 5 years to find conditions such as amblyopia, or lazy eye, which can be treated effectively if caught early. Some eye conditions can cause vision loss and even blindness. These include: Cataracts, a clouding of the eye. Diabetic retinopathy, which causes damage to the blood vessels in the back of the eye. Glaucoma, damage to the optic nerve, often with increased eye pressure. Age-related macular degeneration, which gradually affects central vision. Other eye conditions, such as refractive errors, which happen when the shape of your eye doesn't bend light correctly, are common problems easily corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or laser surgery. An estimated 11 million Americans aged 12 years and older could see better if they used corrective lenses, or had eye surgery, if appropriate. Nine ways you can help protect your vision Get regular comprehensive dilated eye exams. Know your family's eye health history. It's important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with an eye disease or condition, since some are hereditary. Eat right to protect your sight. In particular, eat plenty of dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens, and fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, albacore tuna, trout, and halibut. Maintain a healthy weight. Wear protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities around the home, such as painting, yard work, and home repairs. Quit smoking or never start. Wear sunglasses that block 99 percent-100 percent of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Wash your hands before taking out your contacts and cleanse your contact lenses properly to avoid infection. Practice workplace eye safety. Eyes and Overall Health Taking care of your eyes also may benefit your overall health. People with vision problems are more likely than those with good vision to have diabetes, poor hearing, heart problems, high blood pressure, lower back pain and strokes, as well as have increased risk for falls, injury and depression. Among people aged 65 and older, more than 50 percent of those who are blind, and more than 40 percent of those with impaired vision say their overall health is fair or poor. But more than 20 percent of older Americans without vision problems reported fair to poor health. In addition to your comprehensive dilated eye exams, visit an eye care professional if you have Decreased vision. Eye pain. Drainage or redness of the eye. Double vision. Diabetes. Floaters (tiny specks that appear to float before your eyes). Circles (halos) around light sources. Flashes of light. Diabetes and Your Eyes If you have diabetes, there's a lot you can do to prevent eye problems. Keeping your blood glucose under control can prevent or delay the onset of diabetic eye diseases. Keeping your blood pressure under control is also important. Diabetic retinopathy (as noted above) is a common complication of diabetes and usually affects both eyes. It is the leading cause of blindness in American adults. Early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy and timely treatment reduce the risk of vision loss; however, as many as 50 percent of patients are not getting their eyes examined or are diagnosed too late for treatment to be effective. Finding and treating eye problems early can help save your sight. For this Healthy Vision Month and always, take care of your eyes to make them last a lifetime.

A Boost of Bamboo

 

 

Posted: 15 May 2015 10:22 AM PDT

From the creator of the Beacon Alley Skateboard comes the Bamboost e-Bike with the same high-performance, woven bamboo sandwich core construction. Introduced as a pedal-assist bike, it utilizes the Sram e-Matic system to move commuters and city riders (especially on hilly streets). Also for commuters, an integrated, detachable leather messenger bag can hold a rider’s bike charger and lock with plenty of room left for lunch!

Designer: Lance G. Rake

Sneakers, Bird Houses and Bird Baths

 

Is Captive Lion Hunting Really Helping to Save the Species?

 

Global pressure is building to end the importation of lion trophies from "canned" hunts in Africa. But those hunts are getting more popular. When Australia banned the importation of lion trophies this year, it became the first country to take legislative action against the lucrative business of hunting captive lions, an increasingly popular activity in South Africa. Greg Hunt, Australia’s environment minister, called the controversial sport “cruel” and “barbaric” and said he hopes Australia’s decision is “part of a significant movement to end ‘canned’ hunting forever.” Now the anti-captive hunting lobby—made up of conservationists and activists from around the world—is pushing for similar legislation to prevent lion trophy imports into the European Union. Longer term, the opponents hope that a ban will be adopted by the United States, source of most of the hunters who go to Africa. (Read about the United States' decision to allow hunters to bring home rhino trophies.) Hunters pay as much as $20,000 to bag a big male. In South Africa, the hunts involve lions born and raised in cages. When they reach about four years old, they’re loosed into a fenced area of at least 2,500 acres to become targets for hunters using rifles or bows. Demand for captive hunts has soared in recent years. South Africa (which recently released a Management Plan for lions) now has about 160 ranches with more than 6,000 lions, and 1,000 are shot each year. Hunters pay as much as $20,000 to bag a big male. (See pictures of 8 amazing animals at risk from wildlife crimes.) Meanwhile, populations of lions in the wild have plummeted in Africa, from an estimated 200,000 a century ago to some 30,000 that live in isolated pockets. Lions require large areas to roam, and outside national parks and reserves, they often clash with livestock farmers and local communities. Hunting Lions to Save Them? Advocates of the lion ranching industry say that by breeding lions for hunting, they’re helping conserve the species. “For every captive-bred lion hunted, you’re saving animals in the wild,” said Pieter Potgieter, chairman of the South African Predator Association. If there were no captive hunts, he says, there would be more sport hunting and poaching of wild lions. But a growing number of scientists and conservationists see little evidence to suggest that the captive hunting industry in South Africa has done anything to stem lion declines in the wild across the continent. (Read about South Africa Tallying a record year for rhino poaching) Chris Mercer, head of the Campaign Against Canned Hunting, a global organization, says the opposite is more likely. “You have to decide what conservation is,” he said. “You can’t just look at numbers of animals. I would define real conservation as the preservation of natural functioning ecosystems. “On ranches where farmers buy animals, put them on their land, bring the hunters on to shoot them, and then go back and buy more—that has nothing to do with conservation.” In Mercer’s opinion, “Lion farming is actually contributing to the extinction of wild lions.” Not so, says Potgieter, who believes that captive breeding enhances the overall gene pool, because some of those lions can be introduced into struggling wild populations. But a 2012 report in the journal Oryx—“Walking with lions: Why there is no role for captive-origin lions in species restoration”—said that captive-bred lions and their offspring are poorly suited for survival and release back into the wild. Luke Hunter, head of the global big cat conservation organization Panthera, which published the paper, says captive lion reintroduction programs in South Africa operate under a “conservation myth.” According to Hunter, “Any sincere effort to reestablish lions simply has no reason to resort to captive animals."   Vulnerable—But Okay To Hunt The African lion is classified as Vulnerable on both the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List and South Africa’s List of Threatened or Protected Species. But regulated hunting of captive and wild lions is legal in South Africa.   Wild hunts in southern Africa occur within designated concessions, mostly on the fringes of national parks. Hunts are generally managed under a yearly quota system, with the numbers of permits sold calculated so as not to undermine lion populations.    A big male lion shot in the wild can fetch up to $75, 000—nearly four times what a captive hunt can bring. A 2012 study of the effects of the South African captive-bred hunting industry on wild lions in the rest of Africa showed that if captive hunting is stopped, there might be some increase in demand for hunting wild lions. Watch: Conservation biologist and National Geographic Explorer Emily Fitzherbert has developed a program based in Western Tanzania to help mitigate unjust killings of lions.  But the study also suggested that additional demand for hunts of wild lions could help the species by raising the price of these trophies, creating further financial incentive—assuming the funds were put back into conservation—to preserve wild populations. Dereck Joubert, a big cat conservationist and National Geographic Explorer in Residence, believes that “there’s no place for lion hunting of any kind in Africa.” Particularly, he says, “while wild lions continue to decline at the present alarming rate.”   Soaring Trade in Lion Bones In recent years, demand in Asia for lion bones has surged, threatening wild lions as never before and boosting the already lucrative South African market for breeders of captive lions for hunting.   Lion bones are ground down, boiled, and mixed with goat bones, herbs—even opium—to make “tiger bone” cake. Lion bones are coveted in Vietnam and China as a fraudulent and cheaper substitute for tiger bones to make “wine” and other products. The bones are ground down, boiled, and mixed with other ingredients, such as goat bones, herbs—even opium—to make a “tiger bone” cake that is believed to have medicinal properties. Tigers are now so rare, numbering perhaps no more than 3,000 in the wild, that poachers can be expected to increasingly target lions instead. In Vietnam, the skeleton of a single lion can earn the producer of fake tiger bone cake up to $70,000. Potgieter believes that skeletons from captive-bred lions in South Africa are helping to supply the demand for lion bones in Asia, in effect protecting lions in the wild.   Chris Mercer, however, is concerned that the legal trade in lion bones from South Africa (which currently supplies an illegal tiger bone industry in Asia) is only fueling demand, and will ultimately devastate wild lion populations. “Traditional Chinese medical practitioners often insist that the bones of wild animals are more potent than those of captive bred ones,” he said, which will inevitably increase the incentive to poach wild lions.” “The whole animal bone industry is fraudulent,” he said, “but what lion farming is doing is building up a massive demand and increasing the investment in Asia in this industry.”   Trophy Hunting: The Final Frontier “Trophy hunters are a massively powerful lobby,” said Ian Michler, an investigative writer, conservationist, and South Africa-based safari operator who spearheaded talks with the Australian government last year. He’s now in discussion with members of the European Parliament. But, he said, “You can’t just march into the EU and expect to make sudden changes. It’s going to take time.” In 2009, the European Parliament—reacting to opposition to the mass hunting and harvesting of wild harp seals in Canada—made an unprecedented and controversial change in legislation that prevents the importation of seal products into the EU. Michler is confident that a similar decision will be made with regard to lion trophies. The campaign to end canned lion hunting has not yet reached the U.S., which Chris Mercer believes will be “the last country in the world to impose any restrictions on their hunting industry.”   The United States of America is by far the biggest importer of lion trophies—accounting for more than half. In Mercer’s opinion, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, which is responsible for legislation relating to trophy imports, will be resistant because of the lobbying might of hunters and the allied gun industry. But Ian Michler is confident that worldwide change is inevitable, as people come to see captive hunting—and sport hunting in general—as ethically wrong.   “I don’t expect any overnight successes,” he said. “We’re involved in a major philosophical deep-rooted debate here. This is going to take time.”   Follow Paul Steyn on Twitter and Instagram.

Could China ban cigarette smoking?

 

In a few weeks, Beijing will implement a city-wide ban on smoking in all indoor public spaces, such as restaurants and offices, as well as on tobacco advertising outdoors, on public transportation, and in most forms of media. If the initiative, agreed late last year by the municipal people’s congress, is successful, China may impose a similar ban nationwide. A significant decline in smoking would undoubtedly bring enormous public-health benefits to China. But is it feasible? With an estimated 300 million smokers, China represents one-third of the world’s total and accounts for an average of roughly 2,700 tobacco-related deaths per day. The costs of treating smoking-related diseases, not to mention the associated productivity losses, are considerable. But China has so far struggled to reduce smoking or enforce bans effectively. Indeed, despite ratifying the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention to Tobacco Control in 2005, China failed to fulfill its commitment to ban indoor smoking by 2011. Moreover, tobacco output increased 32%. Bans have since been implemented in 14 Chinese cities, including Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou. But they have done little to reduce smoking, owing not only to weak enforcement, but also to the prevailing view, held by 75% of Chinese adults, that smoking does not cause serious harm. (Only about 16% of Chinese smokers report an intention to quit.) Against this background, the Beijing municipal authorities’ plan to fine smokers up to CN¥200 ($32) for lighting up in public places appears unpromising at best. The obvious question is why China’s government, which is not known to be shy about imposing paternalistic policies in other areas, does not simply ban cigarette production and use altogether. After all, other countries and localities, from Scandinavia to New York City, have made smoking prohibitively expensive and illegal in most public places. The reason why China has not taken this path lies in the jobs and revenue that the industry provides. The state-owned China National Tobacco Corporation sells almost all of the cigarettes consumed in the country; indeed, it is the world’s largest cigarette manufacturer, supplying 2.5 trillion annually, which in turn generates CN¥816 billion (7-10% of GDP) in revenue. Indeed, tobacco receipts finance as much as half of some provincial governments’ budgets. Even in an authoritarian country like China, the loss of so much income, not to mention the ire of 300 million addicts, would make prohibition a huge challenge. But there is an alternative that could help appease angry citizens and mitigate the revenue loss from an outright ban on smoking: electronic cigarettes. Given that e-cigarettes merely heat a nicotine solution to produce an inhalable vapor, they release none of the carcinogenic tar of cigarette smoke, making them the ideal nicotine-delivery system for smokers seeking – or being forced – to reduce or halt their tobacco intake. Aside from being far less damaging than cigarettes, e-cigarettes are a homegrown product, invented in China in 2003. But, despite considerable progress in China’s e-cigarette industry – in 2013, Shenzhen province housed 900 manufacturers of the devices, up 200% from 2012, and accounted for over 95% of global e-cigarette production – traditional cigarettes still dominate the Chinese market. As Yanzhong Huang of the Council on Foreign Relations recently pointed out, “If only 1% of China’s smoking population turned to e-cigarettes, it would mean a market of about 3.5 million e-cigarette users.” The China National Tobacco Corporation could become the world’s largest e-cigarette maker. One reason China has not managed to tap the e-cigarette industry’s enormous potential is a lack of adequate regulation. Low entry barriers enable intense competition that diminishes producers’ profit margins, and shoddy products are rife, owing to low manufacturing standards. If e-cigarettes are to replace traditional cigarettes and offset lost tobacco revenues, the government must regulate the industry more carefully to ensure safety and quality. But such efforts will mean little without a shift in people’s attitudes. Here, the ban on smoking in public places or during official activities imposed in 2013 on Chinese Communist Party and government officials could be helpful. As Huang explains, if more officials turn to e-cigarettes, ordinary people might be inspired to follow suit. Already, it seems that the directors of the China National Tobacco Corporation have complied with a government-mandated ban on cigarette smoking. Whether they have become e-cigarette “vapers” is not known. A smoke-free China – one that benefits from rising productivity and massive health-care savings – may seem like a pipe dream. But a country-wide ban on smoking, with a reliable e-cigarette industry providing an alternative (both to smokers and to budgets), offers an intriguing way to turn the dream into reality. This article is published in collaboration with Project Syndicate. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum. Author: Sally L. Satel, a medical doctor, is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC. Sarahann Yeh is a student at the University of Maryland. Posted by Sally Satel and Sarahann Yeh - 11:30 All opinions expressed are those of the author. The World Economic Forum Blog is an independent and neutral platform dedicated to generating debate around the key topics that shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Why we need to track the world's electronic waste

 

Image: Mobile phone key pads are piled up. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao. We can all relate to how electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) takes up more and more room in our homes and offices. And as the lifespan of EEE such as computers, smartphones, routers, and monitors shortens, this leads to unsightly piles of barely used, broken, or obsolete equipment. Eventually these once pricey and “in-demand” EEE get handed over to electronic waste (e-waste) haulers. The United Nations University (UNU) calculates that about 46 million tons of e-waste was generated globally in 2014,according to a recent study. Although these devices are an essential part of our daily modern life, the societal impact of e-waste can be severe if the e-waste is not managed according to proper waste management standards. ​For example, if the e-waste is treated without the necessary care, the e-waste handlers – and in the developing world, this would be working women and children – are exposed to toxic substances. In Africa and Asia, there are many examples of large e-waste dumpsites, but from where and how exactly the e-waste gets there, is not officially documented. In developed countries, large flows of undocumented e-waste may be treated or processed with inferior standards. Needless to say, the environment is also adversely affected. While this is a growing problem on a global scale, individual countries do not have a uniform measurement or an indicator for e-waste. However, a number of both developed and developing countries have already started to collect substantial data that relate to e-waste statistics. In an effort to set uniformity and cross-country data standards, the UNU recently announced a measurement framework that was proposed by the Partnership on Measuring Information Communications and Technology (ICT) for Development. Partnership members include the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Bank Group, among others. This partnership/UNU-led task group is currently working on integrating and validating harmonized statistical data and other non-statistical data sources into e-waste statistics. The framework captures the most important elements of e-waste disposal scenarios around the world. A full overview of partnership’s methodology can be found in theseguidelines. Although the classification of e-waste is, at this stage, standalone, it links to multiple data sources and data formats, such as the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) and the European Union Waste of Electric and Electronic Equipment (EU WEEE) Directive reporting. The parameters in the measurement framework and the classification function serve as a backbone for data gathering and thus enable the measurement of these flows. These e-waste indicators would be able to provide a useful overview of a specific country’s electronic and electrical products market. For policymakers, the indicators would provide key data on expanding e-waste figures and insightful trends on e-waste’s environmental impact. This article is published in collaboration with The World Bank’s Open Data Blog. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum. Author: Kees Baldé is a consultant at the United Nations University. Ruediger Kuehr is the Head of the United Nations University’s Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability’s. Posted by Kees Baldé and Ruediger Kuehr - 10:00 All opinions expressed are those of the author. The World Economic Forum Blog is an independent and neutral platform dedicated to generating debate around the key topics that shape global, regional and industry agendas. source : https://agenda.weforum.org

Why we need to start now to reach zero emissions

 

Countries around the world can move their economies onto a path that cuts net emissions of climate-changing gases to zero at an affordable cost but they should start now, the World Bank said. The latest science says the world needs to reach zero net emissions by 2100 to stabilise global warming at about 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, agreed by governments as the maximum acceptable, the bank said in a report on Monday. Zero net emissions means that no more greenhouse gases would be released into the atmosphere than can be absorbed by natural carbon sinks – oceans, forests and other vegetation. “Choices made today can lock in emissions trajectories for years to come and leave communities vulnerable to climate impacts. We will help support robust decisions when we can,” Rachel Kyte, the World Bank Group’s special envoy for climate change, said in a statement. The report, intended as a guide for policy makers in developed and developing countries, sets out three key steps to a “zero-carbon future”. Those are to plan for the long-term and avoid quick fixes that could undermine the end goal, such as swapping coal for gas; price carbon alongside policies to encourage changes in investment and behaviour; and help those negatively affected by the transition. “Decarbonising development is necessary to stabilise climate change,” the report said. “All countries are well-advised to start now, but not all will.” Kyte told reporters there had been a “fairly seismic” shift in the kind of expertise the developing countries that are the World Bank’s clients are seeking. They are now asking how to close their energy gap with the cleanest energy mix they can afford, she said, adding that they needed financing to enable them to make the right choices. The report said models reviewed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change showed that postponing mitigation of climate change until 2030 would hike the cost by an average 50 percent through to 2050, and 40 percent beyond then to 2100. Countries can reach zero net emissions by shifting to clean energy from fossil fuels as their source of electricity, and then expanding access to electricity, it said. Efforts are also required to improve energy efficiency and cut waste, and keep natural carbon sinks healthy through forest and land management so they can offset remaining emissions. Easing the pain The World Bank has been a strong advocate for schemes that set a price on carbon, such as emissions trading and taxes. The report notes that taxes on carbon can be easier to administer and harder to evade than other taxes. For example, in Britain, evasion is around 9 percent for corporate tax and 17 percent for income tax, compared with only 2 percent for an excise tax on diesel. But due to market failures and entrenched behaviour, policy makers also need to adopt measures like targeted subsidies, performance standards and awareness campaigns to catalyse shifts in investment and technology innovation, the report said. It also encourages the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, which reached around $548 billion in 2013. More than 25 countries – most of them in Asia – have significantly reformed such subsidies over the past two years, it notes. But change must be accompanied by efforts to ease the pain for poorer people who may suffer as a result, it adds. “None of this will happen unless the reforms are socially and politically acceptable,” said Marianne Fay, World Bank Group chief economist for climate change and report lead author. Where countries have removed fossil fuel subsidies, for example, some have used the resources released to fund tax cuts and cash transfers. “It is … critical to use the savings or new proceeds generated by climate policies to compensate poor people, promote poverty reduction, and boost safety nets,” the report said. This article is published in collaboration with Thomson Reuters Foundation. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum. Author: Megan Rowling is a Journalist at Thomson Reuters Foundation.  Image: Maintenance officer Wilson Ting of Sunseap Leasing inspects photovoltaic solar modules on top of a block of public housing estate apartments in Singapore. REUTERS/Edgar Su Posted by Megan Rowling - 11:00 All opinions expressed are those of the author. The World Economic Forum Blog is an independent and neutral platform dedicated to generating debate around the key topics that shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Should I Eat Pork?

 

3/5 experts say yes—but with a lot of caveats.

Nutrition, it turns out, is the easy part. A lean cut like pork tenderloin or center cut pork chop is a good choice for your health, says Kate Patton, registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic’s Heart and Vascular Institute. “Pork tenderloin is actually as lean as chicken breast,” she says. It’s also an excellent choice for protein, says Kristi King, senior clinical dietitian at Texas Children’s Hospital. A three-ounce serving of pork has more than 20 grams of protein and is rich in vitamins and minerals. It’s one of the most concentrated food sources of the mineral zinc, with 17% of a person’s recommended daily intake in a 3-ounce serving. It also has vitamin B12, a critical but hard-to-get nutrient necessary for maintaining red blood cells in the body, says King; a 3-ounce portion has 14% of your daily value.

But there’s more to our food than just its nutritional value, says David Katz, MD, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center. “Pigs are smarter than the family dog,” he says, adding that they endure a great deal of abuse when raised for food on factory farms. “I am not sure how much sense it makes for one kind of fellow mammal to be adopted into our families, and another, slightly smarter one to be on our dinner plates,” he says.

Consumer Reports dug into the unsavory details of pork production in a 2013 investigation, in which they tested 198 samples of pork chops and ground pork across the U.S. They found potentially harmful bacteria on most of the samples. Cooking whole cuts of pork to an internal temperature of at least 145°F and ground pork to 160°F—then checking the temperature with a meat thermometer—is key to killing off these bacteria.

You can eat pork, says Urvashi Rangan, director of consumer safety and sustainability at Consumer Reports. But be aware that the investigation found some antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria on the pork it studied. “These bacteria were resistant to antibiotics, which lessens the effectiveness of these drugs for all of us,” says Rangan. “Conventional pork can be fed antibiotics and other drugs daily, live indoors in unhygienic, confined conditions, and often have their tails docked,” Rangan says. “Liquid manure storage is common on hog farms; these conditions help breed contamination and compromise the health of the animal, workers, surrounding communities and the safety of the food product.”

One way to buy better-produced pork is to look for labels reading “organic,” “Global Animal Partnership” or “Animal Welfare Approved,” says Rangan. Don’t be duped by meaningless labels reading “natural” or “no hormones added”—legally, hormones aren’t allowed in pork production.

So what’s the bottom line on swine? Barry Estabrook was so fascinated by pork and pigs that he wrote a book about them: the just-released Pig Tales: An Omnivore’s Quest for Sustainable Meat. “The conclusion I arrived at after researching Pig Tales is that pork is either the worst meat you can eat from pretty much any perspective—environmental, animal rights, gastronomic—or the very best,” he told us. It all depends on how the pigs are raised, and it’s an important question worth asking about your meat. “Thumbs down for factory-raised industrial pork,” he says. “Vigorous thumbs up for sustainably raised pastured pork.”

Illustration by Lon Tweeten for TIME

Read next: Should I Eat Red Meat?

Google’s Homemade Self-Driving Cars to Hit Roads This Summer

 

Google Here’s something that irks Chris Urmson: Sometimes people will get in self-driving cars, the spectacularly complex piece of technology he runs at Google and to which he has devoted most of his scientific career, and leave with a shrug. Once, Urmson was riding in one of Google’s Lexus SUVs down a freeway. Several minutes in, his fellow passenger turned to him, nonplussed. “That’s it?” Urmson, recalling the story on Google’s Mountain View campus earlier this week, threw up his hands: “Do you have any idea how hard this is?!” Soon, there may be many more blasé reactions to one of Google’s most audacious moonshots. On Friday, the Internet giant announced that the first autonomous vehicle it has manufactured — a squat two-seater, unveiled a year ago, with no steering wheel or brakes — will begin rolling out on public roads in northern California this summer. Urmson and his team have assembled 25 of the cars, which, for now, are just called “prototypes.”   When they hit the roads, they will not exceed 25 miles per hour. And, due to current state regulations, they must be equipped with brakes, an accelerator pedal and a steering wheel. But ultimately, Google wants to strip those out. The company’s stated goal is shepherding fleets of vehicles that can drive with no need for human intervention, a bid to curtail the time wasted in traffic and aide those unable to drive. “At that point, the steering wheel and brake pedal just don’t add value,” Urmson said during the demonstration at the new Google X headquarters in Mountain View. “Over the last few years, we’ve been focused almost purely on tightening the technology. The big next step is bringing it into the community and seeing how it mixes with people.” At its event to show off the car, Google mixed with people. Along with press, Google invited local community members and disability advocates onto its spacious, secure rooftop. Sergey Brin, the co-founder behind Google’s futuristic ventures, made an appearance. He reiterated Urmson’s point, arguing that for one target market of the technology — several blind community members were given lifts in the car — steering wheels aren’t the issue. “That doesn’t address the mission of access,” Brin said. Google’s announcement comes on the tail of sharp criticism. On Monday, the Associated Press reported that Google’s Lexus vehicles were involved in three accidents since September, when California required autonomous vehicle testers to declare a permit. Later that day, Google released (incidentally, by Google’s telling) the first glimpse at numbers on its self-driving car experiment: 11 accidents during the 1.7 million miles on the road since 2009. (That puts its incident rate at more than twice the national average of 0.3 damaging incidents per 100,000 miles.) Urmson detailed the accidents: Seven came from other cars rear-ending theirs, two were freeway side-swipes and one was a silly error from a Google test driver who was using the manual controls at the time. Google insists that the higher rate comes from thorough reporting, something most human drivers ignore. When its homemade cars hit the pavement, Google will also launch a website for community feedback on the trials, and will begin posting regulator progress reports, including miles driven, noteworthy trends and incidents. “It sounds cliche, but safety is issue one, two and three,” Brin told the audience. Google’s built-from-scratch car looks similar to its debut a year ago, when Re/code took it for an inaugural spin. It uses the same complex software and hardware — a jury-rigged, advanced network of swirling lasers, cameras and radar — as the existing Lexus fleet. Over the last year, the cars have grown considerably smarter and more adept, said Dmitri Dolgov, who leads software for the self-driving cars. They can decipher a trash can from a pedestrian, and even pick up what a pedestrian’s hand motions mean. Gradually, they’re also learning to handle unusual traffic situations. In Mountain View, Urmson showed earlier footage of Google’s Lexus at an intersection when a renegade cyclist crossed in front, running a red light. As the light turned, a truck to the Lexus’ left veered ahead, barely missing the cyclist. Google’s SUV saw it and stood still. (One car encountered something rarer still: A wheelchair-bound suburbanite chasing a duck; the car opted to stall.) If anything, the car errs on the side of caution. At the Google X headquarters, Google offered rides to the select few community members and reporters. During my ride, the car easily handled the planned obstacle course. A gentle slowdown when a Googler suddenly walked in front. A smooth turn when another veered ahead on a bicycle. But when my car turned to face the unexpected gaggle of press surrounding Brin, it jolted to a halt. Then lurched ahead like a nervous 16-year-old. The car is not accustomed to large gatherings of people in open spaces, Dolgov explained. Mark Bergen Sergey Brin, at Google X headquarters Yet, it learned from the encounter. With each ride, the cars deposit the observed data and share it across the entire fleet. Also, Google has learned more political savviness. The California DMV has awarded testing permits to Google and six other manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Tesla. But industry observers said the company has advanced more aggressively in lobbying. In Nevada, which granted Google the state’s maiden self-driving license in 2012, Google was the driving force in the policy process, at the expense of rivals. “The DMV and especially the state legislature, only listening to Google, wrote a law that was fine for Google but was really problematic for car manufacturers,” said Ryan Calo, a law professor and robotics specialist at the University of Washington campus. On the Google X campus, Brin, outfitted in shorts and Crocs (but no Glass), offered some boilerplate executive-speak. (“We are still refining our business plan.” “The regulatory issues are non-trivial.”) But he also hinted at the ambition of the program. “We’ve had pretty good conversations with a number of states,” he said. “And, for that matter, a number of countries.” Someone asked about his declaration, in 2012, that his self-driving cars would be ready for public use in five years. “That’s still right on track,” he said, before turning to his auto director. Urmson sheepishly corrected him — it’s closer to five years from now. Brin, whose mathematics prowess built Google’s search engine, replied: “Well, I haven’t done the math.”

First large-scale graphene fabrication

 

Thu, 05/14/2015 - 4:32pm Ron Walli, Oak Ridge National Laboratory   ORNL’s ultra-strong graphene features layers of graphene and polymers and is an effective conductor of electricity.One of the barriers to using graphene at a commercial scale could be overcome using a method demonstrated by researchers at the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE)’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Graphene, a material stronger and stiffer than carbon fiber, has enormous commercial potential but has been impractical to employ on a large scale, with researchers limited to using small flakes of the material. Now, using chemical vapor deposition, a team led by ORNL’s Ivan Vlassiouk has fabricated polymer composites containing 2-in-by-2-in sheets of the one-atom thick hexagonally arranged carbon atoms. The findings, reported in the journal Applied Materials & Interfaces, could help usher in a new era in flexible electronics and change the way this reinforcing material is viewed and ultimately used. “Before our work, superb mechanical properties of graphene were shown at a micro scale,” said Vlassiouk, a member of ORNL’s Energy and Transportation Science Div. “We have extended this to a larger scale, which considerably extends the potential applications and market for graphene.” While most approaches for polymer nanocomposition construction employ tiny flakes of graphene or other carbon nanomaterials that are difficult to disperse in the polymer, Vlassiouk’s team used larger sheets of graphene. This eliminates the flake dispersion and agglomeration problems and allows the material to better conduct electricity with less actual graphene in the polymer. “In our case, we were able to use chemical vapor deposition to make a nanocomposite laminate that is electrically conductive with graphene loading that is 50 times less compared to current state-of-the-art samples,” Vlassiouk said. This is a key to making the material competitive on the market. If Vlassiouk and his team can reduce the cost and demonstrate scalability, researchers envision graphene being used in aerospace (structural monitoring, flame-retardants, anti-icing, conductive), the automotive sector (catalysts, wear-resistant coatings), structural applications (self-cleaning coatings, temperature control materials), electronics (displays, printed electronics, thermal management), energy (photovoltaics, filtration, energy storage) and manufacturing (catalysts, barrier coatings, filtration). Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The Best Supplements You've Never Heard Of

 

Jamie Grill/Getty Images.  Updated May 08, 2015. The right nutritional supplements can be a valuable addition to your fit-guy arsenal. Check out these five supplements that fly under the radar but really work. Reduce pain. Prevent disease. Build muscle in the gym. No, this isn’t a late night infomercial. In this article, I’m sharing the potential benefits of some surprising supplements that fly under most people's radar. Sure, some supplements on the market are little more than snake oil. However, certain supplements -- herbs, spices, plant compounds, and even algae – can be a valuable addition to your fit-guy life. (For more on this, check out the article All About Surprising Supplements.) Just remember: before you try any new supplement, make sure it’s backed by solid research. Take marketing claims with a big pinch of salt. And check with your doctor first. With that said, here are five supplements with surprising benefits that are worth learning more about. Curcumin for pain relief Curcumin is the yellow pigment in turmeric and curry spice, and it’s been studied for decades because of its many potential health benefits. For one thing, curcumin is anti-inflammatory and can help decrease pain. In fact, the relief provided by 400 to 500 mg of curcumin seems comparable to taking 2000 mg of acetaminophen (Tylenol). Curcumin can also function as an antioxidant, helping to defend against cellular oxidation and therefore warding off disease. Note that curcumin by itself is poorly absorbed. A good curcumin supplement will contain either black pepper extract (piperine) or phosphatidylcholine (phytosomes) to make it bioavailable. Check the label before buying. Berberine for blood sugar Berberine is a compound found in many plants, including Oregon grape, barberry, and goldenseal, among others. Berberine is known for helping with blood sugar control. In fact, berberine’s anti-diabetic properties are proven to be as every bit as powerful as a pharmaceutical drug. Not many supplements can boast that kind of effectiveness. Berberine can also reduce blood lipids, which means it also might protect against heart disease. There is one possible downside to berberine, though:  it could inhibit muscle growth. Something to keep in mind if you’re actively training. Spirulina for cholesterol If you have high blood pressure or cholesterol, or you’re at risk of heart disease, you might want to check out spirulina, which is a blue-green mixture of algae species. Studies show that spirulina supplementation can lower lipid peroxidation levels (a marker of damaged blood lipids) by around 15%, and reduce triglyceride levels by about 10-15%. Tip: Make sure you’re taking a reliable, true spirulina source.  Non-spirulina blue-green algae could contain toxic contaminants. Rhodiola rosea for fatigue Rhodiola rosea is anadaptogenic herb that grows in cold climates, such as the Arctic, and other mountainous regions of the world. Rhodiola has been shown to decrease fatigue, boost focus and improve overall well-being. In one study, students taking rhodiola scored 8.4% higher on their exams than the placebo group. That’s a pretty big advantage! Similarly, in a study of healthy physicians, rhodiola supplementation significantly decreased fatigue and improved performance on work-related tasks by about 20%. Betaine for power & strength Betaines naturally occur in many plants to protect cells from dehydration. Sugar beets, quinoa, and spinach are three of the best food sources of betaine. Research suggests that 2.5 grams of betaine per day may help you increase your reps during resistance training. It may also boost your power when throwing, jumping and lifting. One study implied that long-term betaine supplementation may improve body composition, but more research is needed to find out whether betaine can actually help you gain lean mass and/or lose fat. Tip: The recommended dose is 2.5 grams per day. Lower than that and you won’t get any benefits, and too much higher could be unhealthy. What you need to remember about supplements For these (and many other) supplements, research is still in the early stages; in some cases, in its infancy. Also, be sure to treat supplements as just that: supplements. They aren’t meant to replace your other healthy habits. You still have to eat well. You still have to find time to exercise. And you still have to hit the pillow and get proper sleep. Once you’ve got a solid foundation, supplements can simply be a ‘bonus’. They’re just one more tool in your fit-guy arsenal. -- Want help finding the best eating, exercise, and lifestyle advice for you? Then check out this Free Health and Fitness Starter Kit, exclusively for men. Includes: Busy man's guide to getting in shape, how much you should eat at each meal, the 5 unspoken things every "good" eating plan has in common, & more. And for more about Dr. John Berardi, including links to his latest men's health articles, click here. References Apicella JM, et al. Betaine supplementation enhances anabolic endocrine and Akt signaling in response to acute bouts of exercise. Eur J App Phys. 2013;113(3):793-802. Armstrong LE, et al. Influence of betaine consumption on strenuous running and sprinting in a hot environment. J Strength Cond Res. 2008;22(3):851-860 Cholewa JM, et al. Effects of betaine on body composition, performance, and homocysteine thiolactone. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013;10(1):39. Del Favero S, et al. Creatine but not betaine supplementation increases muscle phosphorylcreatine content and strength performance. Amino Acids. 2011; 2299-2305. Hoffman JR, et al. Effect of betaine supplementation on power performance and fatigue. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2009;6:7. Hoffman JR, et al. Effect of 15 days of betaine ingestion on concentric and eccentric force outputs during isokinetic exercise.  J Strength Cond Res. 2011;25(8):2235-2241. Lee EC, et al. Ergogenic effects of betaine supplementation on strength and power performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2010;7:27. Olthof, MR, et al. Effect of homocysteine-lowering nutrients on blood lipids: results from four randomized, placebo-controlled studies in healthy humans. PLoS Med. 2005;2(5):e135. Pryor JL, Craig SA, Swensen T. Effect of betaine supplementation on cycling sprint performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012;9(1):12. Schwab U, et al. Betaine supplementation decreases plasma homocysteine concentrations but does not affect body weight, body composition, or resting energy expenditure in human subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002 Nov;76(5):961-7. Schwab, U, et al. Orally administered betaine has an acute and dose-dependent effect on serum betaine and plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy humans. J Nutr. 2006;136(1):34-38 Schwab U, et al. Long-term effect of betaine on risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome in healthy subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011;65(1):70-76. Trepanowski JF, et al. The effects of chronic betaine supplementation on exercise performance, skeletal muscle oxygen saturation and associated biochemical parameters in resistance trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2011;25(12):3461-3471. Bailey SJ, et al. Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2009;107(4):1144-55. Bailey SJ, et al. Dietary nitrate supplementation enhances muscle contractile efficiency during knee-extensor exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2010 Jul;109(1):135-48. Cermak NM, Gibala MJ, van Loon LJ. Nitrate supplementation’s improvement of 10-km time-trial performance in trained cyclists. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2012;22(1):64-71. Cermak NM, et al. No improvement in endurance performance after a single dose of beetroot juice. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2012;22(6):470-8. Christensen PM, Nyberg M, Bangsbo J. Influence of nitrate supplementation on VO₂ kinetics and endurance of elite cyclists. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2013;23(1):e21-31. Hobbs DA, Kaffa N, George TW, Methven L, Lovegrove JA. Blood pressure-lowering effects of beetroot juice and novel beetroot-enriched bread products in normotensive male subjects. Br J Nutr. 2012;108(11):2066-74. Hord NG, Tang Y, Bryan NS. Food sources of nitrates and nitrites: the physiologic context for potential health benefits. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90(1):1-10. Hord NG. Dietary nitrates, nitrites, and cardiovascular disease. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2011;13(6):484-92. Lansley KE, et al. Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of walking and running: a placebo-controlled study. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2011;110(3):591-600. Murphy M, Eliot K, Heuertz RM, Weiss E. Whole beetroot consumption acutely improves running performance. Acad Nutr Diet. 2012;112(4):548-52. Siervo M, Lara J, Ogbonmwan I, Mathers JC. Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Nutr. 2013 Jun;143(6):818-26. Vanhatalo A, et al. Dietary nitrate reduces muscle metabolic perturbation and improves exercise tolerance in hypoxia. J Physiol. 2011 Nov 15;589(Pt 22):5517-28.