Category: Environmental

Environmental Science Story

Infrared holography lets firefighters see through fire and smoke

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As reported on The Verge. By Jeff Blagdon It isn’t easy to see through the smoke and flames in a burning building, but it’s crucial for emergency responders like firefighters, who need to be able to tell if people are trapped inside. To solve the problem, researchers at Italy’s National Institute of Optics have come up with a technique that one-ups conventional infrared camera technology by ditching an optical lens in favor of a laser, using…

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Environmental Story Tech

Insert Coin: HeatMeter wants to save your money and the planet (video)

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As reported on Engadget. By Daniel Cooper Back in 2011, MIT discovered that the Fisker Karma’s batteries only lost 10 percent of their battery life after 1,500 charges. Admittedly, the study didn’t examine theEV’s reliability, nor its tendency to spontaneously combust, but the MIT researchers did learn plenty about energy conservation in the process. Fast-forward to now, and YShape, a start-up spun off from that original research, is taking to Kickstarter to fund HeatMeter, a sensor that’s designed to…

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Environmental

Powerful blizzard takes aim at Northeastern United States

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As reported on Yahoo.com By Scott Malone View PhotoReuters/Reuters – Residents of the Boston suburb of Medford, Massachusetts dig their cars out of the snow in this file picture. REUTERS/Jim Bourg BOSTON (Reuters) – The Northeastern United States braced on Friday morning for a possibly record-setting blizzard bearing down on the region, which forecasters warned could drop up to 2-1/2 feet of snow and bring travel to a halt. Blizzard warnings were in effect from New…

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Environmental

The Most Common Places Heat Is Escaping From Your House

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As reported on LifeHacker. by Whitson Gordon The Most Common Places Heat Is Escaping From Your House Heat is one of the biggest expenses in your energy bill, so keeping heat from escaping is one of the best ways to save money every month. The Washington Post shows us the most common places heat escapes. We’ve shared a lot of winterizing tips before, but the Post’s infographic is really useful in finding out which spots are the most important. For…

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Environmental Story

NASA: 2012 was the ninth-warmest year on record

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As reported on The Verge. By Amar Toor Climate scientists at NASA have ranked 2012 as the ninth-warmest year since 1880, when annual temperatures were first recorded. Their findings also show that the ten hottest years over this 132-year period have all occurred since 1998, adding to a growing body of evidence that the world’s temperature is rising. The report, published by the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), comes just a few days after the US government…

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Environmental

Alta Devices claims world’s lightest, most efficient military solar chargers

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As reported on Engadget. By Terrence O’Brien  Alta Devices has already laid claim to one solar charging-related record, now it’s claiming to add world’s lightest to its list of selling points. The company is still touting its mats as the most efficient (though, there are some valid challenges to that claim), but it’s adding portability and versatility to its resume. It’s smallest military model weighs just four ounces, is roughly the size of a sheet of paper and…

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Environmental

Why the criticism of a leaked climate change report is premature at best

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As reported on The Verge. By Kimber Streams Whether or not global warming exists is still a hotly contested issue for some, despite the overwhelming scientific support for it. Now, the fifth Assessment Report (AR5) from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is has emerged as the latest epicenter in the debate. A draft of the report, which isn’t due until next year but is freely available to reviewers online, has been leaked in its entirety by…

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Environmental

Temperatures to top 60 this week in New Jersey

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As reported on Nj.com By Tom Wright-Piersanti A student waits for the school bus in Bridgewater this morning. Temperatures across the state could hit 60 today.Ed Murray/The Star-Ledger When was the last time you hung Christmas lights while wearing gym shorts? A warm front will provide New Jerseyans with a brief oasis from winter’s chill through the beginning of this week, pushing temperatures 10 to 15 degrees higher than normal, according to the National Weather Service.…

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